Middle Chest

Barbell Bench Press

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a regular free weight flat bench press machine. Lie flat on your back and grab the barbell above you with a grip slightly beyond shoulder width apart. Lift the barbell off of the rack and slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. DO NOT TOUCH THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST (this causes unneeded stress on your shoulder joints and takes the tension away from your pec muscles, which are what we want to be doing the work!). Be sure that when you are lowering the bar that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Conversely, when you press the bar upward, you want to do so in an explosive fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure. Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!

Barbell Pullovers

Exercise Advice: Lie flat on your back on a flat bench. Using an EZ Curl bar, begin by holding the bar above your chest with your elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower the barbell back so as to stretch your arms (and the barbell) back behind your head as far as you can reach. Your arms and the barbell will actually go behind/above your head and will drop down below the bench- this will really give you a great stretch! Return the bar to the start position slowly, focusing on keeping your elbows locked in the slightly bent position.

Dumbbell Pullovers

Exercise Advice: This is very similar to the bent arm barbell pullovers, except that you will be using a dumbbell instead of a barbell. Lie flat on your back on a flat bench. Begin by holding the dumbbell above your chest with your elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower the dumbbell back so as to stretch your arms (and the dumbbell) back behind your head as far as you can reach. Your arms and the dumbbell will actually go behind/above your head and will drop down below the bench- this will really give you a great stretch! Return the dumbbell to the start position slowly, focusing on keeping your elbows locked in the slightly bent position.

Pec Deck Butterflys

Exercise Advice: Using a Pec Deck machine, seat yourself in it accordingly. Perform the exercise by squeezing your forearms and elbows in together so that you virtually touch them together at the peak of the movement. Be sure to really squeeze your pecs at the peak of this movement for a one-count. Return to the start position and repeat.

Cable Crossovers

Exercise Advice: This exercise is performed using the cable pulley machine that has a pulley on two opposite sides. Set each pulley up so that it is locked in the high position (if you are not sure how to do this, ask a trainer at the gym you workout at to assist you). While standing, grab each high pulley using a small one-hand attachment for each hand. The position your body will be in will look like a giant letter “T.” Slowly bring your arms together in a slow and controlled fashion. While doing so, visualize that you are hugging a giant tree trunk. At the peak of this movement, really flex your pec muscles together for a one-count and then return to the start position and repeat.

Close-Grip Barbell Bench Press

Exercise Advice: This exercise is exactly the same as the free weight medium grip barbell bench press except that you will use a closer grip when performing this exercise. Lie flat on your back and grab the barbell above you with a grip about 12 inches apart. Lift the barbell off of the rack and slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. DO NOT TOUCH THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST (this causes unneeded stress on your shoulder joints and takes the tension away from your pec muscles, which are what we want to be doing the work!). Be sure that when you are lowering the bar that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Conversely, when you press the bar upward, you want to do so in an explosive fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure. Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!

Dips

Exercise Advice: Find a set of dip bars and position yourself on them with your knees bent and your lower legs crossed. Slowly lower your torso down to where your chest nearly touches the front of the dip bar and then return to the start position and repeat until failure.

Flat Bench Dumbbell Press

Exercise Advice: Lie flat on your back on a free standing flat bench. Have your spotter hand you each dumbbell and slowly press them upward and together. When you press them upward, you want to do so in an explosive fashion. Conversely, be sure that when you lower the dumbbells you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure. Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!

Flat Bench Dumbbell Flyes

Exercise Advice: This exercise is very similar to both the decline dumbbell flyes and the Butterflies. Position yourself on a free standing flat bench, flat on your back. Have your spotter hand you each dumbbell. When you begin this movement, you want your arms to be stretched out wide to your sides with your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing inward, toward one another. When you lift the dumbbells up together, visualize hugging a giant tree trunk. At the peak of the movement, really squeeze your pecs together for a one-count. When returning to the start position, be sure to lower the dumbbells in a slow and controlled fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure. Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!

Flat Bench Cable Flyes

Exercise Advice: This exercise is very similar to both the dumbbell flyes and the cable crossovers. Place a free standing flat bench in between a cable pulley machine that has pulleys on two sides. Position yourself on the flat bench, flat on your back. Using a low pulley on each side, have your spotter hand you the one-hand attachment for each hand. When you begin this movement, you want your arms to be stretched out wide to your sides with your elbows slightly bent and your palms facing inward, toward one another. When you lift the pulleys up together, visualize hugging a giant tree trunk. At the peak of the movement, really squeeze your pecs together for a one-count. When returning to the start position, be sure to lower the pulleys in a slow and controlled fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.

Isometric Chest Presses

Exercise Advice: You can either stand or sit (with your back upright) to perform this exercise. Simply clasp your hands together and push them together as hard as you can for at least 10-15 seconds, focusing on completely flexing your pec muscles the entire time. Relax and repeat.

Machine Bench Press

Exercise Advice: Position yourself on a machine bench press (some are structured to have you in a seated position, while others have you lying flat on your back). Simply begin by pressing the weight outward/upward in an explosive fashion. When you return to the start position, be sure that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.

Single Arm Dumbbell Flyes

Exercise Advice: This exercise is very similar to both the regular dumbbell flyes and cable flat bench flyes. The only difference is that you will be using only one arm at a time to perform this exercise. Position yourself on a free standing flat bench, flat on your back. Have your spotter hand you a dumbbell. When you begin this movement, you want your arm to be stretched out wide to your side with your elbow slightly bent and your palm facing inward, toward the bench. When you lift the dumbbell up, visualize hugging a giant tree trunk with that arm. When returning to the start position, be sure to lower the dumbbell in a slow and controlled fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure. Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!

Narrow Grip Push Ups

Exercise Advice: This exercise is your basic pushup, but with varying widths of hand positioning. For the close hand position, you are going to place your hands on the ground about 2 inches apart and perform regular pushups until failure. For the wide hand position, you will perform the exact same exercise, but your hands will be on the ground as far apart from one another as possible while still allowing you to execute the pushup.

Pushups

Exercise Advice: Place your hands on the floor just beyond shoulder width apart. Keep your back straight and your knees straight and parallel to the floor. Slowly lower your body so as to touch your nose to the floor and then return to the start position by explosively pressing yourself upward. Again, it is imperative to keep your back and body as straight as possible throughout this movement.

Smith Machine Bench Press

Exercise Advice: This exercise is very similar to the regular flat barbell bench press. The only difference is that the Smith machine acts as a spotter for you! Place a free standing flat bench under a Smith Machine (if you not know what a Smith machine, simply ask a trainer at your gym to assist you). Lie flat on your back and grab the barbell above you with a grip slightly beyond shoulder width apart. Lift the barbell off of the rack and slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. DO NOT TOUCH THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST (this causes unneeded stress on your shoulder joints and takes the tension away from your pec muscles, which are what we want to be doing the work!). Be sure that when you are lowering the bar that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Conversely, when you press the bar upward, you want to do so in an explosive fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure.

Wide Grip Barbell Bench Press

Exercise Advice: This exercise is exactly the same as the medium grip barbell bench press except that your grip will be as wide apart as possible. Position yourself on a regular free weight flat bench press machine. Lie flat on your back and grab the barbell above you with a grip as wide as possible. Lift the barbell off of the rack and slowly lower it to about 3 inches above your chest and then press the bar back to the start position. DO NOT TOUCH THE BAR TO YOUR CHEST (this causes unneeded stress on your shoulder joints and takes the tension away from your pec muscles, which are what we want to be doing the work!). Be sure that when you are lowering the bar that you do so in a slow and controlled fashion. Conversely, when you press the bar upward, you want to do so in an explosive fashion. Repeat this movement for as many repetitions as you can until failure. Remember to always use a spotter when performing this and almost every other free weight exercise!

Free Motion Cable Crossovers

Exercise Advice: Using the Free Motion machine, securely hold both handles and position yourself in a balanced stance. While keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly bring the cables out in front of you while keeping the tension entirely on your chest muscles. Squeeze your chest at the peak position and let the weight back up slowly to the starting position.

Medicine Ball One Arm Pushups

Exercise Advice: Using a medicine ball, get into a regular pushup position. Leave one hand securely on the ground and bring the other hand and position it on top of the medicine ball. Slowly perform a regular pushup and focus tension on the pec muscle which your pushing off the medicine ball with.