If you’re annoyed with how your upper chest looks and want to get symmetrical, full pectorals, check out these exercises.
But first, let’s explore the muscles you’ll be training to develop your upper chest using these exercises.
Upper Chest Muscles Worked
You'll be concentrating on the pectoralis major muscle while working on the upper chest. The clavicular head refers to the region directly under the collarbone.
We sometimes overlook this section of the pectoralis major in favour of the sternocostal head, which is much larger.
Have you ever noticed a depression between the pectoral muscle and the collarbone? They're probably focusing on middle and lower chest exercises while ignoring the upper chest.
Check out these seven upper chest exercises to include in your workout if you're looking to bulk up your chest.
1. Low-to-High Cable Crossover
With proper alignment, the cable crossover is a flexible exercise that can target the upper chest muscle.
The sternal head will be focused on first, with the cables in the top position. The clavicular head, on the other hand, is enabled when the cable is moved to the bottom of the unit.
How to do it:
Position the cables to pull from the lowest setting.
Once you have your weight set, grab a handle in each hand, with your feet about shoulder-width apart.
You can choose to put one foot slightly out in front for a firmer stance if you prefer.
When you’re ready, pull each cable simultaneously up toward each other, as if you are making an X.
Continue to pull through until your hands just cross each other, to really engage the upper chest.
Pause for a second before you lower back down to the starting position.
2. Incline Bench Press
Using an adjustable bench to alter the depth of the incline to get the most out of the bench press. This upper chest exercise can be done with dumbbells or the Smith rig.
Challenge yourself by doing a set on the bench at one incline setting and then switching to the next. Adjust the incline with each set to reach the chest fibres in a different way.
Use a weight that is sufficiently heavy, but not so heavy that your back arches to assist in lifting the weight.
Set the incline bench and sit down with your back against the bench.
With a dumbbell in each hand, position them so they are on either side of your head at chest level.
Your elbows should be at roughly a 90-degree angle with your palms facing away from you.
Continue to raise the dumbbells until they touch, to fully activate the upper chest muscle.
Raise the dumbbells together at the same time and bring them up overhead in one motion.
Bring them back down to the starting position to complete the rep.
Decline push-ups are another perfect upper chest exercise you can do at home. The decline push-up differs from the conventional push-up in that your feet are raised.
Start with your feet elevated on an elevated surface, such as a desk or chair, to perform this type of press up. You will concentrate on the upper chest muscles when doing this variant of the push-up.
How to do it:
Check out our step-by-step guide to learn proper push-up style. Grab a platform or chair to complete the decline push-up once you've mastered the shape.
4. Sunrise Sunset
A tube cable or resistance band is used for this transfer. The cable must go around a rack or other solid pole to complete the step correctly. Choose wisely because the tube/cable needs to be able to pass easily through whatever resistance you have.
Stand with a staggered stance, one foot in front of the other with a cable in each hand.
Position yourself so there is tension on the tube/cable and you’re met with resistance throughout the exercise.
Start with your hands in front of you, down by your thighs, with palms facing up.
Bring your hands back down until your hands meet in front of you to complete the rep.
Raise your arms up and move the cable in a circle until your hands meet at the top.
This movement is similar to the sunrise and sunset, but it is performed with a barbell in a landmine rack. While the rainbow landmine is a full-body workout, keeping the torso stationary allows you to concentrate on your upper chest.
Before adding weight, start with only the barbell's weight to get the motion down. To prevent injury, start with a light weight when first starting out.
Hold the barbell up high with both hands in the landmine rack with your feet between hip-width and shoulder-width apart.
Begin by lowering the barbell down to one side in an arc, allowing the weight of the bar to fall into the lower hand.
Then lower back down on the opposite side, creating a half-circle.
Bring the bar back up to center, switching hands as you squeeze the chest muscles.
Keep the torso straight and core engaged throughout the exercise, allowing the arms and shoulders to move the barbell back and forth.
The dumbbell shrug is commonly used in bodybuilding to strengthen the traps, but it can also be used to strengthen the upper chest.
It is recommended that you use a heavier weight for this exercise. To target the clavicular head, raise the weight with your chest muscles.
How to do it:
Hold dumbbells in an overhand grip with your palms facing you and your hands positioned in front of your pelvis or thighs.
Focus on using your upper chest muscles to lift the weights up into a shrug.
When doing this correctly, the dumbbell shouldn’t move much. Remember, you’re using your upper chest to move the weight up.
Relax your upper chest to move back into the starting position to complete the rep.
7. Chest Dips
To complete your upper chest workout, use a dip machine or a stand to perform chest dips. When you've mastered the bodyweight chest dip, add weight to make it more difficult.
How to do it:
Mount the dip machine/rack with your hands placed next to your torso and your palms facing in.
Lift yourself up, keeping your knees bent (cross your ankles if it’s comfortable for you), until your arms are straight and your elbows locked.
Lower your body down slowly with controlled movement, keeping your torso slightly forward, until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Continuing too low can cause shoulder injury.
Lift yourself back up, using your chest muscles to help with the lift. Continue back up to the top to move through the reps to finish the set.
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