The Best Chest Workout With Only Five Moves

Build a stronger upper body with the best chest workout with only five moves. This full routine takes forty-five minutes and hits every angle of your chest safely. Follow the exact sets, reps, and rest periods below to get maximum results from your gym session.

Warm Up Your Chest Before Lifting Heavy

Never start your workout with heavy weights right away. Spend five minutes warming up your shoulder joints and chest muscles to prevent tear injuries. You can read more about safe Strength training basics to protect your body during heavy sessions.

A good warm up gets blood flowing and prepares your nervous system. Complete these simple warm up movements before you touch a weighted barbell or dumbbell:

• Arm Circles: Stand tall and swing your arms forward for thirty seconds, then backward for thirty seconds.
• Band Pull-Aparts: Hold a light band and pull it across your chest for two sets of fifteen reps.
• Light Push-Ups: Do one set of ten easy push-ups on your knees or against a flat bench.

Master the Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Set an adjustable bench to a thirty-degree angle. Sit down with a dumbbell in each hand resting on your thighs. Kick the weights up to your shoulders as you lie back flat against the pad. Press the dumbbells straight up over your chest while keeping your feet flat on the floor.

Lower the weights slowly for three seconds until your elbows drop just below your bench level. Do not let the dumbbells bounce off your shoulders at the bottom. Perform four sets of eight to ten reps. Rest for ninety seconds between each set. This exercise builds the top portion of your chest right under your collarbone.

How to Do the Flat Barbell Bench Press safely

Lie on a flat bench with your eyes directly under the bar. Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. Plant your feet hard into the floor and squeeze your shoulder blades together. Unrack the bar and hold it over your sternum with straight arms. This movement is a main staple in Bodybuilding routines for mass.

Lower the bar under control until it lightly touches your lower chest. Keep your elbows tucked at a forty-five-degree angle to your sides to protect your shoulders. Push the bar straight up to the start position while pressing your feet into the ground. Follow these step-by-step safety rules for every set:

• Set Count: Complete three sets of six to eight heavy reps.
• Rest Period: Rest for two full minutes between sets to regain maximum power.
• Safety Grip: Wrap your thumbs completely around the bar, never use an open grip.
• Spotter: Always ask someone in the gym to spot you on your heavy sets.

Target Muscle Isolations With Standing Cable Flyes

Set the pulleys on a cable machine at chest height. Hold one handle in each hand and step forward until you feel tension on the cables. Keep a small bend in your elbows and stand with one foot in front of the other for better balance. Keep your chest up high and your core muscles tight.

Bring your hands together in a wide arc until your knuckles meet in front of your chest. Squeeze your chest muscles hard for one second at the front of the movement. Open your arms slowly back to the starting position until you feel a comfortable stretch. Complete three sets of twelve reps with sixty seconds of rest between sets.

Finish Strong With Dips and Push-Ups

The last two moves will fully tire your chest muscles using simple body weight. Go to a dip station and support your weight on straight arms. Lean your upper body forward slightly to put the focus on your chest rather than your triceps. Lower your body until your shoulders are level with your elbows, then push back up. Do three sets of eight to ten reps with one minute of rest.

End the workout with standard flat push-ups. Place your hands flat on the floor right under your shoulders. Keep your hips in line with your spine from your head down to your heels. Lower your chest until it is two inches off the floor, then push back up fast. Do two sets to failure, resting sixty seconds between them. You are done with the routine.