How to do a Chest Expansion
Reviewed by JP Michelsen, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About Chest Expansion
Instructions for Proper Form
Chest Expansion is an isolation exercise primarily targeting the chest and shoulders. The exercise usually involves holding a resistance band or cable and pulling it apart in front of the chest. This movement helps improve shoulder mobility and posture by working on the chest and upper back muscles. It’s a great exercise for adding variety to your chest workout and enhancing muscle activation.
- Stand upright with your feet shoulder width apart and clasp your hands behind your back.
- Straighten your arms and raise your hands upward until your feel a comfortable stretch in your chest.
- Hold this position for 15-30 seconds.
Alternative Exercises to Chest Expansion
1. Wall Pectoral Stretch
11.6 mSCORESWAPPED 990 TIMESWall Pectoral Stretch is a static stretch that primarily targets the chest muscles. This exercise involves placing your forearm and elbow against the wall and gently rotating your body away to stretch the pectoral muscles. It's an effective way to improve chest flexibility, enhance posture, and prevent muscle tightness, especially after upper body workouts.
- Beginner
- Chest
2. Chest Doorway Stretch
11.5 mSCORESWAPPED 624 TIMESChest Doorway Stretch is a flexibility exercise that targets the muscles of the chest and shoulders. This stretch helps improve posture, increase the range of motion, and alleviate tightness in the chest and shoulders. Utilizing a doorway provides a stable anchor point, allowing you to control the depth of the stretch more effectively. This is particularly beneficial for those who experience tightness from activities like bench pressing or desk work.
- Beginner
- Chest
3. Crab Pose
9.5 mSCORESWAPPED 199 TIMESCrab Pose is a bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the glutes and hamstrings. By holding yourself up with your hands behind you and feet on the ground, it also engages the shoulders and core for stability. This is a great exercise for improving flexibility and strength in the posterior chain, as well as enhancing shoulder mobility.
- Beginner
- Chest
4. Wall Slide Stretch
5 mSCORESWAPPED 102 TIMESWall Slide Stretch is a mobility exercise that primarily targets the shoulders and upper back. By sliding your arms up and down against a wall, you can improve shoulder mobility and flexibility. This exercise is great for warming up the shoulder joints, enhancing the range of motion, and preparing the upper body for more intensive workouts.
- Beginner
- Shoulders
5. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 54 TIMESDumbbell Fly’s are one of the most common isolation chest exercises, and for good. It primarily targets the muscles in the chest, but also recruits the shoulders for stability. The use of dumbbells ensures that you’re targeting each side of the body independently, and prevents compensating for any weaknesses between sides. In addition the isolated nature of this exercise is a great way to fatigue your chest, and focus on building both muscle mass and increasing strength in your chest.
6. Dumbbell Floor Press
73.8 mSCORESWAPPED 53 TIMESThe Dumbbell Floor Press targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders, offering a safer alternative to the bench press by limiting the range of motion. This exercise is effective for strengthening the upper body, with a focus on the lockout portion of the press, enhancing tricep strength and reducing shoulder strain. Ideal for those with limited equipment or seeking to minimize shoulder stress while still engaging the chest and arms.
7. Open Book Stretch
8.9 mSCORESWAPPED 50 TIMESOpen Book Stretch is a mobility exercise that targets the thoracic spine and shoulders. This dynamic movement involves lying on your side with your knees bent and arms extended, then opening your top arm to rotate your torso. This exercise is excellent for improving thoracic mobility and reducing stiffness in the upper back and shoulders, making it great for pre-workout warm-ups or post-exercise recovery.
- Beginner
- Abs
8. Foam Roll Chest
5.9 mSCORESWAPPED 47 TIMESFoam Roll Chest is an excellent mobility and recovery exercise that primarily targets the chest and shoulder muscles. By using a foam roller, you can effectively alleviate tightness and improve flexibility in the pectoral muscles. This exercise is beneficial as a post-workout stretch or during recovery days to enhance muscle relaxation and reduce soreness.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Foam Roller
9. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 43 TIMESDumbbell Bench Press is a variation on the standard Bench Press. Like Bench Press, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, while also training the triceps and shoulders. The use of dumbbells allows for greater instability which can help you become more stable on pushing movements in general, while also isolating each side of the body to prevent you from compensating for any weaknesses between sides.
10. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 40 TIMESMachine Bench Press is a compound exercise the primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of a machine forces you to use a fixed range of motion which can be a great way to learn the movement, or to focus your effort on exertion rather than stability.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Bench Press Machine