If you want to build an impressive chest, you must "lift heavy and lift often." Luckily, the most important chest exercises all can be done with the most basic home-gym equipment, giving you no excuse not to make an effective chest workout part of your regular routine. Try variations of these chest exercises to break through barriers if you are struggling to build your pectoral muscles.
Push-Up
One of the oldest exercises, the push-up, builds strength and mass in the chest with just your body weight. Lie face-down with your toes and your palms on the ground, hands just outside of shoulder width, Flex your pectoral muscles to push your body off the ground, extending your arms without locking your elbows. Slowly lower yourself back to the ground. Variations of the push-up include elevating the feet, which works the upper chest more, and elevating the hands, which emphasizes the lower chest more.
Bench Press
The bench press is probably the most popular upper-body exercise and is generally considered the "benchmark" for how much a person can lift. It works the shoulders, triceps and abdominals as well as the pectoral muscles. Lie face-up on a bench, and hold a barbell with both hands at shoulder width above your breast bone. Use your chest muscles to extend your arms and drive the bar above you. Don't lock your elbows. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Using a wider grip will emphasis the outer chest. Using dumbbells will limit the weight you can use, but it allows for a deeper stretch. A declined bench works the lower chest more, and an inclined bench works the upper chest more.
Dumbbell Fly
The bench press builds thickness in the chest, but the dumbbell fly is the exercise for creating width. Lie face-up on a bench, and hold dumbbells above your chest, arms extended. Lower the weights out to your sides until you feel a firm stretch in your chest. Your upper body should form a "T" shape. Your arms should be slightly bent. Use an arcing motion to bring the dumbbells back up to the extended position, pause, then slowly return to the starting position. As with the bench press, a declined bench and incline bench will work the lower and upper chest muscles, respectively.
Dumbbell Pullover
The dumbbell pullover is an often-overlooked exercise that can build width in the rib cage while working the pectoral muscles and the muscles of the back. Lie face-up on a bench, holding a dumbbell hand over hand. Extend your arms so the dumbbell is directly overhead. Bend only at the shoulders to slowly lower the weight behind your head until the dumbbell reaches the height of the bench. Pause, then slowly return to the starting position. Concentration is key during this exercise. Use an incline bench for variation.
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