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Exercises

Chest exercises for beginners: where to start and what to add next

Published October 19, 2026

Start with the machine chest press and the pec deck if you train in a gym: the machine guides the path, so you can learn to push hard without balancing anything. At home, start with push-ups at whatever height you can do 8 clean reps, from a counter down to the floor. After four to eight weeks, move to dumbbell presses and then the barbell bench press. Two or three chest exercises twice a week is enough, with every set stopping 2 to 3 reps before you would fail.

  1. Machine Chest Press Chest
  2. Pec Deck Fly Chest
  3. Incline Push-Up Chest
  4. Push-Up Chest
  5. Flat Dumbbell Press Chest
  6. Incline Dumbbell Press Chest
  7. Barbell Bench Press Chest

Chest machines to start with

Machines are the easiest way in. The seat and handles set the path, so your first sessions go into pushing hard instead of balancing a weight, and changing the load is one pin. One press and one fly cover the whole chest; the incline press is an optional third if you want to give your upper chest its own exercise.

Whole chest, guided press

Machine Chest Press

Chest

The machine sets the path for you, so the only job is to push. It is the safest place to learn what a hard chest set feels like, and the weight stack moves in small, clear steps.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles line up with the middle of your chest.
  2. Sit with your back against the pad and your feet planted wide, and grip the handles.
  3. Press the handles forward until your arms are straight but not snapped locked.
  4. Let them come back slowly until your hands are a few inches from your chest, then press again.

Cues

  • Handles at mid chest
  • Shoulders down, chest up
  • Two seconds back

Common mistakes

  • Setting the seat too high or too low: if your shoulders hurt, move the seat until the handles meet your mid chest.
  • Letting the weight stack slam between reps: control it all the way back.

Swap for: Machine Incline Press, Flat Dumbbell Press, Push-Up

Build a session with Machine Chest Press

Upper chest, guided press

Machine Incline Press

Chest

An incline machine aims the press up toward your face, which works the upper chest. Add it as a second press once the flat machine feels familiar.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles start at your upper chest.
  2. Sit back against the pad with your feet planted and grip the handles.
  3. Press up and forward until your arms are straight.
  4. Lower the handles under control to the start.

Cues

  • Handles at upper chest
  • Back stays on the pad
  • Smooth both ways

Common mistakes

  • Arching your back to push more weight: keep your back against the pad.
  • Lowering so far that your shoulders roll forward: stop when your hands are beside your chest.

Swap for: Incline Dumbbell Press, Machine Chest Press, Decline Push-Up

Build a session with Machine Incline Press

Chest squeeze, guided fly

Pec Deck Fly

Chest

The pec deck trains the chest's hugging motion with no balance needed. It finishes the session after the press and works the chest without tiring your triceps.

How to do it

  1. Set the seat so the handles are at chest height when your arms are out to the sides.
  2. Sit with your back on the pad and hold the handles with slightly bent elbows.
  3. Sweep the handles toward each other on an arc until they meet ahead of your sternum.
  4. Open your arms slowly until you feel a stretch across your chest, then repeat.

Cues

  • Arms move like a hug
  • Elbows stay soft
  • Stretch, do not overstretch

Common mistakes

  • Letting the weight pull your arms far behind you: stop at a comfortable stretch.
  • Bending your elbows to push the handles together: keep the bend the same throughout.

Swap for: Dumbbell Chest Fly, Cable Fly, Machine Chest Press

Build a session with Pec Deck Fly

Push-ups, from easiest to hardest

A push-up is a chest press you can scale with your hands. Hands on a counter is the easiest, then a lower surface, then knees, then the full floor push-up. Pick the version where you can do about 8 to 15 clean reps, and move down a step when you can do 15 to 20.

Beginner push-up, hands raised

Incline Push-Up

Chest

With your hands on a counter or bench, you lift only part of your bodyweight, so you can do enough good reps to build strength and learn the push-up position.

How to do it

  1. Put your hands on a counter, sturdy table or bench, a bit wider than your shoulders.
  2. Step your feet back until your body is one straight line.
  3. Bend your elbows and bring your chest to the edge.
  4. Push back until your arms are straight.

Cues

  • Chest to the edge
  • Body stays straight
  • Lower surface when it gets easy

Common mistakes

  • Letting your hips sag: squeeze your glutes before each rep.
  • Only bending your arms a little: bring your chest all the way to the edge.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Push-Up, Machine Chest Press

Build a session with Incline Push-Up

Beginner push-up, on your knees

Kneeling Push-Up

Chest

Kneeling takes some of your weight off your hands while keeping the floor push-up's range. It bridges the gap between a raised-hands push-up and a full one.

How to do it

  1. Kneel on a mat and put your hands on the floor a bit wider than your shoulders.
  2. Walk your hands forward until your body forms a straight line from knees to head.
  3. Lower your chest to the floor with your elbows angled back.
  4. Press back up to straight arms.

Cues

  • Knees to head in one line
  • Chest touches first
  • Elbows back at about 45 degrees

Common mistakes

  • Sticking your hips up in the air: lower them until your thighs and torso line up.
  • Lowering only halfway: bring your chest close to the floor.

Swap for: Incline Push-Up, Push-Up, Band-Assisted Push-Up

Build a session with Kneeling Push-Up

Full floor push-up

Push-Up

Chest

The full push-up is a strong bodyweight chest exercise and a good milestone for a beginner. Once you can do 15 to 20 clean reps, it keeps working with slower reps or a backpack.

How to do it

  1. Put your hands on the floor a bit wider than your shoulders and stretch your legs out long.
  2. Brace your abs so your body stays rigid from head to heels.
  3. Lower until your chest is a few inches from the floor.
  4. Press back up to straight arms.

Cues

  • Rigid like a plank
  • Chest close to the floor
  • Breathe out on the way up

Common mistakes

  • Letting your lower back sag: tighten your abs and glutes before every set.
  • Flaring your elbows straight out: point them back at about 45 degrees.

Swap for: Kneeling Push-Up, Incline Push-Up, Weighted Push-Up

Build a session with Push-Up

Free-weight chest exercises for your next step

Once the machine press feels steady, move to dumbbells. They ask each arm to balance its own weight, which takes a few sessions to learn. The barbell bench press comes last: it loads the most weight, so learn it with light plates and safety pins, or a spotter.

Whole chest, dumbbell press

Flat Dumbbell Press

Chest

Dumbbells let each arm move on its own path and teach you to stabilize a weight. It is the natural next step after the machine press.

How to do it

  1. Sit at the end of a flat bench, dumbbells resting on your thighs, then lie back and bring them beside your chest.
  2. Plant your feet and pull your shoulder blades together into the bench.
  3. Press the dumbbells up until your arms are straight over your chest.
  4. Lower them slowly beside your chest until you feel a stretch.

Cues

  • Start light, learn the path
  • Wrists over elbows
  • Dumbbells finish over your chest

Common mistakes

  • Dropping the dumbbells onto the floor from the top: bring them back to your thighs and sit up.
  • Pressing unevenly: stop the set when one side starts lagging far behind.

Swap for: Machine Chest Press, Dumbbell Floor Press, Barbell Bench Press

Build a session with Flat Dumbbell Press

Upper chest, dumbbell press

Incline Dumbbell Press

Chest

The incline dumbbell press aims the work at your upper chest. Add it alongside the flat press once you feel steady with dumbbells.

How to do it

  1. Set the bench to about 30 degrees and sit back with the dumbbells by your shoulders.
  2. Press your back into the pad and plant your feet.
  3. Press the dumbbells up over your upper chest until your arms are straight.
  4. Lower them slowly to the sides of your upper chest.

Cues

  • Low incline, about 30 degrees
  • Press up, not forward
  • Slow on the way down

Common mistakes

  • Setting the bench too steep, which works your shoulders more than your chest.
  • Bringing the dumbbells down too fast: lower over two seconds.

Swap for: Machine Incline Press, Incline Push-Up, Incline Barbell Bench Press

Build a session with Incline Dumbbell Press

Chest stretch, dumbbell fly

Dumbbell Chest Fly

Chest

The dumbbell fly teaches you to stretch your chest under control. Use light weights at first; it is a finishing exercise, not a strength test.

How to do it

  1. Lie back on a flat bench holding the dumbbells over your chest, palms turned in.
  2. Unlock your elbows a little and keep that bend.
  3. Open your arms out to the sides until you feel a stretch across your chest.
  4. Bring them back together over your chest like a hug.

Cues

  • Light weight, long arc
  • Elbows soft and fixed
  • Hug at the top

Common mistakes

  • Using dumbbells too heavy to control: pick a weight you can lift 12 to 15 times.
  • Going so far that your shoulders hurt: stop at a comfortable stretch.

Swap for: Pec Deck Fly, Dumbbell Floor Fly, Cable Fly

Build a session with Dumbbell Chest Fly

Whole chest, barbell press

Barbell Bench Press

Chest

The bench press loads the most weight of any chest exercise. Learn it with light weight, safety pins set just under your chest or a spotter, and move up in small steps.

How to do it

  1. Lie on the bench with your eyes under the bar and your feet planted.
  2. Grip the bar a bit outside shoulder width and squeeze your shoulder blades together.
  3. Unrack it and lower it to the middle of your chest with your elbows angled back.
  4. Touch your chest lightly and press it up over your shoulders.

Cues

  • Eyes under the bar
  • Touch the chest, no bounce
  • Pins set before your first set

Common mistakes

  • Benching without pins or a spotter: set them every time.
  • Bouncing the bar off your chest: lower it with control and press.

Swap for: Machine Chest Press, Smith Machine Bench Press, Flat Dumbbell Press

Build a session with Barbell Bench Press

Put them together: example sessions

Each session below picks from the exercises above for one situation, with the sets, reps, rest and RIR filled in. Open one in the session builder to change a pick, price it from a recent set, and add it to RIRLift.

Session 1

First month at the gym, machines only

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets12 a week
  • Per workout~15 min
  • EquipmentChest Press, Fly Machine, Incline Chest Press

You are new to lifting, train in a gym, and want to start without free weights.

Machines take balance out of the picture, so these two sessions use the chest press for the whole chest, the pec deck for the stretch, and the incline machine for the upper chest. Every set stops 2 to 3 reps short of failure, which is close enough to build muscle while you learn how hard a set should feel. Each session has 6 working sets.

Session A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Machine Chest Press1 warm-up set firstHandles at mid chest. 3 × 10–15 3 2 min
Pec Deck Fly 3 × 12–15 2 90 s

Open Session A in the session builder

Session B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Machine Incline Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 10–15 3 2 min
Machine Chest Press 3 × 10–15 2 90 s

Open Session B in the session builder

How to run it
Do Session A and Session B once each per week, two or three days apart. Warm up with one light set on the first exercise.
How to progress
When every set reaches the top of its rep range with 2 reps left, move the pin down one plate. After four to eight weeks, move on to the free-weight plan.
Open in the session builder

Session 2

At home, no equipment

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts3× a week
  • Working sets18 a week
  • Per workout~10 min
  • EquipmentBodyweight

You are starting at home with nothing but a counter, a bench or a sturdy table, and the floor.

Push-ups scale with how high your hands are, so you start on the version where you can do 8 to 15 clean reps and work down the ladder. Sets stop 2 reps short of failure because form breaks before muscles fail on push-ups for most beginners. Each session has 6 sets.

Push-Up Day
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Kneeling Push-UpOr floor push-ups once you reach 15. 3 × 6–15 2 90 s
Incline Push-UpHands on a counter or bench. 3 × 8–15 2 1 min
How to run it
Do the session two or three times a week on non-consecutive days. Start each session with the harder push-up while you are fresh.
How to progress
When you can do 15 clean reps on a version, move to the next harder one: counter, lower surface, knees, floor.
Open in the session builder

Session 3

Ready for free weights

Open in the session builder
  • Workouts2× a week
  • Working sets15 a week
  • Per workout~20 min
  • EquipmentDumbbells, Flat Bench, Incline Bench, Barbells

You have trained for a couple of months, the machines feel steady, and you want to learn dumbbells and the bench press.

Dumbbells come first in each session because they teach control; the bench press is introduced at 3 reps in reserve with pins so you learn the lift before you push it. The dumbbell flat and incline presses stop at 2, the fly at 2. Session A has 8 sets and Session B has 7.

Session A
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Flat Dumbbell Press1 warm-up set first 3 × 8–12 2 2 min
Incline Dumbbell Press 3 × 10–12 2 90 s
Dumbbell Chest FlyLight weight. 2 × 12–15 2 1 min

Open Session A in the session builder

Session B
ExerciseSets × repsRIRRest
Barbell Bench Press2 warm-up sets firstPins set just below your chest. 3 × 8–10 3 2:30 min
Incline Dumbbell Press 2 × 10–12 2 90 s
Push-Up 2 × 8–15 2 1 min

Open Session B in the session builder

How to run it
Do the two sessions once each per week. Set safety pins for the bench press and start with the empty bar or light plates.
How to progress
Add a rep to each set until you reach the top of the range, then move up a dumbbell size or add 5 pounds to the bar. Reduce reps in reserve to 1 to 2 once your form stays the same on the last rep.
Open in the session builder

Make it fit you

Questions

How should I start my chest workout?

Warm up with one or two light sets of your first exercise, then start with the press: the machine chest press at a gym or push-ups at home. Do the fly or the second press after it.

Are 3 exercises for chest enough?

Yes, and two is often enough for a beginner. One press and one fly, three sets each, twice a week gives your chest 12 hard sets a week, which is plenty to grow.

Is it OK to work out chest every day?

Not with hard sets. Your chest needs a day or two to recover. Train it two or three times a week with rest days between sessions.

What are some good core and chest exercises?

The push-up trains both: your chest presses while your abs hold your body straight. The kneeling and incline versions do the same at an easier level.

Should a beginner start with the bench press?

You can, but machines and dumbbells are easier to learn first. Start the bench press after a few weeks with light weight and safety pins set, as in the free-weight plan above.

How much weight should a beginner use for chest?

Whatever lets you do the reps in the plan with 2 to 3 reps left. Start lighter than you think and add weight once every set reaches the top of the range.

How long until I see chest results?

Strength goes up in the first few weeks as you learn the movements. Visible size takes longer, usually a few months of steady training.