10 Killer Chest & Triceps Exercises (From a Trainer)

Using dumbbells is one of the best things you can do if you plan to blast your chest and triceps.

For the dumbbell bench press, simply substitute dumbbells instead of a barbell when performing a bench press.

One advantage of using dumbbells compared to a barbell is that dumbbells allow you to focus on the left and right pecs separately.

This means each dumbbell is supported by its respective pectoral, further advocating muscle balance in the body.

If you want to target the triceps, just use a close grip.

Also Read: Best Dumbell Exercises without a Bench

To work your chest muscles, you’ll want to incorporate pushing movements.

This means doing exercises like pushups, which also work your arms.

When performing a push-up, focus on keeping your triceps parallel to your body with just a slight angle outward.

However, according to the Sports Medicine journal study, the effectiveness of push-ups does depend on the individual's strength. When the level of strength is not high enough to perform a normal push-up (≤63% of body mass), the bench press could be used to increase strength [1].

The barbell bench press is a chest-centered workout that makes use of the core, triceps, and shoulders.

As a result, this one is great for those who want to develop their upper pectorals.

Moreover, it targets the muscles, which are key stabilizers of the shoulder joint, as stated in the Sports Journal study [2].

To hit the chest and triceps altogether, just use a grip that's wider than shoulder-width.

If you’re looking to blast your pecs and triceps, dips are without a doubt one of the best exercises you can do.

Performing a dip relies mainly on lifting your own body weight and requires two horizontal bars parallel to one another.

Start with a shoulder-width grip on the bars, and hoist yourself up so that the bars are at waist level.

From there, push yourself up and return down to starting position to perform a dip.

The JM Press is a great chest and barbell triceps workout named after its founder, John Mark Blakley, who happened to be an American powerlifter.

He specializes in the bench press and has been reported to attribute all his chest and triceps agility and strength to the JM Press.

The JM Press is basically a cross between a barbell skull crusher and a close-grip bench press.

The biggest difference is that the JM Press places less tension on the shoulders by not requiring the barbell to go past the head.

The plate press is a unique type of exercise that looks funny at first but produces impressive results.

To perform a plate press, hold a lightly weighted plate in between your hands.

From there, extend your arms outward to a distance you are comfortable with while pressing against the plate with both hands as hard as you can.

Lastly, retract your arms inward and repeat the movement.

If you’re uncomfortable with dangling plates in front of your feet, you can utilize a chest press machine to make things simpler.

The shoulder/chest press engages your triceps, shoulders, pecs, wrists, and elbows and serves as a great way to warm up before your workout.

Most chest press machines have everything set up, meaning the only thing you’ll need to do is sit down, grab the handles, and squeeze towards your chest.

One tip we have is to focus on really squeezing those pecs instead of letting your arms or shoulders do the work.

Perhaps the most difficult exercise of all is the muscle-up. It's a challenging exercise I often teach and a true test of upper body strength and coordination.

You won’t see many gym-goers performing this type of exercise, mainly because of how many pre-requirements it has.

However, if you are able to execute even just one, it’s a true testament to your fitness level.

To perform a muscle-up, you need well-developed muscle groups in almost every part of your body.