Bored of the Bench Press? 3 Alternative Chest Exercises for Stronger Pecs

The bench press has long been considered a cornerstone of chest workouts, helping to develop strength and muscle mass in the pectoral muscles.

However, despite its popularity, the bench press may not always be the best or most effective option for everyone. Whether you’re dealing with joint discomfort, seeking more varied muscle stimulation, or simply bored of the movement, there are plenty of alternative exercises that can help build your chest muscles while addressing potential limitations of the traditional bench press.

In this article, we will explore three highly effective chest exercises that serve as excellent alternatives to the bench press. Each of these exercises is backed by scientific evidence and designed to target the chest muscles in unique ways. These alternatives will allow you to optimise chest development, maintain balanced muscle growth, and even break through plateaus.

Let’s delve into these chest exercises that can replace or complement the bench press, providing a fresh and effective challenge.

Why Look Beyond the Bench Press?

The bench press, whether performed with a barbell or dumbbells, has been a staple of strength training routines for decades. While it is undoubtedly a powerful exercise for building upper body strength, it has several limitations and potential drawbacks for some lifters. For instance, the bench press primarily focuses on the sternal (middle) portion of the pectoralis major, often neglecting the clavicular (upper) portion and the lower pectoral fibres. This imbalance can contribute to less-than-optimal chest development, particularly for lifters looking for fuller, more rounded pecs. Furthermore, performing the bench press with incorrect form or excessive load can increase the risk of shoulder injuries, particularly due to over-reliance on the anterior deltoids.

Several studies have confirmed that different chest exercises can activate the pectoral muscles in distinct ways, targeting different parts of the muscle more effectively than the bench press alone. In a study by Barnett et al. (1995), it was demonstrated that varying angles of the bench (such as incline and decline) could lead to greater activation of different portions of the pectoralis major, indicating that relying solely on the flat bench press may not provide complete chest development. Additionally, evidence suggests that compound movements like the bench press can sometimes lead to fatigue in smaller muscles (such as the triceps) before fully exhausting the chest muscles (Welsch, Bird & Mayhew, 2005), indicating the potential benefits of exploring alternative exercises.

Now, let’s dive into three highly effective chest exercises that will add variety to your workout, improve muscle balance, and still deliver significant strength gains.

1. Dips for Chest Development

Why Dips Work

Dips are a compound movement that can be adjusted to specifically target the chest muscles when performed correctly. While traditionally associated with triceps development, leaning forward during dips shifts more emphasis onto the pectoralis major. This forward-leaning position creates a greater stretch in the chest muscles, particularly in the lower portion of the pectoralis major, making dips an excellent exercise for targeting areas that the bench press might neglect.

Scientific Backing

A 2012 study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research explored muscle activation patterns during different variations of dips and found that by increasing the forward lean and flaring the elbows outward, participants could enhance the activation of the chest muscles compared to a more upright, triceps-focused dip variation (Gulmez et al., 2012). This variation also reduces the load on the shoulder joints compared to flat bench pressing, making dips a potentially safer alternative for those dealing with shoulder discomfort.

Moreover, dips allow for a significant range of motion, promoting greater muscle fibre recruitment and stimulating growth through deeper muscle stretch. Research has shown that exercises with a larger range of motion can lead to greater muscle hypertrophy than exercises performed with a reduced range (Bloomquist et al., 2013), highlighting the effectiveness of dips as a chest builder.

How to Perform Dips for the Chest

1. Find a dip station or parallel bars.
2. Start by grasping the bars and supporting your weight with your arms extended.
3. Lean your torso forward, tuck your chin slightly, and cross your legs behind you to maintain stability.
4. Slowly lower your body by bending your elbows, ensuring your elbows flare outward.
5. Descend until your shoulders are slightly below your elbows, feeling a stretch in your chest.
6. Push yourself back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest at the top.

Common Mistakes

• Not leaning forward enough: Staying too upright will shift the focus to the triceps.
• Incomplete range of motion: Failing to lower yourself sufficiently reduces the effectiveness of the exercise.

2. Incline Dumbbell Press for Upper Chest Emphasis

Why Incline Dumbbell Press Works

If you’re looking to target the upper portion of your pectoralis major, the incline dumbbell press is one of the best exercises to include in your routine. Adjusting the angle of the bench to an incline (usually 30 to 45 degrees) shifts more of the workload to the clavicular head of the chest, which is often underdeveloped in lifters who rely primarily on the flat bench press. Using dumbbells instead of a barbell allows for a greater range of motion and better muscle activation, as each arm works independently, helping correct any imbalances between the left and right sides of the body.

Scientific Backing

A 2015 electromyography (EMG) study published in the European Journal of Applied Physiology found that the incline dumbbell press elicited significantly higher muscle activation in the upper portion of the pectoralis major compared to the flat bench press (Saeterbakken et al., 2015). This makes it a crucial exercise for lifters seeking balanced chest development. Another study confirmed that the use of dumbbells, compared to barbells, allows for more natural movement patterns and greater freedom of motion at the shoulder joint, which can help reduce injury risk (Duffey & Challis, 2007).

The incline dumbbell press also promotes shoulder stability by engaging the anterior deltoids and stabiliser muscles to a greater extent than the flat barbell press, helping to build more functional upper body strength.

How to Perform Incline Dumbbell Press

1. Adjust an incline bench to a 30–45 degree angle.
2. Sit on the bench with a dumbbell in each hand, resting them on your thighs.
3. Lean back and lift the dumbbells to shoulder height, with your palms facing forward.
4. Press the dumbbells up, extending your arms until they are fully straight at the top.
5. Lower the dumbbells slowly until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, keeping the tension on your chest.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

• Using too high an incline: Setting the bench at more than 45 degrees shifts the focus away from the chest and onto the shoulders.
• Rushing the movement: Performing the exercise too quickly can limit muscle engagement and increase the risk of injury.

3. Cable Chest Fly for Constant Tension

Why Cable Chest Fly Works

The cable chest fly is an isolation exercise that allows for constant tension on the chest muscles throughout the entire range of motion. Unlike the bench press, where tension on the chest decreases at the top of the movement, the cable fly maintains tension from start to finish. This constant tension is beneficial for stimulating muscle growth and increasing time under tension, a key factor in hypertrophy.

By allowing for a full range of motion and controlled muscle contraction, the cable chest fly can specifically target the pectoral muscles while minimising stress on the shoulder joints. It’s also highly versatile, as you can adjust the height of the pulleys to target different areas of the chest, including the upper, middle, and lower fibres.

Scientific Backing

Research has shown that isolation exercises like the cable fly can effectively target and hypertrophy specific muscle groups when used in conjunction with compound movements. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that the inclusion of isolation exercises, such as fly variations, could lead to increased muscle activation and better overall muscle balance compared to using only compound lifts (Gentil et al., 2015). This is particularly relevant for lifters whose chest development is lagging behind other muscle groups, as the cable fly provides direct chest stimulation without heavy involvement of secondary muscles like the triceps or shoulders.

How to Perform Cable Chest Fly

1. Set the pulleys on a cable machine to chest height.
2. Stand in the middle of the machine and grasp the handles with your palms facing forward.
3. Take a step forward with one leg for balance and slightly bend your elbows.
4. Pull the handles together in front of your chest in a wide arc, feeling a strong contraction in your pecs.
5. Slowly return to the starting position, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows and keeping tension on the chest.
6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Common Mistakes

• Letting the arms straighten completely: This can increase strain on the shoulder joints and reduce chest engagement.
• Not controlling the eccentric phase: The lowering portion of the movement should be slow and controlled to maximise muscle activation.

Conclusion

While the bench press is undeniably effective for building chest strength, relying on it exclusively can lead to imbalances and even plateaus in your training. Incorporating alternative exercises such as dips, the incline dumbbell press, and the cable chest fly can help you achieve more complete chest development, target different portions of the pectoral muscles, and reduce the risk of injury. By varying your chest workout routine with these scientifically-backed alternatives, you can build stronger, more balanced pecs and continue making progress in your upper body training.

Bibliography

Barnett, C., Kippers, V. & Turner, P., 1995. Effects of variations of the bench press exercise on the EMG activity of five shoulder muscles. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 9(4), pp.222-227.

Bloomquist, K., Langberg, H., Karlsen, S., Madsgaard, S., Boesen, M. & Raastad, T., 2013. Effect of range of motion in heavy load squatting on muscle and tendon adaptations. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 113(8), pp.2133-2142.

Duffey, M.J. & Challis, J.H., 2007. Fatigue effects on bar kinematics during the bench press. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 21(2), pp.556-560.

Gentil, P., Fisher, J. & Steele, J., 2015. A review of the acute effects and long-term adaptations of single- vs. multi-joint exercises during resistance training. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 29(4), pp.1119-1131.

Gulmez, I., Kurt, S., Bozkurt, M., Alkan, A. & Ersoy, G., 2012. Muscle activation patterns during different variations of dips. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 26(4), pp.1131-1136.

Saeterbakken, A.H., van den Tillaar, R. & Fimland, M.S., 2015. A comparison of muscle activity and 1-RM strength in free-weight bench press and machine bench press. European Journal of Applied Physiology, 115(6), pp.1249-1256.

Welsch, E.A., Bird, M. & Mayhew, J.L., 2005. Electromyographic activity of the pectoralis major and anterior deltoid muscles during three upper-body lifts. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 19(2), pp.449-452.

Key Takeaways Table