Unconventional exercises for chest development

Author: Mikhail Ziborov - author of the site makefitness.pro.
2020-08-19

In this material, you will learn:
1. Unconventional basic exercises for the chest muscles.
2. Unconventional isolation exercises for the chest muscles.
3. A brief description of each movement and visual examples.

The barbell bench press is, of course, great. It's fundamental. But the wider your arsenal of chest exercises is, the better. You've probably heard that you need to surprise your muscles by giving them unconventional loads, right? This is done to ensure that the muscles do not get used to repetitive exercises and stop progressing (growing and getting stronger). One way to ensure constant progression is by using unconventional exercises. However, you won’t be able to grow if you are not eating properly.

Basic

Barbell T-Push from the Chest

It is not necessary to use the handle shown in the picture. You can simply hold the bar with both hands.

Brief technique: When pushing, focus on contracting your chest muscles, not your shoulders and triceps. To do this, slightly lean your body backward while pressing the T-bar (as shown in the picture). When lowering to your chest, return to the starting position.

There is also an option for a one-handed T-Push (for unilateral training).

The technique is similar to the two-handed exercise: when pressing, lean back slightly, and when relaxing, return to the starting position.

Plate Press or Swend Press

Hold the plate as shown in the picture (you can insert your thumbs into the holes to avoid dropping the weight). This hand position allows for slightly better loading of the chest muscles.

Brief technique: Lower the weight to the chest hollow (the lower part of the chest), and raise it slightly diagonally (your arms should not be strictly vertical over the shoulder joints but angled upwards and forwards, meaning the plate is above your chest).

Can also be performed with a dumbbell

Plate (disk) Press Standing.

The exercise can be performed in two ways:
A). Press strictly horizontally (as shown);
B). Press once slightly upwards diagonally, once horizontally, and once slightly downwards diagonally.

The second variation is more challenging. It is relevant to apply after the first method stops being effective. Overall, the exercise allows you to work on the inner parts of the chest muscles.

Brief technique: When straightening your arms with the plate in front of you, consciously engage your chest muscles (as if you want to squeeze them); when returning the plate to your chest, flare your elbows wider (don’t keep them close to your body!).

Barbell Bench Press on the Floor.

I have often seen this exercise from Andrei Suharev - "The Animal from Irkutsk". It is used for pumping the chest and overcoming the "dead point" in the upper phase (it’s a kind of analogue of lockouts, just with slightly lighter weights). The floor doesn’t allow the barbell to be lowered to the chest (elbows are below the floor), which reduces the range of motion, allowing for more repetitions. More repetitions lead to myofibrillar hypertrophy of the muscles.

Brief technique: Keep your knees bent with your feet on the floor. Press the barbell until your arms are nearly fully extended, bend them while touching your elbows to the floor (but don’t place your elbows on the floor!).

Isolation

Dumbbell Fly with Arms Extended in Front.

I saw this exercise from Simeon Panda. It is technically very complex, isolating, but it effectively targets the chest.

Brief technique:
- Use an inclined bench;
- Hold the dumbbells as if you are about to do a fly (dumbbell fly);
- Lower the dumbbells down (perform the fly);
- Extend your arms in front of you with palms facing up (as in the picture);
- Return to the starting position in reverse order.

Additional Exercises for Chest Musculature

Unconventional push-ups for pumping the chest without equipment:

Exercises in the gym:

And here’s an exercise from Jeff Cavaliere. It’s suitable for the gym and home (for those who have at least one dumbbell or kettlebell):

Or here's another variant from Jeff using a crossover with resistance bands:

While creating this material, I have no idea where you will be training and what equipment you have. Perhaps in a gym with an abundance of various equipment, or maybe at home with no equipment at all, and none of the exercises may suit you. Therefore, here are workout programs for home conditions: https://makefitness.pro/programma-trenirovok-v-domashnih-usloviah/.