How to Work Out Lower Chest: Tips, Exercises and More

Introduction

The lower chest muscles are an important part of overall chest strength and aesthetics. Unfortunately, many people struggle to develop their lower chest area. This can be due to a number of factors, such as not using the right exercises, not using enough resistance, or not focusing on the right areas. Fortunately, there are a few simple tips that can help you target and build your lower chest muscles.

Increase Resistance

In order to effectively work out your lower chest muscles, you need to use heavier weights. According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research, using heavier weights helps increase the activation of the lower chest muscles. When selecting the right weight for your exercises, it’s important to choose one that will challenge you but won’t cause injury. A good rule of thumb is to select a weight that you can lift between 8-12 times in a set.

Reduce Range of Motion

Modifying exercises can help focus on the lower part of the chest. By reducing the range of motion, you are able to more accurately target the lower chest muscles. For example, when doing push-ups, you can reduce the range of motion by only going down halfway. Other modified exercises that can help target the lower chest include decline push-ups and decline flyes.

Change Grip Position

Using a different grip position can also help isolate the lower chest muscles. A wide grip puts more emphasis on the lower chest, while a narrow grip focuses on the upper chest. Exercises like incline presses and flat bench presses can be done with both a wide and narrow grip to target different parts of the chest.

Increase Volume

Increasing the volume of your workouts is also beneficial for targeting the lower chest. Increasing the reps and sets of your exercises allows you to do more work, which helps increase the activation of the lower chest muscles. When increasing the volume of your workouts, it’s important to make sure that you are still using proper form and technique.

Include Decline Exercises

Decline exercises are important for targeting the lower chest muscles. Decline exercises force you to use your bodyweight to provide resistance, which helps increase the activation of the lower chest muscles. Examples of decline exercises include decline push-ups and decline flyes.

Do Partial Reps

Partial reps are another great way to target the lower chest muscles. Partial reps involve only completing a portion of the full exercise. For example, when doing a chest press, you can do partial reps by only pushing the bar halfway up. Partial reps can be done with any chest exercise and can help increase the activation of the lower chest muscles.

Utilize Isometric Exercises

Isometric exercises are also beneficial for activating the lower chest muscles. Isometric exercises involve holding a contraction without moving the joint. An example of an isometric exercise for the chest is the wall press. To do this exercise, stand against a wall with your arms outstretched in front of you. Push your hands into the wall as if you were doing a chest press, and hold the contraction for 10 seconds.

Conclusion

Developing a strong lower chest takes dedication and practice. Following these tips can help you target and build your lower chest muscles. With the right exercises, resistance, range of motion, grip, volume, decline, partial reps, and isometric exercises, you can achieve a well-developed lower chest.