The Best Chest Day Workout Routine

Chest day: the sacred ritual of gym life. Whether you’re in it for aesthetics, strength, or symmetry, building a powerful chest is essential. Let’s dive into the ultimate chest day workout — and everything you need to know to get the most from it.

Table of Contents:

Workout Routine
Programming Tips
Progressing Your Chest Workouts
Chest Muscle Anatomy & Function
Benefits & Drawbacks of Chest Day
Training Variables & Equipment
Top 6 Exercises (Plus Alternatives)
Customization Tips

best chest day workout

The Ultimate Chest Workout Routine

Since the chest workout routine is the star of this show, I'm going to highlight it first, so you can see what you're getting into.

But, it's important to continue reading after this, as I'll explain key programming tips and variables, how to perform each exercise, and how to continue progressing.

Best Chest Workout Routine:

data table
Exercise	Sets	Reps
Incline Bench Press	5	5
Chest Dips	4	6-8
Flat Bench DB Press	3	8-10
Cable Fly (2 Angles)*	4 (2 sets per angle)	8-12
DB Pullover	3	8-12
Pinch Press	1	AMAP

* You will perform two sets of cable flys at two different angles for a total of 4 sets.

Programming Tips

Training your chest isn’t just about tossing weight around. A few key principles can make a huge difference in how effective your chest workouts are.

Control the lowering phase. Slowly lowering the weight boosts time under tension and eccentric control — key drivers of muscle growth.
Push with power. On the press portion, use controlled but explosive movement to recruit more muscle fibers.
Use a full range of motion. Half-repping bench presses won’t get you far. Lower until your arms hit at least a 90-degree angle and extend fully at the top.
Prioritize quality over load. If you have to sacrifice form for weight, you’re going too heavy

Want a structured and guided workout routine designed for putting on muscle mass? Check out our SFS Hypertrophy Program by Garett Reid (NSCA, CSCS, CISSN, M.S.E.S.S).

SFS Hypertrophy Program

Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...

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How to Progress Your Chest Workouts

Progressive overload is the secret sauce for chest growth. But it’s more than just slapping on more plates each week.

Here’s how to level up over time:

Step 1: Add reps. Stay within the rep range (e.g., 8–10). If you hit 10 clean reps, bump the weight slightly next week.
Step 2: Add weight. Go up in small increments — 5–10 pounds — once you master a weight across all sets.
Step 3: Add sets (sparingly). If you stall for a few weeks, consider adding a set to one or two exercises.
Step 4: Change angles. Slight adjustments to incline or grip can refresh the stimulus without overhauling the routine.

When to Progress Your Chest Day Workout

No program works forever. Even this one.

Here’s when to change things up:

You’ve hit a plateau for 2+ weeks despite sleeping and eating well.
You’re bored or feel mentally stale with the current routine.
You’ve followed it consistently for 6–8 weeks.

For beginners, you can ride this plan longer — 3 to 4 months — while building a foundation.

Chest Muscles Anatomy

Your chest is made up of more than just one big slab of muscle. Understanding its anatomy will help you train it better.

Main Chest Muscles:

Pectoralis Major: The fan-shaped muscle everyone sees. It has two parts:
- Clavicular head (upper chest)
- Sternocostal head (middle and lower chest)
Pectoralis Minor: A smaller muscle underneath that stabilizes the shoulder blade.

Supporting Muscles:

Serratus Anterior: Runs along the ribs; helps with scapular motion and arm flexion.
Subclavius: Tiny muscle under the collarbone; helps protect nerves.

Primary Functions of the Chest:

Horizontal Adduction: Bringing arms toward the centerline (e.g., cable flys).
Shoulder Flexion: Lifting your arms in front of your body (e.g., incline pressing).

good chest day workout

Benefits of A Chest Day Workout

Training the chest is a must for everyone. It improves aesthetics, increases your overall strength, and optimizes performance.

1) Improve Aesthetics:

There's a reason the chest is considered a "show" muscle. It's because people like to show it off. On the contrary, there's a reason that having a "bird chest" is one of the worst insults you can give a lifter. A well-developed chest is a sure sign of a true lifter.

The chest plays a massive role in the overall aesthetics of a man and can make or break his appearance.

2) Increases Strength:

The chest is one of the largest muscles in the upper body and is pivotal in overall upper-body strength.

For this reason, training the chest with specificity, rather than incorporating it in an upper body workout, makes a massive difference. This is also why I include real strength training in this program.

3) Improves Performance:

Your chest muscles are essential for a large range of movement patterns, including:

Pushing
Throwing
Front carries
Swimming

In addition, by training your chest, you're going to improve all of your lifts that use pushing movements.

Common Mistakes To Avoid

Neglecting balance: Don’t just train chest at the expense of back and shoulders.
Short ROM presses: Cutting your bench short means less muscle activation.
Overtraining: Chest doesn’t need to be hit every other day. Once a week — intensely — is enough.

whole chest workout

Training Variables For a Chest Day Workout

Let's look at the variables to include in a chest day program.

1) Varied Rep Ranges:

In order to optimally train your chest muscles, you need to hit all training variables. By this, I mean strength training, muscle hypertrophy, muscle endurance, and everything in between.

To do this, use a range of loads, including some ultra-high reps and burn-out finishers.

2) Use Several Implements:

There's the right tool for every job.

While I do believe in a hierarchy of equipment, it's important to keep in mind that every piece of equipment can add a slightly different stimulus and lead to different adaptations.

What does this mean? If you can, use a range of equipment when training.

Best Equipment to Use For Chest Day

This is the equipment you will need for this program. And don't worry, you don't need any crazy contraptions. Every piece of equipment is a basic piece that every decent gym has.

Incline Bench & Flat Bench: The first couple of pieces of equipment are actually benches. You need a flat and incline bench OR an adjustable one. I prefer an adjustable one, as you can alter the angle here and there for some slight variation, but either will do.
Barbells: Barbells are for the bench press. In addition, while not included in this main workout, you can use a barbell for landmine presses.
Dumbbells: Dumbbells are my preferred implement when training in moderate-high rep ranges. This is because the single dumbbell requires more stabilization and muscle activation. You'll use these for your dumbbell bench press and dumbbell pullover. Try our full Dumbbell Chest Workout if you only have access this equipment.
Cable Crossover Machine: Ahh, my favorite. The cable crossover allows you to perform many exercises, but you'll primarily use it for the cable fly. I prefer it over dumbbells as it allows for a smooth, consistent resistance.

6 Best Chest Exercises For Your Chest Routine

Let's get into your exercises in more detail. If you want to grow your chest, you need to do these moves, and you need to do them correctly.

1. Barbell Incline Bench Press:

Rather than the flat bench press, your main chest exercise will be the incline bench press. One reason is people simply don't train it enough. An incline bench puts a tad more emphasis on your upper chest muscles, helping you to really fill out your pecs.

How to do the Barbell Incline Bench Press:

Set up an incline bench so it sits at approximately a 45-degree angle.
Sit on the bench with your feet flat on the ground while your butt and upper back are firmly planted on the pad.
Have your body situated so that your eyes sit directly under the bar.
Use an overhand grip to grab the barbell. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
Unrack the barbell and bring it forward until it's over your chest.
Let the barbell lower slowly to the upper chest, just above the nipple.
As the barbell lowers, keep your elbows tucked into your body. They should be at approximately a 45-degree angle.
Raise the barbell to the starting position, and repeat.

2. Chest Dips (Gironda Dips):

I love dips and firmly believe it's one of the best, perhaps the best, exercises for your chest and triceps. In order to hit the chest more, you'll make a simple adjustment, which basically amounts to leaning forward slightly.

Also known as the Gironda dip, it was used heavily by Arnold Schwarzenegger, who claims it greatly impacted his chest.

How to do Chest Dips:

Get in between a set of parallel dip bars, grabbing one bar with each hand. Wrap your hand around so that the meat of your hand is on top of the bar. Keep your forearm directly above the dip bar so that it drives straight down.
Jump up so that your arms are fully extended.
Tuck your chin into your chest.
Straighten your legs and lift them slightly while leaning forward.
Lower your body with your elbows farther out than a normal dip. Your goal is to create horizontal adduction.
Lower until your upper arms are parallel with the ground, then power your body up until you reach full extension with your arms straight.

3. Flat Bench Dumbbell Press:

Your next big exercise is a flat bench press using dumbbells. Dumbbells require more muscle activation to help stabilize the load in the chest press, which may lead to greater muscle hypertrophy.

How to do Flat Bench Dumbbell Press:

Set up a flat bench, and grab a pair of dumbbells.
Lay down on the bench with your body flat. Have both feet flat on the ground while your butt and upper back are firmly planted on the bench.
Bring the dumbbells up to your body. Your starting position has your arms extended straight over your chest with an overhand grip.
In a controlled manner, lower the dumbbells to your outer chest. Do so in a mild arc so that the inside of the dumbbell hits the outside of your chest.
As the load lowers, keep your elbows close to the body at a 45-degree angle.

4. Cable Fly:

This is my favorite cable chest exercise. The cable chest fly does a great job isolating the pecs using horizontal adduction.

These directions discuss the horizontal chest cable, but you'll notice I tell you to hit your chest from two different angles, so for a few of your sets you could start high or low, in the workout. These types of strategies are what will lead to a bigger chest.

How to do Cable Flys:

Set up cables with two single-hand attachments that are around shoulder height.
Place one foot forward to allow for a solid stance. Grab the handles with a neutral grip.
Stretch out your arms but keep them slightly flexed. There should be a very slight bend in your elbows.
Perform horizontal adduction by pulling your arms to the center of your body. It should look like you're giving a big hug. Keep the same amount of bend in your elbows.
Pull until your hands touch, then slowly let the weight back.

Related: 14 Best Chest Fly Variations

5. Dumbbell Pullover:

The dumbbell pullover is a classic old-school exercise that uses shoulder extension to carry a load from overhead to above your body. If you want a jacked chest, you need this move.

How to do the Dumbbell Pullover:

Place your upper back on a flat bench and lift your torso up as if doing a hip thrust. Your neck and head will be off the bench.
Pick up a heavy dumbbell and bring it to your chest.
Grab the dumbbell by holding one end with two hands, then raise it above your chest.
Let the dumbbell drop behind your head. Keep your arms extended with a slight bend in your elbows.
Come all the way down, continuing to maintain a slight bend in your elbows.
Once the dumbbell has traveled as far down as possible, flex your chest to pull the dumbbell back overhead.

6. Pinch Press (Svend Press):

To make your chest workout complete, utilize the pinch press as your workout finisher. This exercise uses an isomeric hold in a horizontal adduction movement pattern. As an added bonus, you're still using a pressing motion to add even more stimulus.

How to do the Pinch Press:

Set up a flat bench with a dumbbell or weight plate. Or, you can perform this exercise standing.
For the lying version, lay down on the bench and bring the load to your chest.
You will then hold the implement by squeezing it. If you're using a weight plate, you will simply squeeze by placing your hands on both sides. If you're using a dumbbell, you will place your hands on either head and squeeze.
For the standing version, squeeze your weight in front of your body. During the contract, your arms should be relatively straight. Make sure your shoulders remain down and your chest up the entire time.

Alternative Exercises for a Chest Day Workout

Wondering which exercises to choose when it comes time to change your plan? The good news is that just about all chest exercises are good at providing an effective stimulus, assuming the exercise isn't some sort of experimental nonsense.

Here are some of my favorites for a chest workout.

Close Grip Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Incline Dumbbell Press
Barbell Bench Press
Floor Press
Landmine Press
Push-up
Machine Press
Smith Machine Press
Dumbbell Bench Press w/ Alternating Isometric
Pec Deck
Lying Pullover w/ Rope

Looking for even more inspiration? Check out our articles on the best dumbbell chest exercises and these cable crossover alternatives for additional ideas.

How to Switch Up Your Exercises

When you're ready to switch up your routine, here are some ideas of exercises you can use in place of the ones I put in the original routine. But, don't feel tied to this!

If you have another way you'd like to structure your progression plan, go for it. I've given you all of the tools to put together your own routine.

Incline Bench Press → Floor Press
Chest Dips (Gironda Dips) → Incline Bench Press (Close Grip)
Flat Bench Dumbbell Bench Press → Flat Bench Dumbbell Press w/ Alternate Iso
Cable Fly → Pec Deck
Dumbbell Pullover → Lying Pullover W/ Rope
Pinch Press (Finisher) → Push-Up

chest workout routines

The Best Strategy For Training Your Chest Effectively

You've now only got the perfect chest workout, but all of the tools you need to continue achieving pec muscle growth.

The reason we asked through all of the programming tips, training variables, and exercise instructions is that we at SET FOR SET want you to not only know what you're doing but understand why you're doing it.

So, take this best chest workouts plan, use it until you need a new one to continue progressing, and then you can put together your own effective chest workout following the information we covered today.

Chest training just got a whole lot more exciting!

Looking for a chest routine you can do at home? Check out our At Home Chest Workout! Ready to build serious chest muscles? Head to our article featuring the Best Bench Press Program!

SFS Hypertrophy Program

Prepare to maximize your gains with our exclusive 12-week hypertrophy training program. Choose between a 4 or 5 day training split and gain 2-12 pounds of muscle over 90 days...

View Now