Summary of The Best & Worst Chest Exercises To Build Muscle (Ranked!)
In this video, the speaker ranks their top 10 chest exercises from worst to best based on personal enjoyment, tension-generating potential, progressive overload potential, and convenience. Each exercise is rated out of five stars, and the speaker emphasizes that individual preferences may vary.
- AMRAP Push-Up: Rated 3 stars, it's accessible but can be too cardio-intensive, requiring many reps to reach muscular failure.
- Dumbbell Stretch Iso Hold: Also rated 3 stars, this exercise allows for progressive overload through time under tension, though it may be less effective than dynamic movements.
- Pec Fly Machine: Rated 3.5 stars, it provides even tension throughout the range of motion but can be challenging for progressive overload.
- Cable Crossover Ladder: Rated 3.5 stars, it allows targeting of different chest areas but isn’t the best for progressive overload.
- Dip: Rated 4 stars, it's effective for muscle tension but may not be enjoyable due to the setup and potential shoulder strain.
- Deficit Push-Up Plus Bands: Rated 4 stars, it offers a unique stretch and extra tension but can be cumbersome to set up.
- Incline Dumbbell Press: Rated 4 stars, it's effective for upper chest development but can be tiring to set up.
- Cable Press Around: Rated 4.5 stars, it allows for greater range of motion and individual pec targeting.
- Machine Chest Press: Rated 4.5 stars, it provides a great mind-muscle connection but may limit stabilizing muscle engagement.
- Bench Press: Rated 5 stars, it's highly effective for muscle tension and progressive overload, making it a favorite among lifters.
Additionally, the speaker discusses three exercises they consider the worst for chest training: the standing plate press (1 star), alternating one-arm dumbbell press (1.5 stars), and dumbbell pullover (1.5 stars), highlighting their inefficiencies in targeting the chest.
The speaker concludes by promoting their training programs available on their website and encourages viewers to engage with the video through likes and subscriptions.
Speakers
- Jeff Nippard (the main speaker)
Notable Quotes
— 10:10 — « The tried and true bench press ranks about as highly as an exercise can for all four criteria. It's probably my favorite exercise period for any body part. »
— 10:38 — « There are some people who make arguments against the bench press as a so-called hypertrophy exercise... however, I think this concern pretty much goes away once you consider that the bench press is rarely if ever the only chest exercise someone does. »
— 11:23 — « The pump is not nearly as correlated with hypertrophy as many think and mechanical tension is far more important than the pump for muscle growth. »
— 12:05 — « This one just gets gravity wrong. Gravity always points down meaning the resistance is pointing vertically but you're pressing horizontally. »
— 12:43 — « This actually isn't a chest exercise even though some people still use it for that purpose; it mainly targets the lats, triceps, and teres muscles of the back. »