How To Work Lower Chest 2023: 5 Exercises That Can Help

The Pectoralis major and Pectoralis minor are the two muscles that comprise the pecs (also known as the pectoral muscles^[1]). Most of the lower chest muscle fibers are made up of the pec major. The major is situated above the minor, which is much smaller. 

These muscles are frequently to blame for people’s rounded shoulders because they are frequently tight, which results in bad posture, rounded shoulders, etc. How to fix rounded shoulders may also be resolved by exercising these muscles.

Not just popping your pecs will give you a strong lower chest. If you want to develop a distinct, well-defined chest you should concentrate on the lower chest and on what to eat before a workout.

Here’s a detailed look at the best lower chest exercises for building stronger, better-defined pecs.

We’ll show you how to perform lower pec-focused workouts and how to begin training them, regardless of whether or not you possess access to an incline bench, cables, or simply manual weight movements.

Benefits Of Working The Lower Chest

Focusing on the lower muscles of your chest and chest generally has numerous advantages in helping you develop a stronger and fuller chest.

Improved Posture

The chest plays a significant function in helping healthy posture since it has one of the main muscles in your upper body and determines your shoulder position with its length and strength. In addition, the upper back, shoulder, and pecs stabilize the entire shoulder region, improving your overall body posture.

Deeper And Improved Breathing

By expanding and contracting the ribcage, chest muscles that have been lengthened and strengthened enable deeper breathing. Your ribcage expands with each breath, and since your pecs are connected to it, their tightness or shortness will limit how deeply you can inhale.

Better Athletic Performance

The pecs aid in tackling and fending off opponents on the football pitch. Additionally, they help throw the football, baseball, and tennis ball faster and higher. 

Better Range Of Motion

Working your lower chest muscles and training them with different exercises greatly increase the range of motion of arms and shoulders. Because the more you stretch the muscles and ligaments, the more joint mobility will increase. This results in an improved range of motion and reduces the muscles’ stiffness and tightness.

5 Best Exercises to Build Your Lower Chest 2023

Incline Push-Ups 

Start with 2-3 sets of 10–20 reps of incline push-ups, paying close attention to form.

Put both hands on a safe, elevated area, such as a bench or stairwell. Maintain hip-width separation and straight legs. The tips of your toes must be flexed and touching the ground. The distance between your hands and shoulders should be just a hair wider than the distance between your feet.

Grab the raised area with your hands, then turn your shoulders out to activate your lats. Pretend your hips, shoulders, and core are in a straight line. Next, squeeze the glutes and quads. Throughout the movement, the tip of your chin should stay tucked as if carrying an egg. Start each repeat from this location.

Bend your elbows to draw your chest towards your hands as you descend. As you descend towards the raised surface, the shoulder blades should retract. Your body should be lowered until the upper arms parallel your back. The wrists should be below your elbows, and the elbows must be at a 45-degree angle from your torso.

Squeeze your chest and extend your elbows to move upward while keeping your alignment.

Finish the rep by tightening your triceps and lower chest.

Chest Dips

Dips are commonly referred to as upper body exercises. They are known as squats that target the upper body since they work every major muscle in the upper body and are simple to scale for both novice and expert lifters. In addition, the chest dip’s wide range of motion causes the lower chest and the triceps to extend more, which increases their potential for strength and hypertrophy.

Here, leaning forward focuses on the lower chest, but be cautious because doing so puts your anterior shoulder at risk.

Holding the dip bars firmly while standing between them can help you to engage your upper back. Keep your upper body up and shoulders back. To focus on the lower chest, squeeze the bar and push yourself upward while maintaining a forward slant. When you’re close to lockout (full extension of joints), flex your triceps behind your back, rest briefly, then slowly lower yourself and repeat.

Cable Crossovers

The path of motion cable crossovers go through makes them ideal for hitting the lower portion of the pectorals. They also enable strong stretches at the top and strong peak contractions at the bottom, each of which can stimulate growth.

Many weightlifters view this as a contouring exercise rather than a proper muscle-building exercise, but there is no difference. When done with appropriate resistance, concentration, and intensity, any activity can and will help you gain muscle.

Centre yourself on the cable machine. Pick a mid-range weight and put the pulleys high. Each hand should hold a handle.

Step forward and firmly place your foot on the ground. Your core should be tightened as you lean forward.

Breathe in a while, extending your hands in a broad arc. For one full repetition, bring your hands to your body’s midline. Repeat the exercise 10-15 times.

Jackhammer Pushdown

You can target and develop the lower chest by slightly altering the triceps pushdown exercise. First, lean forward and spread your elbows wide during the jackhammer pushdown. This position isolates the lower muscle groups and minimizes the involvement of the triceps. 

Additionally, the cable machine’s consistent tension and vast range of motion make it a powerful lower chest builder.

Use the same grip you’d use for a triceps pushdown device in front of the cable machine while standing there. Lean forward and grab the handle firmly as you approach the machine closely with the cord draped over your shoulder. 

Spread out your elbows. Push down to widen the elbows after reaching the movement’s peak. Open the chest and raise the elbows, returning slowly to the beginning position.

The ROM and consistent compression of the cable machine provides more hypertrophy potential. This exercise works well to isolate and strengthen the lower chest region.

Decline Dumbbell Fly

The decline dumbbell fly version is done on a modest decline that slightly more specifically targets the lower chest muscles than the flat and incline forms. Compared to the incline variation, this exercise lessens stress on the anterior shoulders, much to the decline bench press^[2]. 

This further separates the lower chest muscles because the triceps and shoulders aren’t as actively engaged.

Lay down on the decline bench with your feet fastened at the end and two dumbbells gripped with a neutral grip close to your chest. After that, lift the weights until they are locked out. Then, to prevent elbow pain, slide the weights laterally while keeping your elbows slightly bent. 

Squeeze your chest muscles when the dumbbells are at chest height, then return the weights to the beginning position and repeat.

Other Tips For Well-Defined Pecs   

Use these tips to maintain your lower chest muscles well-defined and strong.

Warm-Up And Stretches

Your muscles will be ready to offer them throughout your lifts after a solid 10-minute warmup. After your warm-up, do a few simple stretches to lower your risk of an accident.

Maintain Muscle Balance

Focus on more than just one set of muscles. By performing a superset, you can balance both sides of your body equally. For example, the lower chest should be lifted first, and then the lats, rhomboids, or trapezius muscles should be lifted.

Pre-Workout Supplements

Your body may be fueled with the proper pre-workout foods (low-fat milk, banana, low-fat yogurt)  for muscle gain to keep delivering the desired benefits.

Conclusion

The five lower chest workouts will help you achieve your goals, whether they involve increased strength or better pec definition. Make sure your workouts are varied and give your body enough time to recover between each one.

In addition to enhancing your posture, chest exercise encourages a healthy breathing pattern. You can incorporate the best pre-workout nutrients into your workout programme for larger, stronger pecs. The supplements aim to improve your performance by enhancing your stamina, power, and energy.

Frequently Asked Questions