The Best Upper Chest Workouts with & Without Dumbbells

Building a well-developed chest takes time and hard work, but there’s no need for it to break the bank. With just a pair of dumbbells and your own body weight, you can easily make steady progress.

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Why are chest exercises important?

The chest muscles play a big role in many upper-body workouts, including shoulder flexion, horizontal flexion, and shoulder stability. Ensuring they’re properly trained is important for keeping a balanced physique while also preventing imbalances that could lead to injury.

The pectoralis major (better known as the pecs) is the largest of the chest muscles. It’s attached to the humerus (upper arm bone), sternum (breastbone), and clavicle (collarbone), making it essential for so many movements, in everyday life as well as lifting.

To avoid one area becoming overdeveloped, it’s vital to train using a variety of movements and angles.

How to work out your upper chest at home

There are plenty of chest workouts you can do at home with little or no equipment. To create the best angle for hitting the chest muscles, try working at a slight incline.

If you don’t have a bench to lie on, you can just use your sofa. Simply position yourself in front of the sofa, lean back so your shoulders are on the edge of it, engage your core, and do press or fly exercises with dumbbells.

Another option is to do press-ups with your feet or knees on the sofa and your hands on the floor, ensuring your hips are tucked under and your core is tight to maintain proper form.