When it comes to training your chest, there is a large variety of exercises to choose from, but for a well-defined and aesthetic chest, you need to have a good lower chest workout. The lower chest is comprised of the Pectoralis minor a smaller but equally important muscle. Many traditional chest movements, like the bench press or machine press, target the upper and mid-chest area but do not do enough to develop the lower muscles. A good lower chest workout is as close to a secret weapon as you are likely to find in the gym. The lower chest is often overlooked and understated in its importance. For those looking to really see some gains and be proud of their progress, a lower chest workout is a must.
Not only does a lower chest workout help define your chest, but it also works to improve your shoulder stability and make you generally strong in all of your pushing movements.
In this article, I’ll be focussing on exercises that work your lower pecs. You’ll find a list of the best 8 exercises, details on how to do them and an example workout to get you on your way to that sculpted lower pec-line.
Contents
What are the best exercises for a lower chest workout?
The exercises below are suitable for a range of strength levels and consist of body-weight and loaded movements. Be sure to check out the video links for a technique visual.
Below are the eight best exercises for a lower chest workout.
1. Bodyweight Chest Dips
Equipment needed: Dip bars
Recommended Repetitions: 10 to 12
Instructions:
- The dip bars should be just over shoulder-width apart.
- Start by supporting your body weight on extended arms with a hand on each dip bar.
- Lower your body downwards by bending at the elbows and sending them out wide, about 45-degrees to your body. Note, this is not a tricep dip where your elbows would go straight behind you.
- Once you reach a 90-degree bend in the elbows, push yourself back up to the starting position on extended arms.
Pro tip: don’t take the load off your chest and place excess strain on your shoulders by lowering too far into the dip.
2. Decline Barbell Press
Equipment needed: Decline bench, barbell
Recommended Repetitions: 8 to 10
Instructions:
- Set up a decline bench and barbell with a suitable weight. The barbell should be racked at a height that is just low enough for you to be able to lift it off the rack safely.
- Lying on your back on the bench with your feet secured, grab the barbell with a wide chest press grip.
- Prepare yourself for the lift by ensuring appropriate arch through your lower back and retracting your scapula.
- Lift the barbell off the rack and move it forward slightly, over your body.
- Lower the barbell down slowly to a fist height off your chest and then push back up with more power.
Pro tip: try this tempo – 4 seconds down, 1 second at the bottom, 2 seconds up, 0 seconds at the top.
Read more: Decline Bench Press: Muscle Worked, Benefits & How To
3. Cable Crossover
Equipment needed: Double cable tower
Recommended Repetitions: 12 to 15
Instructions:
- Attach the individual handles to the top of each cable machine tower.
- With a handle in each hand, step forward into a split stance with your weight in your front foot.
- Start with your arms mostly extended, less a small bend in each elbow.
- Maintaining this position and keeping your torso still, pull the cables in a semi-downward motion to meet in front of you.
- Hold for a second in this position and give your pecs a good squeeze.
- Return to starting position without changing the bend in your elbows or shifting your weight onto your back foot.
Pro tip: Incorporate the lower chest workout alongside other chest muscle exercises for maximum gains.
Read more: 7 Cable Crossover Alternatives for A Chiselled Chest
4. Seated Chest Press Machine
Equipment needed: Chest Press Machine
Recommended Repetitions: 12 to 15
Instructions:
- Set up the chest press machine so that when you are seated, the handles are in line with the middle to bottom of your chest.
- Sit with your feet flat on the floor and a handle in each hand.
- Push forward until your arms are fully extended and chest fully activated.
- Hold for a second and then slowly release back to starting position.
Pro tip: try to keep the tension on your chest throughout the exercise, i.e. don’t let the weight plates of the chest press machine touch at the end of each repetition.
5. Decline Dumbbell Chest Fly
Equipment needed: Decline bench, dumbbells
Recommended Repetitions: 10 to 12
Instructions:
- Lie on your back on a decline bench with your feet/legs secured and a dumbbell in each hand.
- Start with your arms extended out wide to your sides, with a slight bend in each elbow.
- Lock this position whilst pulling the dumbbells up and together to meet in the middle of your chest before lowering slowly back down to starting position.
6. Incline Push Ups
Equipment needed: Bench or a fitness step
Recommended Repetitions: 12 to 15
Instructions:
- Like a traditional push up, but with your hands on an elevated platform.
- Before commencing your push up, have your hands just over shoulder-width apart on an elevated platform like a ‘fitness step’ or bench. Setting yourself up at too much or not enough of an incline will not work your lower pecs as intended.
- Your feet should be on the ground.
- Keep your repetitions slow and controlled and maintain a strong core to avoid sagging through your lumbar region.
Pro tip: these make a great finisher exercise – add sets of incline push ups until failure at the end of your chest workout.
7. Dumbbell Pull Overs
Equipment needed: Bench, dumbbell
Recommended Repetitions: 10 to 12
Instructions:
- Start with a dumbbell in between your hands, sitting on the floor whilst leaning your upper back against a bench.
- Push your hips up so that your upper back is now resting on the bench.
- Hold the dumbbell between your hands above your chest on extended arms.
- Lower the dumbbell back behind you until it is level with your head (or thereabouts).
- Squeeze your hands together to engage your chest and then pull the dumbbell back over into starting position.
Pro tip: don’t lower the dumbbell too far down behind your head to avoid using your lats, and rather concentrate on your pecs, when pulling the dumbbell back up.
8. Decline Dumbbell Bench Press with Rotation
Equipment needed: Decline bench, dumbbells
Recommended Repetitions: 10 to 12
Instructions:
- Set yourself up on a decline bench with a dumbbell in each hand.
- Start as you would a normal dumbbell bench press with your arms around 45-degrees to your body and a 90-degree bend in each elbow. The dumbbells should be in line with your chest.
- Push the dumbbells up and together to meet above the middle of your chest.
- Whilst pressing the dumbbells, simultaneously twist them so that you reach the end position with your palms facing towards your head rather than your feet, as when you started the press.
- Squeeze your pecs and hold for a second.
- Lower back down to starting position, twisting the dumbbells back to their original position on your way down.
What is an example good lower chest workout?
Here is an example workout for you to try that will allow you to put a collection of the exercises contained in this article to good use.
(Super) Set 1
30 seconds rest between each exercise, 60 seconds rest at end of superset. Repeat 3 times before moving onto next set.
- Bodyweight Chest Dips x 12
- Cable Crossover x 12
Set 2
Perform the following exercise for 8 repetitions x 4 with 60 seconds rest between each lift, then move onto the next set.
- Decline Barbell Press x 8
(Super) Set 3
30 seconds rest between each exercise, 60 seconds rest at end of superset. Repeat 3 times before moving onto finisher.
- Decline Bench Fly x 12
- Dumbbell Pull Overs x 12
Finisher
Perform the following exercise until failure a total of 3 times with 60 seconds rest in between each attempt.
- Incline Push Ups x failure
What are the benefits of a lower chest workout?
A lower chest workout not only helps you carve a truly rounded set of pecs, but a well crafted lower chest workout also offers the following four benefits.
- Increases range of motion in shoulder joints
- Improves posture
- Helps you get stronger
- Improves shoulder stability
Each of these areas is crucial not just for getting the most out of your lower chest workout but for getting bigger and stronger, and seeing the maximum gains across all of your workout sessions. The lower chest muscle, the Pectoralis minor is the smaller of the two main chest muscles, but is vitally important for a really well-defined chest.
If you have never focused on a lower chest workout, just start slowly by adding just one or two sets to the end of your regular chest session. It’s unlikely you will need to split your chest days into a full upper and full lower chest workout. Interchange the movements from time to time and get that balanced and rounded look you’ve always dreamed about. Remember that you will likely lift smaller weights during a lower chest workout as the muscle group is smaller. Focus on the burn and really feeling the muscles move through each rep.
