Use This Chest Workout For Beginners To Get Stronger

Woman performs bench press with an empty barbell while a woman PT watches

(Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

There are several exercises you would always expect to see in the best chest workouts, such as press-ups and bench presses. Getting familiar with those moves is essential if you are looking to bulk up and increase muscle definition in your chest, and this chest workout for beginners will help you do just that.

Along with the bench press and press-up the workout contains three other excellent moves that will work not only your chest but also your entire upper body and core, so you can be sure you’re building balanced strength rather than focusing solely on the pecs.

To use the five exercises in a workout, tackle each of them in turn with two minutes’ rest between moves. You can also pick from the first four moves and add them to your other workouts to increase the emphasis on your chest.

You’ll need a barbell, a set of dumbbells and a weights bench to complete the workout, so it’s one that’s best done in a gym (try this home chest workout if you don’t have a gym membership). We’ve suggested reps, sets and rest periods that should bring you almost to the point of failure on the final set of each move. If you find it too easy or hard, increase or decrease your reps, sets and rests accordingly.

When picking the weight for the bench press and dumbbell flye we’d urge you to go light at first and ensure you can complete the first set comfortably. If you struggle at all then switch to lighter weights. It’s more important to complete the workout safely and with good form, especially when you’re a beginner, than it is to impress everyone else in the gym.

Chest Workout For Beginners

1 Press-up

A man performs a press-up at home — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Sets 5 Reps 15 Rest 90sec

Start with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower yourself towards the floor until your elbows reach 90˚. Press back up to return to the start.

Use our guide to master the press-up

2 Bench press

Sets 5 Reps 8 Rest 90sec

Lie on the bench with your feet on the floor directly underneath your knees. Hold the bar with an overhand grip with your hands shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower the bar towards your chest, taking your elbows out to 90˚, until the bar is almost touching the middle of your chest or is just above your nipples. Drive your feet hard into the floor and push the bar strongly back to the start.

Use our guide to master the bench press

3 Spider-Man press-up

Man performs a Spider-Man push up on decking — (Image credit: Getty Images)

Sets 5 Reps 10 each side Rest 90sec

Get into a press-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body straight from head to heels. Lower your chest towards the ground and bring one knee up towards your chest. Once your elbows reach 90˚ press back up and straighten your leg to return to the start. On the next rep, bring the other knee up.

4 Dumbbell flye

A man performs a chest flye with dumbbells — (Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus / Michael Edwards)

Sets 5 Reps 8 Rest 90sec

Lie on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand directly above your chest with your palms facing each other. Make sure your head and upper back are supported on the bench and your feet are flat on the floor. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the weights out to the sides as far as is comfortable. Use your chest to reverse the move back to the start.

Use our guide to master the dumbbell flye

5 Side plank

A man holds the side plank position — (Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Time To failure

Lie on your side with your elbow beneath your shoulder. Raise yourself so your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold the position as long as you can. When your hips sag, the rep ends.

Use our guide to master the side plank