Best Chest Workouts With Flat Bench

The Barbell Bench Press is a key exercise for building upper body strength, targeting the chest, shoulders, and triceps. It’s commonly used in fitness programs and is essential for evaluating upper body strength.

How to do it

1. Lie on a bench with your shoulder blades squeezed together and feet flat on the ground.
2. Ensure your head, shoulders, and butt are on the bench throughout the exercise.
3. Grip the barbell slightly wider than your shoulders and lift it above your chest.
4. Engage your core by tightening your stomach muscles as you lower the barbell to your chest, keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Gently touch your chest with the barbell, then push it back up to the starting position while exhaling.

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.

Decline Push Up is a challenging version of the standard Push Up. It mainly works your chest, triceps, and shoulders, focusing more on the upper chest because your feet are elevated. This exercise helps strengthen your upper body effectively.

How to do it

1. Place your hands on the floor outside of shoulder width.
2. Elevate your feet on a bench or box.
3. Keep your hips and knees straight.
4. Lower your chest towards the floor by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
5. Push back up to the starting position after your chest is close to the floor.

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 Dumbbell Squeeze Press is an exercise that mainly works your chest, shoulders, and triceps. By pressing the dumbbells together, you keep constant tension on your chest, making it effective without needing extra equipment.

How to do it

1. Lie flat on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in, resting on your chest.
2. Press the dumbbells together and raise them above your chest, extending your arms.
3. Keep pressing the dumbbells together as you lower them back to the starting position.

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.

The Leg Raise With Dumbbell Pull Over is a workout combining a leg raise and a dumbbell pull over. This exercise works your core, shoulders, and back, helping to improve strength and stability.

How to do it

1. Hold a dumbbell with both hands, gripping the head firmly.
2. Lie back on a flat bench with the dumbbell resting on your chest.
3. Lift your legs off the ground, extending them straight up.
4. Move the dumbbell overhead, keeping your arms straight up from your shoulders.
5. Engage your core and press your back against the bench.
6. Lower your arms and legs together towards the floor in a controlled motion.
7. Pause briefly at the bottom, then pull the arms and legs back up to the starting position.

Around the Worlds is an exercise focused on strengthening the shoulders and chest. You will move dumbbells in a circular motion above your head, helping improve arm mobility and muscle activation.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on a bench with feet under your knees.
2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand beside your hips, palms facing up.
3. Raise the dumbbells in a circular motion above your head while keeping your elbows slightly bent.
4. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.

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 Alternating Dumbbell Bench Press is a chest exercise that works your pecs, shoulders, and triceps. It involves lifting one dumbbell at a time, helping to improve balance and strengthen your core. This exercise also helps enhance muscle endurance by keeping the muscles under tension longer.

How to do it

1. Lie on your back on the bench with your shoulder blades squeezed together and feet flat on the floor.
2. Keep your head, shoulders, and butt on the bench.
3. Hold a dumbbell in your left hand above your chest.
4. With your core tight, extend your left arm straight up at a 45-degree angle from your body.
5. Lower the dumbbell back to the starting position while exhaling.
6. Switch to your right arm and repeat.

The Incline Tricep Push Up is a great exercise for strengthening your triceps, shoulders, and chest. By placing your hands on an elevated surface, you can easily target your upper arms while maintaining good form.

How to do it

1. Find an elevated surface like a bench.
2. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the surface.
3. Keep your body in a straight line from head to heels.
4. Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the bench, keeping elbows close to your body.
5. Push back up to the starting position.

The Reverse Grip Bench Press is an exercise that strengthens the upper chest, triceps, and shoulders. By using an underhand grip, it increases upper chest activation and improves overall upper body strength, requiring proper form for safety.

How to do it

1. Lie flat on your back on a flat bench.
2. Grip the barbell with palms facing your head, hands just outside shoulder width.
3. Lower the barbell towards your lower chest by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle from your body.
4. Push the barbell back up to the starting position slowly.

The Pause Bench Press is a modified bench press that focuses on the lower part of the lift. This exercise works the chest, triceps, and shoulders, helping you build strength and control by pausing briefly with the barbell at chest level before pressing it up.

How to do it

1. Lie flat on a bench with feet under your knees.
2. Hold a barbell just outside your shoulders with arms extended.
3. Bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle until the bar touches your chest.
4. Pause for 1 to 2 seconds before pushing it back up.
5. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

The Cable Crossover Flat Bench Fly is a chest exercise that helps strengthen and build muscle in your chest and shoulders. Using cables provides steady resistance and allows for better control of the movement angle.

How to do it

1. Lie on a flat bench positioned between two cables, aligning your chest with the cables.
2. Grab a handle in each hand with palms facing up.
3. Bring the cables together in front of your chest until the handles almost touch, using your chest muscles.
4. Pause for a moment at the top of the movement, feeling the contraction in your chest.
5. Slowly return the cables to the starting position while keeping tension in your chest.
6. Keep your head, shoulders, and hips on the bench, and maintain a slight bend in your elbows.