Chest: moves, progressions and balance

Set up. Place your hands on the floor slightly wider than your shoulders and step your feet back so your body forms a straight line from head to heels.

1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled back at about forty-five degrees.
3. Go down until your chest is just above the floor.
4. Push the floor away to straighten your arms, keeping the body in one line.

Form cues

• Keep your body rigid like a plank.
• Keep your hands under your shoulders.
• Lower the chest, not the head.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips sag or pike up.
• Doing half reps that stop well above the floor.

Set up. Grip the parallel bars and jump or step up to straight arms, shoulders over your hands. Lean your torso slightly forward.

1. Bend your elbows and lower your body under control.
2. Go down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor, or as far as your shoulders are comfortable.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulders down, away from your ears.
• Lean forward a little to bring in more chest.
• Move slowly at the bottom.

Common mistakes

• Dropping too deep and letting the shoulders roll forward.
• Swinging the legs to get up.

Take care. Stop the set if the front of the shoulder hurts at the bottom, and use a shorter range or an assisted machine.

Set up. Place your hands on a sturdy bench, box or bar slightly wider than your shoulders and walk your feet back until your body is in a straight line.

1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest to the edge of the support.
3. Push back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your body in one straight line.
• A higher support makes it easier, a lower one harder.
• Keep your elbows at about forty-five degrees.

Common mistakes

• Letting the hips sag.
• Using a support that can slide or tip.

Set up. Place two sturdy push-up handles, blocks or weight plates under your hands, slightly wider than your shoulders. Step back into a straight plank.

1. Brace and lower your chest down between your hands.
2. Go below hand level to a comfortable stretch in the chest.
3. Push back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep the body rigid.
• Control the extra depth at the bottom.
• Keep the shoulders away from your ears.

Common mistakes

• Dropping into the bottom too fast.
• Using a deficit deeper than your shoulders can control.

Set up. Stand facing a wall about an arm's length away and place your hands on it at shoulder height, slightly wider than your shoulders.

1. Keep your body straight and bend your elbows to bring your chest toward the wall.
2. Stop just before your nose touches.
3. Push back to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your heels down if you can.
• Move as one straight line.
• Step farther from the wall to make it harder.

Common mistakes

• Bending at the hips instead of the elbows.
• Letting the head drop toward the wall first.

Set up. Kneel on a mat, place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and walk them forward until your body is straight from head to knees.

1. Brace your stomach and squeeze your glutes.
2. Lower your chest toward the floor, elbows angled back.
3. Push back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep a straight line from head to knees.
• Lower the chest, not the head.
• Pad your knees if the floor is hard.

Common mistakes

• Pushing the hips back so it becomes a bow.
• Doing only the top few inches of the movement.

Set up. Set up in a push-up position with your hands much wider than your shoulders, fingers turned slightly out.

1. Shift your weight toward one hand and bend that elbow, keeping the other arm nearly straight.
2. Lower your chest toward the bent arm's hand.
3. Push back up to the middle.
4. Alternate sides or finish all reps on one side first.

Form cues

• Keep the body rigid.
• Let the straight arm assist, not do the work.
• Keep the hips level.

Common mistakes

• Twisting the hips toward the working side.
• Bending both arms so it becomes a wide push-up.

Set up. Get into a push-up position with straight arms, hands under your shoulders and body in a straight line.

1. Keeping your elbows straight, let your chest sink so your shoulder blades come together.
2. Push the floor away so your shoulder blades spread apart and your upper back rounds slightly.
3. Repeat slowly through this small range.

Form cues

• The elbows never bend.
• Move only at the shoulder blades.
• Keep the hips still.

Common mistakes

• Bending the elbows and turning it into a small push-up.
• Letting the lower back sag.

Set up. Sit on a flat bench with a dumbbell on each thigh, then lie back and bring them up beside your chest. Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades together.

1. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your shoulders.
2. Lower them under control to the sides of your chest, elbows angled slightly in.
3. Stop when you feel a stretch across the chest.
4. Press back up, letting the dumbbells come a little closer together at the top.

Form cues

• Move both arms at the same speed.
• Keep your wrists straight over your elbows.
• Keep your back set on the bench.

Common mistakes

• Dropping the dumbbells too low and losing control at the bottom.
• Clanking the dumbbells together at the top.

Set up. Set the bench to a low incline, sit with a dumbbell on each thigh, and lie back with them beside your upper chest.

1. Press the dumbbells up over your upper chest until your arms are straight.
2. Lower them under control to the sides of your upper chest.
3. Stop at a comfortable stretch.
4. Press back up, bringing the dumbbells slightly together at the top.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulder blades back and down.
• Keep your elbows slightly in from straight out.
• Press up over the upper chest, not the face.

Common mistakes

• Setting the incline too steep.
• Losing control of the dumbbells at the bottom.

Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest. Sit back against the pad with your feet flat and grip the handles.

1. Push the handles forward until your arms are almost straight.
2. Pause briefly without locking your elbows hard.
3. Let the handles come back under control until you feel a stretch in the chest.

Form cues

• Keep your back against the pad.
• Keep your shoulders down.
• Control the return.

Common mistakes

• Setting the seat too low or high so the shoulders take over.
• Letting the weight stack slam between reps.

Set up. Place a flat bench under the Smith machine so the bar lines up with your lower chest. Lie back, grip slightly wider than your shoulders and set the safety stops.

1. Rotate the bar to unhook it and hold it over your chest with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to your lower chest.
3. Press back up to straight arms.
4. Rotate the bar back onto the hooks at the end of the set.

Form cues

• Line the bench up before you start.
• Keep your shoulder blades pinned.
• Keep your elbows at about forty-five degrees.

Common mistakes

• Placing the bench so the bar lands on the neck or belly.
• Bouncing the bar off the chest.

Take care. Set the safety stops just below chest height so a missed rep rests on them, not on you.

Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles start beside the middle of your chest. Sit with your back against the pad and grip the handles.

1. Press the handles forward as they move inward toward each other.
2. Stop just short of locking your elbows.
3. Return under control until you feel a stretch across the chest.

Form cues

• Keep your back and head on the pad.
• Think of bringing your arms together, not just straight forward.
• Control the stretch.

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders forward at the end.
• Rushing the return.

Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles start level with your upper chest. Sit back against the angled pad with your feet flat.

1. Press the handles up and forward until your arms are almost straight.
2. Pause briefly.
3. Lower under control to a stretch in the upper chest.

Form cues

• Keep your back against the pad.
• Keep your shoulders down.
• Keep your wrists straight.

Common mistakes

• Arching the back off the pad.
• Letting the stack crash between reps.

Set up. Choose an assistance weight, kneel or stand on the platform and grip the dip handles with straight arms.

1. Bend your elbows and lower your body under control.
2. Go down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor or as deep as your shoulders allow.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• More assistance weight makes it easier.
• Keep the shoulders down.
• Lean slightly forward.

Common mistakes

• Going deeper than the shoulders tolerate.
• Bouncing out of the bottom.

Set up. Set a cable at chest height, take the handle in one hand and step forward into a split stance facing away from the machine.

1. Start with the handle beside your chest, elbow bent.
2. Press the handle straight forward until the arm is extended.
3. Return under control to the start.
4. Finish the set and switch sides.

Form cues

• Keep your hips and shoulders square.
• Brace your stomach so you do not twist.
• Press in a straight line.

Common mistakes

• Rotating the torso to push the weight.
• Letting the shoulder roll forward at the end.

Set up. Lie on the floor with your knees bent and a dumbbell in each hand beside your chest, upper arms on the floor.

1. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your chest.
2. Lower under control until your upper arms touch the floor.
3. Pause briefly, then press again.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows at about forty-five degrees from your body.
• Touch the floor softly.
• Keep your wrists straight.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the elbows off the floor.
• Letting the dumbbells drift toward the face.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench holding two dumbbells over your chest, palms facing each other. Keep a small bend in your elbows.

1. Open your arms out to the sides in a wide arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed.
2. Lower until you feel a stretch across the chest and the dumbbells are about level with it.
3. Bring the dumbbells back together over your chest along the same arc.

Form cues

• Think of hugging a large tree.
• Keep the elbow angle the same throughout.
• Use a weight you can control at the bottom.

Common mistakes

• Bending and straightening the elbows so the fly becomes a press.
• Lowering the arms far below the bench.

Set up. Set both pulleys high, take a handle in each hand and step forward into a split stance. Lean slightly forward with a small bend in your elbows.

1. Start with your arms out to the sides and a stretch across the chest.
2. Bring the handles down and together in front of your lower chest in a wide arc.
3. Squeeze the chest for a moment with the hands close together.
4. Let the handles return along the same arc under control.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows slightly bent and fixed.
• Keep your torso still.
• Lead with the hands, not the shoulders.

Common mistakes

• Rocking the body to move the weight.
• Letting the shoulders roll forward at the end of each rep.

Set up. Adjust the seat so the handles or pads are at chest height. Sit with your back against the pad and hold the handles with a slight bend in your elbows.

1. Bring the handles together in front of your chest in a wide arc.
2. Squeeze the chest for a moment.
3. Let the handles open back out under control until you feel a stretch.

Form cues

• Keep your back against the pad.
• Keep the elbows slightly bent.
• Keep the shoulders down and back.

Common mistakes

• Letting the arms travel so far back that the shoulders strain.
• Using momentum to slam the handles together.

Set up. Set both pulleys low, take a handle in each hand and stand in the middle with a small step forward. Start with your arms down by your sides, palms forward.

1. Raise the handles up and together in a wide arc, ending in front of your upper chest.
2. Squeeze the upper chest for a moment.
3. Lower the handles back along the same arc under control.

Form cues

• Keep a small, fixed bend in the elbows.
• Keep your torso upright.
• Finish with the hands at about chin height.

Common mistakes

• Shrugging the shoulders up as the hands rise.
• Turning it into a front raise by lifting too high.

Set up. Set an incline bench between two low pulleys. Lie back with a handle in each hand, arms open to the sides and elbows slightly bent.

1. Bring the handles up and together over your upper chest in a wide arc.
2. Squeeze for a moment at the top.
3. Open the arms back out under control until you feel a stretch.

Form cues

• Keep the elbow bend fixed.
• Keep your back on the bench.
• Use a weight you control at the stretch.

Common mistakes

• Pressing instead of hugging.
• Letting the cables pull the arms too far back.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet flat on the floor. Grip the bar a little wider than shoulder width and squeeze your shoulder blades together and down.

1. Lift the bar out of the rack and hold it over your shoulders with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to your lower chest, elbows angled out at roughly forty-five degrees from your body.
3. Touch the chest lightly without bouncing.
4. Press the bar back up and slightly back until it sits over your shoulders again.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulder blades pinned to the bench.
• Drive your feet into the floor.
• Keep your wrists stacked over your elbows.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar off the chest.
• Flaring the elbows straight out to the sides.

Take care. Use a spotter or set the rack's safety arms just below chest height when you work near your limit.

Set up. Set the bench to a low incline and lie back with your eyes under the bar. Grip slightly wider than your shoulders and set your shoulder blades back and down.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your upper chest with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to the top of your chest, just below the collarbones.
3. Pause lightly without resting the bar on you.
4. Press back up to straight arms over your shoulders.

Form cues

• Keep your upper back tight against the bench.
• Lower to the upper chest, not the throat.
• Keep your forearms vertical.

Common mistakes

• Setting the bench so steep it becomes a shoulder press.
• Lifting the hips off the seat to finish a rep.

Take care. Use a spotter or safety arms when the weight is heavy, since the bar travels over your face and neck.

Set up. Lie on a decline bench with your legs hooked under the pads and your eyes under the bar. Grip a little wider than your shoulders.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest with straight arms.
2. Lower it under control to your lower chest.
3. Touch lightly without bouncing.
4. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your shoulder blades pulled back.
• Lower to the bottom of the chest.
• Keep the bar path smooth and controlled.

Common mistakes

• Bouncing the bar.
• Unracking or reracking without help, which is awkward from a head-down position.

Take care. Use a spotter to hand off and take the bar, since the head-down position makes racking awkward.

Set up. Lie on the floor inside a rack with the bar set low, knees bent or legs straight. Grip the bar a little wider than your shoulders.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest with straight arms.
2. Lower until your upper arms rest on the floor.
3. Pause briefly with no bounce.
4. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Let the elbows touch the floor gently.
• Keep your shoulder blades pulled together.
• Keep your wrists over your elbows.

Common mistakes

• Slamming the elbows into the floor.
• Losing tension during the pause.

Take care. Set the rack's safety arms or use a spotter, since you cannot easily roll the bar off from the floor.

Set up. Lie on a flat bench under the bar and grip it about shoulder width apart. Set your shoulder blades back and your feet flat.

1. Unrack the bar and hold it over your chest.
2. Lower it to your lower chest, keeping the elbows close to your sides.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows tucked.
• Keep the wrists straight.
• Touch the chest lightly.

Common mistakes

• Gripping so narrow that the wrists bend.
• Flaring the elbows.

Take care. Use a spotter or set safety arms when the weight is heavy.

Set up. Anchor one end of a barbell in a landmine or corner. Stand facing it in a staggered stance holding the free end at your shoulder in one hand.

1. Press the bar up and forward until your arm is straight.
2. Let your shoulder blade move with the arm at the top.
3. Lower under control to the shoulder.
4. Switch sides after the set.

Form cues

• Brace your stomach so the torso does not twist.
• Press up and away.
• Keep the elbow slightly in.

Common mistakes

• Leaning back to press.
• Rotating the hips.

Set up. Sit on the edge of a bench and place your hands beside your hips, fingers forward. Slide your hips off the bench with your feet on the floor in front of you.

1. Bend your elbows to lower your hips toward the floor.
2. Stop when your upper arms are about level with the floor.
3. Press back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep your back close to the bench.
• Keep the shoulders down.
• Bend the knees to make it easier.

Common mistakes

• Dropping too deep so the shoulders roll forward.
• Letting the hips drift away from the bench.

Set up. Get into a push-up position with your hands close together under your chest, index fingers and thumbs forming a diamond.

1. Brace your body in a straight line.
2. Lower your chest toward your hands, elbows close to your sides.
3. Push back up to straight arms.

Form cues

• Keep the elbows tucked.
• Keep the hips level.
• Lower to the hands.

Common mistakes

• Flaring the elbows.
• Letting the hips sag.

Set up. Lie across or along a flat bench holding one dumbbell with both hands over your chest, elbows slightly bent.

1. Lower the dumbbell back over your head in an arc, keeping the elbow bend fixed.
2. Stop at a comfortable stretch through the lats and chest.
3. Pull the dumbbell back over your chest along the same arc.

Form cues

• Keep your ribs down.
• Move only at the shoulders.
• Use a weight you control easily.

Common mistakes

• Arching the lower back as the weight goes back.
• Bending the elbows so it becomes an extension.