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FACT CHECKEDTrying to build a strong, muscular chest but not seeing results? You've come to the right place.
Building a muscular chest requires following a workout plan that considers the movement of your arms and the position of your body with each exercise you do. Each area of the chest must be considered, including your upper chest. Because if your training program doesn't include exercises that fully target your upper chest, you're missing out on the gains required for seriously sculpted pecs.
This post features the 12 best upper chest exercises, a few awesome upper chest workouts, and crucial tips and tricks for building pecs Superman would be proud of.
Table of Contents:
Due to the structure and function of the upper chest, you need to perform exercises that are tailored to stimulate it. Let’s briefly look at the three chest muscles and their functions so that you know how to engage each muscle to elicit the best response to your training.
Ready to get right to the best exercises? Skip to the next section!
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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...
It's important to use a variety of the moves we're about to go over, as people plateau in their training because they stick to doing the same exercises for months or years. You've got plenty of options here, so utilize as many as you can (but not all at once).
The 12 best upper chest exercises are:
Many people might not consider the traditional bench press an exercise to work the upper chest, but indeed, it is. Studies have shown that the flat bench will work the upper chest or clavicular head almost as much as an incline bench, except for certain portions of the movement1.
Overall, the bench press is a good exercise to work the upper chest because you can push heavier loads than an incline which can stimulate new muscle growth.
How to do the bench press:
Note: Don’t bounce the bar off your chest. You can also perform the exercise with dumbbells for more range of motion.
If you are using an incline barbell bench, it will already be at a set angle when doing the incline barbell press, so you just need to focus on form cues.
This bench press variation will move some of the tension from the mid-chest to the upper chest compared to a flat bench press. You should be lowering the bar to your upper chest and then pressing up back towards your head.
How to do the incline bench press:
Note: This exercise can also be done with dumbbells to get a greater range of motion.
Changing your grip from overhand to underhand has a profound effect on upper chest muscle activation. By changing your grip and performing a reverse grip press, you can get up to 30% more upper chest activation.
Of course, you can do the reverse grip press with a barbell, but it's one of our favorite dumbbell chest exercises to do, as using dumbbells will allow for more freedom in the arm movement and more overall range of motion.
How to do the reverse grip dumbbell press:
Note: Don’t try to touch the dumbbells at the top of the movement; follow through with a full range of motion. Use your thighs to help push dumbbells back and into starting position if using heavier weight.
This chest exercise provides a complete range of motion that will also work the shoulders. Focus on the technique rather than trying to use ultra-heavy weight. You can also do this exercise on a flat bench, but we feel more tension on the upper chest when performing it on an incline.
How to do incline dumbbell around the world:
Note: Use lighter dumbbells and concentrate on contracting your chest to establish the mind-muscle connection.
This cable crossover is perfect for hitting the upper chest. The movement travels in the same direction as the muscle fibers of the clavicular head of the pec major. Moving your arms at this angle optimizes the way your upper chest contracts to bring your arms together.
How to do the cable upper chest crossover:
Note: At the top of the movement, cross your hands over to get a maximum contraction.
This version of the incline dumbbell fly is perfect for targeting the upper chest. You will perform this exercise as you would a regular incline dumbbell fly but with one extra movement. At the top of the movement, you will turn your wrists inwards to produce a greater chest contraction.
How to do dumbbell incline flys with wrist twist:
Note: The only movements in this exercise are at the shoulder and wrist joints; your elbows shouldn’t move.
You can do low to high flys with a cable machine, dumbbells, or resistance bands. This exercise is perfect for working the upper chest due to the angle of the path your arms will travel in. Using the cables, you’ll be able to put constant tension on the upper chest muscle fibers throughout the range of motion.
How to do low to high cable flys:
Note: Hold the squeeze at the top for 1-2 seconds. Get an extra chest contraction and add a range of motion by crossing over your hands at the top of the motion.
With this exercise, as you’re pushing up from the center of your body, you will activate your upper chest. Using a neutral grip, you’ll reduce the stress on the shoulder joints because there’s much less external rotation.
This exercise resembles the hex press that you could also do with dumbbells on an incline bench. An added benefit of this movement is it is working the inner chest.
How to do the landmine kneeling squeeze press:
Note: Squeeze your chest throughout the movement while also squeezing the bar with your hands.
The dumbbell pullover is a common exercise that bodybuilders use to build up the chest, lats, and serratus anterior. Many people might think that this exercise works the lats more than the chest, but this study used EMG to show that the pullover elicits more muscle activation from the pectoralis major than the lats2.
Another benefit of this exercise for the upper chest is that you’re working through an angle different from most chest exercises.
How to do the dumbbell pullover:
Note: Emphasize the contraction of the chest towards the top of the movement.
The resistance band pushup is simply a pushup with added resistance. This is a great exercise to work the upper chest because you can do it at home and still achieve hypertrophy.
In addition, you can play with training variables such as hand placement, foot placement, and resistance level to keep the exercise fresh while targeting different muscles.
How to do resistance band push ups:
Note: Place hands just out above your head to create more of an angle as you push up, which will mimic the motion of an incline press.
The decline pushup mimics the movement of an incline bench press. This is an excellent exercise to work the upper chest at home. The key point with the decline pushup is to make sure you’re keeping your core engaged, and you’re getting a full range of motion as you lower yourself towards the floor.
The higher you set your feet, the more you’ll be transferring the tension towards your front deltoids.
How to do the decline push up:
Note: Don’t flare your elbows out too far; keep them within 45-70 degrees from your sides.
The pike pushup is another bodyweight upper chest exercise that will also work your shoulders and triceps. The main differences between the pike pushup and the decline pushup are the body positioning and range of motion. With the pike push up you won’t be keeping your body in a straight line. A great aspect of the pike pushup is enabling you to press through a wider range of motion.
How to do the pike push up:
Note: You can also do this exercise with your feet on the ground, keeping your body in a pike position.
When performing the exercises we just went over, certain training variables will help you get the best results.
Three important training variables to consider for upper chest growth are:
Let's dig into each in more detail.
Two separate studies examined the bench press and how different angles affect muscle activation. Here's a snapshot of the results:
Upper Chest Activation Study:
Bench Press Study:
Key Takeaway: If you want to stimulate the upper chest more when doing pressing exercises, you should aim for an angle of 30-45 degrees. If you use an incline angle greater than 50 degrees, then you’ll be transferring the emphasis from your upper chest to your front delts.
Note: Flat bench press will also work the upper chest although an incline generally stimulates more muscle activity.
Your hand placement on a bar when doing bench press will affect how your muscles are recruited. To activate your upper chest more during the bench press, make sure to use a shoulder-width grip.
A wider grip moves the tension away from your shoulders and upper chest to the mid-chest.
Learn more about this in our article on the 4 Barbell Bench Press Grip Variations & Muscles Worked.
The chest comprises around 60% fast-twitch muscle fiber and 40% slow-twitch. This means that you should be training the upper chest with a variety of rep ranges and loads. Keep in mind your end goals and the general guidelines of rep ranges below:
Note: Due to the muscle makeup of the chest, you also need to give it time to recover, so you shouldn’t work the chest more than twice a week.
We put together an upper chest workout that will give you an insane pump. Remember to switch up the sets and reps every 1-2 mesocycles. Try to do this workout once per week.
A good upper chest workout with weights is:
Notes for performing this upper chest workout:
Here's the perfect upper chest workout that you can do from home:
Notes on performing this at home upper chest workout:
Looking for another great routine? Check out this Upper Chest Workout by Flex Wheeler!
Here are two simple yet effective stretches for the upper chest. Dynamic stretches are for before your upper chest workouts and static stretches are for after your workout.
Before you start doing any upper chest exercises or workouts, you should warm up the pecs through dynamic stretches like this one and by doing a few warmup sets using light weights. This exercise is a simple chest opener that you can do before doing your first warmup sets.
How to do the dynamic chest opener:
Here's a full dynamic warm-up routine you can perform before hitting your chest.
Do this static chest stretch after your upper chest workout to open up the pecs. You might speed up your recovery time a bit by performing static stretches like this after an intense workout.
How to do the static chest stretch:
You can find more great pec stretches in our article: Best Chest Stretches for Before & After Workouts.
For optimal results, here are the best upper chest training tips and tricks to follow.
1) Focus on Angle & Variety:
2) Weekly Volume Is Crucial:
3) Use A Wide Variety of Training Strategies:
In addition to more defined pecs, there are several other advantages of working your upper chest. Here are the best benefits of performing upper chest exercises:
Here are some of the most common questions we get about upper chest training.
The lack of upper chest growth likely stems from either improper bench press form or inadequate nutrition. When the bench press is executed incorrectly, it hinders proper chest activation, leading to stagnated muscle development. Correct form is crucial for optimal upper chest growth.
The fibers in the upper chest are connected to the clavicle (collarbone), making their activation quite challenging. Typical pressing exercises mainly target the middle and lower regions of the chest, often neglecting the upper part. To grow your upper chest, focus on exercises like the incline bench press and low to high cable flys. Also, do upper chest at the start of your workout when your energy is highest.
You can't completely isolate the upper chest from the shoulders as the muscles are so closely connected and work together during pressing movements. The best thing you can do is to focus on mind-muscle connection and use good form and a weight load that allows you to exhaust your upper pecs, not just your anterior deltoids.
While one exercise specifically targeting the upper chest can be beneficial, it is generally more effective to include a variety of exercises to fully develop and strengthen the upper chest muscles. Relying solely on a single exercise may limit the overall stimulation and potential growth of the upper chest. Aim for at least 2 upper chest exercises per week, and if your upper chest is really lagging, be sure to do those at the start of your workouts.
Achieving a chiseled upper chest involves a combination of targeted exercises, proper nutrition, and consistency in your workout routine. Once you have the muscle built, then it really comes down to achieving a lower body fat percentage to get that chiseled upper chest look.
Dips primarily target the chest muscles, but the extent to which they focus on the upper chest depends on how you perform the exercise. When done with a forward lean and the torso slightly inclined, dips can indeed place more emphasis on the upper chest.
When aiming for a well-developed chest, it's crucial to concentrate on building strong upper pectoral muscles. These muscles are highly noticeable and contribute significantly to achieving the desired appearance associated with exercising and going to the gym.
The best pushups to work your upper chest are decline pushups where your feet are elevated on a raised platform of 30-50 degrees. Your hand placement should be shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Beginners can build upper chest muscle at home by doing pushups, but well-trained people will have to use an external load such as resistance bands.
To target your upper chest at home, you should get into a body position that slightly mimics the incline bench press. Two of the exercises we covered above, the decline pushup and pike pushup, are great bodyweight exercises that you can do at home to work the upper chest. You could also do resistance band pushups at home to help with progressive overload if bodyweight pushups become too easy.
Check out our round-up of the Best Bodyweight Chest Exercises for more great moves!
The upper chest needs a little more thought in how you go about exercising it. If you want to build pecs of steel, then you need to start incorporating some upper chest exercises into your workout.
The key takeaways for growing your upper chest are:
Interested in more great chest-training content? Check out our Lower Chest Exercises! Or, for those struggling to grow their pecs, head to our article on How to Fix Bad Chest Genetics.
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...
References:
Lauver JD, Cayot TE, Scheuermann BW. Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. European Journal of Sport Science. 2015;16(3):309-316. doi:https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2015.1022605
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