Best Chest Exercises?

[powerlord]

Ok, some people don't like flyes,or cables or machine chest exercises,so that leaves dumbells and barbell at incline or flat,can you build a competitive chest with those movements alone?I include cables and flyes in mine,but I'm a big believer in dumbbells,me and my partner start out with the Benchpress first thing,then the incline,then flat flyes,and cables last,are there other better building exercises for chest?I know after the bench ,incline and flat,I'm spent,as far as pushin heavy weights.Just need a little input on growth from exercises you guys have done.

 

[WalkingBeast]

For me, its mainly flats and inclines with the barbell. I dont do flies to often. I was for a while, but they dont seem to do much of anything for me. Its always hard to tell though since I do so much volume. Incline and flat have always been the bulk of my routine though, and for 2 years or longer I didnt do anything else but those two movements for chest. My benches definately increased. Its hard to tell if my chest size increased, but the measurements have been plateaud on chest/back for a few years now. I havent measured in some months though, so maybe its gotten a little more size. My goals are aimed towards strength and size.

 

[anthrax]

Incline DBs
Incline BB
Flat DBs
Flat BB

 

[InTraining]

From experience and in order of what has helped the most

1.Incline BB
2.Dips
3.Incline DB
4.Flat DB

 

[TheOak84]

From experience and in order of what has helped the most

1.Incline BB
2.Dips
3.Incline DB
4.Flat DB

helped the most in size??? strength? or overall?

i do see people in the gym who dont have big chests but can flat bench a hell of a lot of weight. and i see guys with full developed chests who arent strong at all on flat bench.

maybe i should concentrate on size rather then strength :/-

 

[InTraining]

helped the most in size??? strength? or overall?

i do see people in the gym who dont have big chests but can flat bench a hell of a lot of weight. and i see guys with full developed chests who arent strong at all on flat bench.

maybe i should concentrate on size rather then strength :/-

Those exercises helped the most in size....but then again that is what I am going for

I would say I added an inch or 2 of pec thickness when I started prioritizing inclines...to me there is really no comparison between flats and inclines for chest building purposes...

 

[big4life]

I like incline, flat, and decline presses. I now do cable crossovers instead of flyes due to my shoulder problems.

 

[anthrax]

I like incline, flat, and decline presses. I now do cable crossovers instead of flyes due to my shoulder problems.

I've found that any barbell exercice were putting more stress on my shoulders than anything else (any other chest exercices)

 

[big4life]

I've found that any barbell exercice were putting more stress on my shoulders than anything else (any other chest exercices)

I use a combination of db's and bb's. For incline and decline I use bb's making sure that my elbows are tucked in, pl'ing style. On flat I use db's doing the same thing, turning the db's so they are facing each other at the top, and bringing them together.

 

[Illuminati]

im a big proponent of following up my pressing movements with fly movement. i know a lot of people will disagree. but i think you should keep doing them.

 

[powerlord]

So I guess what we're all getting to here is that none of these will hinder your progress,but your presses no matter what are a mainstay in building,also will it hurt to have more than 4 exercises in one workout for chest?Or is it just up to how you are feeling.I work a bodypart a day so sometimes I feel like 6 or 7 exercises.

 

[gjohnson5]

I've found that any barbell exercice were putting more stress on my shoulders than anything else (any other chest exercices)

Absolutely. I fell this way as well. If you want a big chest , you need to do flyes db , cable or machine

 

[wnt2bBeast]

Absolutely. I fell this way as well. If you want a big chest , you need to do flyes db , cable or machine

i totally disagree..if you want a big chest you need to press..personally i feel inclines stress the chest a little better for me...also dbell presses..also nothing wrong with flyes but you cannot overload the muscles like you can with presses..

 

[InTraining]

What is the argument against doing flyes AFTER pressing movements?

Best of both worlds IMO...one gets to do a compound movement such as an incline press and then further fatigue the pecs with whatever type of fly one wants to do...

I will say that incline flyes and cable crossovers from the low pulley at the end of workouts have worked for me..but not to the extent that pressing movements have

Also I find that not locking out on pressing movements for chest and trying to establish a solid mind-muscle connection is beneficial

 

[wnt2bBeast]

What is the argument against doing flyes AFTER pressing movements?

Best of both worlds IMO...one gets to do a compound movement such as an incline press and then further fatigue the pecs with whatever type of fly one wants to do...

I will say that incline flyes and cable crossovers from the low pulley at the end of workouts have worked for me..but not to the extent that pressing movements have

Also I find that not locking out on pressing movements for chest and trying to establish a solid mind-muscle connection is beneficial

i diasgree with the statement that to have a big chest you need to do flyes..i have nothing against flyes and i incorporate them into my routine at certain times

 

[InTraining]

i diasgree with the statement that to have a big chest you need to do flyes..i have nothing against flyes and i incorporate them into my routine at certain times

Ok..yeh I certainly don't center a routine around them but I will throw them in at the end...

To me it is kind of like a military press and a lateral raise....they are both useful but I always do presses or big compound movements before isolation work

 

[cwick0]

flat and incline barbell!

Every now and again throw in some dbs.

 

[Dieharder]

i dont five a fuck about weight anymore, especially when it comes to chest exercises, i rotate flat and incline dbs, no lock out, and sloooowww up and down motion, my chest is thanking me so far

 

[d3track]

one of my fav chest workouts

flat db flyes
incline bb
flat db
incline db flyes
db pullovers