AKHADA

Chest Workout

  • Beginner to intermediate
  • 1 or 2 days a week
  • 15 to 45 min
  • Gym or home

Updated

A woman pressing dumbbells on an incline bench

About this routine

One chest day in three versions, so you can train it wherever you are. Each starts with presses and finishes with flies and push ups or dips.

For lifters who give chest its own day inside a split. The Gym and Dumbbells versions are intermediate level, and the Home version is beginner level. If you are new to training, a full body routine trains chest along with everything else.

The week

Once a week

Rest here means no chest work. Train legs, back or other muscles on those days. Use the Dumbbells or Home version if that is what you have.

  1. MGym
  2. TRest
  3. WRest
  4. TRest
  5. FRest
  6. SRest
  7. SRest

Twice a week

Research finds twice a week builds more muscle than once. Keep at least two days between chest sessions.

  1. MGym
  2. TRest
  3. WRest
  4. TGym
  5. FRest
  6. SRest
  7. SRest

The workouts

Before you start

If you have a medical condition or an injury, check with a doctor before starting a new exercise routine.

Stop any exercise that causes pain, dizziness, or strain somewhere you don't expect it.

6 exercisesAbout 40 minIntermediate

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Barbell Bench Press1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Barbell Bench Press

    3 × 6 to 10 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet flat on the floor.
    2. Hold the bar a little wider than your shoulders and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
    3. Lower the bar slowly to the middle of your chest.
    4. Press it back up until your arms are almost straight.
    5. Start light, and use a spotter or the safety bars.
  2. 2

    Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Set an incline bench to 30-45 degrees, sit back with dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows bent and slightly forward.
    2. Press dumbbells upward and slightly inward until arms nearly lock out.
    3. Keep chest up and shoulders packed into the bench throughout the movement.
    4. Lower dumbbells under control to chest level, maintaining a stable incline position.
  3. 3

    Cable Standing Crossover

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Stand between cable stations with feet shoulder-width apart, cables set at upper chest height.
    2. Grab handles with arms slightly bent, shoulders retracted, core braced.
    3. Pull both cables across your body in a controlled arc, bringing handles together at chest level.
    4. Pause briefly at the center with chest squeezed.
    5. Return to start position with steady control, maintaining slight arm bend throughout.
  4. 4

    Lever Pec Deck Fly

    3 × 10 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Sit upright with back firmly against the pad, feet flat on the floor.
    2. Grip the lever handles with a neutral grip at shoulder height.
    3. Press the handles forward in a smooth arc, leading with your elbows.
    4. Squeeze at full extension, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
    5. Control the return to the starting position without letting the weight stack touch down.
  5. 5

    Chest Dip

    3 × 10 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Grip the handles shoulder-width apart, arms extended, body upright or slightly forward-leaned.
    2. Lower your body by bending elbows, keeping them flared outward to emphasize chest.
    3. Descend until chest is level with or slightly below the handles.
    4. Drive through your hands to extend elbows and return to start.
    5. Maintain an upright torso or light forward lean throughout.
  6. 6

    Push up

    3 × 10 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, legs straight behind you.
    2. Tighten your stomach so your body stays in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled slightly back rather than straight out.
    4. Push the floor away to come back up.
    5. Too hard? Do them with your knees on the floor, or your hands on a chair.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

6 exercisesAbout 45 minIntermediate

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Dumbbell Bench Press1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Dumbbell Bench Press

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Lie on your back on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor, a dumbbell in each hand by your chest.
    2. Squeeze your shoulder blades together and keep them on the bench.
    3. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are almost straight.
    4. Lower them slowly back to the sides of your chest.
  2. 2

    Dumbbell Incline Bench Press

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Set an incline bench to 30-45 degrees, sit back with dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows bent and slightly forward.
    2. Press dumbbells upward and slightly inward until arms nearly lock out.
    3. Keep chest up and shoulders packed into the bench throughout the movement.
    4. Lower dumbbells under control to chest level, maintaining a stable incline position.
  3. 3

    Dumbbell Decline Bench Press

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Set up on a decline bench with feet secured and dumbbells at shoulder height, elbows bent.
    2. Press dumbbells upward and slightly inward until arms are extended.
    3. Keep wrists neutral and chest up throughout the movement.
    4. Lower dumbbells with control back to shoulder height.
    5. Maintain a slight arch in the back and stable shoulder blade position on the bench.
  4. 4

    Dumbbell Fly

    3 × 10 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Lie back on a flat bench, feet planted on the floor or bench.
    2. Hold dumbbells at chest height with arms slightly bent, palms facing each other.
    3. Press dumbbells upward until arms are nearly straight, maintaining the slight elbow bend.
    4. Lower dumbbells in a wide arc, stretching chest as arms open to shoulder width.
    5. Return to start by reversing the arc, driving dumbbells together over chest.
    6. Keep elbows fixed in a bent position throughout the entire movement.
  5. 5

    Dumbbell Pullover

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest, Lats

    How to do it
    1. Lie perpendicular on a bench with upper back and shoulders supported, feet planted on floor.
    2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands above your chest, arms nearly straight.
    3. Lower the dumbbell in an arc behind and across your body, keeping a slight bend in elbows.
    4. Pull the dumbbell back over your chest to the starting position, leading with your elbows.
    5. Maintain a neutral spine throughout, avoid excessive arch at the lower back.
  6. 6

    Push up

    3 × 10 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, legs straight behind you.
    2. Tighten your stomach so your body stays in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled slightly back rather than straight out.
    4. Push the floor away to come back up.
    5. Too hard? Do them with your knees on the floor, or your hands on a chair.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

4 exercisesAbout 15 minBeginner

Warm-up, about 5 minSee moves
  • Spot jog45 seconds
  • Jumping jacks30 seconds
  • Arm circles10 each way
  • Shoulder circles10 reps
  • Cat-cow8 slow reps
  • Light practice set of Push up1 to 2 sets
  1. 1

    Push up

    3 × 8 to 12 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders, legs straight behind you.
    2. Tighten your stomach so your body stays in a straight line from head to heels.
    3. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled slightly back rather than straight out.
    4. Push the floor away to come back up.
    5. Too hard? Do them with your knees on the floor, or your hands on a chair.
  2. 2

    Resistance Band Standing Chest Press

    3 × 12 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Anchor band at chest height behind you, hold both ends with arms bent at 90 degrees.
    2. Stand tall with feet shoulder-width apart, slight forward lean from ankles.
    3. Press both arms forward until elbows extend fully, hands finish at shoulder height.
    4. Control the band back to chest level without letting tension drop.
    5. Keep torso stable, avoid rotating or arching the lower back.
  3. 3

    Band Chest Fly

    3 × 12 to 15 repsChest

    How to do it
    1. Attach band to fixed point at chest height, stand perpendicular with slight forward lean.
    2. Grip band handles with arms extended to sides, elbows slightly bent.
    3. Pull handles across body in a hugging motion, leading with elbows.
    4. Bring hands together in front of chest, squeeze at end range.
    5. Control the return, resisting band tension as arms open back to start.
  4. 4

    Dip Bent Knees with Chair

    3 × 8 to 12 repsTriceps

    How to do it
    1. Sit on the edge of a sturdy chair pushed against a wall, hands gripping the seat beside your hips.
    2. Keep your feet flat on the floor, knees bent, and slide your bottom just off the seat.
    3. Bend your elbows to lower yourself a little, keeping them pointing back, not out.
    4. Push through your palms to straighten your arms.
    5. Only go as low as feels comfortable. Stop if you feel a pinch at the front of your shoulders.
Cool-down, about 3 minSee moves
  • Easy walk1 minute
  • Chest stretch30 seconds
  • Triceps stretch30 seconds each side
  • Child's pose30 seconds

Rest and progress

Rest between sets

  • Rest 2 to 3 minutes after each set of the first two presses. These are your heaviest lifts.
  • Rest 60 to 90 seconds on flies, dips and push ups.

How to progress

  1. Pick a weight you can lift for the bottom of the rep range with one or two reps left in the tank.
  2. Add a rep each session. When every set reaches the top of the range, add weight: 2.5 kg on the barbell, or the next dumbbell up. On push ups and dips, slow the lowering instead.
  3. If you miss the bottom of the range two sessions in a row, drop the weight by 10 percent and build back up.

Swaps

Barbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Bench Press. Easier on the shoulders and needs no spotter.
Chest Dip hurts your shoulders
An extra set of push ups, or skip the dips.
Cable station busy
Dumbbell Fly on a flat bench in place of the Cable Standing Crossover.
Pec deck taken
Another set of Dumbbell Fly or Cable Standing Crossover.
Nowhere to anchor the band at home
Wrap the band around your upper back, hold one end in each hand, and press forward.

When it gets easy: the Volume version

Three barbell presses (flat, incline and decline) with 4 sets on the first two and lower rep ranges, then crossovers, dips and the pec deck. Same rest and progression rules.

Gym · about 50 min

Barbell Bench Press4 × 5 to 8 reps
Barbell Incline Bench Press4 × 5 to 8 reps
Barbell Decline Bench Press3 × 5 to 8 reps
Cable Standing Crossover3 × 6 to 10 reps
Chest Dip3 × 12 to 20 reps
Lever Pec Deck Fly3 × 10 to 12 reps

In the Akhada app: Chest · Volume.

Questions

How often should I train chest?

Once a week works. Twice a week builds more, because research finds training a muscle at least twice a week gives more growth than once. If you train chest twice, split your usual weekly sets across both days.

How long does a chest workout take?

The Gym version takes about 40 minutes, the Dumbbells version about 45, and the Home version about 15, each after a 5 minute warm-up.

Can I build my chest at home?

Yes. In one study, push ups built as much muscle and strength as a bench press with a matched load over 8 weeks. The Home version uses push ups, a band and a chair. Once 12 push ups feels easy, put your feet on a chair or slow the lowering.

What do I need for the dumbbell version?

A pair of dumbbells and a bench that sets flat, inclined and declined. If your bench does not decline, do the flat press for those sets.

Should I train triceps on chest day?

You already do. Presses, dips and push ups all work the triceps. If you want more, add a triceps exercise at the end, or train arms on their own day.

More routines

See all 24 routines

Sources

The Akhada team picked these exercises from our catalog of 7,000+ demonstrated movements. A strength coach reviewed the step-by-step cues for every exercise in our starter routines. The schedule, exercise order and progression follow the research below.

  1. Training each muscle twice a week builds more muscle than once a week. That is why there is a twice-a-week schedule.

    Schoenfeld, Ogborn and Krieger. Effects of resistance training frequency on measures of muscle hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. Sports Medicine, 2016.

  2. Trained lifters resting 3 minutes between sets gained more strength and muscle than those resting 1 minute. That is why the first two presses get 2 to 3 minutes.

    Schoenfeld et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, 2016.

  3. Multi-joint lifts go before single-joint ones, and load goes up 2 to 10 percent once you beat the target reps. That is why presses come before flies, and the progression rule here.

    American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults (position stand). Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise, 2009.

  4. Push-ups built as much muscle and strength as a load-matched bench press over 8 weeks. That is why the Home version leads with push ups.

    Kikuchi and Nakazato. Low-load bench press and push-up induce similar muscle hypertrophy and strength gain. Journal of Exercise Science and Fitness, 2017.