Expert-approved Chest Workouts To Try

The main chest muscle is the pectoralis major, which runs across the chest, said Lauren Powell, MS, CSCS. "You have one on both the left and right sides", she said.

Together, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor—a muscle located underneath the pectoralis major—are responsible for all horizontal pushing motions plus assisting in vertical pushing motions, Powell explained. "During a chest workout, you also train the serratus anterior (sides of upper chest), anterior deltoid (front of the shoulder) and triceps", said Chris Gagliardi, ACE CPT, health coach and medical exercise specialist.

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"Strengthening the chest can increase upper-body power and explosiveness, boost pushing or pulling functionality and improve posture", said Dominion Ezechibueze, a NASM CPT.

"Strengthening these muscles helps them become more flexible and reduces the tension, allowing you to extend your muscles and straighten your back and open your chest fully", said John Gardner, a NASM CPT.

Finally, training the chest can improve breathing, Gardner said. "Because your chest muscles are connected to your ribs, strengthening them helps support deeper breathing and allows you to take in the oxygen you need".

Gagliardi added that "the true benefit of strong chest muscles is improved performance in sports and day-to-day life—everything from swinging a tennis racket to pushing a shopping trolley benefits from strong pectoral muscles".

One way to approach strength training is to focus on different muscle groups (like the chest) on different days. "By including a chest day in your workout plan, you can work those muscles to exhaustion without the need to conserve strength and energy for other muscle groups", Powell said.

"A dedicated chest day will also help improve your bench press, rows and overhead press, and perhaps even your squats and deadlifts", Powell said. You'll be increasing your body's total output of force plus upping your chest and shoulder stability, she explained.

"Overall, try to target muscles that support upper-body pushing movements (like the shoulder muscles and muscles of the core) along with the chest muscles", Gagliardi said.

To make sure you're hitting as many angles of the chest muscles as you can, consider a mix of incline, decline and flat bench movements using a combination of dumbbells, barbells, push-ups, cables and body weight, Powell suggested.

Both Gardner and Ezechibueze recommended a total of four chest exercises. "If you take a cue from research from The American Council on Exercise, the barbell bench press, pec deck machine and bent-forwards cable crossovers activate the pectoralis major more than other chest moves", Gagliardi said.

Along with these exercises, consider Gardner's preferred dumbbell skull crushers, dumbbell flys, push-ups and chest dips. While Ezechibueze recommended seated low-to-high cable flys, dumbbell floor presses and seated chest flys.

"Determining the number of sets and reps depends on your goals", Gagliardi said. For general muscular fitness, he recommended one to four sets of eight to 15 reps using a two- to three-minute recovery interval. For muscular endurance, he suggested two to three sets of 12 or more reps using a 30-second or less recovery period. For muscular strength, he advised two to six sets of six or fewer reps using a two- to five-minute recovery period.

Design your working set based on your fitness goals, or try this workout. Complete three sets of each of these moves recommended by Gardner, Gagliardi and Ezechibueze, doing 10–⁠12 reps of each exercise.

"To be safe, consult a professional, such as a certified personal trainer or a certified strength coach and specialist. Also, start with bodyweight only or go lighter with weights", Powell said. If you choose to lift heavier, make sure you have a spotter around when necessary.

"If something doesn't feel right or is causing you pain, do not push through", Powell said. "Address what the issue might be and fix it before moving forwards". If necessary, you can always replace the exercise with a movement that works better for you.

(Related: Experts Explain Why Running in Cold Weather Can Cause Chest Pain)

"The goal of a cool-down is to return to your resting heart rate and to allow your muscles to relax and recover post-workout", Powell said.

"A proper cool-down can help to prevent excessive soreness and prepare the body for the next training session", Powell said.

Begin by going on a light walk or doing breathing exercises to lower your heart rate, suggested Powell. "Then, foam roll the pecs and the back and flow through some stretches", she said. Try Cat-cow or Child's Pose.

Words by Dina Cheney