six workouts for a bigger chest

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You lift hard, you eat well, ergo you grow. But what if your chest training goes stale? Don’t keep banging out endless sets on the bench press. Reinvigorate your routine with one of these six killer workouts pulled from the Bodybuilding.com  If you really need a change of pace, try each of these workouts over the next few months, and check out each thread for additional notes and tips.

STANDARD MASS BUILDER

This classic, simple routine includes four tried-and true chest exercises. The dumbbell work will challenge your unilateral strength and correct your imbalances, the chest dips will evaluate how well you can move your own body after heavy work on the iron, and any man who can’t rip the pec deck has probably never filled out a T-shirt. Hit this session and build some size!

THIS CLASSIC, SIMPLE ROUTINE INCLUDES FOUR TRIED-AND TRUE CHEST EXERCISES. HIT THIS SESSION AND BUILD SOME SIZE!

Standard Mass Builder

•  
• Flat dumbbell press
  3 sets of 6-10 reps
•  
• Incline dumbbell press
  3 sets of 6-10 reps
•  
• Chest dip
  3 sets to failure
•  
• Pec deck fly
  3 sets of 10-12 reps

KONG CHEST LESSON

After a few years of lifting weights, you realize that not everything you’ve been told about lifting applies to you. Your body is special, and it requires specialized training to continue growing. The lifter who designed this workout grew from a beginner by cutting down his rest times and turning up the volume.

YOUR BODY IS SPECIAL, AND IT REQUIRES SPECIALIZED TRAINING TO CONTINUE GROWING.

Read through this forum post to learn more about training upgrades and get some helpful tips!

Kong Chest Workout (Advanced)

•  
• Incline dumbbell fly
  4 sets of 15-20 reps
•  
• Incline barbell press
  5 sets of 12-15 reps
•  
• Decline barbell press
  5 sets of 10-12 reps
•  
• Incline machine press
  5 sets of 15-20 reps

SUPERSET

•  
• Pec deck fly
  4 sets to failure
•  
• Push-up
  4 sets to failure

HIGH-REP CHEST, SHOULDER, AND TRICEPS BLAST

Bo posted this post-Christmas training smash in late 2014. It focuses on three different muscle groups that work together to move weight around the upper chest. All of the lifts are completed on machines, except the core work, which you can choose at your discretion.

PEC DECK FLY

This workout contains a total of 35 sets, so get ready for a high-volume upper-body assault. Bo completed this workout with a sinus infection, so you have zero excuses if you can’t complete it!

High-Rep Chest, Shoulder, and Triceps Blast

CHEST

•  
• Machine bench press
  5 sets of 12 reps
•  
• Pec deck fly
  5 sets of 12 reps

SHOULDERS

•  
• Machine overhead press
  5 sets of 12 reps
•  
• Machine rear delt fly
  5 sets of 12 reps

TRICEPS

•  
• Machine close-grip bench press
  5 sets of 15 reps
•  
• Machine triceps extension
  5 sets of 15 reps
•  
• Triceps rope push-down
  5 sets of 15 reps

ABS

•  
• Core work
  10 minutes

SIMPLE-BUT-EFFECTIVE CHEST WORKOUT

The title says it all. This is simple, this is effective, this is the essence of chest training. Lift your body, incorporate barbells and dumbbells, and squeeze the contractions. This workout calls for you to adjust the angle on the incline press after every two sets. Those changing angles will test your chest from every possible pressing position.

THIS IS SIMPLE, THIS IS EFFECTIVE, THIS IS THE ESSENCE OF CHEST TRAINING.

Simple But Effective Chest

• 
• Incline dumbbell press
  6 sets of 8 reps
  (adjust the angle of the bench every 2 sets.)
•  
• Flat barbell bench press
  4 sets of 8 reps
•  Weighted dip
  5 sets of 8 reps

SUPERSET

•  
• Dumbbell fly
  3 sets of 8 reps
  (Stop 3-6 inches before dumbbells touch)
•  
• Diamond push-up
  15 reps to failure

JUST-TRY-IT CHEST ROUTINE

This four-week program will annihilate every muscle fiber in your chest. The first week hits flat, incline, and decline presses, but each of the next three weeks focuses on a specific angle. The secret here is in the intensity. You only do 4 reps per set, but the workout calls for you to continue adding weight to those sets until you can’t go any longer!

CABLE FLY

Any man with enough courage to put his all into this will move a lot of weight. Rugbywilson suggests a pre-workout supplement and plenty of protein to recover from this chest torture.

Week 1: Chest

•  
• Barbell bench press
  4 reps, sets to failure

Start with 4-rep warm-up sets, then add weight. Do only 4 reps per set, then add more weight. Continue 4-rep sets—with increasing weight—until you need assistance to get that last rep or two, then move on.

•  
• Incline barbell bench press
  4 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Decline barbell bench press
  4 reps, sets to failure

Week 2: Flat Chest

•  
• Barbell bench press
  4 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Flat dumbbell bench press
  6 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Flat dumbbell fly
  8 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Neutral-height cable fly
  10 reps, sets to failure

Week 3: Incline Chest

•  
• Incline barbell bench press
  4 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Incline dumbbell bench press
  6 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Incline dumbbell fly
  8 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Neutral-height cable fly
  10 reps, sets to failure

PDF Document

Week 4: Decline Chest

•  
• Decline barbell bench press
  4 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Decline dumbbell bench press
  6 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Decline dumbbell fly
  8 reps, sets to failure
•  
• Neutral-height cable fly
  10 reps, sets to failure