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If you want to develop your lower chest muscles, there are a number of exercises you can try. These include incline pushups, cable crossovers, and parallel-bar dips. Using a barbell will allow you to lift heavier weights, but dumbbells allow a greater range of motion, which may be better for targeting the lower chest. You can also try exercises with a decline bench, which can be set at a 45-degree angle, and exercises that involve raising and lowering dumbbells over the chest.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Muscles | Pectoralis major and pectoralis minor |
| Pectoralis major | Fan-shaped muscle that spans from the chest bone and clavicle to the upper arm bone |
| Pectoralis minor | Runs from the rib bones to the scapula in a triangular shape |
| Sternal area | The largest of the two main sections of the middle and lower pectoral muscle |
| Exercises | Incline pushups, cable crossovers, decline flye |
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What You'll Learn
Using a barbell or dumbbells
If you're using a barbell, set up a barbell loaded with heavy weights on a rack or bench press station. The bench should be adjusted to a decline angle so that your head is lower than your hips. Position your head beneath the barbell and grasp it with your palms facing forward, a little more than shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off the rack and slowly lower it to a position just beneath your nipples. Slowly raise the bar back to the starting position and repeat.
If you're using dumbbells, set the decline bench at a 45-degree angle and lie down on it with one dumbbell in each hand, resting on your thighs with your palms facing inward. Keep your back flat and raise the dumbbells over your chest, extending your arms toward the ceiling. Keep your hands facing inward and hold the dumbbells shoulder-width apart. On the exhale, use your chest muscles to push the dumbbells up and squeeze at the top of the lift for 1-2 seconds. Slowly lower the dumbbells back to the starting position.
Remember to focus on feeling a stretch in your chest, but don't push yourself too hard. It's easy to overwork the anterior deltoid (front shoulder muscles) with these exercises.
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Incline pushups
Incline push-ups can be done just about anywhere. All you need is a stable surface such as a table, desk, or wall. This is perfect for beginners, for anyone doing upper body and shoulder rehab, or even seniors who need to build upper body strength to improve their quality of life and independence.
The key to incline pushups is to make sure that your body is in a straight line while you’re in plank position. Using a slow and deliberate motion can really engage your core.
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Cable crossovers
The chest is made up of two main muscles: the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. The pectoralis major is a fan-shaped muscle that spans from the chest bone and clavicle to the upper arm bone. The pectoralis minor lies underneath the pectoralis major and runs from the rib bones to the scapula in a triangular shape.
To target the lower chest, exercises that bring the arm straight across the body in adduction are recommended. This is because the lower sternal fibres of the pecs run horizontally from the sternum out towards the arm. Cable crossovers are one such exercise.
To perform a cable crossover, you will need access to a cable machine. Stand in the middle of the machine, facing the weight stacks, and grasp the handles with your palms facing down. Take a step forward with one foot, bending your knee slightly, and lean forward at the hips. Keep your arms straight with a slight bend in the elbow to avoid strain. Bring your arms down and across your body in a hugging motion, feeling the stretch in your chest. Slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
You can also perform cable crossovers from a higher position, which will target your upper chest. To do this, stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and bring the handles up to chest height, keeping your elbows bent. Press the handles forward, straightening your arms, and then slowly return to the starting position.
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Parallel-bar dips
The lower chest is made up of the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles.
To perform a parallel-bar dip, grip the bars and jump up so your arms are straight and your body is above the bars. Slowly lower your body by bending your arms and leaning forward. Your elbows should form a 90-degree angle at the bottom of the exercise. Push back into the starting position, but don't push straight down. Instead, push as if you're trying to bring the parallel bars together. Aim for 4 sets of 8-12 dips each.
Parallel bar dips are a progression of the tricep dip. They work your pectoralis major, triceps brachii, front deltoids, rhomboid, latissimus dorsi, and levator scapulae. Leaning forward and putting your chest in front of your elbows are what make this primarily a chest dip rather than a tricep dip.
If you don't feel comfortable performing a complete chest dip, you can try a variation. Slowly inhale while bending your arms and leaning your torso forward. Continue lowering your body until you feel a slight stretching sensation in your chest. On the exhale, lift your body back up above the bars. Repeat as many reps as possible without overexerting the muscles.
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Adjusting the bench to a decline angle
To perform a decline flye, lie on a decline bench with a pair of dumbbells held using a neutral grip near your chest. Your feet should be secured at the end of the bench. Press the weights to the lockout position, then lower them laterally, maintaining a slight bend at your elbows to avoid elbow strain. When the dumbbells are at chest level, squeeze your chest muscles and bring the weights back to the starting position. Repeat this movement for a set number of repetitions.
The lower chest is largely made up of the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles, which are often referred to as the pecs. These muscles define the shape and appearance of the chest and control several arm movements, including flexing and rotating the arm and bringing it in toward the body's midline (adduction). The pecs are large, fan-like muscles with two heads: the clavicle and the sternal head. The sternal area is the largest of the two main sections of the middle and lower pectoral muscle, and it's what most people think of when they refer to the pecs.
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Frequently asked questions
You can build your lower chest muscles by doing exercises such as incline pushups, cable crossovers, parallel-bar dips, and exercises with dumbbells or barbells.
Building your lower chest muscles can improve the appearance of your chest and help with arm movements such as flexing and rotating the arm and bringing it in toward the body’s midline (adduction).
Lie down on a decline bench with one dumbbell in each hand, palms facing inward. Raise the dumbbells over your chest, then slowly lower them back into the starting position.
Adjust a bench to a decline angle and lie down on it with your head beneath the barbell. Grasp the barbell with your palms facing forward, then slowly lower it to a position just beneath the nips. Slowly raise the bar back to the starting position.
Using a barbell will allow you to lift heavier weights for fewer reps, while dumbbells allow a greater range of motion, which may be better for targeting the lower chest.
