Best Beginner Chest Workouts To Build Strength

The Dumbbell Bench Press is a great exercise for beginners that targets the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Using dumbbells helps improve stability and ensures both sides of the body work equally without compensating for weaknesses.

How to do it

1. Lie back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Place your feet flat on the ground, under your knees.
3. Hold the dumbbells outside shoulder-width apart, above your chest.
4. Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle and engage your core.
5. Extend your arms fully and then lower the dumbbells back to starting position.

The Dumbbell Fly is an effective exercise for strengthening and building the chest muscles. It also engages the shoulders for support. This exercise helps to develop muscle balance by working each side of the body independently.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench, squeezing your shoulder blades together and keeping your feet flat on the ground.
2. Ensure the bench supports your head, shoulders, and buttocks.
3. Hold the dumbbells above your shoulders with palms facing inward and elbows slightly bent.
4. Engage your core and slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping your elbows slightly bent.
5. When the dumbbells are level with your chest, exhale and lift them back to the starting position.

The Cable Crossover Fly is a chest exercise that uses cables to maintain tension and control. This exercise helps isolate different parts of the chest for a focused workout.

How to do it

1. Set the pulleys to just above head height.
2. Stand with one foot forward, holding the pulley handles at shoulder height with palms facing forward.
3. Engage your core and keep your spine straight.
4. With arms extended, sweep the handles down in a wide arc towards the bottom of your ribcage.
5. Return to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength Chest Press is a chest workout that targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps using a specialized machine. It helps you maintain focus on the exercise and learn proper movement without worrying about balance.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the Hammerstrength chest press machine and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
2. Place your heels flat on the ground under your knees, ensuring your back is against the pad.
3. Hold the handles with an overhand grip outside shoulder-width.
4. Engage your core by breathing into your stomach and tightening your abdominal muscles.
5. Push the handles to extend your arms while keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength Decline Chest Press is a machine exercise that targets the lower chest. It provides stability, allowing you to focus on building strength without worrying about balance.

How to do it

1. Sit in the decline chest press machine and press your shoulder blades together.
2. Keep your feet flat on the ground and ensure your back rests against the pad.
3. Grab the handles just below your chest, with an overhand grip, hands shoulder-width apart.
4. Engage your core and push the handles to fully extend your arms, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Slowly return to the starting position.

The Hammerstrength Incline Chest Press is a machine exercise that targets your upper chest, shoulders, and triceps. It provides stability and focuses your effort on these muscle groups by using a fixed range of motion.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the machine and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
2. Keep your heels on the ground and your back against the pad.
3. Grab the handles above your chest with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
4. Brace your core and push through your palms to extend your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Once your arms are straight, slowly return to the starting position.

The Smith Machine Bench Press is a chest exercise that works your triceps and shoulders too. The Smith Machine helps keep the movement steady, making it easier to focus on properly performing the exercise.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench with your shoulder blades squeezed together.
2. Make sure your head, shoulders, and butt stay on the bench.
3. Place your feet flat on the ground and keep your knees bent.
4. Position the bar over your chest, holding it just outside shoulder-width with an overhand grip.
5. Engage your core and unhook the bar, lowering it slowly towards your chest while keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
6. Touch your chest gently with the bar, then exhale and push it back to the starting position.

The Smith Machine Incline Bench Press is a chest exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It offers stability, making it ideal for beginners who want to focus on their form and strength without worrying about balance.

How to do it

1. Set the bench at a 40-60 degree incline and lie back, squeezing your shoulder blades together.
2. Plant your feet firmly on the ground beneath your knees and keep your back in contact with the bench.
3. Position the Smith machine bar over your chest with a shoulder-width grip and keep your core tight.
4. Unhook the bar and lower it towards your chest by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Touch the bar gently to your chest, then press it back up to the starting position.

The Hand Release Push Up is a modified version of the standard push up that helps improve your strength by ensuring full range of motion. By lifting your hands off the ground at the bottom of the movement, you engage your muscles more effectively during the exercise.

How to do it

1. Lie on the floor face down.
2. Position your hands in line with your chest, slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
3. Keep your legs straight and your toes pointed down.
4. Engage your core to maintain a straight line from head to heels.
5. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the floor.
6. Lift your hands off the ground for a moment, then place them back down.
7. Push your body back up to the starting position by extending your arms.

The Single Arm Cable Press is a great exercise for strengthening your chest, shoulders, and triceps. It helps identify and fix strength differences between your arms while mimicking the motion of throwing a punch, making it useful for combat sports.

How to do it

1. Set the cable machine's pulley at solar plexus height.
2. Attach a handle to the cable.
3. Stand in front of the machine with one hand in line with the handle.
4. Hold the handle in one hand with your palm facing in.
5. Step away until there is tension in the cable.
6. Get into a slight lunge position.
7. Engage your core and keep your back straight as you look forward.
8. Extend the arm not holding the handle in front of you and bring the handle arm to your side at chest height.
9. Push the handle forward as if throwing a punch, while pulling your other arm back.
10. Pause for a moment, avoiding twisting your body.
11. Return to the starting position with control and tension.
12. Repeat on the other side.

The Alternating Medicine Ball Push Up is a challenging push-up variation that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. Using a medicine ball helps improve balance and strength on both sides of the body.

How to do it

1. Place your right hand on a medicine ball and keep your arms shoulder-width apart.
2. Raise your knees to form a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor, keeping your elbows at 45 degrees.
4. Push back up and roll the ball to your left hand.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

The Balance Trainer Push Up is a challenging version of the regular push-up that helps improve your stability. It uses an unstable surface, making the exercise harder and enhancing your overall strength in pushing movements.

How to do it

1. Place your hands on the outside edges of the Balance Trainer with the dome side facing up.
2. Lift your knees to create a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the Balance Trainer, keeping your elbows close to your body.
4. Push back up to the starting position by straightening your arms.

The Cable Chest Press is a great exercise for working your chest, shoulders, and triceps. Using cable machines keeps tension on your muscles and lets you adjust the direction of the resistance.

How to do it

1. Set the cable pulleys just above shoulder height.
2. Sit with your back against the seat and hold the handles at chest height, shoulder-width apart, with palms facing down.
3. Engage your core to keep your back straight.
4. Push your arms forward while keeping the handles at shoulder level.
5. Return to the starting position by bending your elbows.

The Incline Cable Chest Press strengthens the upper chest muscles by using cables at an incline. This exercise helps improve muscle growth and provides added safety for your joints while also engaging your core.

How to do it

1. Set the pulleys to just above shoulder height.
2. Sit against the seat, holding the pulley handles at chest height with palms facing down.
3. Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine.
4. Push your arms forward, keeping elbows slightly below shoulders.
5. Return to start by bending your elbows and bringing the handles back.

The Machine Bench Press is a great exercise for beginners to strengthen the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It uses a fixed range of motion, making it easier to focus on pushing rather than balancing.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the machine with your shoulders squeezed together and feet flat on the ground.
2. Ensure your back is in contact with the machine all the way from your head to your butt.
3. Hold the handles with an overhand grip, slightly wider than shoulder-width.
4. Brace your core and push the handles up until your arms are fully extended at a 45-degree angle.
5. Lower the handles back to the starting position.