Chest Exercises: The Top 10

Chest exercises are critical for getting one of the most intimidating muscle groups in a man’s physique. Similarly, doing the right chest exercises will make those muscles look defined while wearing a fitted shirt (new profile pic, anyone?), making you more attractive to the ladies. Show me a guy who says he doesn’t want a chiseled chest and I’ll show you a liar. A big, chiseled chest is a defining characteristic of the classic male physique and achieving it is perhaps the most coveted training goal among men. Not only will a bigger chest contribute to a stronger Bench Press but, by adding more muscle to the top of your frame, your waistline will appear considerably leaner.

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To aid you in the process of building a respectable set of chesticles, I’ll briefly outline two of the most commonly made mistakes when it comes to chest exercises.

Neglecting Heavy, Compound Lifts

Trainees often make the mistake of assuming low load/high repetition isolation exercise is the only way to gain muscle. In reality, though, using heavier loads to increase strength provides a necessary stimulus which facilitates muscle growth. While isolation movements such as Cable Crossover’s and Pec Fly’s are undoubtedly valid exercises for chest development, they should not be used at the expense of heavy, compound lifts like variations of the Bench Press and Dips.

Neglecting Full Ranges of Motion

Neglecting to take the chest musculature through a full range of motion (ROM) is possibly the single best way to sabotage your efforts. Granted, partial ROM movements serve a purpose under various conditions, but the vast majority of training should utilize full ranges of motion. For example, don’t shortchange yourself during the Bench Press by only lowering the bar halfway to your chest. Assuming your shoulders are healthy and you feel comfortable with the movement, lower the bar all the way to your chest prior to pressing it back up and finishing the lift.

The Top Chest Exercises for Maximum Results

Below I, Jordan Syatt, have provided a list of my top 10 chest exercises for sculpting a massive chest. I’d note, there are hundreds upon hundreds of exercise variations designed to target the chest, each of which has a time and place within a well designed training program. That being said, these are my personal favorite exercises which have produced astounding results time, and time again.