You can improve the strength and thickness of your lower pecs by including this lower chest bodyweight workout into your training regime without Weight. Having a well-developed lower chest helps create a fuller upper body and also has functional benefits.
When we talk about chest muscles, it’s important to note that there are two main sections, upper and lower pecs. To achieve the greatest muscle thickness and strength, you should develop the muscle from all angles.
Specific workouts, like lower chest bodyweight workouts, work on specific muscles, which improves the look. To build the lower or sternal portion of the chest, you need to focus on exercises that will create a defined muscle. This will help you distinguish it from the abdomen. Today we break down the basics of training for one of the most stubborn parts of the anatomy.
How can I build my lower chest without weights?
Many people choose to build muscle with bodyweight exercises because they have many benefits. When it comes to resistance, your body reacts to any kind of resistance, whether you are using weights, a bottle of water, or your own body.
Choosing the right exercises, with the right intensity, allows you to eliminate the need for weights from your lower chest workout routine.
Benefits of Lower Chest Bodyweight Workout.
When it comes to training, the lower pecs, bodyweight push-ups exercises are a perfect choice because:
- Lower chest bodyweight workout will improve muscular endurance within the upper body, strengthen both muscles and bones.
- It will boost your explosiveness. Don’t believe me? Wait until you’ve worked your plyo push-ups to the flying progressions, and you’ll see what I mean!
- The movements you’ll learn are highly functional. You’ll not only gain strength and size; you’ll become more powerful all around, your joints will stronger, and your core will tighten.
- A bodyweight workout for the lower chest that does not use weights requires more balance, which can lead to more muscle fiber being used.
- Doing a Lower chest bodyweight workout can be a powerful full-body workout and help to burn more calories.
- As you’ll be moving your full body around, these drills will improve your metabolism, get you to burn more fat and help you achieve that mean and lean look.
6 Best Bodyweight Lower Chest Exercises
Here Are 6 lower chest exercises that require no equipment, or just a slight modification to target your lower pectorals.
1. Incline Push-Ups
Pushups are a great multi-functional exercise because they work the entire upper body and back.
Push-ups can be performed with a multitude of variations to bring about different muscular recruitment patterns. Performing push-ups at an incline angle will put more focus on the lower chest.

Execution Technique
- Stand in front of the bench. Place the hands shoulder-width apart on the edge of the bench.
- Adopt an incline plank position by extending the legs backward until the legs and back form a straight line.
- Slowly bend the arms to lower the chest toward the bench. Remember to keep the elbows and arms close to the body.
- Slowly push the body away from the bench, extending the arms but maintaining a slight bend in the elbow.
Tips
- Exhale while you exert.
- Stand at a comfortable distance from the bench.
2. Reverse Grip Push-Ups
The reverse grip push-up is a fun and great variation of the standard push-up. The exercise is done with your fingers facing your feet (your palms outward).
These push-ups require your hands to be closer to the hips beneath the lower chest level. This makes your lower chest, as well as front shoulders, work extra hard during the movement.

Execution Technique
- Get down into a press-up position with your hands placed, so your fingers are pointing towards your toes.
- Take a big breath in and slowly start to bend your elbows. Do not let your elbows move outwards (away from your body).
- Lower yourself until you are about an inch from the floor. Pause the movement when you are at the bottom for a second.
- Push through your palms like you would try to push the floor away from yourself, extending the arms but maintaining a slight bend in the elbow.
- Repeat this for however many repetitions you wish to perform.
Tips
- Always make sure to do a proper warm up especially focusing on warming up and stretching your wrists
- Keep your neck in a neutral position to avoid stressing and hurting it.
- Take it slow and easy when lowering yourself and really explode back up!
3. Stability Ball Push Up
Using a Swiss ball (or exercise ball) can bring an extra element to push-ups, giving you an uneven inclined surface to increase the difficulty, which making it a perfect exercise for hitting the lower chest.
You’ll have to focus on maintaining your balance on the ball, which allows you to work more than you would be performing the standard, floor-bound version of the classic move.

Execution Technique
- Lay with your chest on the stability ball. Place your hands on the ball at the sides of your chest. They will be shoulder-width apart.
- Place feet back and lean forward so that your chest is directly over the ball, and you are supported on your toes.
- Push your body up, until your arms are almost straight (do not lock your elbows). Pause here for a second.
- Breathe out and extend your arms to bring your upper body back to starting position. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Tips
- Do not let your lower back sag or your butt rise. Ensure your body is straight and rigid.
- Keep your glutes and core muscles contracted.
- Your neck should be in line with your body, not tilted up, which could strain the neck.
4. Hindu Push-up
The Hindu push up is a traditional Indian-style exercise practiced by wrestlers. Each repetition includes going from a downward dog position to a cobra pose, swooping by holding the head and body close to the ground.
The arms would be straight at the beginning and the end of the exercise. This variety of push-ups has existed for centuries among Indian martial artists. It works on core strength, shoulders, hips, and triceps.

Execution Technique
- Start in a downward dog pose, with your hands shoulder-width apart, your body in a V shape, and your feet hip-width apart.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest until it’s just above the floor, going into low plank pose.
- In a scooping motion, scoop your head upward while arching your lower and upper back and go into cobra pose.
- To return to the starting position, you do not need to reverse back through the sweeping, arching motion. Simply push back into the starting position.
Tips
- Engage your core, relax the spine and neck, open the shoulders and keep the movement smooth.
- Keep the elbows close to your body.
- Remember to breathe correctly as you do the push-ups.
5. Close Grip Medicine ball Push-up
The close-grip medicine ball push-up is an upper body strength exercise that targets the chest and shoulders, with slightly more of an emphasis on the triceps. The unstable surface of the ball also helps improve core strength and stability.
Resistance can be reduced by performing push-ups with knees bent on the floor or placing a medicine ball on a higher platform.

Execution Technique
- Get in the standard push-up position with your hands on a medicine ball directly beneath your chest. Your left thumb and forefinger should touch your right thumb and forefinger.
- Bend your elbows to lower yourself in a controlled manner. Maintain a rigid core as your chest moves towards the top of the ball.
- Hold for one to two seconds before breathing out, extending your arms and pushing your body back to starting position.
- Repeat the desired number of repetitions.
Tip
- Focus on maintaining balance during both phases.
- Do not let your hips sag during the movement.
- Your elbows should be tucked at your sides, not flared out.
6. Chest Dip
Chest dip is one of the most effective bodyweight compound workout for the upper body, especially pushing muscles in the lower chest and triceps.
When performed on narrow parallel bars with elbows back and your torso upright, the dip becomes one of the best exercises for building triceps mass.
Dips can be modified to do at home by using two stable chairs or any kind of stable elevated surface.

Execution Technique
- Grasp the dip bars with your arms extended and locked. Keep your body as vertical as possible to keep the emphasis on the triceps and away from the chest.
- Keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible as you bend them to lower your body down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
- Press your hands forcefully into the bars to extend your arms and raise your body back up.
- Repeat for the recommended number of repetitions.
Tips
- Do not lock out your elbows at the top of the movement.
- To focus effort on the triceps, keep your body upright and elbows tucked in.
How can I work out my lower chest at home?
There are many benefits to bodyweight training, one of which is that you can do it anywhere. Keep in mind that you need to make certain changes when you do the exercises at home. However, your furniture may be sufficient enough for a quality workout.
Instead of doing parallel bar dips, you could use any elevated surface, such as a couple of chairs. You could also use a sofa or chair when doing incline push-ups.
Once you learn how to make basic changes, you can start to be more creative.
Takeaway
It can be difficult to train parts of the body that are particularly stubborn, but with persistence, the right methods, and slight modifications to familiar exercises, you might be able to make a positive change.
To build an aesthetic and muscular upper body, it’s important to train the chest as a whole unit and then focus on activation of all 3 areas of the muscle.
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