15 Best Upper Chest Exercises for Mass and Strength

Looking to build a bigger, stronger, and more defined upper chest? If so, you’re not alone. The upper chest is one of the most coveted and admired muscle groups, and for good reason.

A well-defined chest is a true symbol of strength and masculinity, which is why it is one of the most sought-after body parts for fitness enthusiasts.

However, it is not easy to achieve a sculpted chest, and it requires a targeted approach that focuses on both the upper and lower chest muscles.

In this post, we will explore the way to effectively train the upper chest. We will discuss the following topics:

  • Anatomy of the upper chest
  • Best Upper chest exercises
  • Correct form and technique
  • Upper chest workout plans.

Upper Chest Muscle (Anatomy)

To effectively train the upper chest, first we need to take a closer look at the chest anatomy and how to train it.

The muscles of the chest consist of the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor.

The pectoralis major is a large, fan-shaped muscle with a wide origin. It is generally divided into two parts:

  • The clavicular part is the smaller, upper portion, which originates from the first half of your clavicle. This is what we usually mean by upper chest.
  • The sternocostal part is the larger, lower part that mainly comes from your sternum (and to a small degree from your upper abdominal sheath and ribs) This is your middle and lower chest.

Muscle fibers from this whole range come together into one single tendon that inserts on the front of your upper arms.

The pectoralis minor is the triangle-shaped muscle located under the pectoralis major, a layer deeper, and draws the shoulder blades down and forward.

Upper chest Anatomy

How To Train Upper Chest

If you want to develop the upper chest to get more defined pecs, you need to read this whole blog. Here, I’ll tell you how to make this part of the chest muscle look better.

Here’s the twist: you can’t directly improve only the upper part of the pecs, but you can make it look better quickly if you do the right things.

One of the most important things you can do if you want to build a bigger upper chest is to remember to not just focus on strength-building exercises, but also need to focus on isolation exercises.

When you are trying to build your upper chest or any portion of your chest, you should make sure you include some exercises that allow your hands to move freely.

Here are some key tips for effective upper chest training.

1. Pressing Position

The pectoral muscles work differently depending on the angle at which you bring your arm forward.

  • The upper chest muscle fibers are the target of Incline pressing.
  • The lower chest muscle fibers are the target of decline pressing.
  • It is possible to target your complete chest muscle with a flat pressing.

An incline bench press will work the upper chest more than a flat or decline bench press. If you want to increase the stimulation of the upper chest, you should aim for an angle of at least 30 degrees.

The study found that the most activity for the upper part of the pectoralis major muscle was occurred when the bench was angled at 30 degrees.

At a zero-degree bench inclination (flat bench), the middle and lower parts of the pectoralis major muscle displayed higher electrical activity.

If you go beyond 30 degrees, you will be transferring the emphasis from your upper chest to your front delts.

Upper Chest activation in incline bench press

2. Body Position

The decline Push Up works the upper chest and front shoulders (delts) more than the regular or incline push ups. With a standard push up, you lift about 70% of your own bodyweight.

When you do decline push-ups, you lift more of your body weight by lifting your feet up. This makes the decline variation of push up is more effective and challenging than the standard push-up variation. 

3. Grip Position

Change your grip from overhand to underhanded has a profound effect on upper chest muscle activation. Changing your grip can increase upper chest activation by up to 30%.

A group of Canadian scientists found that the muscle activity of the upper pecs in weight-trained subjects performing reverse-grip bench presses was more than 30% greater than when they did standard-grip bench presses.

The reverse-grip bench press is one of the best exercises you can do to build the upper chest.

15 Best Exercises To Build The Upper Chest

Here is a list of 15 best upper chest exercises that help to build a well-developed chest. You can also find out how to put together an upper chest workout.

1. Barbell Incline Bench Press

The Incline bench press is a variation of the traditional flat bench press, where the lifters body is fixed in an incline position.

The Barbell incline press focuses on the upper chest more and therefore helps build massive upper pecs.  It also trains anterior delt (front shoulder) and tricep muscles.

You could even try the incline smith machine bench press for more stability. When an exercise is stable, you can use heavier weights, focus more on the muscles worked, and train closer to failure without as much risk of technique breakdowns.

Incline Bench Press

How To Do Incline Bench Press

  1. Set an adjustable bench to an incline of around 30-45 degrees.
  2. Lie back on the bench with your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Grasp the barbell with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Take the barbell off and lower it towards your upper chest while keeping your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
  5. Pause briefly, then push the barbell back up to the starting position by extending your arms.
  6. Do 8-10 reps.

Tips

  • Perform press in a controlled manner.
  • The bar should be lowered slowly until it has reached the upper chest, and take a pause for a moment.
  • Set a bench at about 30-45 degrees inclined. Do not go more upright as the stress shifts more to the shoulders rather than the chest area.

 2. Incline Dumbbell Press

Incline dumbbell bench press is an excellent exercise to develop the middle and the upper pec muscles. Just like the Incline bench press.

The dumbbell press works mostly on the upper pecs, but dumbbells allow full range of motion, and therefore in some ways better than the bench press. Using dumbbells ensures that you are working both sides equally hard.

It adds an extra range of motion at the top for complete chest development. Furthermore, dumbbells demand better coordination, forcing the stabilizing muscles to assist as well.

Incline Dumbbell Press

How To Do Incline Dumbbell Press

  1. Grab a pair of dumbbells, and lie on an incline bench (30-degree inclined).
  2. Clean the dumbbells and lift them straight overhead. Feel a good chest squeeze at the upper pec.
  3. Lower the dumbbells and feel a good chest muscle stretch at the bottom.
  4. Repeat the desired number of reps and sets.

Tips

  • Keep a controlled motion and avoid jerky movements.
  • Always use weights that you can handle comfortably.
  • Keep the tension on your chest as you press the weight up.
  • Vary bench angles to hit different angles of the chest.
Read More: How To Do Incline Dumbbell Bench Press With Perfect Technique

3. Incline Dumbbell Fly

The incline dumbbell fly is a variation of the dumbbell fly that specifically targets the upper chest muscle.

Incline dumbbell chest flya bodybuilding favorite, is an isolation exercise and is usually performed after big compound lifts, like the bench and incline press.

It is considered to be the perfect finishing move and a great way to focus on your chest after many pressing exercises.

incline dumbbell fly

How To Do Incline dumbbell fly

  1. Set an incline bench at a 30-to 45-degree angle.
  2. Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Lift your arms straight up from your shoulders and the dumbbells directly over your upper chest.
  4. Slowly lower your arms out to your sides until your wrists come to about shoulder level or slightly above
  5. Bring your arms back toward the midline of your body, focusing on using your pec muscles to draw them back together.

Tips

  • Pick a weight that you can control, that’s not too light or too heavy â€” find what’s right for you.
  • Maintain tension in your abs and don’t allow your lower back to excessively arch.
  • Don’t let the dumbbells touch as they meet at the top, holding for a second in the contracted position.

4. Incline Cable Fly

Incline Cable fly is one of the most suitable exercises for isolating the upper chest muscles.

Unlike dumbbell or barbell exercises, the cable machine provides constant tension throughout the entire range of motion, resulting in continuous muscle engagement and a more effective chest workout.

Incline Cable Fly

How To Do Incline Cable Fly

  1. Set the bench at an incline angle of around 30-45 degrees.
  2. Attach the stirrup handles to the low pulleys and then lie down on the bench.
  3. Hold the cable handles with your arms extended out in front of you, using an overhand grip.
  4. Slowly lower the cable attachments outward to your sides.
  5. Keep your upper arms parallel to the floor and your elbows slightly bent throughout the movement.
  6. Bring your arms back toward the midline of your body, focusing on using your pec muscles to draw them back together.
  7. Repeat the desired number of reps.

Tips

  • Focus on the mind-muscle connection.
  • Keep a slight bend in your elbows to minimize strain on the joints and maximize tension on the chest muscles.
  • Hold and contract the chest muscles when hands are together.

5. Low Pulley Cable Crossover

Compared to other exercises, the cable crossover allows for a wide range of motion, stretching the chest muscles fully and promoting greater muscle activation.

The cable helps develop the upper and inner chest muscles and provides the stress and pecs that a bodybuilder craves.

You can work your muscles hard without worrying about lifting heavy weights like a barbell or dumbbells over your head.

Low Pulley Cable Crossovers

How To Do Low Pulley Cable Crossover

  1. Set the pulleys on a cable machine to a low position and attach the handles.
  2. Stand in the center of the cable machine.
  3. Grasp the handles, one in each hand, with your palms facing forward.
  4. Take a step forward to create tension on the cables, and position your arms slightly in front of your body.
  5. With a slight bend in your elbows, exhale and pull the handles forward and across your body in an arc motion until your hands meet in front of your chest.
  6. Pause for a moment, squeeze your chest muscles, and then inhale as you slowly return to the starting position, allowing your arms to stretch back out.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tip

  • To keep your balance, stand in a staggered stance.
  • Breathe out as you lift the handles up and together.
  • Control the weight as you bring your arms back down.
Know More: 14 Best Cable Chest Exercises And Workout Routine

6. Decline Push-Ups

Push-ups are one of the best bodyweight exercises for training your entire upper body, shoulders, chest, and tricep.

Decline Push-ups are similar to normal push-ups but with your legs on a bench. Although this is called the Decline push-up, it focuses more on the upper pecs.

Furthermore, because your lower body is raised from the floor, the resistance your body provides is increased compared to doing the push-up on the floor. This makes the decline push-up harder than the standard push-up.

Decline Push-Ups

How To Do Decline Push-Ups

  1. Your hands are placed firmly on the floor and spaced slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  2. Put legs on the bench or the pad roller.
  3. Now raise yourself off the ground straightening your elbows and your arms. Keep your elbows close to your body.
  4. Raise until your elbows are almost near to locked, and pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
  5. Now lower your body under slow sustained motion, feeling the motion all the way down until your chest is very close to the ground.

Tips

  • Do not let your lower back sag or your butt rise. Ensure your body is straight and rigid.
  • Slow down all of your movements and really stay focused on your form.
  • The core and glutes should be contracted during the exercise.
Read More: Best Push Ups For Upper Chest 

7. Incline Hammer Strength Machine

The machine gives you a stable platform and reduces the need to use stabilizer muscles. It isolates the upper chest and lets you focus on working the muscles.

Furthermore, it provides a reduced likelihood of form breakdown. If you are simply going to fail a repetition, you can lower the machine back down without any chance of injuring yourself.

The machine’s design and way it moves helps keep joints less stressed.

Incline Hammer Strength Machine

How To Do Incline Hammer Strength Machine

  1. Adjust the seat height and backrest of the Hammer Strength machine to align your chest with the handles.
  2. Grasp handles and sits up straight with core tight and back pressed against the seat.
  3. Exhale and push the handles forward while extending your arms, bringing them together in front of your chest.
  4. Pause briefly at the peak of the movement, squeezing your upper chest muscles.
  5. Inhale and slowly reverse the motion, letting the handles go back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Maintain a slight bend in your elbows to keep tension on the chest muscles and avoid locking out the joints.
  • Change grip positioning to target different parts of the muscles.
  • Experiment with different grip positions, such as neutral, to target slightly different areas of the upper chest.

8. The Landmine Chest Press

The landmine chest press is not a popular exercise, but it provides many benefits when it comes to building bigger upper chests.

The landmine attachment can rotate freely, so it’s easy to do pressing movements. This helps to reduce stress on the shoulders and wrists.

It can be performed in a kneeling position, which increases core involvement and can improve core stability and strength of the abdominal muscles.

Landmine Chest Press

How To Do Landmine Press

  1. Place a barbell in a landmine holder or set up a barbell in a corner.
  2. Then add weight plates to the free end of the barbell.
  3. Assume a half kneeling position with the knee under your hip, toes tucked, and rib cage down.
  4. Press the barbell up straight in front of you until your arms are extended, avoiding hyperextension at the elbows.
  5. Hold the weight for a second and focus on contracting your chest muscles.
  6. Slowly lower the weight back towards your chest and then repeat for the recommended reps

Tips

  • To secure the barbell, you can interlock your hands around the bar.
  • Lean your body forwards slightly and engage your core muscles to help with stabilization.
  • Exhale on pushing movement, inhale when returning to the starting position.
  • Contract the chest muscle at the top of the movement.
Know More: Landmine Exercises For Building Muscle And Strength

9. Incline Reverse-Grip Bench Press

When you bench press, you can make your upper chest muscles work 30% more by changing your grip from overhand to underhand.

An Incline bench barbell press with a reverse grip actually shifts the most focus to the upper pecs. The reverse grip activates the front delts and triceps to a greater extent, providing a well-rounded upper body workout.

Start out light and make sure your thumbs are hooked around the bar for safety.

Incline Reverse-Grip Bench Press

How To Do Incline Reverse-Grip Bench Press

  1. Lying on a flat bench, grasp the bar with a supinated (reverse) grip, hands shoulder-width apart, and thumbs around the bar.
  2. With your elbows tucked in close to your sides, slowly lower the bar down to your lower pecs.
  3. Press the bar back up to the start position in a slight backward arc without letting your elbows flare out.
  4. Don’t lock out your elbows at the top of the rep; keep a bend in your arms, maintaining control of the weight at all times.

Tips

  1. Hold a neutral spine throughout the movement to prevent injury.
  2. Perform press in a controlled manner.
  3. Exhale on pushing movement, and inhale when returning to the starting position.
  4. Contract the chest muscles at the top of the movement.

10. Incline Bench Dumbbell Pullover

Incline bench dumbbell pullovers is the best exercise to build a strong rib cage and build serratus anterior muscle.

This exercise works on the chest muscles, especially the upper part of the chest. It also works on the muscles in the back called the latissimus dorsi.

The pullover motion can stretch the rib cage, allowing for improved breathing mechanics and chest expansion.

Incline Bench Dumbbell Pullover

How To Do Incline Bench Dumbbell Pullover

  1. Set an incline bench to an angle between 30 to 45 degrees.
  2. Hold a dumbbell with both hands, palms facing up, and Carefully lie back on the bench.
  3. Extend your arms over your chest, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
  4. Inhale deeply and lower the dumbbell backward in an arc motion towards the floor.
  5. Once you feel a stretch in your chest and upper back, exhale and bring the dumbbell back to the starting position.
  6. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Maximum stretching ensures the greatest expansion of the rib cage.
  • Vary the position of the bench to hit different angles of the upper chest.
Related: Upper Chest Dumbbell Exercises For Building A Broad, Strong Pecs

11. Machine Chest Press

Machine chest press is a resistance exercise that involves pushing a weight away from the body using a machine with a chest press attachment.

According to EMG research, the machine bench press involves the shoulders to a lesser extent than free-weight alternatives. This means you can focus more on working your chest muscles.

The machine allows you to isolate and target the chest muscles while providing support and stability. There are several types of chest press machines available, including plate-loaded and cable machines.

Using a machine can be beneficial for beginners or those who have difficulty with free weights, as it provides stability and reduces the risk of injury.

Variations Of Machine Press For Building Upper Chest Muscles

  • Close grip machine chest press
  • Reverse grip chest press
  • Incline machine press
  • Lying machine chest press
Machine Chest Press

How To Do

  1. Adjust the seat of the machine so that the handles are at chest level.
  2. Sit on the machine with your back flat against the backrest and your feet flat on the floor.
  3. Grasp the handles with an overhand grip and press them away from your body until your arms are fully extended.
  4. Slowly bring the handles back towards your chest, keeping your elbows tucked in and your wrists straight.
  5. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Tips

  • Keep your shoulders back and down to prevent them from hunching forward.
  • Exhale as you push the handles away from your body, and inhale as you bring them back towards your chest.
  • Start with a light weight and gradually increase the resistance as you get stronger.

12. Barbell Overhead Press

The overhead press is the best exercise for building shoulder and upper chest muscle mass and strength. It remains the grand-daddy of all shoulder exercises to build big, round shoulder muscles.

Performing the exercise while seated upright is a stricter version than standing and prevents cheating the weight upward using momentum generated by the legs.

Barbell Shoulder Press

How To Do Barbell Overhead Press

  1. Sit on an exercise bench and grab a bar with an overhand grip.
  2. Bring the bar over and in front of your head, under your chin, and just above your upper chest.
  3. Now Press the bar straight up overhead until your arms are fully extended but not locked out.
  4. Slowly lower the bar back to the starting position.

Tips

  • Perform a warm-up with 50% weight for 1-2 sets.
  • Always perform the Shoulder Exercises before you perform triceps.

13. Hindu Push Up

The Hindu push up is a traditional Indian-style exercise practiced by wrestlers. It also provides better strength and endurance to the muscles.

The Hindu Push up is a complete exercise that gives the body a compounded effect. It provides better flexibility and posture to the body.

It works from your whole body, from upper to lower body; it works from your chest to back

Hindu pushup

How To Do Hindu Push Up

  1. Start in a downward dog pose, your body in a V shape.
  2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest until it’s just above the floor, going into low plank pose.
  3. In a scooping motion, scoop your head upward while arching your lower and upper back and go into cobra pose.
  4. To return to the starting position, you do not need to reverse back through the sweeping, arching motion.
  5. Engage your core, relax the spine and neck, open the shoulders and keep the movement smooth.

14. Dumbbell Incline Around The World

Dumbbell Incline Around the World is another great exercise for your upper chest dumbbell workout.

To do this exercise, you can still use an incline bench, but you’ll need to adjust the bench so that get the good contraction.

Dumbbell Incline Around the World

How To Do Dumbbell Incline Around The World

  1.  Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand next to your thighs with palms facing up.
  2. Take the dumbbells and create a semicircle by rotating them up over your head with the motion staying parallel.
  3. All the movement should happen with the arms parallel to the bench at all times. Breathe in as you perform this portion of the movement.
  4. Reverse the movement to return the weight to the starting position as you exhale. Repeat this exercise for as many repetitions as needed.

Tips

  • Perform press in a controlled manner.
  • Make sure to utilize a full range of motion throughout the exercise.

15. Smith Machine Incline Press

The Smith machine provides a guided path, reducing the need for stabilizing muscles and allowing you to focus more on the targeted upper chest muscles.

The presence of safety catches on the Smith machine allows for independent lifting without the need for a spotter.

Smith Machine Incline Press

How to Do Smith Machine Incline Press:

  1. Adjust the bench to an inclined position.
  2. Position yourself on the bench with your feet flat on the floor for stability.
  3. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
  4. Unrack the barbell by lifting it off the safety catches and hold it directly above your chest.
  5. Lower the barbell slowly and under control until it touches your upper chest.
  6. Push the barbell back up along the same path until your arms are fully extended, but avoid locking out your elbows.
  7. Repeat for the desired number of reps.

Tips

  • Avoid excessive arching of the lower back.
  • Always prioritize proper form over heavy lifting.
  • Keep your shoulders retracted and your back firmly pressed against the bench.

Advanced Techniques To Train Upper Chest

When it comes to training, the upper chest, advanced techniques can help to grow more muscle and improve overall development.

Here are some advanced ways to work on your upper chest:

1. Supersets

Combine two exercises that work on the upper part of your chest in a superset way.

For instance, perform a set of incline dumbbell presses immediately followed by a set of incline cable flies, without any rest in between.

Supersets increase training intensity, promote muscle fatigue, and enhance the overall effectiveness of your workout.

2. Drop Sets

Start with a heavier weight and perform an exercise until failure. Then, immediately reduce the weight and continue the set without rest.

Drop sets help increase muscle fatigue and recruit additional muscle fibers for greater stimulation.

3. Pause Reps

During your sets, incorporate pauses at different points of the exercise to increase time under tension and challenge the muscles further.

For example, perform an incline bench press and pause for 2-3 seconds at the bottom, mid-range, or top of the movement. This technique stimulates greater muscle recruitment and promotes muscle growth.

4. Eccentric Training

Research has shown that eccentric training increases muscle growth and strength more than traditional training methods.

Eccentric training focuses on emphasizing the lowering (eccentric) phase of the exercise, which has been found to stimulate muscle hypertrophy.

To incorporate this technique, perform the eccentric phase of the exercise (e.g., lowering the weight during an incline bench press) slowly and under control.

5. Rest-Pause Training

According to research, the utilization of rest-pause training results in a greater level of muscle activation and metabolic stress as compared to traditional sets.

Rest-pause training involves performing a set to failure, briefly resting (10-20 seconds), and then continuing with additional reps using the same weight.

This technique helps to recruit more muscle fibers and increase training volume.

Complete Workout Plans To Train Upper Chest

If you want to make your chest workout more balanced, you should add 1-2 of the following upper chest exercises to it. We recommend that you train your entire chest during your chest workouts because your upper chest muscles are a small part of your whole chest.

If your Upper Chest is considerably undeveloped, I suggest choosing 2 of these exercises, and performing 1 of them at the start of your Chest workout. If your Upper Chest is well-developed, but you’re looking to continue to add mass, then I would suggest choosing only 1 exercise.

Before you get started with a chest workout, make sure you warm up properly. Then do a few warm-up sets with lighter weight or just your bodyweight before doing the exercises with heavier weight.

Sets And Reps For Upper Chest Workout

Of course, the number of sets and reps will be determined based on your fitness journey, but here is a great starting point:

Sets

  • Beginners: ~10 sets per week.
  • Intermediate: ~15 sets per week.
  • Advanced: ~20 sets per week.

When a certain amount of volume stops being effective and your progress stalls, you can add sets to increase volume and use that as a driver of renewed progress. 

Reps

The best rep ranges and loads to work with.

  • 6-8 reps with heavy load
  • 8-15 reps with moderate load
  • 15-20+ with light load

The load should bring you to or near failure within the given rep ranges for the exercise to be effective.

Find the workout that suits your experience level and goals.

Challenge Yourself

Don’t be afraid to challenge yourself if you want to see actual results. This could mean doing supersets or drop sets, which are a great way to work towards failure. Rest when needed between sets but keep going if you can to complete a superset. 

Beginner Upper Chest Workout Plan

If you’re new to lifting weights, don’t worry. This beginner-friendly chest workout routine is a great place to start.

When this gets easy, choose a heavier free weight. After you’ve upped your weight several times and feel strong in the movements below, move on to the intermediate routine. Until then, you can follow this beginner chest workout plan.

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Decline Push-Ups48-1260-90 sec
Incline Dumbbell Press48-1060-90 sec
Incline Dumbbell Fly38-1060-90 sec

Intermediate Upper Chest Workout

If you are an intermediate level or have outgrown the beginner routine, try the intermediate chest workout routine below.

Regardless of how many reps your programming is calling for, you should be unable to complete the last one with proper form.

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Dumbbell Bench Press48-1060-90 sec
Incline Barbell Press48-1260-90 sec
Low Pulley Crossover38-1060 sec
Dumbbell fly312-1560 sec

Advanced Chest Workout

If you are an advanced level athlete or have already completed the beginner and intermediate chest workouts, give the advanced routine a try.

Here, you’ll challenge more of your balance, stability, and strength.

ExerciseSetsRepsRest
Incline Barbell Bench Press48-1060-90 sec
Landmine Press48-1260 sec
Incline Cable Fly3-48-1045-60 sec
Dumbbell fly312-1545-60 sec
Decline Push-Ups315-2060 sec

Frequently Asked Questions About Upper Chest Training

Do Push-Ups Build Upper Chest?

Decline Push-ups are an excellent bodyweight exercise for strengthening the upper chest, but decline push-ups on a stability ball take this routine to the next level.

Why Is My Upper Chest Not Growing?

It might be that you aren’t doing enough exercises that work the upper chest.

A good upper chest workout routine should use bench angles between 30 and 45 degrees and use both good rep range training. Pecs respond to these types of workouts.

How Do You Work Your Upper Chest Without Weights?

The decline push-up and the pike push-up are two of the best exercises for working the upper chest without weights. By placing your feet on an elevation (like a low bench or box) and performing decline push-ups, you can target your middle and upper chest instead.

Conclusion

If you want to work your upper chest, you can either target it with exercises like the incline bench press or work it all with exercises like the bench press.

This exercise is highly recommended for anyone interested in building upper body strength and gaining muscle size. It is easy to do and requires no more scientific details and fancy equipment.

If you do these upper chest exercises consistently, the results will speak for themselves.

Sources

  1. Int J Environ Res Public Health. 2020 Oct 8;17(19):7339. Effect of Five Bench Inclinations on the Electromyographic Activity of the Pectoralis Major, Anterior Deltoid, and Triceps Brachii during the Bench Press Exercise.
  2. Comparative Study Eur J Sport Sci. 2016;16(3):309-16. Epub 2015 Mar 23. Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise.
  3. Int J Exerc Sci. 2020 Aug 1;13(6):859-872. Effects of Horizontal and Incline Bench Press on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Untrained Young Men.
  4. Glass SC, Armstrong T. Electromyographical activity of the pectoralis muscle during incline and decline bench presses. J Strength Cond Res. 1997;11(3):163–167.
  5. Ebben, William P; Wurm, Bradley; VanderZanden, Tyler L; Spadavecchia, Mark L; Durocher, John J; Bickham, Curtis T; Petushek, Erich J. Kinetic Analysis of Several Variations of Push-Ups. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 25(10):p 2891-2894, October 2011. | DOI: 10.1519/JSC.0b013e31820c8587
  6. Barnett, Chris, Kippers, Vaughan, and Turner, Peter (1995). Effects of variations of the bench press exercise on the EMG activity of five shoulder muscles. Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research 9 (4) 222-227.

Best Upper Chest Workout To Build Mass and Strength

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