Can I build my chest without doing bench press?
Can I build my chest at home?

The answer is YES. Below we will discuss how to maximise your strength and gain proper pec definition at home.

What is Muscle Hypertrophy?

The expansion and growth of muscle cells is known as hypertrophy. The term "hypertrophy" describes increased muscle growth brought on by training.

What causes Muscle hypertrophy, and how can you build your chest at home?

You need mechanical damage and metabolic fatigue to increase muscle mass through weightlifting (the root of Muscle Hypertrophy). Hence, together with a proper nutrition plan and quality sleep, weightlifting is the best way to build your chest with traditional exercises such as Bench Press, Cable Flyes, and Incline/Decline Dumbbell press, as weights are very effective in breaking down muscle and tearing muscle fibres, which allows fatigue to happen sooner.

But if you are exercising at home, and do not have any weights to go for, you will need to increase time under tension with the muscle that you are contracting, which means MORE REPS and LONGER HOLD. This is the basic principle of our Ultimate Guide to Home Chest Workout.

We have 3 parts to work out: Upper, Middle & Lower Chest.

Ready to hit your chest at home?

1. Upper Chest Workout

Declined Push-ups (15-20 reps/4 sets)

If you are searching for the most popular Upper Home Chest movement that can be done at any time, Declined Push-ups are perfect for you.

Exercise Form: Feet are placed on a raised surface with your hands on a lower surface or the ground.

Home Upper Chest Workout: Decline Push-ups

Staggered Push-ups (8-15 reps/3 sets)
When performing a push-up variation called a staggered push-up, you alternate moving one hand forward and one hand back.
- Exercise Form: Starting in a push-up stance, place your hands wider than shoulder-width apart and extend your legs straight behind you, around hip-width apart. Squeeze the glutes and thighs while extending the left hand out to the side and the right hand forwards a few inches. The result will be an uneven hand position. Slowly lower your body to the ground and raise it back up to your starting position.

Home Upper Chest Workout: Staggered Push-ups

2. Lower Chest Workout

Chair Dips (15-20 reps/3 sets)
This is one of the most fundamental Home Lower Chest Workouts without equipment.
Exercise form:

Sit down on a bench- The same procedure may be used to conduct a bench dip off of a stair or other raised surface.
Lift your bottom off the bench and hold it there with extended arms whilst you extend your legs and walk your feet out.
Lower your body as low as you can while hinging at the elbow, or until your arms are at a 90-degree angle.
Push up through your palms, to return to starting position.

Pseudo Push-ups (8-15 reps/3 sets)
You may engage your muscles in a completely new—and difficult—way by merely adjusting where your hands are placed. This exercise can enhance your vaulting power, climb-up strength, and advanced handstand and shoulder stand-related motions in addition to being a fantastic method to increase general strength.
Exercise form:
1. Legs stretched behind the upper body, get onto your mat. Place your toes on the ground and put your hands on the floor next to your stomach.
2. Make sure your fingers are pointed forward and toward your head as you press your elbows firmly towards your ribs. Your full body weight must be supported by your hands and feet.
3. Keep your body in a straight line by contracting your abdominal and thigh muscles, then steadily push up and down. The shoulders and chest should be able to support your body weight.

Home Lower Chest Workout: Pseudo Push-ups

3. Middle Chest Workout

Diamond Push-ups (10-15 reps/3-4 sets)
- A more challenging version of the standard push-up that you can perform in practically any place, diamond push-ups highlight various muscle groups by altering body placement.
- Exercise form: Get down on all fours and place your hands under your chest. Extend your arms so that your torso is lifted and forms a straight line from your head to your feet. Position your index fingers and thumbs so they are touching, producing a diamond shape.

Home Inner Chest Workout — Home Middle Chest Workout: Diamond Push-ups

Push-up in a circle (16 reps/3 sets - 8 reps to the left and 8 reps to the right)
Exercise form: You'll be isolation one pec as you move from a regular push-up to a diamond push-up forming half a circle
For more details about this exercise: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BkS1-El_WlE&t=331s (from 3’50s)

By combining these exercises into your Home Chest Workout Routine, you will build your chest as effectively as possible without weights. If you want clearer guidance taking into consideration your own specific needs; check out our CHEST CHAMPION online programme. You will receive a PERSONALISED CHEST TRAINING PROGRAMME, at home or in the gym, with the correct Nutrition Targets and regular accountability check-ins.