Building well-defined and big chest muscles takes time and dedication in the gym. While there are many variations to do, the listed 5 Chest exercises ranked from overrated to elite can help you to get a better picture of what to do and what not to.
The chest makes up a major portion of the upper body and is essential in creating an athletic appearance. Men all over want a well-defined chest that can be showcased in the swimming pool or beach areas. But, each person in the gym swears by their go-to chest exercise to help build big pecs.
The information ahead helps to dive into a comparison of options, with 5 chest exercises ranked from overrated to elite and with explanation.
What Are the 5 Chest Exercises Ranked from Overrated to Elite?
We all have our favorite chest exercises and some that we love to hate. The exercises ahead are ranked from overrated to elite, with some justification as to why each was selected.
- Dumbbell Chest Fly. The dumbbell fly is a common exercise that is used to target the pectoralis major and minor muscles. While it is an effective chest exercise for hypertrophy, the downfall is that it places a lot of stress on the shoulder. The stress demand that the dumbbell fly places on the shoulder area, by way of the pec muscles, can be a contributing factor in injuries.
- Try This Instead: Seated fly or pec deck. Both options offer the efficiency in working the pecs and are not as known for creating injuries like the dumbbell version.
- Decline Barbell Bench Press. This variation of the bench press is often used to establish strength in the lower portion of the pec muscles. While efficient in helping to fatigue the chest, it is only as good as what it is paired with, meaning you need to add other exercises in order for it to be worthwhile.
- Try This Instead: Swap out the decline bench for the incline version. The incline bench press works more area, is typically more challenging, and also adds an element to the shoulders.
- Stability Ball Push-ups. The stability ball offers valuable versatility and has some benefits when it comes to doing push-ups. The key to nailing down this version is to get familiar and comfortable with the stability ball. Here are some helpful tips to nailing down a good form.
- Place your feet on the ball rather than hands to take your lower point of gravity away and make this more challenging. This will work the core just as well as the chest muscles.
- Change your intensity level by adjusting which part of your leg rests on the ball. It will be hardest when your toes are planted and easiest when the shins are planted.
- Slow movements are definitely better and safer, rather than faster. This way you gain benefit for concentric and eccentric muscle motions.
- Weighted Chest Dips. Dips are quite honestly very tough to perform and highly effective when it comes to growing muscle. With weight added, this exercise can be one of the best for working the pecs and arms. Adding weight for the dip is easiest when a weight plate is attached and hanging. There are belts to help attach these, but a weighted vest can work just as well.
- Dumbbell Bench Press. Unlike the fly, this version of the bench press is elite for its usefulness in building muscle. The barbell bench press offers similar value since you can tack on the weight on the bar, but the dumbbell bench allows for isolating each pec muscle. Here’s how to perform the dumbbell bench press safely so that you can maximize your gains.
- Use a spotter or two. Especially with heavy weight, you should use a spotter for this exercise to avoid injury and to help set you into proper form. Ideally if there is a group of three, having two spotters would be ideal on your heavy days.
- Focus on your form. Since each arm and pec are responsible for their own work, it is important to pay close attention to your form.
- Use a slow and steady tempo. Quick movements are not the best on this type of bench press and slow, steady motions are what you should aim for.
What do the Rankings Mean?
The rankings above are intended to give insight on the big picture of your workouts. Some may place bigger strain in parts of the arms or chest, whereas others may need additional exercises to make them efficient.
[wpcode id=”229888″]Regardless of their purpose in your workout, if your exercise falls into the rankings somewhere above, consider the information as a way to gauge where the efficiency lies. The biggest takeaway from the rankings above is that your exercise should be safe and effective so you can get results.
How to Incorporate Elite Chest Exercises into a Workout
If making a change based off the rankings above is in your near future that’s great. Incorporating the elite exercises to your routine is very easy and requires some dedication, but it’s worth every step along the way for sure.
- Figure out your goals. Do you want to get stronger or build bigger muscle? Stick with a dumbbell bench press to help achieve these goals.
- Swap out the overrated exercises for suggested versions. Being overrated isn’t an issue, but there are downsides when these exercises are a part of the routine. Consider the alternative exercises for your workout.
- Follow a progressive overload program to reach goals. If you aren’t adding more, your muscles can’t adapt and grow better. For this, make an assessment of your current routine and make slight changes to help build bigger chest muscles.
Conclusion
The information above describes 5 chest exercises ranked from overrated to elite and describe more as to why the ranking fits. If your favorite exercise falls into the overrated category, do not fret as you can still keep in it your repertoire. Similarly, if your favorite exercise is considered elite, don’t forget to still mix it up and add in others exercises to keep your muscles constantly adapting.
Resources
https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/33239937
https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC7675616
