How to do a TRX Chest Press
Reviewed by Jim Parker, CPT, B.A. Kinesiology
About TRX Chest Press
Workouts with TRX Chest Press
Instructions for Proper Form
TRX Chest Press is a compound, bodyweight exercise that primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The use of TRX straps adds more instability, and less restricted range of motion compared to other variations of the movement. Because the resistance can be adjusted by changing the angle of your body, this is a great exercise for burning out since you can easily adjust the resistance in the middle of your set.
- Grab ahold the TRX handles at waist level facing away from the anchor point and making sure there is no slack in the straps.
- Brace your core to avoid any arching in your lower back and keep a straight alignment from your heels to your shoulders.
- Lean forward so that your heels come off the ground placing your body in a horizontal position allowing your arms to be outstretched in front of your shoulders.
- Keep the handles just below your shoulders as you flex you descend your chest between your arms keeping your elbows at a 45 degree angle from your torso.
- Once the handles reach the outsides of your chest, forcefully exhale through parse lips to return to the starting position.
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Adjusting Difficult with TRX
Copying someone else’s form is usually a great way to learn an exercise. With TRX straps, it can be a bit more tricky. Adjusting where you stand in relation to the anchor point will add more or less resistance to the exercise. Make sure you’re positioning yourself in a way that gives you the proper resistance for your current capabilities.
Sets & Reps Calculator
Average TRX Chest Press standards by male, female, gender, weight, age and height
Use this calculator to see Fitbod's possible first recommendations for you. This would be your starting line, based on more than 4.5 billion logged sets from 1.1 million users.
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Alternative Exercises to TRX Chest Press
1. Dumbbell Bench Press
99.7 mSCORESWAPPED 213 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.
2. Cable Crossover Fly
97.3 mSCORESWAPPED 199 TIMESCable Crossover Fly is an isolation exercise that targets the chest. It’s a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly, and can easily be adapted to further isolate specific areas of the chest. Using cables to add resistance allows you to keep more consistent tension on your chest, as well as control the angle that the resistance is coming from.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Cable Crossover
3. Push Up
94.5 mSCORESWAPPED 194 TIMESPush Ups may be the most recognizable exercises out there. It’s one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do, and is a great way to develop functional strength in your upper body for pushing movements. It’s fantastic for beginners, or anyone with limited equipment, while still being a great addition for even the most seasoned lifters.
- Intermediate
- Chest
4. Machine Fly
98.2 mSCORESWAPPED 170 TIMESMachine Fly is a variation on the more standard Dumbbell Fly. This isolation chest exercise primarily targets the chest, but also recruits the shoulders. The use of a machine makes the exercise more stable allowing you to focus on exertion or learn the movement with minimal risk of injury. This is a great exercise for beginners looking to learn the movement, or advanced lifters looking to push this movement to it’s limit.
- Beginner
- Chest
- Fly Machine
5. Dumbbell Fly
98.3 mSCORESWAPPED 165 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 Incline Bench Press
99 mSCORESWAPPED 147 TIMESDumbbell Incline Bench Press is a variation on the more standard Barbell Incline Bench Press. This compound exercise primarily targets the chest, but the incline also places more emphasis on the shoulders. The use of dumbbells makes this exercise more unstable than its barbell counterpart, while also forcing you to address any strength discrepancies between sides.
7. Dumbbell Squeeze Press
91.1 mSCORESWAPPED 143 TIMESSimilar to other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Unlike many other variations, some of the tension from this exercise is caused by pressing two dumbbells together rather than simply relying on the weight of those dumbbells. This helps maintain more tension in your chest throughout the movement without relying on other pieces of equipment. The positioning of the dumbbells can also take some tension out of your shoulders, and helps to further isolate your chest.
8. Machine Bench Press
93.5 mSCORESWAPPED 133 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
9. TRX Chest Fly
29 mSCORESWAPPED 118 TIMESTRX Chest Fly is a bodyweight variation on the more standard Dumbbell Chest Fly. The use of TRX straps allows for plenty of instability. Unlike weighted variations, you can easily adjust the resistance mid set by quickly changing the angle of your body. This makes this exercise particularly effective for fatiguing your chest.
10. Incline Dumbbell Squeeze Press
85.9 mSCORESWAPPED 109 TIMESIncline Dumbbell Squeeze Press is a variation on the more standard Bench Press. Like other Bench Press variations, this compound exercise primarily targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The incline position emphasizes the upper chest and shoulders, while the act of squeezing the dumbbells together helps to maintain tension in the chest throughout the movement. This is a great exercise for building both strength and muscle mass in the upper chest.