Best Chest Exercises - Build Chest Muscle using Free weights and Dumbbells

What is the secret to Build Big and Strong Chest?

In this article you will discover the best Chest Exercises using free weights and Dumbbells that build a deep, well shaped chest.

You will also learn how to do Bench press, flys and many other proven Chest exercises to build a strong and muscular chest.

Women can build lean and strong shoulders and athletes can build functional chest and shoulder girdle.

Time to have a look in the mirror

Its time to remove your shirt and show the mirror how chiselled your chest looks. Well may not be now but in a few weeks surely if you follow the Chest Building Tips mentioned here.

Inside this article

• Why you need to build a muscular chest
   
• Chest Exercises must know points
   
• Top 10 Chest Exercises
   
• Upper, Lower & Inner Chest Exercises
   
• Chest Exercises for Women
   
• Chest Exercises without weights
   
• Blast Your Bench Chest Bodybuilding Program

Why You Need to Build a Muscular Chest

Chest is the Centerpiece of a Complete Physique and don't let your Chest below its own standards when you can really hit it hard and make it stand.

Just see how many guys can boast of a muscular chest! Not many! And your chest can make you apart from this crowd giving you all the attention you deserve.

Well built chest is the cornerstone of a bodybuilding physique and the chest exercises I show you here will do just that. These Chest Exercises are also the best Muscle mass builders.

You can also read the Blast Your Bench Program for more Chest Building Tips.

Building chest has always been termed difficult. Its not so. The reason chest appears to grow slow is due to its size. Chest is a major muscle with lots of fibers. Added to this fact many trainers, even bodybuilders do not train with high intensity on power exercises like bench press. Therefore go all out on such power moves and buy yourself new shirts.

In order to have a total chest development you need to do 2 kinds of movements - Press and Flys.

Chest Exercises must know points

Its is absolutely essential that you start with compound moves like the barbell and dumbbell bench press to build and strengthen chest muscles before moving on to other exercises.

1. Flat bench press is the best Chest muscle builder. It is a power exercise and is one of the Big 3 { other 2 being Squats and Deadlifts }

2. By changing the angle of the bench you can hit hard both the upper chest { Incline press } and lower chest { Decline press } giving a complete chest development.

3. Dumbbell flys will build the inner chest giving it a clear separation.

4. Build Chest Muscles with power moves like Flat bench press.

5. Go complete range of motion and stretch in between chest exercises. I just gave away a pro tip to you !!!

6. Always perform Chest before triceps. If you do triceps before { even day before } they will fatigue before chest muscles thereby hampering your chest development.

Chest can be the most aesthetic muscle of your body especially on the beach or when competing.

Also see -Upper Chest Exercises and Workouts ANDLower Chest Exercises & Workouts.

Now its time to learn the Best Chest Muscle Building Exercises

1. Barbell Flat Bench Press - The King of Chest Building Exercises.
   
   
   Add the Close grip, wide grip, reverse grip variations described in the bench press section and build a complete chest area.
    

2. Barbell Incline Bench Press - Build a muscular upper Chest now.
   
   
    

3. Dumbbell Flys and Machine Flys/ Pec decks - Build inner pecs for a total chest development.
   
   

These 3 exercises should be a part of any chest Muscle Building Exercise workout.

You can add variations with dumbbells but never miss these basic exercises.

Other Chest Exercises you should know

• Dumbbell Bench Press - The dumbbell version allows for a longer range of motion, hitting the chest muscles harder. You can do neutral grip dumbbell bench press, inclined, declined and stability versions for variety in your chest workouts.
  
   

• Incline Dumbbell Press - Hits the upper chest muscles hard. Make sure you lower the bar to the upper chest area for maximum stimulation.
  

• Incline Dumbbell Flyes - Flyes force pectoral contraction more than bench press. If bench press is for chest and shoulders, flyes are specifically for pectorals.
  

• Decline Bench Press - Hits the lower chest area better than regular ones. Some experts say decline version is not necessary but I have never felt more lower pectoral stimulation with other exercises, other than pullovers maybe.
  

• Decline Dumbbell Press - similar effect like decline bench press but allows for longer range of motion. Can be done one arm at a time for more core stability.
  

• Parallel Bar Dips - A complete upper body move involving chest, shoulders and arms. Make it a staple exercise in every chest or arms workout.
  

• Pullovers - Bodybuilders do this to improve their ribcage area as it expands your chest cage. Great exercise as it works on chest and lats too.
  

• Cable Crossovers - Very few good uses of cables in the gym. Do when arms are fresh too.
   

• Dumbbell/Kettlebell Floor Press - Great o do at home and the floor flyes are simply a great isolation exercise.
  

Upper Chest Exercises - Exercises for Upper Chest

Looking to Build Big and Strong Upper chest? Then Check these Effective  Upper Chest Exercises & Workouts. Also check out the Upper Chest workout without weights.

Lower Chest Exercises - Exercises for Lower Chest

Is your Lower Chest lagging as compared to Upper Chest? Then Check these effective  Lower Chest Exercises and Workouts.

Inner Chest Exercises - Exercises for Inner Chest

The Best Exercise for Inner Pec development is the Pec decks or Dumbbell Flyes. Also close grip Flat Bench Press is great way to go.

Chest Exercises for Beginning Bodybuilders

Beginner Bodybuilders should stick to the basic exercises like Bench Press and Dumbbell Flyes with the highest weights possible for maximum returns. Remember Build First, Chisel Next. Check out the  Beginner Bodybuilding Program by Marc David.

Chest Exercises for Women

Women need to Build a chest which is shapely, tight and strong. Check the  Chest Workouts section for more details. I hope you have read the  Women's Weight Training Section for your personalized workout.

Chest Exercises for Men

Men need to Build a chest which is big and shapely. Lift big with Bench Press and dumbbell flyes as your staple chest workout and you will see impressive results soon. Also read Top 5 Bench Press Tips .

Chest Exercises Without Weights - No Weight Chest Exercises

Bodyweight Chest Exercises like Dips/Push Ups are the absolute best chest exercise. Find more  Bodyweight Chest Exercises here.

Chest Exercises at Home

At Home you can either do bodyweight chest exercises or if you have a home gym do the  Home Gym Exercises.

Chest Exercises with Resistance Bands

Cable Chest Exercises or with Resistance Bands is another way to give your chest a high impact workout. Check out  Resistance Band Exercises for more.

Common Chest Exercise and Workout Questions and Answers

1. Are dips a good exercise to build my chest?

Dips are tremendous exercises to build both the lower chest muscles and the triceps. They are not the best mass builders since they are bodyweight exercises but they will have a noticeable impact on overall lower chest development.
 

2. Do I exercise with a chest cold?

NO! When you are not feeling well, it would be a much wiser plan to stay out of the gym. You might aggravate your cold and not get all that great of a chest workout when all is said and done.

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury or medical condition. Speak with a qualified physician.
 

3. How many days a week can you exercise chest?

Believe it or not, you can get a lot of mileage out of one day a week. Two says a week is usually the maximum. Three or more days a week do little more than lead to overtraining and potential injuries. Yes, professional bodybuilding may work the same muscle group three or more times a week but they are pros and live a lifestyle that supports such workouts.
 

4. Can exercise cause you to wake up with chest pain in the middle?

If you have injured yourself then the answer would be yes. Please note: if the chest pain is from overtraining the muscles, you have a problem. The chest pain could be the result of a heart condition, you have an extremely serious problem and should seek the advice of a physician. Really, if you are waking up in the middle of the night with chest pains you should call a doctor.

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury or medical condition. Speak with a qualified physician.

5. What is it when your chest gets tight when you exercise?

This could be minor muscle pain due to lack or flexibility or it could be indicative of a heart condition. Never dismiss the potential danger that tightness in the chest can yield. If you have concerns about tightness in the chest, speaking with a physician is advised. Pro wrestler Terry Gordy died of cardiac arrest after feeling tightness in his chest after a bench press workout.
 

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury. Speak with a qualified physician.
 

6. What is the best exercise for the lower muscles of the chest?

Without a doubt, decline chest bench presses will be the perfect lower chest mass building exercises. Those looking for definition would probably benefit from decline cable crossovers.
 

7. 2 days after workout how should my chest feel?

A slight soreness means the muscles have been sufficiently worked out and will start to grow. If you are in a lot of pain that may indicate you injured yourself. Don't dismiss the presence of sharp pain. It could be indicative of a greater problem.

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury. Speak with a qualified physician.

8. How bad should my chest be hurting after workout?

Your chest should never hurt "bad". A light soreness is usually fine per bodybuilding conventional wisdom. However, if you feel a sharp pain then you are overtraining. Worse, you may have injured yourself. When you feel serious pain in the chest - take time off from working out. It is not impossible to outright tear the muscle when overtraining. Also be mindful pain in the chest could indicate a heart attack.

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury or medical issue. Speak with a qualified physician.

9. How many times a week can I workout chest?

This will depend upon your current fitness levels and goals. One day a week is fine but more than three would set the stage for potential overtraining.
 

10. How often to workout chest?

Mass building can be accomplished efficiently with one or two workouts per week. Definition might be better suited for 2 - 3 days in the gym per week. Don't overdo it in the gym or else you will see the inverse of good results.

11. What is the best workout to get a big chest?

The "best" will vary on how your own individual body reacts to a workout plan. Here is a common one most bodybuilders speak fondly of. A pyramid drop of the traditional bench press would be a wise plan. The way this works is you would lift 80% of your maximum weight for 8 reps, followed by 70% for 7 reps, all the way down to zero. You could also perform an isolation chest exercise to failure prior to performing the pyramid drop. Keep in mind, these can be considered advanced workouts so be mindful of your current condition when trying such an exercise.
 

12. Can lack of oxygen cause your chest and back muscles to hurt?

Yes, a lack of oxygen can have a number of ripple effects through the body. Generally, a lack of oxygen can place you at risk or passing out or worse. If there are issues regarding a lack of oxygen, you may be training with your heart rate too elevated which can be extremely dangerous. Never take a lack of oxygen as anything less than extremely serious! Lack of oxygen can cause a fatality!

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury or medical issue. Speak with a qualified physician.
 

13. How to build chest up?

Work your chest out two days a week. Mass building exercises such as all three bench presses supine, incline, and decline are needed. You should use both barbell and dumbbell versions of the bench press, too. Adding a daily program of morning pushups to the mix will help nicely. Also, make sure you are getting enough protein in your diet since this will repair and build muscles.
 

14. What causes the muscles in your chest and back to hurt?

Anything. No, that is not a statement made flippantly. Sitting too long in an uncomfortable chair can do it. The onset of a heart attack has both of these symptoms as well. Weightlifters that try to lift too much weight or train too often also suffer from such problems. Here is a maxim to follow: be very wary of any pain you develop since it could be indicative of a serious problem.

Note: Never self-diagnose an injury. Speak with a qualified physician.
 

15. How to strengthen your chest?

Perform compound exercises with very heavy weight for low reps. Low can range from 4 - 6 reps. Training to failure is performed by many under the assumption this will expedite the body's desire to get stronger.
 

16. How can I shape my chest?

You would need to perform all manner of dumbbell can cable isolation exercises for very high reps and low weights.
 

17. How to flatten your chest?

You cannot flatten chest muscles. If you have fat deposits in the chest, you will need to perform a high level of cardio work and reduce the amount of calories in the diet to bring your body fat down. Other than liposuction, you

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