The Best Chest Workout: Exercises for Width and Thickness
A truly impressive chest isn't just about how much muscle you pack on; it's about the shape and balance of that muscle. A great chest has two key components: **width** and **thickness**.
- **Width** refers to the breadth of your pectorals, stretching from your sternum to your shoulders. A wide chest makes your upper body look expansive and creates that sought-after "shelf" appearance .
- **Thickness** refers to the depth and density of the muscle, projecting outward from your ribcage. A thick chest adds 3D mass and power to your physique .
To build a chest that has both, you need a strategic approach that combines the right exercises with the right techniques. You can't simply do the same flat bench press set after set and hope for the best. Here is the ultimate guide to building a wider and thicker chest.
#### Understanding Chest Anatomy
To target width and thickness, you must first understand the muscle you're trying to build. The pectoralis major has two distinct heads :
1. **The Clavicular Head (Upper Chest):** Responsible for that "armor-plated" look near your collarbone.
2. **The Sternal Head (Mid & Lower Chest):** This makes up the bulk of your chest mass. While the fibers run differently, it functions largely as one unit . Overall size here contributes most to both width and thickness.
**The key to width isn't isolating a specific part of the muscle, but rather stimulating overall growth and focusing on the stretch.** As the muscle gets bigger, it will naturally become broader . However, you can heavily influence this development by emphasizing a full range of motion and stretch-mediated growth .
### The Best Exercises for Chest Width
Building a wider chest is all about **stretch and adduction**. You need to take the muscle through its longest range of motion and squeeze it through the midline.
#### 1. The Dumbbell Fly (Flat and Incline)
The fly is the quintessential width-builder. By eliminating triceps involvement, it isolates the chest's function of horizontal adduction (bringing the arms together) .
- **Execution:** Lie on a bench with a slight bend in your elbows. Lower the weights out wide in an arc, feeling a deep stretch in your pecs. Squeeze your chest to bring the weights back up, imagining you're hugging a barrel.
- **Pro Tip:** To maximize the stretch safely, consider performing flyes on the floor. Using a small foam roller under your back allows for a deep stretch while preventing you from over-extending and injuring your shoulders .
#### 2. Cable Crossovers (Low-to-High)
Cables provide constant tension, which is fantastic for width.
- **Execution:** Set the pulleys to the lowest setting. Grab the handles and step forward, leaning slightly. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands together in an arc in front of your chest. Squeeze hard at the peak contraction.
- **Why it works:** The low-to-high angle targets the upper chest fibers, which contribute significantly to that broad, full look from the collarbone down .
#### 3. Wide-Grip Dips (With a Lean)
While dips are often seen as a "lower chest" exercise, performing them with a focus on the stretch is key for width.
- **Execution:** Use bars that are wider than shoulder-width. As you descend, lean your torso forward slightly. Lower yourself until you feel a deep stretch in your chest, ensuring your elbows don't go past 90 degrees .
- **The Stretch is Key:** The bottom of a dip places the pec major under immense stretch tension. Don't bounce out of it; control the descent and pause briefly to let the stretch stimulate growth .
### The Best Exercises for Chest Thickness
Thickness comes from loading the muscle with heavy compound weight. These exercises allow you to move the most weight, creating the mechanical tension necessary for dense muscle growth .
#### 1. The Barbell Bench Press
The king of all chest exercises for a reason. It allows you to load the heaviest weight and build a foundation of raw mass .
- **Execution:** Lie on a flat bench with your feet planted. Retract your shoulder blades and maintain a slight arch. Lower the bar to your lower chest/sternum area with control, and drive it back up powerfully .
- **Width Tip:** To also encourage width, use a slightly wider grip and focus on lowering the bar with control to get a good stretch .
#### 2. The Incline Dumbbell Press
If you want a thick upper chest, this is your go-to exercise. EMG studies show that the 30-degree and 15-degree incline dumbbell presses are among the best for activating the upper chest fibers .
- **Execution:** Set the bench to 30 degrees or less. Press the dumbbells up, focusing on keeping your chest tall and driving through your upper pecs .
- **Why it works:** The incline angle shifts the emphasis to the clavicular head, building that upper shelf that makes your entire chest look thicker and more complete .
#### 3. Decline Press (Barbell, Dumbbell, or Machine)
To build an incredibly thick lower chest, you must include a decline angle.
- **Execution:** On a decline bench, lower the weight to your lower pecs. This angle emphasizes the sternal head and can help fill out the entire lower half of your chest .
- **Machine Variation:** Bodybuilding coach Charles Glass is a fan of the Hammer Strength decline press for this purpose. The machine provides stability, allowing you to push close to failure safely and really focus on contracting the lower pec fibers .
### How to Structure Your Chest Workout
To build both width and thickness, you need to combine these exercises intelligently. Start with your heaviest, most demanding compound movements for thickness, and finish with isolation work for width.
**Sample "Width & Thickness" Chest Workout:**
| Exercise | Goal | Sets | Reps | Rest |
| :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- |
| 1. Barbell Bench Press | Thickness (Mid-Lower) | 4 | 6-8 | 3 min |
| 2. Incline Dumbbell Press | Thickness (Upper) | 3-4 | 8-10 | 2-3 min |
| 3. Wide-Grip Dips (Weighted if possible) | Thickness & Width | 3 | 8-12 | 2 min |
| 4. Dumbbell Flyes (Flat or Incline) | Width | 3 | 12-15 | 90 sec |
| 5. Low-to-High Cable Crossover | Width & Contraction | 3 | 15-20 | 60 sec |
### Key Principles for Maximum Growth
**1. Focus on the Stretch**
Modern research and top trainers agree that muscle growth is significantly stimulated in the lengthened position. Don't just move the weight; feel a deep stretch in your pecs at the bottom of every rep .
- **Tip:** Incorporate pause reps. On your dumbbell press or bench press, pause for 1-2 seconds in the stretched position. This removes momentum and places maximum tension on the chest .
**2. Don't Let Your Shoulders Dominate**
A common mistake is letting the front delts take over. To keep tension on the chest:
- Retract and depress your shoulder blades, "puffing" your chest up .
- Keep your elbows tucked at a 45-75 degree angle. Flaring them out recruits the shoulders and risks injury .
**3. Train with Frequency**
You don't need to demolish your chest once a week with 20 sets. Instead, spread the volume out. Training chest twice a week with higher-quality, focused sets is more effective for hypertrophy than a single marathon session .
**4. Don't Forget Your Triceps**
Your triceps are essential for lockout strength on all pressing movements. If your triceps give out before your chest, your pecs aren't being trained to their full potential. Include dedicated tricep work in your routine to support your chest growth .
By combining the raw, heavy loading of compound presses with the deep-stretch focus of flyes and cables, you can sculpt a chest that is not only massive and thick but also impressively wide and aesthetic.