Best Beginner Chest Workouts To Get Lean And Burn Fat

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 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 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 Exercise Ball Push Up involves placing your feet or knees on a stability ball while doing push-ups. This challenges your balance and engages your chest, triceps, and core muscles more than standard push-ups.

How to do it

1. Place your hands on the outer edge of an exercise ball with fingers facing out.
2. Lift your knees to form a straight line from your heels to your shoulders.
3. Bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the ball, keeping elbows at a 45-degree angle from your body.
4. When your chest touches the ball, push up to return to the starting position and roll the ball to your left hand.

Incline push-ups work your lower chest and shoulders while being easier than regular push-ups. They are ideal for beginners who want to strengthen their lower chest.

How to do it

1. Stand facing an elevated platform with your hands shoulder-width apart on it.
2. Keep your body straight from head to heels by engaging your core.
3. With your feet shoulder-width apart and toes tucked under, bend your elbows to lower your chest toward the platform.
4. Push back up until your arms are straight again.

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.

The Machine Fly is an exercise that targets your chest and works your shoulders. It uses a machine for stability, making it easier for beginners to learn the movement safely and effectively.

How to do it

1. Sit upright in the fly machine with your shoulder blades squeezed together and feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart.
2. Ensure your back is against the pad, keeping contact with your head, shoulders, and butt.
3. Engage your core to maintain a neutral spine position.
4. Hold the handles with palms facing forward.
5. With slightly bent elbows, move your arms in a wide arc to bring the handles together.
6. Slowly return to the starting position.

The Medicine Ball Push Up is a challenging twist on a standard push-up that uses a medicine ball to engage your chest, shoulders, and core more effectively. It helps improve your balance and coordination while increasing the difficulty of your push-up routine.

How to do it

1. Start in a push-up position with your hands on a medicine ball.
2. Keep your body straight as you bend your elbows to lower your chest to the ball, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
3. Push back up to the starting position after your chest lightly touches the ball. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

The TRX Atomic Push Up is a combined exercise that works your chest, shoulders, core, and legs. It helps build strength, stability, and fitness, but is best suited for more experienced individuals.

How to do it

1. Start on your hands and knees with your feet under the TRX anchor point.
2. Put your feet into the TRX handle straps, which should be about 1-2 feet above the floor.
3. Engage your core and align your body from heels to shoulders.
4. Lower your chest to the floor by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle until just above the floor.
5. Push back up and bring your knees towards your chest, then return to the starting position.

The TRX Push Up is a variation of the traditional push-up that uses TRX straps. It strengthens your chest, shoulders, and core by engaging more muscles as you perform the exercise.

How to do it

1. Adjust the TRX straps to an appropriate height.
2. Stand facing away from the anchor point and hold the handles with your arms extended under your shoulders.
3. Place your feet in the TRX loops and lift your hips, forming a straight line from your shoulders to your heels.
4. Keep your body straight as you bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor at a 45-degree angle with your arms.
5. Push back up to the starting position and repeat for the desired number of reps.

Push Up on Knees is an easier version of the regular Push Up, suitable for beginners. It works your chest, shoulders, and triceps while helping you build strength to eventually do full Push Ups.

How to do it

1. Start on your knees with your hands on the floor under your shoulders.
2. Keep your body straight from your shoulders to your knees.
3. Lower your chest towards the ground by bending your elbows at about a 45-degree angle.
4. Push 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 Dumbbell Larson Press is a chest exercise that targets your chest, shoulders, and triceps without using your legs for support. By elevating your legs, you focus more on upper body strength and stability, helping improve your bench press form.

How to do it

1. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Lie back on a flat bench with your legs extended and toes pointing up.
3. Position the dumbbells wider than shoulder-width, palms facing your feet.
4. Keep your head, shoulders, and hips on the bench.
5. Press the dumbbells above your chest, engaging your chest muscles.
6. Pause at the top, then slowly lower the dumbbells back down.