The 5 Best Lower Chest Workouts in 2024

Best Lower Chest Workouts

When you start working out, you will notice that training your chest is one of the most important exercises in your workout regimen. 

Chest exercises are really popular and are easy to build upon. Having well-defined chest muscles is enough to capture anyone’s attention, just when they glance at you. However, training your lower chest muscles is often overlooked when it comes to building a muscular chest.

If you are especially looking to build your lower chest muscles, then this article is for you. In this article, let’s look at the best lower chest workouts that provide the most effective results.

Why Focus on Lower Chest Workouts?

Chest muscles, also known as pectoral muscles or pecs, are one of the largest muscle groups in the human body. They run from the clavicle (neck bone) to the ribs and scapula through the chest region. They are responsible for a variety of motions from rotating your arms to supporting in picking up, lifting, and pushing. 

Anatomically, the chest muscles are composed of two muscles: pectoralis major and pectoralis minor and are grouped into three: the upper, middle, and lower chest muscle regions. There are specific workouts that target these specific muscles and render effectiveness. Additionally, training your chest muscles at least two days a week through 2-3 sets over a rep range of 8-12 reps is advised. 

So, without further ado, let’s get into the list of the 5 best lower chest workouts in 2023.

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Best Lower Chest Workouts

When it comes to building lower chest muscles, there are a variety of exercises that involve a modified form of push movements. Some of them can be performed without any pieces of equipment. However, for well-defined results, it is better to use some form of equipment like dumbbells or resistance bands. 

Incline Pushups

Incline Pushups
Incline Pushups

Let us start with a simple yet effective workout that targets your lower chest. Pushups are mainly designed to put focus on the chest and the back region. Whereas, incline push ups mainly target the lower chest regions. 

Equipment Needed

To perform incline pushups, you’d need an elevated surface such as a bench, a step, or a workout bench.  

How to Do It

  • Start by standing in front of the elevated surface, and placing your hand shoulder-width apart (plank position). 
  • Position your arms perpendicular to your chest, and place your palms on the bench. Make sure you are standing on your toes. 
  • Drop your chest down to the bench and push back up. You will feel a slight stretch in your lower chest region. 
  • Drop and push back up to your initial position. 

Note: Since your body weight is inclined, this exercise will be relatively easy to perform. Aim for a higher rep range for an effective workout. 

Declined Bench Press/Smith Machine Press

Declined Bench Press/Smith Machine Press
Declined Bench Press / Smith Machine Press

Bench presses are classic workouts for a beast-like chest. It has three variations: the inclined, flat, and decline bench press. When it comes to lower chest workouts, nothing beats the decline bench press. 

Equipment Needed

You can choose to do this exercise with the bench press machine, or the Smith machine for a resistive heavy workout. You will need a barbell and some weights based on your requirements.

How to Do

  • Recline the workout bench so that your head is lower than your hips. 
  • Now, hold the barbell firmly with your hands just a little more than your shoulder width.
  • Push and lift the barbell off the rack extending your elbows. This will be the starting position.
  • Now, lower the barbell parallel to your chest, such that the bar touches you.
  • Again, push the bar by extending your arms fully to the initial position. 

Note: Make sure to customize the weights, rep ranges, and sets depending on your experience and endurance.

Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell Press
Dumbbell Press

Hitting the same muscle group using different variations helps to chisel the muscle. One such exercise is the dumbbell press. The dumbbell press is a variation of the bench press that also serves as one of the most effective lower chest workouts. 

Equipment Needed

To perform the dumbbell press, you will need a gym bench and a pair of dumbbells. 

How to Do It

  • First, recline the bench downwards so that your hips are elevated above your head.
  • Now, lie back and extend your hand upwards holding the dumbbells. 
  • Bring them down toward your chest just like you retract the barbell for the decline dumbbell press until you feel a slight stretch in your lower chest muscle. 
  • Now, push the dumbbells back to the initial position.

Note: Here too, make sure to customize the dumbbell weights, rep ranges, and sets depending on your experience and endurance.

Cable Crossover

Cable Crossover
Cable Crossover

Cable crossovers are also one of the all-around exercises that target specific chest muscles based on the hand motion and the pulley position. Setting the pulley higher will put more emphasis on the lower chest whereas setting the pulley lower will put more emphasis on the upper chest. 

Additionally, the cable machine puts more resistance on your lower chest workout to build and tone your chest.

Equipment Needed 

To perform this exercise, all you need is a cable crossover machine. Using a single loop pulley handle or rope gives you more stability when performing the cable cross.

How to Do It

  • First, position both pulleys above your head. Then, hold each end of the cable, drag it and stand in the center of the machine.  
  • Now, take a step forward and lean your torso a little toward the front.
  •  Extend your arms and pull both the cables laterally towards your opposite side and tighten your chest.
  • When you leave the cable, don’t relax your elbows beyond your shoulders.
  • Now again, using your chest muscles pull the cables again. 

Chest Dips

Chest Dips
Chest Dips

Let us conclude the lower chest workout routine with the chest dips. Dips predominantly focus on tricep muscles, but a variation of it could greatly benefit the chest. These chest dips help in making the chest partition visible.

Equipment needed

Parallel dips bar either as a machine or any free-standing installation.

How to Do It

  • Hold the bars, jump from the ground and use your arms to balance yourself above the bars. 
  • Now, bend your elbows perpendicular to your body, and drop down by leaning your torso forward until you feel tension in your lower chest.
  • Now, push and lift yourself back up to the starting position.

Note: The chest dips are not beginner-friendly, so it is better to perform lower reps or use gym stools to support your workout. 

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Wrapping Up

That is all, people. We have reached the end of the list. 

Specifically targeting your lower chest muscles will greatly add to a bigger-looking, more defined chest. Instead of just focusing on your lower chest workouts, it is best to incorporate one of these lower chest workouts into your workout regimen.

Working out a specific muscle region 2x a week and ensuring proper rest provides very effective results. Additionally, using variations of exercises to target a specific muscle group helps in building it up and toning the muscle. This will ensure you a well-balanced physique.

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