The Ultimate Chest Workout for Advanced Weightlifters

For all the talk about functional fitness and core training these days, most lifters remained focused on one section of the body: the chest.

For many guys, a broad, lean torso—the foundation for a chiseled, V-shaped upper body tapering to a narrow waist—remains a timeless goal. That’s why many gym rats still schedule chest days or chest-and-back days into their weekly routines. And you know what? Most traditional chest exercises don’t just build muscle—they also address all those trendy functional fitness movements geared toward generating strength, explosion, and power.

That’s why the NFL continues to have rookie hopefuls bench 225lbs as many times as they can at the underwear Olympics known as the NFL Combine. It’s also why dips, pushups, and pullups remain reliable standbys (perhaps now more than ever) in an era of urban workouts, minimalist equipment, and bodyweight movements.

Whatever emphasis you place on your chest routine, this ultimate workout will produce results.

Directions

This workout is structured as a circuit. You’ll do the following six exercises performed in a circuit. Do three circuits total. (Need a greater challenge? Do four.)

Don’t rest at all between the exercises. Will all those reps add up? You bet. But by alternating between push movements and pull movements, we can move continuously between exercises with no rest. A one-minute water break between sets is permitted.

The dumbbell press doesn’t require a spotter, and challenges your shoulders to stabilize your body more than a barbell bench.

Lying face-up on a bench, hold the dumbbells at the outside of your shoulders. With palms facing your thighs, lift both dumbbells over your chest. Keeping one arm straight, lower the other dumbbell, touch the outside of your shoulder, and push it back up. At the top of the movement, push farther with both hands, as if trying to punch the ceiling. Repeat for 10 reps on each side.

Sure, it’s more of a back or shoulder maneuver—but nothing is better for creating that V-shape than pullups. And this pulling motion breaks up the push-heavy chest workout, enabling you to keep moving without rest. Aim for 10 reps. If that sounds like a lot, just remember: the Presidential Physical Test you took in fifth grade only required five. You’ve hit puberty since.

Place a broom handle, dowel, or PVC pipe along your spine and see how much more challenging the traditional pushup becomes. Not only does this force you to use proper form, it requires you to stay focused and engaged. Do a set of 20.

This total-body exercise works the chest, too. Stand on one leg, gripping a stable surface in front of you (perhaps the dumbbell rack) with one hand. Bend forward by dropping your chest and lifting the leg opposite your free hand. (So if you’re holding the rack with your right hand, lift your left leg.) Grab a dumbbell with your free hand. Pull it to the side of your waist, lower it, and raise it again. Do 10 on each side.

So basic yet so effective because you’re lifting your entire bodyweight, dips put your triceps on a much heavier load than a typical isolation exercise. Lift yourself up on parallel bars with torso staying perpendicular to the ground. Maintain this posture throughout.

Another reliable chest standby, and with good reason—few moves work the pecs as well. Lying supine on a flat bench, hold a pair of dumbbells over your chest with elbows slightly bent, palms facing each other. Separate the hands and lower the dumbbells to the sides until you feel a stretch in your chest. At the bottom of the movement, your palms should be facing the ceiling. Reverse the motion until you reach the starting point, a movement some liken to “hugging a barrel.” Admittedly, this is more of a push movement, so take a short 30-second break after dips if needed.