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Chest Exercises

Barbell Bench Press
  1.  Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold the barbell at just outside of shoulder width apart.

  2. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it straight over your chest with your arms straight. This is your starting position.

  3. Slowly lower the bar while breathing in until the bar just touches the middle of your chest.

  4. After a brief pause push the bar up to the starting position while breathing out and focussing on contracting your chest muscles.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Barbell Bench Press
  1.  Lie on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Hold the barbell at just outside of shoulder width apart.

  2. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it straight over your chest with your arms straight. This is your starting position.

  3. Slowly lower the bar while breathing in until the bar just touches the middle of your chest.

  4. After a brief pause push the bar up to the starting position while breathing out and focussing on contracting your chest muscles.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Dumbbell Bench Press
  1. Lie down on a flat bench holding dumbbells in both hands with palms facing towards the direction of your feet. Extend your arms up above your chest keeping them shoulder width apart. This is your starting position.

  2. Slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest as you inhale until your upper arms and forearms form a 90 degree angle.

  3. After a brief pause, carefully return to the starting position, exhaling as you do so.

  4. Repeat for as many repetitions as required. 

Cable Cross Overs
  1. Set the same weight on each side of the cable machine. Adjust the position of each pulley to the highest point.

  2. Make sure you are using a handle attachment on each side.

  3. Stand in the middle of the cable machine holding the cable handles on each side. Take a step forward while pulling your hands together in front of you. This is your starting position.

  4. With your arms slightly bent, slowly spread your arms in a wide arc until you a stretch in your chest. Breathe in as you do this movement.

  5. Focus on contracting your chest and return to the starting position, breathing out as you do so.

  6. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

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Crush-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press
  1. Lie down on a flat bench holding dumbbells in both hands in a neutral position (palms facing each other).

  2. Extend your arms up above your chest and push the dumbbells together.

  3. Maintain this 'crushing' force throughout the exercise. This is your starting position.

  4. Slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest as you inhale.

  5. Touch the chest with the dumbbells then slowly return to the starting position as you exhale.

  6. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Dumbbell Fly
  1. Lie down face up on a flat bench.

  2. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms directly above your chest with your palms facing each other, dumbbells together and arms slightly bent. This is your starting position.

  3. With a slight bend in your arms (prevents bicep tendon stress), slowly begin to lower your arms in a sideway wide arc until you begin to feel stretch in your chest.

  4. After a brief pause, slowly return to the starting position, focusing on contracting your chest muscles.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
  1. Lie down on a decline bench and secure your legs. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms directly above your chest with your palms facing each other and dumbbells together. This is your starting position.

  2. Slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest as you inhale until your upper arms and forearms form a 90 degree angle.

  3. After a brief pause, carefully return to the starting position, exhaling as you do so.

  4. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Incline Barbell Bench Press
  1. Lie on an incline bench at 45 degrees with your feet flat on the floor. Hold the barbell at just outside of shoulder width apart.

  2. Lift the barbell off the rack and hold it straight over your chest with your arms straight. This is your starting position.

  3. Slowly lower the bar while breathing in until the bar just touches the top of your chest.

  4. After a brief pause push the bar up to the starting position while breathing out and focussing on contracting your chest muscles.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Low Cable Cross-Over
  1. Set the same weight on each side of the cable machine. Adjust the position of each pulley to the lowest point. Make sure you are using a handle attachment on each side.

  2. Stand in the middle of the cable machine holding the cable handles on each side. Take a step forward while pulling your hands together in front of you with your palms facing up. This is your starting position.

  3. With your arms slightly bent, slowly spread your arms in a wide arc until you a stretch in your chest. Breathe in as you do this movement.

  4. Focus on contracting your chest and return to the starting position, breathing out as you do so.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
  1. Lie down on an incline bench (at 45 degrees height). Hold a dumbbell in each hand and extend your arms directly above your chest with your palms facing each other, dumbbells together and arms slightly bent. This is your starting position.

  2. With a slight bend in your arms ( prevents bicep tendon stress ), slowly begin to lower your arms in a sideway wide arc until you begin to feel stretch in your chest.

  3. After a brief pause, slowly return to the starting position, focusing on contracting your chest muscles.

  4. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
  1. Lie down on an incline bench (at 45 degrees height) holding dumbbells in both hands with palms facing towards the direction of your feet. Extend your arms up above your chest keeping them shoulder width apart. This is your starting position.

  2. Slowly lower the dumbbells towards your chest as you inhale until your upper arms and forearms form a 90 degree angle.

  3. Carefully return to the starting position, exhaling as you do so.

  4. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Pushups
  1. Begin by placing your arms directly underneath your shoulders. Your legs should be extended out straight behind vou with the balls of your feet on the ground. This is your starting position.

  2. Keeping your core tight and your glutes engaged, lower your body down until your chest almost touches the ground. Your body should remain straight and your elbows should stay in as much as possible as you perform this movement.

  3. After a brief pause, slowly return to the starting position.

  4. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Straight-arm Pullover
  1. Place a dumbbell upright on a flat bench. Lie down on the bench beside the dumbbell with just your shoulder blades and your body perpendicular to the bench.

  2. Get the dumbbell from beside you and hold it on both hands, extending it out above your chest keeping your arms straight. Keep your hips up and your legs at a 90 degree angle. This is your starting position.

  3. Slowly lower the dumbbell in an arc behind your head, going down to just below the height on the bench.

  4. After a brief pause return to the starting position while breathing out and focusing on contracting your chest muscles.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

Machine Chest Fly
  1. Select a weight and adjust the height of the seat to suit you. Sit up straight and and hold the handles with a slight bend in your arms. Your arms should be parallel with your chest, adjust the height of the seat if this is not the case.

  2. Push the handles slightly to create some tension. This is your starting position.

  3. While breathing out, push the handle togethers as much as you can.

  4. Squeeze your chest for a second then slowly return to the starting position, inhaling while you do so.

  5. Repeat for as many repetitions as required.

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