Athlean-X founder Jeff Cavaliere‘s YouTube channel has attracted nearly 14 million subscribers. He is one of the most influential figures in this online fitness space. On Sept. 17, 2024, Cavaliere and his assistant, Jesse Laico, released their list of go-to chest exercises that gym-goers should practice and which to avoid.
Cavaliere’s Approved Chest Exercises
- Pec Deck Flye
- Flat Bench Press
- Incline Bench Press
- Underhand Chest Press
- Decline Bench Press
- Static Dumbbell Press
- 3-D Cable Crossover
- Weighted Dip
Cavaliere’s Chest Exercises To Avoid
- Lying Plate Squeeze Press
- Bench Flye
Read quick breakdowns of each exercise below:
Note: SOme exercises discussed in the above video were excluded from the article to highlight Cavaliere’s key chest training tips and techniques.
Pec Deck Flye — Rep It!
Cavaliere is neutral about the pec deck flye as a chest isolation exercise. While it offers a great stretch under tension and strong contraction, he prefers cable crossovers for their increased range of motion and better angle variety.
That doesn’t mean the pec deck can’t provide similar benefits, though. If the added stability of the pec deck flye makes the movement more comfortable for you, Cavaliere approves of its inclusion in your routine.
Flat Bench Press — Rep It!
Cavaliere was never shy about his partiality toward the barbell bench press. He believes it offers the most resistance potential since the load is more evenly balanced using a barbell.
For a bigger, stronger chest, the best overall exercise option is the flat bench press.
[Related: Learn To Bench Press Properly From IPF Superheavyweight Champion Jesus Olivares]
Incline Bench Press — Rep It!
“My upper chest is too developed,” said no one ever. The incline press should be a staple in every chest routine. A 2020 study confirmed the advantage of incline presses for upper chest growth, by measuring muscle gains, not just muscle activity. (1)
Underhand Chest Press — Rep It!
The underhand chest press is an underrated upper pec exercise, as you don’t need an incline bench. Using a reverse grip biases the upper pec fibers. The downside is not lifting as much load as with an overhand grip.
Decline Bench Press — Rep It!
Cavaliere likes the decline press for two reasons: it’s the most shoulder-friendly press due to its shorter range of motion, and it can be loaded heavy. Secondly, if you struggle to feel your chest engage during presses, the low arm angle could cure that.
Static Dumbbell Press — Rep It!
The static dumbbell press is near and dear to Cavaliere. It allows him to bench press again by exposing his instability, hence shoulder pains. This variation is performed by pressing one dumbbell at a time while holding the non-moving dumbbell low just above the chest.
It requires slow and controlled reps, reinforcing proper form. Moreover, holding weight in the stretched position may cause greater muscle gains. (2)(3)(4)
3D Crossover — Rep It!
Cavaliere can load one-arm cable crossovers heavier than the bilateral alternative. In the single-arm variation, Cavaliere can rotate his body with the movement to take stress off the shoulder.
Weighted Dip — Rep It!
Weighted dips are a double-edged sword. On one hand, they’re a great way to overload the chest and front delts. On the other hand, they’re less forgiving if you lack control in the bottom stretched position.
Unshrug and keep the shoulders down and back, keep the chest out, and have good control.
[Related: Bulgarian Ring Dips – Muscles Worked, Technique, and Benefits]
Lying Plate Squeeze Press — Reject It
Using weight plates for lying chest presses limits overall load while risking the potential of dropping weight on your chest. Cavaliere recommends a close-grip press squeezing two dumbbells together instead. He believes dumbbells are better for maintaining an isometric chest contraction, and allow for heavy loads without increased injury risk.
Bench Flye — Reject It!
Cavaliere doesn’t like the risk-to-reward ratio of bench flyes. He’d rather perform them on the floor, which functions as a safety net to prevent shoulder hyperextension.
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References
- Chaves, S. F. N., Rocha-JÚnior, V. A., EncarnaÇÃo, I. G. A., Martins-Costa, H. C., Freitas, E. D. S., Coelho, D. B., Franco, F. S. C., Loenneke, J. P., Bottaro, M., & Ferreira-JÚnior, J. B. (2020). Effects of Horizontal and Incline Bench Press on Neuromuscular Adaptations in Untrained Young Men. International journal of exercise science, 13(6), 859–872.
- Maeo, S., Wu, Y., Huang, M., Sakurai, H., Kusagawa, Y., Sugiyama, T., Kanehisa, H., & Isaka, T. (2023). Triceps brachii hypertrophy is substantially greater after elbow extension training performed in the overhead versus neutral arm position. European journal of sport science, 23(7), 1240–1250. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2022.2100279
- Pedrosa, G. F., Lima, F. V., Schoenfeld, B. J., Lacerda, L. T., Simões, M. G., Pereira, M. R., Diniz, R. C. R., & Chagas, M. H. (2022). Partial range of motion training elicits favorable improvements in muscular adaptations when carried out at long muscle lengths. European journal of sport science, 22(8), 1250–1260. https://doi.org/10.1080/17461391.2021.1927199
- Kassiano, W., Costa, B., Kunevaliki, G., Soares, D., Zacarias, G., Manske, I., Takaki, Y., Ruggiero, M. F., Stavinski, N., Francsuel, J., Tricoli, I., Carneiro, M. A. S., & Cyrino, E. S. (2023). Greater Gastrocnemius Muscle Hypertrophy After Partial Range of Motion Training Performed at Long Muscle Lengths. Journal of strength and conditioning research, 37(9), 1746–1753. https://doi.org/10.1519/JSC.0000000000004460
Featured image: @athleanx on Instagram
