Updated on 15 july 2025
A well-built chest is a crucial part of an overall healthy body. It provides support, better posture and promotes well-rounded fitness. Many people tend to focus on the upper and middle parts of the chest, while the lower chest is often left out. But working on this area can greatly improve the shape of your chest and add to your overall build. Strengthening your chest muscles boosts appearance while also helping with daily movement, confidence and a sense of well-being.
In this blog, we will take you through some of the best lower chest workouts, at home and in the gym, to help you build strength, muscle and balance. Let’s begin!
Best exercises for the lower chest
Some of the best exercises for the lower chest are:
- Decline bench press
- Dips
- Decline dumbbell flyes
- Cable crossovers (low pulley)
- Decline push-ups
Decline bench press
Incorporate this into your routine to enhance lower chest development effectively and safely. The steps are as follows:
- Setup: Adjust the bench angle (15–30 degrees). Lie down with your head lower than your hips, and grip the barbell slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Stability: Plant feet firmly, arch back slightly and retract shoulder blades for stability.
- Descent: Bring the barbell to the lower chest, allowing elbows to flare naturally (45 degrees).
- Pressing: Explosively push the barbell up, maintaining control. Engage the lower chest muscles.
- Breathing: Inhale while lowering, exhale while pressing.
- Reps: Perform the desired reps with proper form. Gradually add weights for progress.
Dips
Dips, the best exercise for the lower chest, are a potent bodyweight exercise significantly targeting the lower chest muscles. The steps are as follows:
- Setup: Find parallel bars or use sturdy surfaces. Grip the bars firmly with palms facing down.
- Stance: Lift yourself up, arms fully extended. Lean slightly forward to emphasise the lower chest.
- Descent: Lower your body with control, bending your elbows to around 90 degrees.
- Ascent: Push through your palms, extending your arms without locking your elbows.
- Breathing: Inhale during descent, exhale during ascent.
- Reps: Perform reps, maintaining proper form for optimal lower chest engagement.
Decline dumbbell flyes
Sculpting a defined lower chest is achievable with decline dumbbell flyes. The steps are as follows:
- Setup: Lie on a decline bench (15–30 degrees), holding dumbbells above your chest.
- Descent: Lower dumbbells with a slight bend in the elbows, feeling a stretch in the lower chest.
- Contraction: Lift dumbbells back up, squeezing chest muscles.
- Form: Keep controlled movements and focus on lower chest engagement.
- Breathing: Inhale while lowering, exhale while lifting.
- Repetitions: Perform reps while maintaining proper form. Gradually increase weights for progress.
Cable crossovers (low pulley)
Cable crossovers using a low pulley effectively isolate and strengthen the lower chest muscles. The steps are as follows:
- Setup: Attach D-handles to low pulleys. Stand between the pulleys, feet shoulder-width apart.
- Grip: Grab handles underhand, palms facing up.
- Stance: Slightly lean forward, maintaining elbow bend.
- Movement: Pull the handles forward and downward in an arc, crossing at the base. Focus on lower chest engagement.
- Contraction: Hold briefly, feeling the stretch.
- Return: Slowly reverse to start.
Decline push-ups
Decline push-ups, the best workout for the lower chest, are a dynamic bodyweight workout that successfully targets the lower chest muscle mass. The steps are as follows:
- Starting: Anticipate a push-up position with your feet on a solid surface.
- Alignment: Preserve your body in an immediate line from head to heels, engaging your centre for stability.
- Descent: Bring your chest closer to the ground, maintaining the right form.
- Push-up: Push your frame again up to the beginning position, focusing on the decreased chest contraction.
- Respiration: Inhale as you descend, exhale as you push up.
- Repetitions: Perform a fixed number of repetitions, regularly increasing in intensity as you progress.
How often should you train your lower chest?
Aim to train your lower chest once or twice per week, allowing 48-72 hours of rest in between sessions. A targeted focus once or twice per week is ideal. Make sure that you do not overtrain your muscles and take breaks as and when required.
How many sets and reps should I do for the lower chest?
Here is a guideline combining compound and isolation movements in chest workouts:
- Compound lifts (decline press, dips):
3–5 sets × 6–10 reps
- Isolation movements (flyes, cable crossovers, decline push-ups):
3–4 sets × 10–20 reps
Conclusion
Incorporating all these workouts for the lower chest into your fitness regime with proper form and steady progress can yield desirable results in your lower chest improvement journey. Also, you must understand that consistency, suitable weight choices and a balanced average chest education plan are key elements in achieving your fitness objectives.
Continually consult a health expert before starting a new exercise routine, particularly when you have any pre-existing clinical conditions. As you focus on building a stronger, healthier body, it’s equally important to protect your well-being with the right coverage— a health insurance plan for yourself ensures you’re financially supported during medical needs, while a health insurance for family extends this vital protection to your loved ones, securing comprehensive care for everyone.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this blog is for educational and informational purposes only. It is not intended as a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Please consult your general physician or another certified medical professional for any questions regarding a medical condition. Relying on any information provided in this blog is solely at your own risk, and ICICI Lombard is not responsible for any effects or consequences resulting from the use of the information shared.