Stop Doing These Chest Exercises. Try These Moves Instead.
THE PATH TO a bigger, stronger chest isn't found along the common routes followed by most gym-goers. Piling plates on barbells for bench presses and repping through pushups will only get you so far—you need to pick the most efficient exercises to yield the muscle growth you're aiming to achieve. Getting there means selecting moves that work.
The problem is that a lot of the moves you see all over Instagram and FitTok promise you big gains without real results, says Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S., MH fitness director. "Very often these exercises aren't doing what they say because we're not going to get that deep stretch or we're not going to get that deep contraction."
Here, Samuel runs through a handful of moves that simply aren't worth you time, and what you can do instead to achieve that superhero physique you're striving to build.
4 Chest Exercises to Stop Doing and Alternatives to Try
Prayer Press
"[This is] probably the dumbest move I have ever seen on Instagram," Samuel says. "And if you have to pray to get a bigger chest, you're just not getting it done."
The idea is to keep tension across the chest as you squeeze plates together in your palms, all while you moving them forward and back in a pressing movement. The problem is, the muscles that actually end up facing resistance are the shoulders and biceps, because of the direction of the force of gravity.
Do This Instead: Band Resisted Dumbbell Press
If you're looking for that really deep chest contraction, take this into a band resisted dumbbell press. You'll get a good deep stretch at the bottom of the move, and as you drive up, the bands will produce even more resistance.
"That will give you want you really want when talking about stretch and full contraction," Samuel says. Try 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps.
Hex Press
Here, lifters continue with this prayer concept by pressing the dumbbells together as they are being pushed against gravity. This does load the chest to some extent. But, pushing the dumbbells together limits the stretch you're able to get at the bottom of the move. Plus, keeping the elbows that close to the body puts your shoulders at risk of internal rotation, which can cause injury. That just isn't worth it in the long run.
Do This Instead: Band Resisted Dumbbell Press
Once again, stick with this classic move and add a little extra challenge with the bands. You won't get a better contraction then you will at the top of this move with the bands challenging you.
Decline Press
The decline press is a great ego booster, because it works through a shorter range of motion—meaning, you're able to push pretty heavy. It's thought to target the lower chest, but it doesn't work like that in practice.
This move does hit the meaty part of the chest, yes, but it doesn't emphasize the lower chest. You'll also put the shoulder at risk of internal rotation, which can lead to injuries. Pair both of those points with the fact that it doesn't work through your full range of motion, and it's easy to see that this move just isn't worth your time.
Do This Instead: Glute Bridge Floor Press
Taking this move to the floor allows you to safeguard your range of motion. Your elbows will hit the floor before you get into a dangerous position for the shoulders, and you'll still get a healthy contraction at the top of the move.
Dumbbell Chest Fly
This is another move that could have potential shoulder injury risk. Getting a stretch through the chest with a long lever can lead you to slip into internal rotation. "It's very easy to confuse stretching the chest and aggravating the shoulders," Samuel says.
Plus, there's no tension across the chest at the top of this move, when the dumbbells align with gravity—not idea for achieving that peak contraction.
Do This Instead: Back Supported Cable Fly
This might take some additional set up (especially if you're working from a busy gym floor), but the benefits are worth it. This position provides less risk of injury on your shoulders—but more importantly for your chest gains, the cable machine provides continuous tension across that squeeze at the top of the motion.
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