Master the Barbell: The Ultimate Guide to Chest Gains

Primary Target Area

Pectoralis Major (Sternal Head), Pectoralis Major (Clavicular Head), Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii

How to Perform

1. Lie flat on the bench with feet firmly planted on the floor; grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder-width, retract your scapulae, and unrack the bar to a position directly over your mid-chest.
2. Inhale and lower the barbell in a controlled manner toward your lower sternum, keeping your elbows tucked at approximately a 45-degree angle from your torso.
3. Touch the bar lightly to your chest without bouncing, maintaining full-body tension and ensuring your forearms remain vertical.
4. Drive the bar upward in a slight diagonal arc toward your face by extending the elbows and pushing your feet into the ground (leg drive), exhaling at the top of the movement.

Recommended Sets & Reps

3-5 sets of 5-8 reps for a balance of strength and hypertrophy. For maximal strength, utilize 3-5 sets of 1-5 reps; for muscle growth, utilize 3 sets of 8-12 reps.

Primary Target Area

Pectoralis Major (Clavicular Head), Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii

How to Perform

1. Step 1: Set an adjustable bench to a 30 to 45-degree incline. Lie back with your feet flat on the floor, retract your shoulder blades, and grip the barbell slightly wider than shoulder-width with a full overhand grip.
2. Step 2: Unrack the bar and position it directly over your upper chest; inhale and press the weight upward in a slight arc toward your mid-face until your arms are fully extended.
3. Step 3: At the top of the movement, pause briefly to maximize tension in the upper pectorals while ensuring your shoulder blades remain pinned against the bench.
4. Step 4: Lower the barbell under control to the upper chest (just below the collarbone), keeping your elbows tucked at approximately a 45-degree angle to your torso to protect the shoulder joints.

Recommended Sets & Reps

3-4 sets of 6-10 reps for a balance of mechanical tension and metabolic stress. Focus on 5-8 reps for strength or 10-12 reps for maximum hypertrophy.

Primary Target Area

Pectoralis Major (Lower/Costal Head), Triceps Brachii, Anterior Deltoid

How to Perform

1. Secure your feet firmly under the leg pads and lie back on a decline bench (15-30 degrees), gripping the barbell with a medium-to-wide overhand grip and unracking it to a position directly over your lower chest.
2. Inhale and lower the barbell in a controlled arc toward your lower sternum, keeping your elbows tucked at approximately a 45-degree angle to the torso to protect the shoulder joints.
3. Pause briefly at the bottom of the movement when the bar lightly touches your chest, maintaining full muscular tension and avoiding any momentum or bouncing.
4. Exhale and drive the weight back to the starting position by extending your elbows and contracting the chest, ensuring your shoulder blades remain retracted and depressed throughout the lift.

Recommended Sets & Reps

3-4 sets of 8-12 reps for muscle growth (hypertrophy). For maximum strength development, utilize 3-5 sets of 4-6 reps with longer rest intervals.

Primary Target Area

Pectoralis Major (Clavicular and Sternal Heads), Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii

How to Perform

1. Step 1: Lie flat on a bench and grasp the barbell with a grip significantly wider than shoulder-width, positioning yourself so the bar is aligned directly over your collarbone.
2. Step 2: Press the barbell upward by extending your arms vertically, focusing on driving the weight using the chest while keeping your elbows flared out at a 90-degree angle.
3. Step 3: At the top of the movement, pause for a second to maximize peak contraction in the upper pectorals without fully locking out the elbows.
4. Step 4: Lower the bar slowly and under strict control toward the base of your neck or upper chest, maintaining the flared elbow position throughout the descent.

Recommended Sets & Reps

3-4 sets of 10-15 reps for muscle growth (hypertrophy). This exercise should be performed with lighter loads and higher repetitions to minimize the risk of shoulder impingement.

Primary Target Area

Triceps Brachii, Pectoralis Major (Sternal Head), Anterior Deltoid

How to Perform

1. Step 1: Lie flat on your back on the floor inside a power rack with your knees bent and feet flat; grip the barbell with a slightly narrower than shoulder-width grip and unrack the weight over your chest.
2. Step 2: Lower the bar slowly until your triceps/elbows make light, controlled contact with the floor, keeping your elbows tucked at a 45-degree angle to your torso.
3. Step 3: Pause for one second at the bottom to completely eliminate momentum and the stretch reflex.
4. Step 4: Press the bar explosively back to the starting position by extending your elbows and squeezing your triceps and chest at the top.

Recommended Sets & Reps

3-5 sets of 5-8 reps for strength and power development. For triceps hypertrophy, perform 3 sets of 10-12 reps focusing on the lockout.