Free Chest Workouts

"Free chest workout routines to increase muscle mass."

If you are looking for free chest workouts that will help you build a bigger,

stronger chest, you've come to the right place. From what I see when I hit the gym, it would seem to me that many bodybuilders and gym-goers alike really enjoy working out their chest; probably more so than any other exercise.

I guess the same can be said for some who look forward to arm day : ) I guess it just feels great to get that chest all pumped up! In order build a big chest, you need to push some big weights.

Now, for those of you who are just starting out, you have to begin weight lifting using weights relative to where you are at.

Meaning... start small and aim to increase the weight you lift every week by small increments, and, be sure to use correct form.

Some of the free chest workouts I've developed over my 20+ years of weight training can also be used for defining chest muscles as well, but most involve using chest compound exercises.

Free Chest Workout Compound Exercises:

Using a bench spotter (someone who stands behind you and watches you bench press and helps you out if you get stuck), the three best compound chest movements I like to use are:

Flat Barbell Bench Press
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Decline Barbell Bench Presses

Other chest exercises I believe help enlarge the chest area are chest Dumbbell (DB) exercises such as:

DB Flat Bench Press
DB Incline Presses
DB Decline Press
DB Flat and Incline Flys (great for stretching out your chest as well)

I workout alone, what if I don't have a spotter?

Well, usually you can ask someone in the gym to give you a quick spot for a chest press exercise. Sometimes a gym can be empty though and it can be tough to get a bench spot.

If you can't get a bench spotter to give you a hand, I would say the next best thing to free weight chest exercises would be to use the Smith Machine.

By using the Smith Machine to perform your free chest workouts, you will be able to use whatever weight you need, safely and without a spotter.

The Smith Machine has a safety device built in so that if you are unable to complete a rep, you can simply turn the bar and set it down on the nearest set of bar catches.

How often should I workout my chest?

In my opinion, if you are just starting out with weight lifting or bodybuilding, I

would limit working out any body part to once per week. This will give each body part an entire week to recover and heal properly and lessen your chances of injury.

Now, there are some very good basic power lifting routines that indicate working body parts more than once per week, for all types of lifters. For example, a 5 X 5 weight lifting routine has a person bench press twice a week.

The free chest workouts I've developed below are setup for once a week. I may add some additional chest routines at a later point.

Before we get too deep into free chest workouts info, please be sure to read our disclaimer.

Free Chest Workout #1 - Mass Builder

Flat Barbell (BB) Bench Press: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps
Incline or Decline BB Presses: 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Flat or Incline DB Flys: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps

This chest routine can also be setup as a split-body workout. This way, you can work your another body part (such as triceps) after the above chest exercises. Have a look at free weights workout program #3 for an example of how to setup a split body part workout.

If you use the above chest routine on a Monday, on the following Monday try to lift a little heavier than last week. Try increasing your compound chest exercises by 5 to 10 lbs and DB flys by 5 lbs.

For example, ideally you want to progress with your weights something like this:

free chest workouts Week 1 - Monday

Flat Bench Press:

165 lbs X 10 reps (1st set)
170 lbs x 10 reps (2nd set)
175 lbs x 8 reps (3rd set)

Incline Bench...

Week 2 - Monday

Flat Bench Presses:

170 lbs X 10 reps (1st set) (increased weight by 5lbs)
175 lbs x 10 reps (2nd set) (increased weight by 5lbs)
180 lbs x 8 reps (3rd set) (increased weight by 5lbs)

Incline Bench...

Free Chest Workout #2 - DB's

Basically, this free chest workouts the same as #1 above, except Dumbells are substituted:

Flat Dumbbell (DB) Bench Presses: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps
Incline or Decline DB Press: 2 sets of 10 to 12 reps
Flat or Incline DB Flys: 3 sets of 10 to 12 reps

Free Chest Routine # 3 - Build and Tone

I use the following chest workout when I'm looking to maintain and build muscle as well as tone the pectoral region.

Flat BB Press: 3 sets of 6 to 10 reps
Incline or Decline Hammer Strength Machine Chest Press: 2 sets of 6 to 10 reps
Flat Cable Flys: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
Pushups: 2 sets of 10 to 30 reps

Eventually your strength gains may slow down. That's normal. It may just be time to give your body a break and take a week or 2 off from weight lifting. Every 8 to 12 weeks I usually take 10-12 days off to give my body a break. This may also help heal up any nagging injuries. Everyone is different though; time will let you know what your rest needs are.

You may also need to reevaluate your weight lifting diet.

Additionally, if your strength feels like it's not up to par, you may not be eating enough (or the proper muscle food) to keep up with your strength and muscle gains.

Always try to keep track of your workouts using a weight training log book. This way, you won't forget what weight you lifted during the previous session. To build a big chest, or any body part for that matter, your weight lifting progress over time, is key.

I'll look into adding more free chest workouts to this page in the near future.

Return from Free Chest Workouts to Free Workout Plans Home