Exercises/Chest

The best chest exercises, rated

27 chest exercises, from the highest rated to the most situational. Each one with how to do it, the rep range and alternatives.

Rating A: Great choices 18

Rating ABarbellBarbell Bench PressExtensive evidence and easy to load.How to do it Rating ACableCable FlyConstant tension with a good stretch.How to do it Rating ACableCable Press-AroundA hybrid of press and fly: tension in the stretch and full contraction across the midline.How to do it Rating ADumbbellDumbbell Bench PressMore stretch than the barbell, but getting into position and jumps in weight are harder.How to do it Rating ABarbellIncline Barbell Bench PressGood upper-chest emphasis and highly progressable.How to do it Rating ACableIncline Cable FlyTension through the whole range, including the stretch, with emphasis on the upper chest.How to do it Rating ADumbbellIncline Dumbbell PressStrong upper-chest exercise with a good stretch.How to do it Rating AMachineIso-Lateral Chest PressPlate-loaded chest press (e.g.How to do it Rating AMachineIso-Lateral Incline PressIncline plate-loaded press with independent arms: stable and easy to load heavily for the upper chest.How to do it Rating ADumbbellLow-Incline Dumbbell PressLow angle: still emphasises the upper chest, but less front delt than at 45°.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Chest PressStable and easy to load.How to do it Rating AMachineMachine Incline Chest PressSame benefits as the chest press with upper-chest emphasis.How to do it Rating AMachinePec DeckStable fly with constant tension, easy to load.How to do it Rating ACableSeated Cable FlyStable, lots of tension in the stretch.How to do it Rating ACableSingle-Arm Cable FlyMore range than the regular cable fly (you can cross the midline) and easy to feel.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Bench PressMore stable than the barbell, so safe close to failure.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Incline PressStable upper-chest exercise, easy to overload.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Low-Incline PressStable and easy to load in small steps.How to do it

Rating B: Good choices 8

Rating BBodyweightChest DipsLots of stretch and loadable, but strains the front of the shoulder for some lifters.How to do it Rating BBarbellDecline Bench PressFine for the lower chest, but little added value over regular bench press or dips.How to do it Rating BBodyweightDeficit Push-UpPush-up with extra stretch that can be loaded with a backpack: best chest option without a bench, though progression is limited.How to do it Rating BDumbbellDumbbell FlyTension only in the stretch and shoulder risk when going too heavy.How to do it Rating BDumbbellIncline Dumbbell FlySame limitations as the dumbbell fly, with upper-chest emphasis.How to do it Rating BCableLow-to-High Cable FlyUpper-chest isolation.How to do it Rating BBodyweightPush-UpAs effective as bench pressing at equal effort, but hard to load heavier.How to do it Rating BCableStanding Cable Chest PressHandy when no bench or machine is free, but standing balance limits how much load you can use.How to do it

Rating C: Situational 1

Rating CDumbbellDumbbell Floor PressOnly when there's no bench: the floor removes exactly the stretched part.How to do it

Also trains your chest

Exercises for other muscles where your chest help.

Rating ABarbellClose-Grip Bench PressHeavily loadable compound for triceps and strength.How to do it Rating AMachineSmith Machine Close-Grip Bench PressSame heavy triceps press as the close-grip bench press.How to do it Rating BBodyweightDiamond Push-UpGood home finisher, but hard to make heavier.How to do it Rating BDumbbellDumbbell PulloverGood stretch for the lats, but tension drops off at the top.How to do it Rating BBarbellJM PressHybrid with a good triceps stretch, but hard to learn and tough on the elbows.How to do it Rating BBarbellLandmine PressShoulder-friendly alternative for anyone with pain pressing overhead.How to do it

Plan your training

Knowledge base
What is progressive overload?Four ways to keep making progress, and how fast to go.Read How many sets per muscle per week?The weekly volume that builds muscle.Read One-rep max calculatorYour max from any hard set, and the weight for 2 to 12 reps.Read

How we rate exercises

Mitta rates every exercise from S to C, based on research where it exists and on how the exercise loads the muscle. When Mitta builds your plan it picks from S, A and B exercises and prefers ones that load the muscle at long length. C exercises are never picked automatically, but you can still choose them yourself.

Questions about
chest training

What is the best chest exercise?

There is no single best one. In Mitta’s library, the highest rated chest exercises are the barbell bench press, cable fly, cable press-around and dumbbell bench press. Pick the one that suits your equipment and feels best.

Can I train my chest at home?

Yes. Exercises that need little more than dumbbells or your body weight include the dumbbell bench press, incline dumbbell press, low-incline dumbbell press and chest dips.

How many chest exercises should I do?

One or two per workout is enough for most people. What matters more is the number of hard sets per week. How many sets per muscle per week?

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