When weight lifting, you should use more than one exercise per body part to ensure that you are properly training your muscles. Additionally, you should vary your workout routine periodically. Adding variation to your workout will result in increased muscle growth, and prevent your workout from becoming boring. You can choose from a number of effective exercises to train your chest muscles.
Standard Barbell Bench Press
Get a spotter to help you with this exercise, so that you don't get trapped under the barbell after the last repetition. Lie flat on a weight bench with your feet planted and your eyes directly below the bar. Grasp the bar with your arms shoulder-width apart, your palms facing forward, and your thumbs wrapped around the barbell. Lift the barbell from the rack with the help of your spotter, and pause. Lower it slowly until it barely touches your chest. Pause briefly, then raise it slowly until your elbows are fully extended. Repeat for as many repetitions as you can, and then replace the barbell on the rack with the help of your spotter. Keep your body flat against the bench during the entire lift.
Barbell Decline Bench Press
As with the standard bench press, use a spotter. You will probably not be able to lift as much weight for the decline bench press as you can for the standard bench press. Your weight bench should include a leg brace. Lie down, hook your feet under the leg brace, and grasp the bar with your arms shoulder-width apart, palms forward, and thumbs wrapped around the barbell. Check your grip to make sure it is not too wide. Lower the barbell until it barely touches your chest, pause very briefly, raise it until your arms are fully extended, pause, and repeat as many times as you can. Replace the barbell on the stand with the assistance of your spotter.
Lying Dumbbell Pec Fly
This exercise can be performed safely without a spotter. Grasp one dumbbell in each hand, pull them together in front of your chest, and lay back with your feet planted on the floor. Lift the dumbbells until your elbows are extended and the dumbbells are touching each other. Turn your palms inward so that they are facing each other. Lower the dumbbells apart at the same rate, until they are at chest level and your arms are in "spread eagle" position. Do not lock your elbows. Pause briefly, raise the dumbbells to their starting position, and repeat until exhaustion.
Assisted Chest Dip
This exercise can be safely performed without a spotter. It is done with a chest dip machine, and you must set the machine with a pin before exercising. With this exercise the weight supports your body rather than providing resistance -- so the heavier you set the weight, the easier the exercise will be to perform. Mount the bar with your arms directly over your hands. Step onto the assistance lever and lower your body slowly by bending your elbows and allowing them to flare out at the sides. Pause as soon as you feel your chest muscles stretch slightly, return to your original position, and repeat as many times as you can.
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