Is a sculpted chest one of your fitness goals? Bench press should definitely not be missing in your training plan. Having a strong chest shows how seriously you take your training. But this proverbial exercise is definitely not enough to shape your pectoral muscles aesthetically from every point of view.

It is important to exercise the chest at different angles. That is why we have prepared an ideal combination of strength and isolated exercises for you. In the same way, you train other body parts, start with a smaller weight load and learn the correct technique first. You will prevent possible injury. Don't forget to warm up your muscles. Let's work together to achieve your goal.

EXERCISE NO. 1

Starting position: Sit on the seat of the strength machine, straighten your back and pull your shoulder blades together. Grasp the handles of the machine with outstretched arms so that your upper arms are at shoulder level, and bend your elbows slightly. Watch out for a bent wrist. The whole feet rest firmly on the ground in a slight straddle.

Using the contraction of the pectoral muscles, pull your hands together as you exhale. Take a breath, return your hands to the starting position and repeat the exercise.

You are exercising the middle part of the pectoral muscles.

EXERCISE NO. 2

Starting position: Lie on your back on a slightly inclined bench. Pull the shoulder blades together, the shoulders back and down. Grip slightly wider than shoulder width. The whole feet rest firmly on the ground in a slight straddle. Press the barbell so that your elbows are slightly bent and your wrists are not twisted.

With an inhale, slowly lower the barbell to your chest. Exhaling and using the contraction of the pectoral muscles, push the barbell back to the starting position until your elbows are almost straight.

In this way, you exercise the upper part of the pectoral muscles.

EXERCISE NO. 3

The starting position and execution of the exercise are very similar to exercise no. 2: Lie on your back on a horizontal bench, pull your shoulder blades together, and your shoulders back and down. Grip slightly wider than shoulder width. The feet rest firmly on the ground in a slight straddle. Press the barbell so that your elbows are slightly bent and your wrists are not twisted.

With an inhale, slowly lower the barbell to your chest. With an exhalation and the contraction of the pectoral muscles, push the barbell back to the starting position until your elbows are almost straight. The movement of the barbell is from the sternum to eye level, so you make a slight arch with your arms when lifting.

You can exercise on a machine, with a free large barbell, or on a multipress. You are exercising the entire pectoral muscles.

EXERCISE NO. 4

Starting position: Adjust the backrest slightly at an angle so that your chest is in line with the handles of the machine. If using one-handers, grip them so that your wrists are shoulder-width apart. Turn your palms towards you and bend your elbows at a right angle.

With an exhalation, push your hands in front of you and with an inhalation, return to the starting position.

EXERCISE NO. 5

Starting position: Stand in the middle between two pulleys and slightly bend both knees. For greater stability, you can also step forward with one foot. Grasp the handles of the upper pulleys with your palm and bend your torso forward. Watch out for slouching and excessive bending of the elbows.

Engage the pectoral muscles again and with an exhalation, pull the handles of the pulleys all the way to you. The movement of the hands is directed downward and slightly forward. With a breath, slowly return to the starting position. You can hold the pulleys for 1-2 seconds before returning to the starting position.

Ideal for the middle part of the pectoral muscles.

It is ideal to repeat each exercise 8-12 times in 3 sets. Follow your plan and regularity at least 2 times a week.

To begin with, it is enough if you choose 3 exercises and gradually add more. Repeat each exercise 8 - 12 times in the 1st series. In the other two series, always decrease by 1-2 repetitions.

And don't forget that besides regular exercise, it is also important for muscle growth to include enough time for regeneration, high water intake and a protein-focused diet. You will achieve the best results by performing the correct exercise technique, so don't overdo it with the weight overload right at the beginning.

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