Chest Building Exercises for Powerful Pectorals
One of the best chest building exercises powerful pecs is the butterfly ‘Pec Deck’. Sit on the pec deck, back straight flat on the back rest. With your forearms on the lever pads to either side, upper arms parallel to floor, push and squeeze the pads slowly together in front of you. Don’t touch them together. Slowly open the pads, widening your arms until chest is stretched but the weights do not reach their rest. And repeat.
Bent Arm Dumbbell Pullover
Our second of these chest building exercises is the bent arm dumbbell pullover. Lie on your back on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor either side, and your head at the end. Grasp a dumbbell with both hands. With elbows slightly bent and kept in, lift the dumbbell up over your head in a quarter-circle and slowly lower towards floor as far as comfortable. Keeping your head down, back flat and elbows in, lift dumbbell back over your head in the same semi-circular path.
Cable Crossover Chest Building Exercises
In between two separate high pulleys facing each other, stand about a foot or so forward of the two weight stacks, grasping a stirrup cable attachment in each hand so that your arms are suspended out either side, cruciform style. Leaning forward slightly, one foot just in front of the other with knee slightly bent, pull your arms down and slightly forward, around in front of your body, keeping your elbows slightly bent at all times. Maintaining your stance, squeeze your chest muscles until your hands almost meet in front of your midriff. Slowly return to start position and repeat.
Bent Arm Barbell Pullover
Lie on your back on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor either side, and your head at the end. Grip barbell with hands about a foot or so apart. With elbows slightly bent and kept in, lift the bar up over your head in a semi-circle and slowly lower towards floor as far as comfortable. Keeping your head down, back flat and elbows in, lift barbell back over your head in the same semi-circular path.
Barbell Bench Press, Medium Grip Chest Building Exercises
Lie on your back on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor either side. Grip barbell with hands a little more than shoulder width apart. Hold barbell above your upper chest, arms straight. Bending elbows, slowly lower barbell towards your chest without touching it. Push barbell straight up over your chest; straighten arms and lock elbows. Slowly lower barbell and repeat. Use one or two spotters to hold the barbell for you at the start and end of these chest building exercises.
Barbell Bench Press, Close Grip
Simply the barbell bench press, but with your hands a foot or so apart over your body.
Barbell Incline Bench Press for Bigger Pecs
Lie back on an incline bench set at about 45 degrees, with your back and head on the incline, feet flat on the floor. Grip barbell with hands a little more than shoulder width apart. Hold barbell above your upper chest, arms straight. Bending elbows, slowly lower barbell towards your upper chest just enough to make light contact. Push barbell straight up over your chest; straighten arms and lock elbows. Slowly lower barbell and repeat. Use one or two spotters to hold the barbell for you at the start and end of these chest building exercises.
Barbell Decline Bench Press
Lie back on a decline bench. Grip barbell with hands a little more than shoulder width apart. Hold barbell above your lower chest, arms straight. Bending elbows, slowly lower barbell towards your lower chest, about level with the lower limit of your pectorals. Push barbell straight up, slowly lower and repeat, keeping your head and back flat on the bench. Use one or two spotters to hold the barbell for you at the start and end of this exercise. Like the other bench presses you can use a wide or close grip.
Barbell Decline Bench Press
Lie back on a decline bench grasping two dumbbells, and hold them at shoulder level each side, elbows bent, palms facing inwards. Push the dumbbells vertically straight up simultaneously until elbows lock. Slowly lower and repeat.
Decline Dumbbell Flys Chest Building Exercises
Here’s the last of our chest building exercises: Lie back on a decline bench grasping two dumbbells, arms straight above your shoulders, palms facing inwards. Keeping straight arms but elbows unlocked, slowly lower dumbbells in an arc out and down to either side, stretching your chest muscles. Slowly lift dumbbells in the same arc, returning to the start position.
