Exercise library · Chest
Chest exercises
Presses, flyes and push-ups, from the barbell to just your bodyweight.
Tap an exercise to see how it's done.
Just the 20 you can do at home →
Barbell4
Dumbbellsno gym6
Machine3
Cable2
Bodyweightno gym11
Chest dips
VideoDecline push-up
Videoalso called decline push up, feet elevated push upDeficit push-up
Videoalso called deficit push upDiamond push-up
Videoalso called diamond push upIncline push-up
Videoalso called incline push up, hands elevated push up, armhävningar med händer förhöjda, händer förhöjda armhävningarKnee push-up
Videoalso called knee push upPlyo push-up
Videoalso called clap push up, plyo push upPush-up
Videoalso called push up, pushups, weighted push up, weighted pushup, armhävningar med viktSpiderman push-up
Videoalso called spiderman push upTempo push-up
Videoalso called tempo push up, slow push upWide push-up
Videoalso called wide push up
Resistance bandno gym3
Smith machine2
Smith bench press
Videoalso called smith bench, smithbänkpress, smith bänkpressSmith incline bench pressVideo
Starting position
Set an incline bench under the bar, lie back with your feet on the floor, and grip slightly wider than your shoulders.
The movement
Unrack the bar, lower it toward your upper chest, and press it up until your arms are extended.
Most common mistake
Don't lower the bar toward your neck, position the bench so the bar travels toward your upper chest.
How to train your chest
The chest muscle brings your arms forward and in towards your body. That is why it is trained with two kinds of movement: presses, where you push a weight away from your chest, and flyes, where your arms come together in an arc.
Presses are the foundation, because they let you lift the most. The bench press with a barbell, the dumbbell press and push-ups are the same movement with different equipment. An incline bench, as in the incline dumbbell press, shifts more of the work to the upper chest. Flyes such as cable flyes or the pec deck fit after the presses, when you want to work the chest without your arms giving out first.
For most people one press and one fly a week is enough. Stick with the same exercises for a few weeks, and you will see whether you are getting stronger.
Common mistakes
- Elbows flared straight out. Let them point slightly down as you press. It is kinder to your shoulders.
- Bouncing off the chest. Lower the weight under control and press from a standstill, otherwise momentum does the work.
- Half reps. Bring the weight all the way down to your chest, or as far as your shoulders allow, on every rep.
Want them set out in a programme?
Answer a few questions about your goal, equipment and time, and BIP builds a weekly programme with sets, reps and rest worked out. You log your weights as you train and see your progress afterwards. The first week is free, no card.
Create a programme →