Best chest exercises for hypertrophy reddit. Mike Israetel's science-based guide.

Best chest exercises for hypertrophy reddit. I work out my chest twice per week. Check out the best chest exercis We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Any exercise that's got you keeping your elbows in the same spot while doing an overhand throwing motion (variations of: overhead tricep extensions, tricep pushdowns, tricep kickbacks). I only do three chest exercises push ups, flat bench press, and incline dumbbell bench. Only the last set is taken to failure. Push-ups afterwards is like a relaxing break. Bro splits have a lot of empty space in the workouts spent doing nothing so fill it with something useful🤷‍♂️ I've tried a lot of different splits but a 4-day Torso/Limbs split works best for me. Find out which exercises to prioritize for maximum muscle growth. They are sub optimal versus almost any other chest movement due to the core stability being limiting factor as well as the floor. First Push day is "chest focused" with low rep ranges and chest work first. I’d argue the things you wanna get locked down before worrying about anything else are the following: Yeah--I don't think we can definitively say doing X and Y is ideal for chest hypertrophy. Reply reply Infinity9999x • Bench press ( 3-4 sets with one warming up set ) 3 sets -> Upper chest exercise of your choice 60 seconds break then biceps exercise of your choice 60 seconds break then back to the upper chest ( pick exercises that are easy without machines specially if you're in a crowded gym ) A slight incline in the smith machine is my go-to. You can go to failure if you want. However, I'd like to know your opinion regarding the best horizontal pulling exercise for upper back (basically traps, rhomboids, rear delts) hypertrophy. Thanks! Archived post. I can't understand how to reach the supposed optimal volume in 2 upper days unless you do 2 exercises of each body part for at least 3 sets (3 sets x 2 chest exercises per 2 days a week= 12 sets every week). naturalbodybuilding) submitted 3 months ago by [deleted] The chest, particularly the upper, clavicular head, is one of the most aesthetically pleasing parts of the body when well developed. Incline bench pressing either with dumbbells or a barbell is popular amongst gym goers for their utility in building up this area. Reply reply [deleted] • For example you could superset chest with forearms on chest day, do giant sets of bicep, tricep and neck on arm days, do extra calves and abs supersetted with your back or shoulder days etc. Idk what to believe in so is this right? I come from a PL background. The overall consensus seems to point to one of these 4 exercises: The best workout program is the one you stick to. Personal favorite chest exercises for strength and size? Training/Routines (self. Jun 23, 2025 · From presses to flyes, sculpt your chest muscles and achieve a strong, chiseled upper body with these effective dumbbell chest exercises and workouts. The leverage changes throughout the movement as the weight is further away from the rotational axis when your muscles are lengthened. Muscle — Scientific review by Dr. Dedicated to the advancement and discussion of weight training. It says you're strong, dedicated. If a guy hits a poorly designed workout consistently, he’d gain more muscle than someone who hits a great workout design inconsistently. The question is which is better. Despite my main focus being hypertrophy, is there any reason to do lower reps for the strength adaptations if I want my bench strength to improve too. Incline DB is good, but the best chest exercise I've done is incline machine press on a machine with adjustable handles. Can I ask for some chest workout and back day workouts that you guys can recommend? And also, I hope you guys can help me look for a trusted youtuber for proper forms and what not. Carl Juneau, PhD Updated Jun 22, 2023 · 12 min read The chest is more than just a muscle group, it's a symbol. Literally every single "science based lifter" I've ever heard in my entire life: "Barbell bench press is likey the single most effective chest exercise for both hypertrophy and strength athletes. Dr. Reply reply deaznutelanutz • The Mechanisms of Muscle Hypertrophy and Their Application to Resistance Training: "Although mechanical tension alone can produce muscle hypertrophy, it is unlikely to be solely responsible for hypertrophic gains associated with exercise (79). A well-built chest speaks volumes. Is there enough volume per muscle group per week for hypertrophy? If not then maybe I can superset with additional exercises? I’ve been reading up and I’m getting increasingly Currently almost overwhelmed with what exercises to do in my chest split. Add more weight to each bicep exercise, shoot for a weight that will be challenging in the 4-8 rep range, and then just plug in more days like that throughout your week. Is 2 chest exercises enough. As an assistance exercise for this: Ring Flies as others have mentioned. Let’s review the best compound and isolation lifts for chest hypertrophy, how to do them, and how to program them into your training for optimal results. i do weighted dips almost exclusively for chest and i actually have a lower pec now. The bench press and dumbbell bench press are better. Best chest hypertrophy program? Trying to bring up my chest because it is lagging behind the rest of my physique. Still OHP, but I do it lighter more as an activation exercise. Mar 29, 2024 · These chest exercises from Men's Health editors and fitness experts will help you work out to build bigger, stronger pectoral muscles at the gym or at home. Flat / slight decline Dumbbell or cable presses for the win. The best we can do is attempt to bridge the gap between the science and practical application for ourselves. ” In Push 2 you again focus on 3 exercises of shoulders and 3 of chest and 1 superset of biceps and triceps or similarly as in push 1 u can do 2 Tricep exercises. ) but I feel like my arms haven't grown proportionally. Mike (who calls themselves doctor with an exercise science PhD, so cringe) to bee to smarmy and arrogant to want to hang with for what they've actually achieved as lifters themselves but I know why reddit personality types gravitate toward them Reply reply ijustwantanaccount91 • The question isn't "can you build good chest muscle from chest press". " It is my favorite upper body combo because it works both the front and back simultaneously. Aug 23, 2023 · This 4-day program will help intermediate and advanced trainees gain size and strength. Both are 3 sets that are 8-12reps for progressive overload. Reply reply More replies MasteryList • To some degree it does build your chest but not significantly. Jul 1, 2025 · Discover the best exercises targeting different parts of the chest to effectively enhance muscle hypertrophy. Any exercise performed correctly can build good muscle. When it comes to calisthenics training, I find specifically targeting this area is not brought up much on this subreddit. Reply reply CompleteWin9433 • It’s still ain’t late for the pics Reply reply Vtron89 • lol Reply reply More replies HelenHuntsAss "Best" bodyweight exercises for chest hyperthrophy Currently I'm doing weighted decline pushups, weighted dips and ring pushups. His approach seems to be low You can also do chest focussed dips (leaning forward), band flies, cable flies, machine flies, machine presses, push ups. I really disliked leg days so I kept thinking about how to make it more enjoyable and less skippable, so I added arms to it. g. And i probably know all common bodyweight exercises. Thank y’all! Volume of tension hypertrophy (not to be confused with volume of work but rather the time spent under significant tension per set of exercise from a strategic combination of exercise or exercises with different strength profiles) We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. If you're using them for chest activation, make sure you lean your torso forward, flare your elbows out AND point your legs in front of you as well, like this: > Jan 3, 2025 · Build a bigger, denser chest with our expert-designed chest hypertrophy program. I know for hypertrophy 5-30 rep range is equivalent given sets are taken to failure, but strength is better optimised in the lower reps, so in this case 5-6 reps. Is this enough to grow and tone my chest? Why call it a «chest and back» day, if it’s an upperbody workout? I get the premise that you work shoulders/tri through most chest exercises, and bi/rear delts through back exercises but let’s call it for what it is; an upper body workout. I recently started doing the r/bodyweightfitness workout and the thing that destroys my chest more than anything is the rings. I went from not being able to do one to I can do 9 right now. It's not bad for core work too. For example, I've seen people advocating the work of Mike Matthews. Nov 20, 2024 · You need the best hypertrophy program to get your muscles to pop so you get all the “oohs and ahs” next time you’re poolside. Ring support hold and ring dips give you a chest workout like nothing else. There will be some overlap with the arm training exercises, however these exercise variations are intended to emphasize the chest more than the arms. Hi all, can anyone please tell me if my following push & pull routine is sufficient to trigger hypertrophy in the chest, shoulders, triceps, biceps & back please? I plan on performing both routines twice per week. As it follows, my chest is strong but doesn't really have that pop to it that makes it very noticeable. Reply reply [deleted] • Apr 4, 2025 · The machine chest press and seated cable flye are Nippard's best-ranked chest hypertrophy exercises while the plate press is the worst. I believe this potion of the chest is more important to build for strength and look. Reply reply biglatgainz • Close grip bench is the goat but skull crushes fuck up your elbows brother Reply Start with an Incline Variation if your upper chest is weak then continue with the rest of your chest day. The machine gives me an extra 2" ROM compared to DB pressing, and I don't have to think about the dumbbells being too big for full ROM at higher weights. . Why are certain people claiming that a bench press is only for strength and not for building chest muscles??? Yet, I would argue that, when performed correctly, they're the best chest-building exercise, and definitely deserve their reputation as the "upper body squat". Specifically, I'm asking what worked for YOU to increase your arm size? I'm looking for your personal anecdotes and experiences here speculation, broscience, and opinions Third, I would add more volume over the course of the week, but train heavier with the same volume per workout. And u can give me some advice on changing the sets/reps push [ ] 1)chest press 3x12 [ ] 2)incline bench press 3x12 [ ] 3)chest flies 3x12 [ ] 4)shoulder press 3x12 [ ] 5)lateral raises 3x12 [ ] 6)tricep pushdowns (drop set) 4x10 pull Similar problem. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. I actually get a good contraction across the pec as a whole. I expect a lot of hate, but this exercise is the only strength exercise where the chest is the primary mover I could come up with that does not need much external weight. Apr 26, 2025 · Discover the best and worst chest exercises ranked by science to optimize your workout routine. Pushups are a good way to add on some chest muscle especially as a beginner and is easy to measure how you are progressing. This routine combines compound and isolation exercises for balanced muscle growth. Mike Israetel's science-based guide. Research studies comparing weights to bands often pick bad exercises. Yet my chest hasn't grown that much it just got a muscular shape. 26K subscribers in the WeightTraining community. Incline workouts really help building your upper portion of your chest. Chest is also my most defined feature and I credit the incline press and cable flys for it. Jul 30, 2024 · [RELATED: Best Lower Chest Exercises] When choosing which exercises to do, include multi-joint and single-joint exercises, enabling “whole muscle development. Works really well and I'm finally very happy with my routine. But I don't know, maybe it's a bad idea since most hypertrophy focused programs mix high and low volume days? I looked at German volume training, but found some sources claiming that people with lower volume had the same/better results. Everything else is covered by your other exercises. If yo don't have a weight plate, then just load up a backpack or duffle bag with soup cans or water bottles or jugs or metal objects for extra weight. Rest-pause set, drop sets, and negatives will kick your muscle gains into high gear! trueI’ve been doing bench press but on TikTok I’ve seen a lot of people saying that it’s mostly for strength and not growing your chest. Intro Here is my guide to training the pectoral muscles with bodyweight movements. Shoulder work is later on with high reps and lower weight. Without doubt, weighted pull-ups are the best vertical pulling exercise, and the best muscle building exercise for lats. : incline press machine vs. I strictly use dumbbells for my chest workouts as I feel it puts less stress on my shoulders and more on my chest. So can you build a big chest with pushups. Right now I'm doing an Incline db press and Cable up to down chest Flys. Been incorporating mostly incline db and bench pressing along with incline flyes and pullovers. Jan 3, 2024 · Master chest training with Dr. My chest has grown, as I have focused more on making those weak muscles contract and activate again. Your chest genetics must be there. Calisthenics Hypertrophy Need a bit of help understanding the best amount of reps/sets for Hypertrophy with calisthenics. Moreover, some of the exercises you'd choose for 30 rep sets make it pretty easy to do antagonist paired sets (though, I'd rest 1 minute between each exercise rather than supersetting) e. It may be a good indicator that you are engaging the chest, but unless the chest becomes the limiting factor by an involuntarily slowing of the contraction, it will not receive the most stimulus for hypertrophy from the exercise. Many of the most highly regarded coaches provide conflicting approaches. Second push day is "shoulders focused" with low reps and shoulders first, then I do my chest exercises later with higher reps and lower weight. From bench presses to cable crossovers to dips, we tell you what to do and what to avoid. Any other variations good for hypertrophy ? For natural lifters who have established a solid base of strength (intermediate level or beyond), what is the best approach for hypertrophy? I've read lots of different approaches regarding frequency, volume, and intensity. Im currently just sticking to the basics of Pullups/Pushups/Squats. Chest is my most prominent feature. com Aug 27, 2024 · Some movements are better for chest growth than others. I was wondering if any of you have any success stories, with things like low or The stoppers on these machines means I can’t really get the best stretch, but are they still good for overall chest hypertrophy? I use them so that I don’t need a spotter and can go to true failure without fearing death, but I wonder how they’d compare to a Smith machine equivalent (i. Hello reddit! Im almost done with madcow 5x5, and so im looking to mix things up with a pure high volume hypertrophy program for the next 2-3 months. " Jul 26, 2024 · These are the best chest exercises for stronger pecs, plus 4 workouts to try from our staff of trainers. Prioritizing weak muscle groups early on in the workout is the best way to get them to grow. I also like to do push and pull movements in the same workout as it just feels a lot better. Full Range of motion and best strength curve Progressive overload. Another thing to note with BWF is that the pushup is not the only thing you do for chest. Learn optimal volume, exercise selection, and programming for maximum development. Barbell Work is inferior for chest hypertrophy. Neither of my pressing and fly motions have plateaued. If they're too easy grab a weight plate and put it on your chest. I have been working out for two years. This! Side Delt partials (chest supported hanging over an incline bench) and cable upright rows using single handles is my current go-to combination to on, though I do mix in leaning cable lateral raises and face pulls. What I’m wondering is should I substitute seated plate loaded chest press for flat dumbbell bench? "This exercise can be an extremely effective single or double arm exercise increasing hypertrophy and muscular endurance (providing that pump) without putting the amount of stress on the shoulder joints that a chest fly with a dumbbell would," says athlete performance and development specialist Curtis Shannon, "I like programming it as an News, articles, personal pictures, videos & advice on everything related to bodybuilding - nutrition, supplementation, training, contest preparation, and more. Jun 22, 2023 · 3 Chest Workouts for Muscle Hypertrophy (Top 12 Exercises) The best hypertrophy exercises and workouts for a bigger chest By Dr. To make it work, you need the following: Good old progressive overload. Day 1: 5/3/1 FSL Bench Press + hypertrophy for upper body (focus on: back, shoulders, arms) Day 2: 5/3/1 FSL Squat + hypertrophy for legs (hamstrings, calves), abs Day 3: rest Day 4: 5/3/1 FSL OHP + hypertrophy for upper body (focus on: back, chest, arms) Day 5: 5/3/1 FSL Deadlift + hypertrophy for legs Nov 21, 2023 · Science determines the best chest exercises. Especially from risk perspective. I am tall with a thin frame/hard gains. Increase resistance in small steps. ab wheel - gets you strong as fuck, can be adapted to different strength levels decline sit up - same as above, but easier to progressively overload dead bugs - perfect lift to learn to control your core and get to the above lifts leg raises - solid lift for the lower abs, not as easy to overload Reply reply jjmuti • You can do some pretty good chest exercises on the floor with dumbbells such as eccentric floor flies. Usually I’ll do a flat bench and then an incline bench with barbell or dumbbells, but sometimes I’ll do dips and rarely flies if I’m feeling like it (but honestly, I think flies suck for the most part and much prefer a db bench) So about 16 sets per week on average. Mike Israetel has been posting a pretty awesome series to his blog about volume recommendations for each muscle along with tips and tricks on how to train them effectively. chest supported dumbbell row + incline dumbbell press—I wouldn't be keen to do either of those with fewer than 10 reps Reply reply VeniBibiVomui • My personal all-time favourite chest exercise for hypertrophy is doing chest fly in a push-up position with gymnast rings (feet elevated quite a bit). For Best Results Use Additional Load, Bands & Rings Optimizing your chest training with Erm, they are a tool in your exercise arsenal. Manage band length so PPL workout split Im currently doing a PPL split and focusing on hypertrophy and i wanted to know if this is a good workout and if there isnt too much volume. lifts , rep range, timing, ect We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. Feeling the burn is not what stimulates hypertrophy. In terms of lifts I have not seen anything better than the dumbbell chest press, and I am curious to hear your thoughts on best exercises for this. I don't have a set routine. I also like to give my chest a good stretch before, during (between sets) and after the workout. I don't have any problems with engaging my chest, as I am quite torso dominant in my lifts, and my chest often gets sore. The focus of these exercises is primarily for strength and hypertrophy. Having a natural small chest and trying to then build it post injury is very challenging lol Reply reply See full list on barbend. It's also easier to superset chest and back exercises My research shows me that the barbell bench press is an exercise for building muscle, but that it's just less effective than dumbell presses and chest flies. I do a complete body workout not chest focused only but my progress seems slow. I just make sure to hit my chest 2-3x / week and focus on wearing it out using different exercises / angles. There are so many different variations of pushups as described in the video in the comment section that have really helped me grow my chest specifically the upper chest. Best rep range - At least 3 sets of at People puffing up their chest about how intense their workouts are and how no one knows failure the way they know failure isn’t helpful and only makes all of this more complicated. We would like to show you a description here but the site won’t allow us. How many total sets when working out my chest? Share Sort by: Best Open comment sort options Best Top New Controversial Old Q&A Add a Comment [deleted] • I think if you can do shorter but more frequent workouts, that'll be the best use of your time. Mar 3, 2025 · The 7 Best Hypertrophy Programs 12 Week Maximum Hypertrophy Routine (Kizen) PHUL Workout Routine PHAT Workout Routine Mike Israetel Hypertrophy Workout Routine Hypertrophy Specific Training (HST) Routine Brogains 10 Week Powerbuilding Program Metallicadpa 6 Day PPL (aka Reddit PPL) These workout programs have hypertrophy as one of their primary training goals. I really believe in stretch mediated hypertrophy and even though dips do a good job of that I feel like getting that deep stretch from a fly while my chest is already wildly pumped is the perfect way to end a workout. If you have not checked them out already I highly recommend doing so as there is a lot of good information in Jun 23, 2025 · While you may think you need to use advanced techniques to get your chest to grow, it's really much simpler than that. That completely overloads the stretched position, which has been proven by many studies to produce much better hypertrophy results. Shocking News: Repeated Muscle Tension leads to Hypertrophy Seriously, I think the reason resistance bands have a bad reputation is that a lot of the exercises and programs floating around SUCK. Chest up as high as possible especially at the bottom of the movement, stay tight with as much tension on your chest as possible for a second or two, explode up by trying to force your chest to the ceiling. Decades of research, powerlifting and bodybuilding support this. I feel like i've been in a bit of a plateau recently. Ex: Arnold would have had a great chest doing any exercises. 10 votes, 26 comments. incline Smith machine press). Below I have made a quick table with all his recommendations and a link to each post for more information. I have no trouble with other body parts progressing (back, chest, shoulders, legs, etc. I refuse to do flat bench b/c (personal reason) instead I do incline and decline workouts. I've heard people say that incline is the dominant chest movement for growth and aesthetic purposes Rest times for Hypertrophy - 30-90 seconds between sets and exercises As long as you need to recover in order to hit the target reps with the weight you're using. If you want a specific workout then I have to recommend P90X's Chest & Back video, "the mother of all P90X workouts. Only started to get better now since ive stopped benching. Share Add a Comment Sort by Has anyone built a satisfactory chest using only bodyweight exercise? If so, how? : r/bodyweightfitness     Gaming Sports Business Crypto Television Celebrity Go to bodyweightfitness r/bodyweightfitness r/bodyweightfitness Hello guys, I’m just new in weight lifting like maybe a month or two now, I felt like my chest aren’t being hit a lot. Finally a peck deck or cable fly. e. I can do 3 pullups, 3 dips, 8 inverted rows and I do shoulders, arms workouts as well. What is the best way to grow the chest? Send me links or your workouts. I think if youre shoulder dominant you can end up benching with all upper chest and delts. Nov 16, 2024 · Improve your chest with the best exercises! Discover the top chest exercises, including proper grip and tips for targeting the upper chest. Definitely add a push-up progression. The following week, I follow the same schedule, but I use heavy resistance and use less compound exercises to focus more on hypertrophy and isolation 4x8-10 or switch it up and go straight to failure. You can honestly get away with 3-4 sets of 3-4 exercises close to failure and still make great progress, just split your sessions into something like PPL or however you see fit. You can overload the weight since there is no danger of your elbows extending behind your back because you're on the floor and really focus on the eccentric part of the movement, bringing the weight down. I made a spreadsheet of Renaissance Periodization's Hypertrophy Recommendations by Muscle Group Just do an upper-lower split, or 5/3/1, and tack on some hypertrophy exercises at the end. I'm not saying rest 15 minutes between sets but if one set is particularly taxing on both your muscles and cardiovascular / respiratory systems, taking 2-5 minutes isn't going to hurt at all. 6'3" 200lbs. Trained in it for 3 years+ but my body is a little banged up at the age of 20 so I'm refocusing my training on hypertrophy and aesthetics for the future currently. Curious what some of you brahs with upper pecs that pop out of polos do, i. Most effective way to train the triceps for strength (and lets talk tricep hypertrophy, too)? Right now I hit chest twice a week, 2 exercises each for 4 sets. Best exercise for abs hypertrophy is weighted decline situps in the 10-15 rep range or so. I've been going to the gym for a few months now, but I've been continously changing my workout plan especially with chest exercises. Dips feel better for me. Do them if you want for fun factor but there's 0 benefit in terms of hypertrophy. The full list of hypertrophy Currently trying to bring up my upper chest in relation to the lower/mid. Hi all, I'm looking for some tips on how to increase the size of my upper arms. I've only said that if you go to failure or close to, you p should stick to 5-10 sets per workout and 10-20 per week and it will be the best for hypertrophy. For one My chest is somewhat lacking compared to the rest of my body, combined with the fact that I like the overdeveloped chest physique look. Feb 5, 2025 · Best for: Chest hypertrophy and improved muscle symmetry Pro tip: Lower the dumbbells deep for a full stretch but maintain control to prevent excessive joint stress. Reply reply stackered • Honestly I find Jeff and Dr. Not a fan of flat barbell bench, so currently the split is smith incline press (35 degrees), seated plate loaded chest press, and flys and occasionally dips. rfrb ewx ogpobb tmuw hzemyhr zczzqf ndeobxg rxmkuqw rhdnhlw qtwdn