Chest and Shoulder Workout: 9 Exercises, Form and a Simple Plan

Chest and shoulders overlap a lot. Every pressing lift works both, which is why they so often end up on the same day.

Below are nine exercises with form steps, what the EMG research actually says about bench angle and your front delts, and two simple routines to start from.

It is the general version: barbell, dumbbell, cable and bodyweight options. If you only have dumbbells and want more shoulder detail, see best dumbbell shoulder exercises. For a push day that adds triceps, see the chest, shoulder and triceps workout.

The Nine Exercises at a Glance

Exercise	Main target	Equipment
Barbell bench press	Mid and lower chest, front delt, triceps	Barbell, flat bench
Incline press (about 30 degrees)	Upper chest, front delt	Barbell or dumbbells, adjustable bench
Dumbbell fly	Chest	Dumbbells, bench
Cable crossover	Chest	Cable station
Push-up	Chest, front delt, triceps	Bodyweight
Overhead press	Front and side delt	Barbell or dumbbells
Lateral raise	Side delt	Dumbbells or cables
Rear delt fly	Rear delt	Dumbbells or cables
Front raise (optional)	Front delt, upper chest	Dumbbells

Why Train Chest and Shoulders Together

The main reason is overlap. The bench press is a chest exercise, but the front of the shoulder works hard in it. In a study of 13 resistance-trained men lifting at 60% of their one-rep max, the front delt reached about 21% of its maximal voluntary isometric contraction (MVIC) in a barbell bench press, against about 5% for the side delt and 3.5% for the rear delt. (Campos 2020)

Two practical points follow from that:

• Chest day does not cover the whole shoulder. The front delt gets a lot of work, but the side and rear delts get very little, so they need their own exercises.
• Pressing counts toward front delt volume. Many lifters who bench and overhead press regularly need little or no direct front raise work. That is my reading of the numbers above, not a tested rule.

Combining the two also saves time, because you warm up and set up the bench once. Whether you do it on one day or split them is a scheduling choice.

In the ACSM overview, training frequency (1 day versus more than 5 days a week) did not consistently change muscle growth once total weekly volume was equal. (ACSM 2026)

What the Research Says

Most of the studies below measure EMG, which is the electrical activity of a muscle. Higher activity does not automatically mean more growth, so treat these as hints about which muscle is working, not proof of which exercise builds the most. The form steps further down are standard coaching cues, not study findings.

• Volume: the 2026 American College of Sports Medicine position stand, which reviewed 137 systematic reviews, found that hypertrophy was better with at least 10 sets per muscle group per week. It did not name individual muscles. (ACSM 2026) A review of trials in trained young men suggests 12 to 20 weekly sets per muscle group as a useful range. (Baz-Valle 2022)
• Load, effort and order: in the same ACSM overview, muscle growth was not consistently affected by training load (30% to 100% of one-rep max) or by training to failure, and the main advice was to train with high effort at least twice a week. Strength gains were better with loads of 80% or more, 2 to 3 sets, at least 2 sessions a week, and doing the lift at the start of the session. That order finding is about lifts in general, not chest versus shoulders.
• Bench angle, upper chest: in 30 trained adults at 60% of 1RM, upper chest activity peaked at a 30 degree incline, while the middle and lower chest peaked on the flat bench. Front delt activity was highest at 60 degrees, and angles above 45 degrees lowered chest performance. (Rodriguez-Ridao 2020)
• Bench angle, barbell: in 14 trained men at 65% of 1RM, upper chest activity over the whole lift did not differ between angles. At 30 and 45 degrees it was higher during one part of the lift only. The flat bench activated both upper and lower chest. (Lauver 2016)
• Bench angle, growth: in 47 untrained men training once a week for 8 weeks, with sets matched between groups, isometric strength gains were similar. Muscle thickness differed at only one of the three measured sites (the uppermost, at the second intercostal space), where the incline group grew more. (Incline trial 2020)
• Dumbbell versus barbell press: in 15 men at 80% of 1RM, front delt activity in the barbell press was 11% (seated) and 15% (standing) lower than in the dumbbell press. (Saeterbakken 2013)
• Push-ups: in 12 men, push-ups and bench presses showed few differences in muscle activity for the main muscles, except that the core worked more in the push-up. (Push-up study 2018)
• Supersets: a meta-analysis of 19 studies (313 people) found supersets saved time and gave similar strength and muscle growth to traditional sets. Pairing two similar exercises (two presses, for example) lowered the total load lifted, while pairing opposing movements kept the number of reps up. (Superset review 2025)
• Rest: a review of 6 studies found that both short (60 seconds or less) and long rests can build muscle, with a possible advantage to longer rests in trained people. The authors said more studies are needed. (Rest review 2017)

Chest Exercises

1. Barbell Bench Press

The bench press is the main chest lift for most programmes. It trains the chest, front delts and triceps and lets you add load in small steps. In the bench-angle work above, the flat bench gave the highest activity for the middle and lower chest. (Rodriguez-Ridao 2020)

How to Do

• Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar, feet flat on the floor and shoulder blades pulled back and down.
• Grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width and unrack it with straight arms.
• Lower the bar under control to the middle of your chest.
• Press the bar back up until your arms are nearly straight.

Variations: the decline press changes the angle but the studies above do not show it beats the flat bench for the lower chest.

In the barbell study the lower chest was equally active at minus 15 degrees and flat. (Lauver 2016) See the decline dumbbell press if you want to try it. For more barbell options, see barbell chest workouts.

2. Incline Press

Set the bench at about 30 degrees to put more work on the upper chest. Keep the angle low. Above about 45 degrees the front delt takes over and chest performance drops. (Rodriguez-Ridao 2020) You can use a barbell or dumbbells. See the incline dumbbell bench press for detail.

How to Do

• Set an adjustable bench to about 30 degrees and lie back with your shoulder blades pulled together.
• Hold the bar or dumbbells over your upper chest with your arms straight.
• Lower them under control to the upper chest.
• Press back up until your arms are nearly straight.

One caveat: the growth evidence is a single eight-week trial in untrained men, and strength gains were the same as with the flat bench. (Incline trial 2020) A mix of flat and incline pressing is a reasonable choice. For more upper chest work, see upper chest cable exercises.

3. Dumbbell Fly

The dumbbell fly is an isolation move. It usually goes after the presses, with lighter weights and a controlled stretch at the bottom. No study found in the sources above compares fly and press for chest growth, so it is a finishing option rather than a must.

How to Do

• Lie on a flat bench holding dumbbells over your chest with a slight bend in your elbows.
• Open your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch across your chest.
• Keep the elbow bend the same all the way down.
• Bring the dumbbells back together over your chest.

See the dumbbell chest fly and the incline version for more.

4. Cable Crossover

With a dumbbell fly the load is lightest at the top of the movement, while cables keep tension on the chest the whole way through. That makes it a good option if you want a fly with a smoother feel.

Treat it as an alternative to the dumbbell fly, not an extra move you must add. See the cable fly guide for variations.

How to Do

• Set both pulleys high and hold a handle in each hand.
• Step forward with one foot, lean slightly forward and keep a soft bend in your elbows.
• Bring your hands together in front of your lower chest in a wide arc.
• Return slowly until you feel a stretch across your chest.

5. Push-Up

The push-up needs no equipment, which makes it a good option at home or as a warm-up. In a 12-man study the muscle activity of push-ups and bench presses was similar for the main muscles. (Push-up study 2018) See the push-up guide and push-ups for chest.

How to Do

• Start in a plank with your hands just wider than your shoulders and your body in a straight line.
• Lower your chest towards the floor with your elbows at about 45 degrees from your body.
• Press back up until your arms are straight.

Make it easier by raising your hands on a bench. Make it harder by raising your feet or adding weight.

Dips also train the chest, shoulders and triceps, but I did not find a trial comparing them with other chest exercises for growth, so they are not a main exercise here.

Shoulder Exercises

6. Overhead Press

The overhead press is the main shoulder lift. In the 13-man study, a seated barbell press gave about 33% front delt and 28% side delt activity, so it covers both. (Campos 2020)

In a study of 15 men at 80% of 1RM, front delt activity was higher with dumbbells than with a barbell, seated or standing. (Saeterbakken 2013) See the barbell shoulder workout and the shoulder press machine.

How to Do

• Sit or stand with the bar at shoulder height, hands just outside your shoulders and elbows slightly in front of the bar.
• Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes.
• Press the bar straight overhead, moving your head slightly back, then forward once the bar passes your forehead.
• Lower the bar back to your shoulders under control.

If you press with dumbbells, you can start with a neutral grip (palms facing each other) if that feels better on your shoulders. No study found that compares grips for the front delt here.

7. Lateral Raise

The bench press gives the side delt very little work (about 5% in the 13-man study), and the overhead press gives it a fair amount (about 28%). The lateral raise (about 30%) and the overhead press were similar, and both were well above the bench press.

The lateral raise also worked the rear delt more than any other exercise in that study (about 24%). (Campos 2020) In a trial of 24 trained men and women over 8 weeks, dumbbell and cable lateral raises gave similar side delt growth, so use whichever you like. (Larsen 2025) See the dumbbell lateral raise and the cable lateral raise.

How to Do

• Stand holding a dumbbell in each hand at your sides, with a slight bend in your elbows.
• Raise your arms out to the sides until they are about shoulder height.
• Lower slowly. Use a lighter weight if you need to swing your body to lift it.

8. Rear Delt Fly

The rear delts get the least work from chest and overhead pressing. A review of 33 studies found they were most active in pull-ups and inverted rows, so rows count towards them too. (Rabello 2024)

A rear delt fly is an easy way to add direct work. See the best rear delt exercises and the bent-over reverse fly.

How to Do

• Sit at the end of a bench and lean forward until your chest is close to your thighs, holding a dumbbell in each hand.
• Keep a slight bend in your elbows and raise your arms out to the sides.
• Pause at about shoulder height, then lower slowly.

9. Front Raise (Optional)

Front raises mainly train the front delt and the upper part of the chest muscle.

In 10 competitive bodybuilders, the front raise worked the front delt and the clavicular (upper) part of the pec more than four lateral raise variations did. (Coratella 2020) Because bench and overhead pressing already give the front delt plenty of work, this exercise is optional. See the dumbbell front raise.

How to Do the Front Raise

• Stand holding dumbbells in front of your thighs.
• Raise one arm straight in front of you to about shoulder height.
• Lower it slowly and repeat with the other arm.

How to Plan Your Chest and Shoulder Workout

Sets and Reps

• Weekly sets: aim for at least 10 sets per muscle group per week. For trained lifters, 12 to 20 is a common target if you recover well. (ACSM 2026) (Baz-Valle 2022)
• Reps: for muscle size, a wide range of loads works when the sets are hard. For strength, use heavier loads (80% of 1RM or more), 2 to 3 sets, and train the lift at least twice a week. (ACSM 2026)
• Rest: my suggestion is 2 to 3 minutes on heavy pressing and 60 to 90 seconds on isolation work. Both short and long rests can work. (Rest review 2017)
• Order: I put chest first because the bench press is the heaviest lift in the session. ACSM found strength gains were better when a lift is done early in a session, but no study found tests chest versus shoulders directly. If your shoulders lag, put them first.

The set counts and rep ranges in the routines below are my suggestions based on the ranges above, not a protocol tested in a trial.

Beginner Routine (Twice a Week)

This gives about 10 chest sets and 12 shoulder sets per week, plus the front delt work from pressing.

Exercise	Sets and reps	Rest
Barbell bench press	3 x 6-10	2-3 minutes
Incline dumbbell press	2 x 8-12	90 seconds to 2 minutes
Overhead press	3 x 8-10	2 minutes
Lateral raise	3 x 12-15	60-90 seconds

Fuller Routine (Twice a Week)

This gives about 16 chest and 16 shoulder sets per week. If it is too much, start with one session a week and build up.

Exercise	Sets and reps	Rest
Barbell bench press	3 x 5-8	2-3 minutes
Incline dumbbell press	3 x 8-12	2 minutes
Dumbbell fly or cable crossover	2 x 12-15	60-90 seconds
Overhead press	3 x 6-10	2 minutes
Lateral raise	3 x 12-20	60-90 seconds
Rear delt fly	2 x 12-15	60-90 seconds

Optional Supersets

If your time is short, you can pair two exercises and rest after the pair. The superset meta-analysis found similar growth and strength to normal sets in a shorter session, though sessions felt harder. (Superset review 2025) Pairing two similar exercises lowered the load lifted, so pair opposing movements instead, for example:

• Cable crossover with rear delt fly
• Lateral raise with a lat pulldown

These pairs are examples, not tested combinations. Keep the heavy bench and overhead presses as normal sets with full rest.

Where It Fits in Your Week

• Upper and lower split: chest and shoulders on the upper days, with a back exercise added.
• Push, pull, legs: chest, shoulders and triceps on push day, with back and biceps on pull day. See the back and bicep workout.

FAQs

Should I train chest or shoulders first?

I put chest first because the bench press is the heaviest lift. ACSM found strength gains were better when a lift is done early in the session, but no study found compares chest-first with shoulders-first. If your shoulders are the weak point, train them first.

How many sets of chest and shoulders do I need each week?

At least 10 sets per muscle group per week is a good starting point, and 12 to 20 sets is a useful range for trained lifters who recover well. (ACSM 2026) (Baz-Valle 2022) Count the front delt work from pressing when you add up shoulder sets.

Do I need front raises on chest day?

Usually not. In the 13-man study the front delt reached about 33% of MVIC in a barbell overhead press, and about 21% in the bench press and the lateral raise, and about 19% in the dumbbell fly. (Campos 2020) Most of your time is better spent on the side and rear delts.

Can I do chest and shoulders at home?

Partly. Push-ups, dumbbell presses and lateral raises cover most of it. See upper body resistance band exercises for a no-gym option.

Which is better, flat or incline bench?

Both are fine. The flat bench works the middle and lower chest most, and an incline of about 30 degrees works the upper chest more. In the one growth trial (untrained men), isometric strength gains were similar. (Incline trial 2020) A mix of both covers it.

References

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