Barbell Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Lying on a flat bench place your hands up on the bar griping it slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Lift the bar up off the rack so that the bar is above your chest. Lower the bar directly down to the chest with your elbow pointing at approximately 45 degrees. Once the bar touches the chest, pause, and then press directly up again. Continue until all reps are completed and then re-rack the barbell.
Decline Barbell Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Warning: If you are new at this exercise, you should use a spotter. If no spotter is available, then be conservative with the amount of weight used.
Do not let the bar drift too far forward; it should touch down your lower chest only. Don’t bounce the weight off your chest. Keep full control of the barbell at all times.
Set a barbell in a weight rack at the low end of a decline bench, making sure it is at a height you can reach without fully extending your arms. Secure your feet under the stirrup, bar or strap at the high end of the bench and lie flat on your back with the rack slightly behind you.
Lying on the bench place your hands up on the bar griping it slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Place your legs under the leg support. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Lift the bar up off the rack so that the bar is above your chest. Lower the bar directly down to the chest with your elbow pointing at approximately 45 degrees. Once the bar touches the chest, pause, and then press directly up again, exhaling your breath. Continue until all reps are completed and then re-rack the barbell.
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Warning: If you are new at this exercise, you should use a spotter. If there is no-one available to spot for you, be conservative with the amount of weight you use. You can also supplement this exercise with the Smith Machine.
Lying on an incline bench place your hands up on the bar griping it slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Lift the bar up off the rack so that the bar is above your chest. Lower the bar directly down to the chest with your elbow pointing at approximately 45 degrees. Once the bar touches the chest, pause, and then press directly up again. Continue until all reps are completed and then re-rack the barbell.
Close Grip Barbell Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Triceps, Front Delts
Lying on a flat bench place your hands up on the bar griping it at shoulder width apart. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Lift the bar up off the rack so that the bar is above your chest. Lower the bar directly down to the chest with your elbow pointing straight ahead as if your elbows are brushing your ribs on the way down. Once the bar touches the bottom of your chest, pause, and then press directly up again. Continue until all reps are completed and then re-rack the barbell.
Dumbbell Flat Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip holding the dumbbells straight above your chest. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Your palms should be facing forward. Slowly lower the umbbells out and down to chest level with your elbow pointing at a 45 degree angle.
As you push the weights up, move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbells together, until they meet over the centre of your chest.
Decline Dumbbell Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Lie on a decline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip holding the dumbbells straight above your chest. Place your under the leg rest. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Your palms should be facing forward. Slowly lower the dumbbells out and down to chest level with your elbow pointing at a 45 degree angle.
As you push the weights up, move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbells together, until they meet over the centre of your chest.
Dips
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Front Delts, Triceps
Standing between the bars of a dip station, grip the bars with your palms facing inwards, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body. Allow your body weight to hang so it is being supported by your arms and shoulders. Keep your hips straight. Lower your body by slowly bending your elbows and leaning slightly forward and continue down until you feel a stretch in your chest, shoulders and triceps. Your elbow joint should be at approximately 90 degrees at the bottom of the movement.
As your strength increases, you can add weight by using a dip belt.
Assisted Dips
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Front Delts, Triceps
Select and appropriate weight on the assisted dip machine. The heavier the weight on the stack the more assistance is give. Kneel on the knee pad and grip the bars with your palms facing inwards, keeping your elbows tucked in close to your body. Keep your hips straight. Lower your body by slowly bending your elbows and leaning slightly forward and continue down until you feel a stretch in your chest, shoulders and triceps. Your elbow joint should be at approximately 90 degrees at the bottom of the movement.
You can also use a resistance band if you don’t have access to an
assisted dip machine.
Smith Machine Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Position a flat bench below the barbell of a Smith Machine.
Lie on the bench with your chest under the bar and place your hands slightly outside of shoulder width on the barbell. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up.
Push the barbell up then immediately rotate it so the hooks turn out. Slowly lower the barbell to chest level with your elbows pointing inwards at a 45 degree angle. Push the barbell back up to the starting position.
Smith Machine Incline Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Position an incline bench below the barbell of a Smith Machine.
Lie on the bench with your chest under the bar and place your hands slightly outside of shoulder width on the barbell. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up.
Push the barbell up then immediately rotate it so the hooks turn out. Slowly lower the barbell to chest level with your elbows pointing inwards at a 45 degree angle. Push the barbell back up to the starting position.
Smith Machine Decline Bench Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Position an decline bench below the barbell of a Smith Machine.
Lie on the bench with your chest under the bar and place your feet under the leg rest. Place your hands outside of shoulder width on the barbell. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up.
Push the barbell up then immediately rotate it so the hooks turn out. Slowly lower the barbell to chest level with your elbows pointing inwards at a 45 degree angle. Push the barbell back up to the starting position.
Machine Chest Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Sit on the chest press seat with your upper chest just above the horizontal handles. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Grasp the handles using a wide overhand grip and place your elbows out to the sides just below your shoulders. Push the levers out until your arms are fully extended. Lower the weight until your hands are at chest level.
Incline Machine Chest Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest, Shoulders, Triceps
Sit on the chest press seat with your upper chest just above the horizontal handles. Make sure your feet are flat on the floor. Grasp the handles using a wide overhand grip and place your elbows out to the sides just below your shoulders. Push the levers out until your arms are fully extended. Lower the weight until your hands are at chest level.
Dumbbell Hammer Chest Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an inverted grip holding the dumbbells straight above your chest. Your palms should be facing each other. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Slowly lower the dumbbells out and down to chest level in a half circle formation with a bend in your elbows. Lower the dumbbells to chest level. You should feel a stretch across your chest.
As you push the dumbbells up, move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbells together, until they meet over the centre of your chest.
Decline Dumbbell Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Lie on a decline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an inverted grip holding the dumbbells straight above your chest. Your palms should be facing each other. Place your feet under the leg rest. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Slowly lower the dumbbells out and down to chest level in a half circle formation with a bend in your elbows. Lower the dumbbells to chest level. You should feel a stretch across your chest.
As you push the dumbbells up, move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbells together, until they meet over the centre of your chest.
Incline Dumbbell Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an inverted grip holding the dumbbells straight above your chest. Your palms should be facing each other. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Slowly lower the dumbbells out and down to chest level in a half circle formation with a bend in your elbows. Lower the dumbbells to chest level. You should feel a stretch across your chest.
As you push the dumbbells up, move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbells together, until they meet over the centre of your chest.
Incline Hammer Dumbbell Chest Press
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand with an inverted grip holding the dumbbells straight above your chest. Your palms should be facing each other. Place your feet on the ground in line with or behind your knees. Create an arch in your lower back and push your chest up. Slowly lower the dumbbells out and down to chest level in a half circle formation with a bend in your elbows. Lower the dumbbells to chest level. You should feel a stretch across your chest.
As you push the dumbbells up, move your arms in an arc to bring the dumbbells together, until they meet over the centre of your chest.
Machine Lever Chest Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
Sit on a chest fly machine with your back flat against the back rest and your feet on the floor. Grip the handles and make sure your arms are parallel to the floor. If not parallel, adjust the seat or handles accordingly. This is the start position. Exhale and slowly push the handles together squeezing your chest to the middle as you do so. Hold for a count of one. Return to the starting position.
Standing Cable Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
You will need two cable machines for this exercise. Set the cable setting at shoulder height. Hold the handles with an inverted (palms facing each other) grip. Push the cables out in front of you and take one step forward. Have one foot forward and one foot back. With your arms stretched out in front of your chest bring your arms back and bend your elbows so that you are making a large half circle with your hands. Bring your hands back to chest level then press the cables out again in front of you.
Incline Cable Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
You will need two cable machines for this exercise plus an incline bench. Set the cable pulley at the bottom setting. Lie on the bench and hold the handles with an inverted (palms facing each other) grip out in front of you. With your arms stretched out in front of your chest bring your arms back and bend your elbows so that you are making a large half circle with your hands. Bring your hands back to chest level then press the cables out again in front of you.
Low Standing Cable Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
You will need two cable machines for this exercise. Set the cable setting to the lowest setting on the cable machine. Hold both handles with an inverted (palms facing each other) grip. Push the cables out in front of you at chest height and take one step forward. Have one foot forward and one foot back. With your arms stretched out in front of your chest bring your arms back and down and bend your elbows so that you are making a large half circle with your hands. Bring your hands back to hip level then press the cables up to chest level again in front of you.
High Cable Fly
Primary muscle group(s):
Chest
You will need two cable machines for this exercise. Set the cable pulley above shoulder height. Grip both handles and push the cable out in front of your. Take one step forward. With your arms stretched out in front of your chest bring your arms back and bend your elbows so that you are making a large half circle with your hands. Bring your hands back to chest level then press the cables out again in front of you.
