Best Upper Chest Workouts and Exercises (Backed by Science)

Want to construct a fuller, extra balanced chest?

This information covers the most effective higher chest exercises and workouts based mostly on science—plus coaching tricks to maximize development.

After years of lifting, my chest seemed massive—however smooth, spherical, and bottom-heavy.

My decrease chest dwarfed my higher chest, and the imbalance made all the pieces else—my shoulders, arms, even my posture—look off.

I adopted the commonest recommendation you learn on-line: extra benching, extra units, extra higher chest isolation work.

None of it made a distinction.

Then I discovered what really builds the higher chest—what workouts work it finest, how laborious you really want to coach, and why progressive overload is paramount.

Within a few years, right here’s how my higher chest remodeled:

In this text, I’ll break down the higher chest trains, exercises, and coaching strategies that helped me construct the complete, armor-plated look most guys are after, so you are able to do the identical. 

Let’s dive in.

Want to know precisely how you need to prepare to achieve your health targets? Take our free 60-second coaching quiz and discover out now.

Key Takeaways

• The higher chest refers back to the higher portion of the pectoralis main, technically referred to as the clavicular head.
• Its principal capabilities are bringing your higher arms towards your midline and lifting them from out in entrance of you overhead. To work the higher chest successfully, do workouts that contain these actions. 
• To construct the higher chest, prioritize higher chest trains, prepare your pecs with 10-to-20 weekly units, get stronger over time, and prepare near failure.
• To speed up your progress, use a high-quality protein powder to hit your every day protein goal, creatine to spice up restoration and development, and a pre-workout to boost vitality, focus, and efficiency.
• The finest higher chest trains are barbell and dumbbell incline, flat, and close-grip presses. 

What Is the Upper Chest?

How Do You Work the Upper Chest?

Can You Isolate the Upper Chest?

What’s the Best Incline Angle for Working Your Upper Chest?

This vary comes from three research: one discovered 30 levels was optimum, one other favored round 45 levels, and a 3rd discovered no significant distinction between the 2.

So whereas there’s no common “finest” angle, odds are that someplace within the 30-to-45-degree vary will work effectively for you.

A wise strategy is to start out at 30 levels and modify based mostly on how the motion feels:

• Lower the angle if you happen to really feel your shoulders taking on.
• Try arching your again much less or growing the incline to round 45 levels if you happen to really feel your mid or decrease chest working greater than your higher pecs.
• Avoid angles above 45 levels except you’ve got a really exaggerated again arch, as this tends to shift the main focus away out of your pecs and onto your delts.

How Do You Build the Upper Chest?

Prioritize Upper Pec Exercises

Optimize Your Volume

Research reveals that most individuals construct muscle finest once they do 10-to-20 units per muscle group per week. Doing greater than 20 would possibly produce higher outcomes for some, however development quickly diminishes past this level, so the additional work isn’t well worth the effort.

That’s why 10-to-20 weekly units is a stable quantity goal in your higher pec exercises. It’s not a good suggestion to do that multi function exercise, although. Studies present {that a} muscle can solely tolerate round 6-to-10 units in a single exercise earlier than its efficiency dips. 

When that occurs, you raise much less weight, for fewer reps, with worse kind—all of which hinders your positive aspects.

A greater strategy is to separate your quantity throughout two higher chest exercises weekly. Here’s the best way to break it down based mostly in your expertise:

• <1 yr of coaching expertise: 10-to-12 units of higher chest trains per week break up throughout 1-to-2 exercises
• 1-to-3 years of coaching expertise: 12-to-15 units of higher chest trains per week 2-to-3 exercises
• 3+ years of coaching expertise: 15-to-20 units of higher chest trains per week 2-to-3 exercises

Focus on Progressive Overload

To proceed constructing muscle, you should step by step raise heavier weights over time. This is known as progressive overload and it’s the major driver of muscle development.

Here’s the best way to do it:

If your exercise requires 4-to-6 reps of the incline barbell bench press and you full 6 reps in a set, improve the burden by 10 kilos in your subsequent set.

If you do 3 reps or fewer in subsequent units, scale back the load by 5 kilos to remain within the 4-to-6 rep vary.

Apply this strategy to each train in your higher chest exercises, aiming so as to add both weight or reps each session.

READ MORE: Double Progression Guide: How to Use Double Progression to Gain Muscle and Strength

Train Close to Failure

READ MORE: Does Training to Failure Help You Build More Muscle? What Science Says

Take the Right Supplements

• Protein powder: Protein powder, reminiscent of Whey+ (Legion’s whey isolate) or Casein+ (Legion’s micellar casein), offers your physique with the vitamins wanted to construct muscle tissue and get well from exercises. 
• Creatine: Creatine boosts muscle and power acquire, improves anaerobic endurance, and reduces muscle injury and soreness out of your exercises. For a pure supply of creatine, strive Legion’s creatine monohydrate, creatine gummies, or post-workout Recharge.
• Pre-workout: A high-quality pre-workout enhances vitality, temper, and focus, will increase power and endurance, and reduces fatigue. For a top-tier pre-workout containing clinically efficient doses of 6 science-backed substances, strive Legion’s Pulse with caffeine or with out.

(If you’d like much more particular recommendation about which dietary supplements you need to take to achieve your well being and health targets, take the Legion Supplement Finder Quiz, and in lower than a minute, you’ll know precisely what dietary supplements are best for you.)

The Best Upper Chest Exercises

1. Incline Barbell Bench Press

Why: The incline barbell bench press is extensively thought-about the gold commonplace of higher chest train as a result of it trains each capabilities of the higher pecs. That’s probably why a number of research present it works the higher chest greater than flat urgent. 

Using a barbell additionally provides stability, so you’ll be able to raise heavier weights and higher overload the higher chest. That’s why practically each nice higher chest exercise begins right here.

How to:

1. Lie on a bench angled at 30-to-45 levels and plant your ft on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Grab the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip and unrack the barbell.
4. Lower the barbell to your higher chest, protecting your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Expert Tip: Avoid reducing the bar to your mid-chest such as you’re flat bench urgent. Instead, carry it to round clavicle top to take care of the right bar path and emphasize the higher pecs.

READ MORE: Incline Bench Press: A Definitive Guide to Incline Form & Set Up

2. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

Why: The incline dumbbell bench press trains your higher pecs equally to the barbell model, however with one benefit: you’ll be able to transfer by way of a barely bigger vary of movement (ROM) since there’s no bar limiting your motion. That issues as a result of coaching by way of a full ROM usually advantages muscle development.

How to:

1. While mendacity on a bench angled at 30-to-45 levels, maintain a dumbbell in every hand and relaxation them in your thighs. 
2. Lie again, hoisting the dumbbells up so that you’re holding them on both facet of your chest by giving them a nudge together with your thighs.
3. Press the dumbbells over your higher chest till your arms are straight and your elbows are locked.
4. Lower the dumbbells to the beginning place.

Expert Tip: Bring the dumbbells collectively as you press them upward to really feel a stronger contraction in your pecs.

READ MORE: How to Do an Incline Dumbbell Press & Common Alternatives

3. Flat Barbell Bench Press

Why: Incline urgent will get many of the consideration for higher chest growth—however analysis reveals the flat bench press can also be extremely efficient for constructing your higher pecs. While it shouldn’t be your solely higher chest train, protecting it in your routine helps spherical out your chest growth and permits you to raise heavier hundreds general.

How to:

1. Lie on a flat bench and place your ft flat on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Grab the bar with a barely wider than shoulder-width grip and unrack the barbell.
4. Lower the barbell to your chest, protecting your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Expert Tip: As you arrange for the bench press, think about screwing your ft into the ground by turning your toes out to the facet. This creates stress in your legs, which will increase the soundness and rigidity of your complete physique and ensures you don’t waste vitality attempting to take care of stability.

READ MORE: The Definitive Guide to Proper Bench Press Form

4. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press

Expert Tip: Exercises that prepare either side of your physique independently (“unilateral workouts”) are sometimes higher for enhancing athletic efficiency than workouts that prepare either side concurrently (“bilateral workouts”). That makes the dumbbell bench press a sensible higher pec train for athletes trying to construct urgent power.

READ MORE: How to Dumbbell Bench Press: Form, Benefits, and Variations

5. Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

Why: While many consider the close-grip bench press as a triceps train, it’s additionally extremely efficient for coaching your pecs—and your higher pecs particularly. Taking a slender grip and tucking your elbows tends to be gentler in your shoulders, too, which most individuals welcome after a number of heavy units of urgent. 

How to:

1. Lie on a flat bench and place your ft flat on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Grip the barbell with a shoulder-width grip or barely narrower and unrack the barbell.
4. Lower the barbell to your decrease chest, protecting your elbows tucked 2-to-4 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Expert Tip: Grip the bar about shoulder-width aside. Taking a a lot narrower grip doesn’t make the train any more practical and can pressure your wrists. 

READ MORE: How to Close-Grip Bench Press: Tips & Variations

6. Machine Incline Chest Press

7. Reverse-Grip Bench Press

Why: Research suggests the reverse-grip bench press successfully trains the clavicular head of the pecs, so it could be a viable higher chest train to incorporate in your program. 

That mentioned, it might probably really feel awkward or pressure the wrists for some. If that’s the case for you, there’s no must pressure it—simply choose a extra comfy variation from this record. 

How to:

1. Lie on a flat bench and place your ft flat on the ground. 
2. Pull your shoulder blades collectively and down, and with out lifting your butt or shoulders off the bench, barely arch your again. 
3. Grip the bar with an underhand (supinated) grip (palms going through your upward) barely wider than shoulder-width.
4. Lower the barbell to your chest, protecting your elbows tucked 6-to-8 inches out of your sides.
5. Press the bar again to the beginning place.

Expert Tip: The reverse-grip bench press can really feel awkward at first, so begin with lighter weights and deal with nailing your kind earlier than growing the burden.

8. Dumbbell Hex Press

9. Low-to-High Cable Fly

The Best Upper Chest Workout Routines for Mass

Upper Chest Workout Routine #1: Beginner

Upper Chest Workout Routine #2: Intermediate

If you’ve been coaching for 1-to-3 years, growing your coaching quantity will probably assist you construct muscle sooner. Here’s how you would construction two higher chest–targeted periods per week by adapting a push day and higher physique day from Bigger Leaner Stronger:

Workout 1: Push

• Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press: 2 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Low-to-High Cable Fly: 2 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Workout 3: Upper Body A

• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise: 3 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise: 3 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Upper Chest Workout Routine #3: Advanced

If you’ve been coaching for over 3 years and wish to push quantity to the higher finish of the optimum vary, right here’s how one can construction three weekly exercises, based mostly on the routine in Bigger Leaner Stronger:

Workout 1: Push

• Incline Barbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Flat Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press: 2 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Low-to-High Cable Fly: 2 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Workout 3: Upper Body A

• Incline Dumbbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Flat Barbell Bench Press: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Side Lateral Raise: 3 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Dumbbell Rear Lateral Raise: 3 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Workout 5: Upper Body B

• Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press: 3-to-4 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Chin-up: 3 units | 4-to-6 reps | 3-to-5 min relaxation
• Seated Cable Row: 3 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation
• Barbell Curl: 3 units | 6-to-8 reps | 2-to-3 min relaxation

Warming Up for Your Upper Chest Workouts

A correct warm-up helps you raise extra weight safely and reduces your threat of harm. Research reveals the easiest way to organize for heavy urgent is to heat up with heavy weights. 

Here’s the protocol I like to recommend:

1. Estimate the burden you’ll use in your first laborious set of your first train.
2. Do 6 reps with about 50% of that weight and relaxation for 1 minute.
3. Do 4 reps with about 70% of that weight and relaxation for 1 minute.

After this, you’re able to sort out your laborious units in your first train and the remainder of your higher chest exercise.

FAQ #1: Can you do an higher chest exercise at dwelling?

FAQ #2: What do you name males’s higher chest?

FAQ #3: Do dips work the higher chest?

READ MORE: An Expert Guide to the Muscles Worked by Dips