Chest day is the best day. Maybe you disagree, but if you’re looking to carve out a solid chest from the inside to the outside, you must work on the chest from all angles. This means putting a bit of extra emphasis on the outer and side area of the chest.
The outer chest is not distinct from the rest of the chest. This means you’ll need to emphasize hand positioning and employ a bit of mind-muscle connection to focus development here. When emphasized correctly, the outer chest will add width and definition.
In this article, we cover how to train the outer chest then share the best exercises to develop it. We’ll also share a few workouts designed to target the outer chest. Lastly, we’ll explore the make-up of the chest. Read on for more.
TRAINING THE OUTER CHEST
The outer side of the chest, as with the inner side of the chest, or other such muscular regions, requires modifications to certain aspects of your routine.
To develop the outer chest, you need to focus less on specific exercises and more on adjustments to those key movements. We’ve highlighted the most important concepts below:
Rep Range & Volume
The chest in general responds well to a variety of rep ranges, from low for strength, to high for growth. That said, the outer chest is not designed to handle gross stress at maximal load.
For true outer chest stimulation, stick to the mid-higher rep ranges, which is ideal for overall chest muscle growth and helping you lose chest fat if that is one of your goals. You should always incorporate strength-based exercises to ensure you are able to effectively handle progressively heavier loads.
Grip
How you grip the bar during chest exercises greatly dictates the muscles involved. Just as a close grip will emphasize the inner chest, a wider grip (ends of the bar) will target the outer chest region.
This grip also recruits the serratus and front deltoids, which will add definition to the outer chest.
Barbell vs. Dumbbell
In general, both contribute equally to chest muscle activation and development, but there are slight differences between barbell and dumbbell work. Barbells allow you to lift more weight, of course.
But barbells generally restrict the range of motion and muscle recruitment. Dumbbells allow you vary the range of motion and tension across multiple muscle groups. Dumbbells will help you achieve a greater emphasis on the outer chest in particular.
Mind-Muscle Connection
While generally not a physiologically-practical concept, the idea of mentally focusing on muscle recruitment is backed by science1. What this means is that you will mentally focus on specific muscles during a given movement.
This is particularly beneficial with obscure or smaller muscle groups, like the outer chest. The expectation is that you will perform, say, dumbbell flies, while focusing contraction on the outer part of the chest. This will certainly increase recruitment.
What should be clear is that the chest itself is an easy area to work out. But the specific areas of the chest, i.e. the outer chest, require some specific applications. Now we will apply these tips with the best exercises for the outer chest.
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10 BEST EXERCISES FOR THE OUTER CHEST
The following exercises are the best for overall chest development but are particularly suited for emphasizing the outer parts of the chest. Keep in mind that the outer/side chest is not a distinct muscle group, therefore you will be performing many classic chest movements, with modifications to recruit the out chest. Some may seem redundant, but they were chosen as they represent exercises that best utilize those modifications.
1. Wide-Grip Bench Press
The bench press is the ideal free-weight exercise for overall chest development. It acts heavily on the sternal and abdominal heads, which is what we want for the outer chest. To emphasize the outer chest, bring your hands about 3”-6” wider on either side of the bar (near the thicker sleeves). You will feel tension on the lateral parts of the chest.
How To:
- Secure a flat bench and lie under the bar. The bar should be even with your upper-middle chest.
- Take a wide grip – place your hands as wide as they will comfortably go, ideally towards the outer smooth grip marks.
- Lower the bar straight down towards your chest and stop when it is ~2-4” from your chest.
- Contract your chest and focus on the outer region and press the bar back up.
- Repeat.
2. Cable Fly
Flyes are the best exercises for really focusing tension on different areas of the chest. They tend to promote a fixed range of motion with near constant tension. The cable fly is the fundamental fly and is the best place to start to isolate the outer chest.
How To:
- Set up: Adjust the cable handles so they are at shoulder level.
- Bring your arms forward toward the midline of your torso. It’s important to really focus on the stretch and contraction where the outer chest joins the deltoid.
- Pause when your hands meet in front of you.
- Slowly return your arms to your sides while maintaining tension at the outer chest area.
3. High Cable Cross-over Fly
The high cable cross-over is a chest fly variation is the perfect exercise for stimulating the outer chest through an altered range of motion. Remember to really squeeze the heck out of your pecs at the end range and maximize the stretch each rep.
How To:
- Set up: Adjust the handles close to the top of the rail, 10-12” above shoulder level, forming a ‘Y’. Step forward slightly from the machine and stagger your feet.
- Bring your arms down and forward toward your navel, maintaining the bend. It’s important to really focus on the stretch and contraction where the outer chest joins the deltoid.
- Continue the motion so your hands cross over at your front, forming an ‘X’; continue placing tension on the outer chest.
- Slowly return your arms to the starting position.
4. Dumbbell Fly
The dumbbell fly is a key chest exercise, and really should be the second movement one learns after the press. The dumbbell fly is performed lying supine on a bench. It works the outer and middle chest but can be modified to target other areas. It's such a versatile move that it's even included in our at home chest workouts - no bench required!
How To:
- Lie backward on a flat bench with dumbbells at your sides.
- Keeping your arms outward (forming a ‘T’), grab the dumbbells.
- With a slight bend in your elbows, pull the dumbbells up and toward the midline of your chest. Keep your arms extend above you.
- Focus on moving your arms through your outer chest. Stop when the weights touch or you cannot move your hands any closer.
- Slowly bring the weights back to your sides, just beyond even with your torso.
- Keep tension on the outer chest and repeat.
5. Wide Grip Push-Up
The push-up tops this list because it is the foundation of chest development. And the wide grip is the best push-up for the outer chest. Pushups are suited for developing muscular endurance and correcting poor form. They are also a great way to get a final pump or burnout after a heavier chest day.
You can find even more push ups that target the outer chest in our article on the 33 Best Push Up Variations.
How To:
- Assume the front leaning rest position – support your body with your palms on the ground, arms wider than shoulder level, and toes straight down, back straight.
- Lower your torso to just before it touches the ground.
- Push your torso back upward focusing tension on the outer chest.
- Repeat.
Related: Best Bodyweight Chest Exercises
6. Pec Deck
The pec deck is a machine that typically also doubles as a reverse fly. It mimics the fly movement but is performed seated. The machine gives you a fixed range of motion and constant tension throughout, particularly on the outer chest.
How To:
- Sit at the peck deck facing forward (away from the weight).
- Adjust the handles so the starting position puts your arms slightly behind your front.
- Squeeze the handles together to your front, making sure you focus the tension to the outer part of your chest.
- Stop when the handles are directly to your front and return to the starting position.
- Rest briefly, then resume repetitions.
7. Chest Dip
Dips are a solid exercise for targeting the outer chest almost exclusively. This is a compound movement that takes a bit of practice to master as it requires some stability and balance.
Try to use body weight before moving adding weight to ensure you aren’t over working the muscles. Also, most dip machines at the gym will have bars that adjust in width; set the parallel bars to the widest option for best outer chest activation.
How To:
- Secure a dip bar or Roman chair.
- Stand between the dip bar handles facing outward. Adjust handles to a wider grip, if possible.
- Grip the bars/handles and lift yourself off the ground.
- IMPORTANT: keep your torso straight, perpendicular to the ground, and your legs under you or slightly forward. Don’t lean forward.
- Lower yourself by bending the elbow. Keep tension on the outer chest.
- Push up to the start position with your upper and outer chest and triceps and do not completely lock your elbows.
- Repeat, placing tension on the outer/upper chest at the top of the movement.
8. Dumbbell Front Raise
While technically a shoulder exercise, this movement specifically recruits the outer part of the chest to flex the front deltoid and stabilize the humerus. Perform these as isolateral movements for increased emphasis on the outer chest.
How To:
- Secure a dumbbell and hold at your side.
- Raise the dumbbell upward, palm forward, above your head.
- Stop when your arm reaches about 45-degree angle relative to your shoulder.
- Lower the weight to your front, stopping just before it meets your torso.
- Repeat.
9. Incline Chest Press
No chest workout would be complete without incline bench press. While the incline press emphasizes the upper part of the chest, it performs the same movement as a flat bench press. This means you’re recruiting the outer chest, albeit on a different head. Try this with a wide grip.
How To:
- Perform this as you would a flat bench press but use an incline bench. Or set an adjustable bench to a 35-degree angle.
- Secure the bar with a wide grip.
- Slowly lower the bar to a few inches above your upper chest. Beware not to over stretch the outer part of your chest: keep your elbows at about 45-degrees.
- Push the bar straight up; focus the contraction at the outer chest.
- Pause slight with tension at the top and repeat.
10. Dumbbell Pullover
The pullover is cited as both a back and a chest exercise, but most people do it on chest day. The pullover also relies heavily on the outer chest, as much of the force is transferred through here.
How To:
- Lie backwards (supine) on a bench and hold a dumbbell straight above you in both hands.
- Bring the dumbbell back behind your head; your arms will resist just as they pass the point where they are parallel to the ground. This is the starting point.
- Pull the dumbbell up over your head; stop when it is just above your chest.
- Return the weight to back behind your head. Be sure to keep tension at the start point and put emphasis on the outer chest.
- Repeat.
BEST OUTER CHEST WORKOUT
Below is a simple but effective chest workout that will emphasize the outer chest to help you add some width on the sides of that birdcage chest:
- Wide Bench Press: 3 sets x 8-12 reps
- Cable Crossover: 5 sets x 12-15 reps
- Dumbbell Fly: 4 sets x 12 reps
- Dips: 4 sets 45 seconds, as many reps as possible (AMRAP)
- Wide push-ups: 4 sets x 60 sec, 45 sec, 30 sec, 15 sec (rest 45 seconds in between each set)
- Side Planks: 2 sets x 30-60 holds each side
BEST AT HOME WORKOUT FOR OUTER CHEST
- Banded Wide Push-Ups: 100 pushups in as few sets as possible
- Push-Up Challenge: Do 4 sets of the following 3 exercise superset, 30 seconds each movement: wide pushup, normal pushup, narrow pushup - (rest only briefly when changing positions; full rest for 1 minute between each superset).
STRETCHES AND WARM-UPS
As with any exercise, stretching and warming up are necessary to prevent injury and prepare tissues for work. The chest muscles connect to the upper arm, and movement occurs through the shoulder joint.
The shoulder joint is complex and performs a variety of movements in space. The shoulder and chest are prone to injuries, especially the outer chest which is mostly connective tissue and not designed to handle incredibly heavy loads.
Be sure to implement some static and dynamic stretching and warmups. You don’t need to spend more than 1-2 minutes, and don’t over-stretch. Also try 45 seconds of arm rotations to wake up the deltoids and pecs. A good way to actively open the chest is with a low resistance band.
Here are the best chest stretches for before and after your chest workouts.
CHEST STRUCTURE AND FUNCTION
The chest, or pecs, consists of large muscles that run horizontally from the middle of the rib cage to the upper arm. It is composed of two muscle heads, typically thought of as the upper and mid-to-lower chest.
However, being that the chest is a large muscle, it has many fibers running along the chest, inserting into the same place near the top of the upper arm bone. With that, many people like to discuss exercises as upper, lower, inner, middle, and even outer chest.
But again, anatomically speaking, it is one muscle with two heads. These further distinctions are simply gym-talk.
The pec major works to perform rotation and pushing movements, like the bench press or front raise, as well as hugging motions, like a fly. Below we have outlined the largest components and functions of the chest:
Clavicular head
This group of muscles makes up the upper part of the chest, just superior to the main pec muscle. It connects the upper sternum and collarbone to the upper arm. The clavicular head is mostly involved in moving the arms upward (this is called flexion).
The incline press and cable fly variations are the best movements for the upper chest. Part of the "outer chest" is technically part of the clavicular head, just before its attachment point.
Sternocostal head
This is the primary muscle of the chest. It connects the sternum and upper arm and handles the majority of arm pushing and rotation movements. The best exercises to stimulate this part of the chest are all bench and dumbbell presses as well as cable and dumbbell flys.
As with the upper chest, the sternocostal head contains part of the outer chest region, where the chest muscle fibers joins the upper arm.
Abdominal head
The abdominal head is also part of the lower chest. This portion of the pec major runs from the upper abdominals along the lower and outer chest, inserting into the humerus (upper arm bone). While it's really a part of the sternocostal head, it is innervated differently.
To target these fibers of the pec major, which also contains the outer chest region, it'll require slight grip modifications for maximum recruitment. The lower chest is responsible for adduction of the arms, like a hugging motion.
So the best exercises for this region will be the same as the lower chest, i.e. dips and high cable flies, but with some slight modifications.
Serratus
The serratus anterior is not technically part of the chest anatomy, but it contributes greatly to chest and arm movement. The serratus runs diagonally up and backward from the middle ribs to the lower and middle part of the shoulder blade.
The serratus extends the arms downward and inward, as in a hug or throwing a punch. A well-developed serratus will add width to the lower chest. The best exercise to stimulate the serratus is the pullover.
In Summary:
The chest is rather simple anatomically speaking. This means you can rotate through a small selection of chest exercises, and with simple modifications to grip, establish a well-developed chest.
For the purpose of this post, we will considered the outer chest to be the area that runs from below the nipple up along the side to the front delt, which includes both outer area of the sternocostal and clavicular head. So, basically exactly as described, the outer/side region of the chest.
The outer chest will respond well to classic exercises so long as you emphasize the right grip and arm positioning. This will take some focus too. It’s also worth noting that the outer chest integrates with the front shoulders, so any good chest routine will include a bit of shoulder work.
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PARTING THOUGHTS:
In summary, we discussed the outer chest and how to target this area. Remember, it is not a distinct muscle, so emphasizing it will require modifications to grip, as well as some good old mind tricks. Here are a few key points:
- Focus on wide grip bench presses
- Incorporate flies, especially cable flies
- Don’t neglect front shoulders, which work with the upper and outer chest to stabilize and move the arm
- For outer chest, focus more on higher rep ranges, but don’t neglect strength based movements for the whole chest.
Related Content:
- Cable Chest Exercises
- Dumbbell Chest Exercises
- Best Upper Chest Exercises
- Best Lower Chest Exercises
- Best Inner Chest Exercises
- How to Fix Bad Chest Genetics
References:
(1) Calatayud, J.; Vinstrup, J.; Jakobsen, M. D.; Sundstrup, E.; Brandt, M.; Jay, K.; Colado, J. C.; Andersen, L. L. Importance of Mind-Muscle Connection during Progressive Resistance Training. Eur. J. Appl. Physiol. 2016, 116 (3), 527–533. https://doi.org/10.1007/s00421-015-3305-7
Sam Coleman
Author