Best Chest Exercises: 8 Exercises for Strength and Muscle

The best chest exercises combine pressing and fly movements that train the pectoral muscles through different angles and allow you to progressively increase the challenge over time. For most people, exercises such as the bench press, dumbbell press, incline press, cable fly and push-up provide more than enough variety to build an effective chest workout.

You do not need to fit every chest exercise into one session. The better approach is to choose a few movements that suit your goal, experience and available equipment, then focus on good technique, an appropriate range of motion and gradual progression.

At Orbit Fitness, that is how we approach strength training: start with versatile movements, get the fundamentals right and build from there.

What Are the Best Chest Exercises?

Eight of the best chest exercises for building strength and muscle are:

For most workouts, you do not need all eight. A compound press, a second pressing variation and an isolation movement can provide a practical foundation.

What Are the Best Chest Exercises?

The best chest exercises are those that effectively train the pectoralis major, suit your current ability and allow you to progress safely over time. A balanced approach typically combines compound pressing exercises with a fly or adduction movement rather than relying on one exercise alone.

Here are eight exercises worth considering.

1. Barbell Bench Press

The barbell bench press is a foundational compound chest exercise for developing upper-body strength. It primarily trains the pectoralis major, with the triceps and anterior deltoids assisting the movement.

It is particularly useful when increasing pressing strength is a priority because the barbell makes load progression relatively straightforward.

How to do it:

1. Lie on a flat bench with your feet firmly planted.

2. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width.

3. Unrack the bar and lower it towards your chest under control.

4. Keep your wrists positioned over your forearms.

5. Press the bar upwards while maintaining a stable upper body.

Start with a load you can control through a comfortable range of motion rather than sacrificing technique to move more weight.

If bench pressing is a major part of your program, see Orbit's guide to how to improve your bench press for more detailed technique and progression advice.

2. Dumbbell Bench Press

The dumbbell bench press is one of the most versatile chest exercises with dumbbells. It trains the pectoral muscles through a pressing movement while requiring each arm to control its own weight.

Lie on a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Lower the weights under control to a comfortable depth, then press them upwards while keeping your upper body stable.

Because dumbbells are available across a wide range of weights, the movement can be adapted as your strength develops. It is also practical for home training where a full barbell setup may not be necessary.

3. Incline Dumbbell Press

The incline dumbbell press is one of the most useful upper chest exercises because changing the bench angle can place greater emphasis on the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major.

Research examining different bench angles has found changes in muscle activation as the incline increases, with moderate inclines increasing upper-pectoral involvement and steeper angles bringing greater anterior deltoid involvement.

Set an adjustable weight bench to a modest incline and keep your upper back supported. Lower the dumbbells under control before pressing them upwards.

There is no need to turn the bench almost upright in an attempt to target the upper chest. At steeper angles, the movement increasingly resembles a shoulder press.

4. Machine Chest Press

A machine chest press provides a guided pressing path and is a practical alternative or complement to free-weight pressing.

Because the machine provides external stability, you can concentrate on producing force through the pressing movement without having to stabilize separate dumbbells or a barbell.

Adjust the seat so the handles are positioned around chest level. Press forwards smoothly, then control the handles back rather than allowing the weight to pull you rapidly into the starting position.

Machine presses can work particularly well for beginners learning the basic pressing pattern or as an additional exercise after free-weight pressing.

5. Cable Chest Fly

The cable chest fly trains horizontal adduction, bringing your upper arms towards the midline of the body against resistance.

Unlike a chest press, a fly involves relatively little movement at the elbow. This makes it a useful chest isolation exercise alongside compound pressing movements.

Start with your arms open and your elbows slightly bent. Bring your hands towards each other in front of your chest, then return slowly to the starting position.

Keep the elbow angle relatively consistent. If you repeatedly bend and straighten your elbows, the movement starts becoming more like a cable press.

6. Dumbbell Fly

The dumbbell fly is a simple free-weight isolation exercise that can complement dumbbell or barbell pressing.

Lie on a bench with the dumbbells above your chest and maintain a slight bend in your elbows. Open your arms gradually until you reach a comfortable range of motion, then bring the dumbbells back towards each other.

This is not an exercise where chasing maximum weight should be the priority. Use a resistance you can control throughout the movement without forcing your shoulders beyond a comfortable range.

7. Push-Up

The push-up is one of the best chest exercises at home because it requires no dedicated equipment while training the chest, triceps and shoulders together.

Push-ups and bench pressing both involve substantial contribution from the pectoralis major, triceps and anterior deltoids, although the loading characteristics and progression options differ.

For a standard push-up:

• Position your hands around shoulder width or slightly wider.

• Keep your head, torso and hips aligned.

• Lower your body under control.

• Press through your hands to return to the starting position.

Beginners can make the movement easier by performing push-ups against a stable elevated surface. If standard push-ups become easy, harder variations or additional resistance can increase the challenge.

8. Chest Dip

The chest dip is a more advanced bodyweight chest exercise that trains the pectoral muscles alongside the triceps and shoulders.

Using parallel bars, lower your body under control before pressing yourself back upwards. A slightly forward torso position is commonly used when the aim is to increase chest involvement.

Dips require greater upper-body strength and shoulder control than standard push-ups. They are therefore better treated as a progression rather than an essential starting exercise.

They can also be useful when you want to include a movement with greater emphasis towards the lower portion of the chest.

Which Chest Exercise Is Best for Your Goal?

The best chest exercise depends on what you are trying to achieve and what equipment you have available.

You do not need to choose only one. Use your main goal to select the foundation of your workout, then add complementary movements where useful.

Which Chest Exercises Should You Combine in One Workout?

A practical chest workout can combine one primary press, a second press from another angle and an isolation movement.

For example:

This is an example rather than a universal prescription. Your ideal training volume depends on your experience, goals, overall program and how much chest work you perform elsewhere during the week.

Current resistance-training guidance from the American College of Sports Medicine emphasises that training should be individualised. For muscle hypertrophy, higher weekly training volume can be beneficial, while heavier resistance is particularly relevant when improving maximal strength is the goal.

If muscle growth is your primary goal, Orbit's guide to how long it takes to build muscle explains how training, progression and recovery contribute to muscle development over time.

For beginners, doing more exercises is not automatically better. A small number of well-performed movements gives you a clearer way to learn technique and track progress.

If you're new to resistance training, our beginner's guide to strength training with free weights covers the fundamentals of choosing weights, learning technique and building a routine.

What Is the Best Exercise for the Upper Chest?

An incline press is one of the most practical exercises for placing greater emphasis on the upper portion of the pectoralis major.

Useful options include:

• Incline dumbbell press

• Incline barbell bench press

• Low-to-high cable fly

• Feet-elevated push-up

Bench angle matters because changing the incline changes the relative contribution of the chest and shoulder muscles. As the bench becomes steeper, the anterior deltoids generally contribute more to the movement.

You generally do not need a separate “upper chest workout”. Adding one incline movement to an otherwise balanced chest program is a simpler approach.

What Are the Best Chest Exercises for the Lower Chest?

The best chest exercises for the lower chest are movements that can place greater emphasis on the lower, or sternocostal, portion of the pectoralis major. Chest dips, decline presses and high-to-low cable fly variations are useful options.

If you are looking for the best exercise for the bottom of the chest, avoid thinking of the lower pecs as a completely separate muscle that needs its own workout. The pectoralis major works as a whole, although exercise angle and arm path can change how its different regions contribute.

Similarly, the best chest exercises for lower pecs do not need to replace flat or incline pressing. For most people, adding one lower-chest-focused movement alongside a balanced selection of presses and fly variations is enough.

This gives you lower-chest emphasis without unnecessarily building an entire workout around one region of the pectoral muscles.

Can You Build Your Chest With Dumbbells?

Yes. Dumbbells can build chest strength and muscle when the resistance is challenging enough and progressively increased over time.

A simple dumbbell chest workout could include:

1. Dumbbell bench press

2. Incline dumbbell press

3. Dumbbell fly

Muscle growth can occur across a range of resistance-training loads when the training stimulus is sufficient, while heavier loads are particularly useful when maximal strength is the priority.

For home training, this makes dumbbells particularly versatile. Pairing dumbbells with an adjustable weight bench gives you flat, incline and fly variations while also supporting exercises for the back, shoulders, arms and lower body.

If you want to incorporate these movements into a broader routine, try our upper body dumbbell workout for exercises covering the chest, back, shoulders and arms.”

Orbit Tip: If space is limited, prioritise versatile equipment before buying multiple single-purpose machines. An adjustable bench and suitable dumbbells can cover several chest exercises while remaining useful for full-body strength training. For more equipment options, see our guide to the best home gym equipment for small spaces and apartments.

Can You Build Your Chest Without Equipment?

Yes. Push-ups and progressively harder push-up variations can train the chest without traditional strength equipment.

If standard floor push-ups are currently difficult, start with your hands on a stable elevated surface. As you become stronger, progress towards floor push-ups and then more challenging variations.

Eventually, adding external resistance can make progression easier to measure, but you do not need weights to begin training your chest effectively.

How Often Should You Train Your Chest?

There is no single chest-training frequency that works for everyone. The appropriate frequency depends on your total weekly training volume, experience, recovery and the rest of your resistance-training program.

Rather than treating chest training in isolation, consider how often the pectoral muscles are already working during bench presses, push-ups, dips and other pressing exercises.

Current resistance-training guidance supports regular training across the major muscle groups while matching frequency, volume and resistance to individual goals.

The practical takeaway is simple: spread your training across the week in a way that allows you to perform quality repetitions and recover between demanding sessions.

How Do You Progress Your Chest Workouts?

Progressive overload is the process of gradually increasing the training challenge as your strength and capacity improve. It is one of the key principles for continuing to develop chest strength and muscle over time.

For a complete explanation of how to apply it, read Orbit's guide to progressive overload.

Progression does not always mean adding more weight. Depending on the exercise, you can progress by:

• Increasing resistance

• Performing additional quality repetitions

• Adding training volume when appropriate

• Improving control through the range of motion

• Progressing to a more challenging exercise variation

For example, if you can perform your planned dumbbell press repetitions comfortably with consistent technique, moving to a slightly heavier pair of dumbbells may be appropriate.

With bodyweight chest exercises, progression might mean moving from an elevated push-up to a floor push-up before eventually adding external resistance.

The goal is not to make every workout dramatically harder. Small, measurable improvements accumulated consistently are more useful than constantly changing exercises.

What Equipment Do You Need for Chest Exercises at Home?

You can start chest training without equipment, but a few versatile pieces can expand the number of exercises and progression options available.

You do not need everything at once.

For a compact strength setup, dumbbells and an adjustable bench are a practical starting combination. A barbell and rack or cage provide more options for heavier strength training, while a home gym or functional trainer can add cable and machine-based movements.

If you're deciding what will realistically fit into your training area, see how much space you need for a home gym before choosing larger equipment.

Choose equipment around the exercises you will actually perform, the room you have available and how you expect your training to progress.

Frequently Asked Questions About Chest Exercises

What is the best exercise for the chest?

There is no single best chest exercise for every person. Bench presses are useful for overall pressing strength, while incline presses, decline presses, fly variations and push-ups can complement them depending on your goal and available equipment.

What are the best chest exercises with dumbbells?

The dumbbell bench press, incline dumbbell press and dumbbell fly are three useful dumbbell chest exercises. Together, they provide flat pressing, incline pressing and an isolation movement.

What is the best chest exercise at home?

Push-ups are one of the most accessible chest exercises at home because they require no dedicated equipment and can be modified for different strength levels. If you have dumbbells and an adjustable bench, dumbbell presses provide another practical option.

Are push-ups enough to build your chest?

Yes, push-ups can help build the chest when they provide sufficient resistance for your current strength level. As they become easier, use harder variations or additional resistance to keep progressing.

Should I do chest press or chest fly first?

For most strength workouts, perform your main chest press before fly exercises. Compound presses generally allow greater loading and involve more muscle groups, while fly movements work well as supplementary isolation exercises.

How many chest exercises should I do in one workout?

For many people, two to four well-chosen chest exercises can be sufficient. The appropriate amount depends on your weekly training volume, experience, goals and recovery rather than simply trying to perform as many exercises as possible.

Build Your Chest Workout Around the Fundamentals

The best chest exercises are not necessarily the most complicated ones. Flat, incline and decline presses, fly variations, push-ups and dips provide plenty of options for training the pectoral muscles across different angles and resistance types.

You do not need every variation in the same program. Choose exercises that suit your goal and available equipment, use a controlled range of motion and apply progressive overload as your strength improves.

If you are building or upgrading your training setup, explore Orbit Fitness for strength equipment suited to home and commercial training, with Australia-wide delivery and stores across Western Australia.