What are the best exercises to build a big chest?

What are the best exercises to build a big chest?

Aug 28, 2024 mindpump

Having a big oak chest is one of the most sought after looks in the bodybuilding community. Every guy wants a chest that pops out of their shirt. If you want to build the biggest chest you can, it will involve a combination approach of enhancing strength and size. Here are a couple strategies you can implement to optimize growth.

Focus on Bigger Lifts First

The first tip would be to focus on compound movements that allow you to push the most weight and send the strongest stimulus to grow. The barbell bench press is going to be the staple exercise for this. It will also recruit the shoulders and triceps. I would also recommend cycling in an incline bench. Not only does it recruit the pectoralis major as well as the flat bench, it’ll also recruit the upper fibers that will help you build that nice top shelf fullness. I’ve actually found I’ve really gotten my best look by focusing mostly on incline bench work.

Diversify

After incorporating the main lifts, it’s good to stimulate the chest from a variety of angles to maximize growth. Depending on the lift you are doing, it stimulates a muscle depending on where the lift is most difficult. For example, a cable flye is most difficult at the stretch. There is research coming out right now on the benefits of stretch mediate hypertrophy and lifting in the bottom half range for optimal growth. Including some flye work will check this off your list and allow your body to be challenged at that end range. You can also use a pec deck if you prefer.

You can then use variations of the dumbbell bench press, whether that’s flat or varying levels of incline. This will challenge the middle range of the muscle more. You can also include single arm cable work or presses that allow you to achieve peak contraction. By rotating through these three ranges of motion, you will make sure that you effectively simulate the entire muscle through its full range of motion each week.

Dips are going to be good for stimulating the lower and outer chest. They are a great way to hit the chest at an angle that can’t be achieved by presses.

Progressive Overload

Now that you have some exercises to work with, we need to ensure we are providing the right stimulus for growth. Reps ranging anywhere from 5-30 reps will stimulate muscle growth. The thing to understand is the lower the rep range, the farther away from failure you need to stay (think 2-3 reps shy), and the higher the rep range, the closer to failure you need to be. This is because the farther you get from your 1 rep max, the more volume is needed.

Once you’ve chosen your rep range, the next step is to add 1 more rep or add 5 more pounds. This will ensure you are choosing the proper intensity and weight. For example, if you chose a rep range of 10-15, you’d choose a weight that allows you to get 10 reps with 1-2 reps left in the tank. Stick with that weight until you can get 15 reps for all sets. Now you can add 5 pounds and repeat the process.

Nutrition

The final piece here is, of course, nutrition. Make sure to eat a higher protein (1g/lb of bodyweight) to provide enough resources to recover and build new muscle. Incorporate a lot of healthy fats and carbs to give your body the energy it needs to fuel your workouts. Stay hydrated so that your body stays full, and your food can absorb and transport nutrients. Get enough sleep so your muscles can repair.