Chest Exercises Ranked (WORST TO BEST!)
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- Опубліковано 7 лис 2024
- There are so many chest exercises to choose from that you can include in your chest workouts, but which ones should you focus your efforts on if you want build a bigger chest and increase your strength? In this video, I am going to rate some of the most popular chest exercises and on each one, I am going to tell you if you should rep it or reject it. Hopefully, after this video, you will know with these chest exercises rated, which ones to you can include in your workouts and which ones you can skip altogether.
Pec Deck: while not everyone has access to a pec deck machine, I think it is a good option to stimulate adduction of the chest and allows you to get the stretch you might think that you are getting with a bench fly. I prefer the machine that has articulating arms as it allows people with any arm length to get the same stimulus needed. Overall, I think it’s a good exercises and that you should rep it.
Flat Bench Press: one of the best exercises you can do to overload the chest with maximal tension, this one is not only going to build a big chest, but a strong chest too. If you have shoulder discomfort when using the barbell, you have the option of using dumbbells which allows for more freedom of motion to help shoulder stability. This is one of my top ranked chest exercises and thus, you should rep it.
V-Sh*t Crossover: do I really need to say much about this exercise? Not only is it not training adduction, it doesn’t do a whole lot for the chest at all in the first place, and it looks downright dumb. If that wasn’t enough, just look at who invented the exercise and that should be enough to tell you to reject it.
Incline Bench Press: when you are looking to build a big chest, especially a big upper chest, there are few exercises that match the effectiveness of the incline bench press. Not only does it have the greatest range of motion for all bench press variations, but it also provides the most stretch at the bottom of each rep. If you opt for dumbbells over a barbell, you get even more stretch with a greater range of motion at the bottom. Definitely an exercise that falls in the “rep it” category
Underhand Bench Press: another variation of the bench press that is great for hitting the upper chest, this one is a go-to if you don’t have access to an incline bench and you want to hit the upper chest fibers. One feature of this exercise is the travel of arms from low-to-high, which follows the fibers of the upper chest. My only caveat would be to suggest using dumbbells over a barbell as the awkward hand placement is exacerbated by the use of barbell if you aren’t experienced enough with the exercise. Absolutely rep it.
Plate Press: a fairly awkward exercise that can be done by squeezing one plate between two hands or even two smaller plates between both hands. There is not a lot of chance for overload on the chest here as the weight you can handle on this exercise is going to be fairly minimal. I would say you should reject it in your next chest workout.
Decline Bench Press: this bench press variation is designed to hit the lower chest fibers and is a great way of overloading them. While it has the least range of motion for most bench press variations, it is easy on the shoulders, so if you have any discomfort, this could be a great option for you. When it comes to ranking chest exercises, I would rate this one towards the top.
Pushups: the gold standard for bodyweight chest exercises, I think everyone should be doing pushups. However, if you can do 30 or more pushups in a single set, I would say that you need to find a different variation that challenges you enough to where you fail under 30 reps if you are looking to grow your chest. Overall though, this is an exercises that falls in the “rep it” category.
Guillotine Press: this version of the bench press requires you to bring the barbell down towards your throat while flaring your elbows out wide. I think if you are going to do this exercise, you should use dumbbells as you can alter your elbow angle while bring the weight down to that upper chest touch point. Add in the safety factor that you can actually dump the dumbbells. However, with better options in my chest exercises rated, I am going to reject this chest exercise.
For the rest of my answers, make sure to watch to the end of the video to see which chest exercises are rated to rep or reject.
Chest Exercises Rated - athleanx.com/x/...
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Jeff, please make the shirt you are wearing in this video available for purchase. Thank you.
Don’t know if you check these comments but I recommend trying an underhand grip on a smith machine flat bench. Probably the most surprisingly useful variation I’ve found over the last few years.
What about weighted deficit pushups, deficit achieved by 3 stools, @Athleanx
More shoulder and hips please.
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0:20 Pec Deck
1:05 Flat Bench
2:05 Incline Bench
2:50 Underhand Bench
4:30 Decline Bench
5:25 Pushup
7:30 Cable Crossover
8:15 Static Press
10:15 Upper Chest Pullover
11:15 3D Crossover
12:20 Weighted Dip
👎
1:35 V Crossover
3:35 Plate Press
6:30 Guillotine Press
9:15 Bench Fly
@@maciejguzek3442 13:43
👍=good, 👎=bad @@maciejguzek3442
❤
Omg thx bro
👍
Good call on the pushups. Two torn rotator cuffs and a supraspinatus tear due to excessive pushups. Had one shoulder repaired, and it feels worse than the one that’s still torn. Once you mess up your shoulders, there’s a good chance they’ll never be the same. Thanks for the video!
WOW! YOU LITTERALLY GROUND YOUR SHOULDERS APART!!! HELLO DAVID GOGGINS!
@@nunninkav THANKS! I WAS GOING FOR THE DAVID GOGGINS COMPARISON! NAILED IT!
How many pushups were you doing?
Do you guys have videos about doing chest exercises with a bad shoulder? Jeff references his bad shoulder and I'd be interested in learning more about what exercises he did to help recover and get back up to speed, along with how he mitigates further issues.
Great breakdown! Love how you mix practical advice with humor. Definitely repping those chest exercises with new motivation! 💪🔥 Thanks for keeping it real and relatable.
This channel is excellent for exercise, execution and technical details . Thanks for all you sharing here.
Monday evening, thanks Jeff.
13 million subscribers? Congratulations! I remember when you were under 1 million. I remember when Jessie wasn't a thing lol. I'm glad to see you guys are still rocking together. Your videos have helped me tremendously. High five!
Edit because I made this comment before the video was done. But do you have any advice for someone (me) who can't do dips because it KILLS my hands. Im a web developer and I kinda have carpa tunnel syndrome l lol. I can't do 2 dips without my hands catching fire. thanks
Carpel?
@@LittleBpaulmuller-Owners carpal tunnel syndrome. Lol I spelled it wrong. My bad lol
Couple options.
Assisted dip machine. Tricep pushdown machine: Allows your palms to take most of the pressure, rather than having a rigid grip on the handles. That's a tricky one though. There's not much you can do to avoid pressure on the wrists.
@@FastidiousFalchion thanks! It's my palms that are the problem. I'll try that. thanks again!
@@OdotJdot no problem
Thanks gents for these insights. Managed to build a rock solid workout plan based on the worst to best series. Very grateful!
Just found your channel, and it's been a lifesaver! I'm using weight training for my rehab - I had a stroke that left me paralyzed on the right side. Thanks for the content! I'd love to hear more about how you rehabbed your shoulder. I blew mine up due to the paralysis and overworked it when function started to return.
Howdi, Jeff! Could you please make a video explaining the correct usages of the abdominal belt and another gym implements like wrist, knee and elbow pads?
Hugs from Cuba! Come some day to here!!! 🥳
I guess Monday really is international chest day!
Every day is chest day
Why? Wha? Wa? WWWHHAAA?!??
Once per week is not enough, at least every muscle two-three times weekly, or 4-5-6 trainings per week🤷♂️
@@Mr.Feanor Three times weekly is too much.
@@robbertag808 Nope, it's not enough...4 is minimum, and 5-6 is perfect ,of course, another level...maybe for you, if you're just starting🤷♂️I'm 19 years into fitness buddy👍
Thanks Jeff. Where I had been working out did not have a station for dips. But they did have a couple sets of rings hanging from the ceiling. I discovered that took dips to a whole new level.
Thank you for your videos! They are on point and never disappointing. Always full of expert, reliable advice and guarantee results. Even for the ladies :)
Thanks for posting these chest exercises.
Dr Mike did his 5 best chest exercises today too. Would love a collaboration between these two guys!
That'll never happen
@@rkip123456 why
@@tnn-cj3vyPretty sure Dr Mike would disagree for some of Jeff's advice. AthleanX had some controversies with other youtubers with the same type of content
Dr mike hates him lol
@@mobilelegendsmemes they should milk the disagreement for engagement, the dumbbell fly is one of those lol. dream collab
what happened to the bulletproof series? that was so useful😢
1:43 had me in tears 😂 I remember that a few years back
Dear Jeff, all the exercises that you say are useless or even bad, I never do them and if I did I stopped doing them immediately, we love you Jeff.
I had bench flyes in my newly created program. Thanks for letting me see the light. I've switched to 3d crossovers. Boom! Now my plan is perfect. Yes I do face pulls.
Please keep these videos up
Love you bro I seen your video 10 year ❤❤❤
Confirmed the bench fly is to be avoided. I recently injured my shoulder doing this exercise in the exact way Jeff describes.
Thats cause you overloaded the excersise...The Flys is one of the best excersises out there....Everybody thinks besides Jeff who never understood it
Great wisdom! God bless you!
maybe also nice to place category of beginner, intermediate and advance exercise for discussed exercises. although the explanation was clear, maybe a nice final advise with rank so beginners can avoid doing exercises that’s clearly for more advance lifters. Just a thought
overall this was a good video. I learned a lot
We need a ranked forearms video
Excellent video guys thank you
Thank you again Jeff ❤😊
Great video content. Thanks, Jeff
I recently replaced flat bench with just dips. I know what you're thinking, but hear my reasoning. As a mountain hiker/rock climber, weighted dips are far more beneficial for me personally because I use that movement frequently, with a 20 pound bag on my back, on crappy terrain. Benching, not so much. So I go with heavy dips, and neutral cable crossovers for mid chest
underhand bench press is crazy good. thank you
Had pec dec in high school that had pads with arms vertical and I still think it’s the best chest workout. It hits it all.
Thanks Jeff!
Waiting for the bulletproof workout similar to chest for other body parts
Keep doing these!
I’m a lot older than you I was bodybuilding when you were still in dippers, I got creative and laying on a bench doing a straight arm pull over doing wide grip and a shoulder grip plus a narrow grip will work all areas of the chest you can lower the bench for lower chest or raise the bench for upper chest, plus the chest will not reach its full potential size unless the latissimus Dorsi muscles of the upper back are fully developed. So by revising your grip on the barbell with shoulder width grip and having your head just a little over the bench so the barbell is tucked under your head as you bring the barbell over your head you will work the lats, and you can also lower the bench for lower lats and have that cobra back effect
Hey Jeff, can we get more of your personal workout videos? You uploaded your shoulder workout a few months ago, would be some great video ideas to see your leg day or arm day
Sensi Wong would have us look forward when we did pushups. We also did them with static. We'd hold our pushup half way on the way down, then 6" from the floor and then again half way on the way back up. We'd hold each position for 10 seconds and repeat.
Really good stuff as always!
Question (maybe a video idea?): Is there an age at which I should stop lifting heavy weights? I'm 38. I ruptured my achilles tendon 2 years back (playing basketball) and that, along with watching videos of pectoral tears during benching, make me worry about lifting heavy weights. I stopped doing max weight reps, but there are few things I love more than pumping out 5-6 reps of 225 on the bench. Thanks for all of your content!
44 yo lifelong gymrat here, I realized in my late 30's that renegeration becomes 'different' (=starts to suck;) and my body gave me a few smaller and bigger warnings to stop acting like a young gun, I've done 2 major changes, 1st is I never touch weights 2 days in a row (after weights, always a day of cardio/aerobic, or sometimes rest), 2nd majority of my workouts became '1 set every minute' sets without muscle failure, alternating exercises (for example: 3 chinups-15 pushups-3 pullups-5 dips; and this x10). Surprisingly, this routine keeps me in a decent shape. You have to ask yourself why/what for do you need to lift heavy, and is it worth the risk of injuries. To me, the answer was clear, I don't need any personal bests at 40yo, I accept the curve of life, and just want to feel overally good.
@@maciejguzek3442 I appreciate the personal feedback. Thank you
Dr Mike has a video about lifting when aging, basically you should shift to more reps and less weight so is more gentle to the joints and way less prone to injure.
I'm 63. I can still bench max 300. I can shoulder press standing 175. You're not that old.
@@flipao1 I found the Dr Mike video. Thanks for the suggestion
Early gang! Just when I needed a video like this, you uploaded, crazy!
Can you make a tier list vdo on the upper back Focused exercises?
Solid video! 👍
Have a pain in my left shoulder?So,liking the idea of the single arm presses.Chest night today and I am definitely going to change my presses up to singles.👏🏻💪🏼
Funny Jeff, I messed my shoulder up bad doing your 2nd best chest workout! Lifting that heavy and then trying to drop the dumbells!! Never had shpulder problems from any fly workout even on a bench only lifting stupid amounts of weight and a bench press like in number 2. Lowered and do proper now and on floor and safe!
I hope i didnt miss the video but is there one where you show us exercises to improve the shoulder stability? i do facepulls 2-3x a week out of my 5 day workout plan.
Great video I haven’t watched yet
I can't wait for the abs list
I like Jeff here very much. Light, fun, no preachy stuff, humoristic shd masculine style
I tell you what. I’ve been away from this channel a while. Jesse is getting swole bro. Good job.
Yes sirrrrrrr great content!!!!!
What is your opinion on the fly-presses? You can go pretty heavy with them and overload the exercise significantly. I do fly presses with a neutral grip and on a flat bench. Personally I think is a great addition to basic bench presses as the greater range of motion and adding lengthened partial at the end can build big and symmetrical pecs.
Why flat bench vs. incline? My understanding was that incline bench involved more chest muscle fibers due to the increased ROM, while still effectively targeting the middle pecs as research showed it worked just as hard as the flat bench during the incline.
Or just do both. I start with incline 3 sets, then do flat for another 3 sets and end with either 3 sets of high to low cable crossover, assisted dips or some chest fly.
@@GDRobbye Yep. I've been doing that, but compound sets. Incline barbell/incline flyes, then flat barbell/flat flyes. To get really nasty, add in partials, rest/pause, drop set and repeat.
I'm 68 went from 273 at six foot one to 219 shooting for 195 then bulk up with protein foods and anarobics .I read where old er guys like me have to use more intensity to gain sculpt tone build muscle . I like difficult challenges.yiur videos help .wish I learned about processed food and constant anarobics when I was younger i.learn late in life alot .I been doing pushups alot 80 a day in 15 reps sets planks horizontal leg lifts and I do 3 day fasts any suggestions should I join gym for cable fly machines or buy one . Going try your twist pushups I have heart I just have train my body to keep up .I ruck three miles to with 35 pound back back .good videos thank you
I never do push-ups. I learned a long time ago that the number of push-ups I can do increases when I do the bench press and not when I do more push-ups. Because with the bench press you can control the weight more as opposed to a push-up you can't control the weight and you can alter it a little bit by elevating your feet or your torso and use Push-Up Bars however it's just not worth it to me and the only time I will do push-ups for a warm up
I love ranked vids so that i can stick with the top 3s 😫
Nice video
Decline bench press
I haven’t tried it yet but based on how red your face looked, does that not indicate blood overflow to the head which could cause some dizziness and any other issues for others?
His face was red-ish even when flat bench pressing though.
Besides, for lower chest I'd rather do dips or high to low cable crossovers.
What is the alternative to benchfly?
thanks guys!
3:35 thank you. 🙏
Yeah, so the classic chest workout routine in the end
The way you tell stories is amazing!
Ai 😂
For some new content about chest, can we have gymnast ring tips?
What about chest press machine? It's a pretty popular machine where i go but i don't ever see anyone include that in their tier lists /exercise ratings
Probably because you can generally get better stretch with dumbbells. And as you probably know, stretching the muscle is important if you want to train more efficiently.
My gym also has various chest press machines, but they're not as popular as bench press or dumbbell press
Chest press machines are great. I use them in slot 3 or 4 in my chest workout. If I didnt feel like I got enough intensity with bench press and dips, I will put a lot of weight on a press machine and push hard. Most of the time I'm going for 8 to 15 reps though, anywhere in there is pretty good.
I get plenty of strech with the machine and my shoulders thank me. I guess it depends on the machine. Most of the exercises shown by Jeff here mess up my shoulders once I start using heavier weights. The machine is awesome.
@@ovidiuc4 Same for me on the stretch. I do sometimes get shoulder pain though but i think (?) it's gotten better ever since i press with open palms instead of gripping the handle
Jeff Nippard has a list and the machine press is his best of the best for chest
Best workout
ممتاز 🎉
I'd love to hear your thoughts on the valsava maneuver as one gets older. How do you stay safe without giving yourself a stroke?
As far as the plate press. I like to do them at the very end of a work out or immediately after a set to failure. Except I don't hold the plate sideways like that. I hold it like steering wheel. I really feel a ton of activation with a 35 or 45 lbs plate
International Chest Day bruh! 💪💪💪
Legend
Chest day today…thx!!
Great video Athlean-X! Fun format for the vlog. Thanks
great
Any tips for someone struggling with shoulder bursitis? I had a cortisone injection 6 months ago and have been extremely diligent doing physiotherapy to try and correct it but now that the cortisone injection has wore off again I’m still having pain that seems to be getting worse again. I haven’t even really started lifting heavy again since the injury which is frustrating. I had just started trying to progressive overload again but kept everything in 10-15 rep range. 34 years old and otherwise healthy.
I’m back watching from this channel after a while. I left when Jesse was just super slim, and noob, now he looks bigger than Jeff. 😂
Wow never been so early
I need advice on something I can't find much online about. I want a bigger chest but don't want bigger triceps. I almost rather lose a bit of mass on them they got too big. Any tips for A. Growing my chest without Growing my triceps too or B. Growing my chest and losing some size in my triceps? Also can I grow my shoulders bigger without growing my arms anymore?
I can't even do more than 30 pushups in a set, but i still prefer them at the very end of my chest workout.
Curious to know how ur training techniques holdup to the newer studies on eccentric stretch as being more anabolic than the concentric squeeze? Especially with the pec dec and pec fly and that position u talked against now being more beneficial for that exercise. And the plate press according to the new data is a really useless exercise
List the studies
Just because you can't get as good a stretch with the pec dec as you can with the pec fly, doesn't mean it won't build the chest up.
Before all these studies came out, people were just lifting weights without thinking too much about science or trying to maximize gains, and they still got jacked.
Like Jeff said in the video, pec dec is probably a safer alternative to the pec fly. Once those dumbbells get heavy enough, you risk injuring yourself with the pec fly.
@@GDRobbye im not discrediting the old way. We all kno it works but if the new data says we’re leaving a lot at the door and Jeff is even utilizing the eccentric stretch then I’m asking for his opinion on it.
@@GDRobbye and to minimize injury just lower ur weight. U don’t have to powerlift to build muscle
@@native405pride but you also don't want to stay there doing 40 reps either.
Besides, they all seem to be personal preference rather than science based picks.
Just in time for chest day.
Are the cable crossovers supposed to be a press or a fly?
You didn’t include one of your favs… the dumbbell floor press!!!
The biceps 😮
Really learning a lot from your videos. Appreciate both of you
At home if you dont have cables, the bench fly is king
No full Adduction, if you're gonna do bench fly then add chairs next to the bench to catch the dbs
Floor Fly is what Jeff likes
Hahaha Vince still the punchline 😂😂
Correct subtitles please, great video though
V-Shred wasn't harmed in this video.
Wow this man is priceless
How low of an angle should the decline bench be?
Sometimes I like to lower it so much that I'm almost vertically upside down.
2:58 I do underhand bench for my birda$$ chest, i feel like my upper chest is a muscle fiber desert.. I've never done it using Dumbbell though
I feel pain in my shoulders with the incline bench press. That’s why I always do the completely flat one..
Or just push the floor(push ups) 🌚
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0:00 - Introduction: Rating Popular Chest Exercises
0:20 - Pec Deck: Rep It
1:02 - Flat Bench Press: Rep It
2:00 - Incline Bench Press: Rep It
2:49 - Underhand Bench Press: Rep It
3:37 - Plate Press: Reject It
4:29 - Decline Bench Press: Rep It
5:24 - Push-Ups: Rep It (with Limitations)
6:27 - Guillotine Press: Reject It
7:26 - Cable Crossover: Rep It
8:16 - Static Press: Rep It
9:14 - Bench Fly: Reject It
10:16 - Upper Chest Pullover: Rep It (Situational)
11:18 - 3D Crossover: Rep It
12:22 - Weighted Dips: Rep It (with Caution)
I love to do bench flies 🫣🤣💪🏽
Incline DB chest, best exercise.
Weighted dips .
Jfc looking at the plate press even before he said anything one would hope anyone could see that and go "Oh that is dangerous no thanks" lol.
I would say pushups are the best exercise if you are travelling and have no access to a gym.