If you train for more than a few weeks in the gym, you surely know that there are quite a few exercises for the pectoral muscle, especially if it is divided into three parts: the upper chest, the central chest and the lower chest.
How, then, can one know what the best chest exercises are when it comes to increasing muscle mass? It was precisely because of this question that the Canadian fitness expert Jeremy Ether decided to conduct an “almost scientific” experiment on the subject, which had quite a few shortcomings (only three subjects participated in the experiment and it lasted only 8 hours – it is of course not scientifically defined and no far-reaching conclusions should be drawn from it go).
Let’s start with a little background – in order not to perform the experiment alone, Ether asked a beginner exerciser and a fitness instructor to participate with him in the process, so that an average could be made between their results. To perform the measurements, Ether used a special machine that measures with electrodes the effort in the lower chest, the middle chest, the upper chest, as well as the front shoulder (for the purpose of checking upper chest exercises).
The experiment began with all three participants pressing with all their strength a bar with a huge weight that could not be lifted, so that the machine could measure their maximum effort in regards to the pectoral muscle – all the measurements that were made after that were in percentage relative to that maximum effort that was measured. In addition, they checked the weight with which they are able to perform one repetition, and then checked all the exercises with 70% of this weight.
upper chest
The two best exercises were found to be pressing weights on a bench at an incline between 15-30 degrees (for some trainees a lower incline is better and for others a higher one, it should be tried for each user). In this context, Ether points out that above 40 degrees the electrodes that measured the front paw showed excessive activity, so it is completely clear why the threshold does not go much beyond 30 degrees.
Central chest
Unlike the upper chest exercises, where the result was quite clear, here we have a kind of surprise among the top two exercises. The first exercise is pressing dumbbells with a very small negative slope (placing the part of the bench where the butt rests on a dumbbell for elevation, as shown in the photo below). The second exercise is performing a seated butterfly exercise against a cable cross, when the elbows are at the level of the nipples. Ether points out at this point that for the beginning participant, the push-ups proved to be the most effective, but it must be remembered that this effectiveness is of course limited to the initial period after which resistance must already be added.
lower chest
There are no real surprises here, but you should pay attention to subtleties. First, similar to the central chest exercises, here too the exercise with the slight elevation turned out to be excellent, this is contrary to the popular opinion that you should use a crazy incline that almost knocks you back. Second, and there is no surprise here, the top-down butterfly exercise also turned out to be excellent, although the seated butterfly exercise at nipple level again turned out to be a winning exercise.
At this point we will mention again that this is not an experiment according to the book from which conclusions can be drawn about the entire population both due to the number of participants and due to the short measurement period. However, since it is an average of three different participants at different levels, we should learn a thing or two from this. Anyway, the full ranking is published in the video attached above.
All the exercises that participated in the experiment
Push-ups
Banded push-ups
Standing cable fly High to low
cable fly
Seated cable fly
Chest dips
Barbell bench press
Incline barbell bench press
Flat dumbbell press
Incline machine press 15 degree
incline dumbbell press 30 degree
incline dumbbell press 45 degree
incline dumbbell press
Decline dumbbell press
Pinch press
Pec deck machine
pay attention – Everything mentioned in this article is for enrichment only. Before you choose a training program or a diet of one kind or another, you must consult with a qualified person who will adapt your training to your current state of health and fitness.
The writer Shi Lev edits the health and fitness section on the ONE website since it was launched in 2013. Basketball coach by training, gym instructor and certified TRX trainer.
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