The Best Upper Peck Exercises

The best exercises for your upper chest, or pecs, are performed on an incline with free weights. If your body is angled upwards on, for example, a barbell press, at an angle ranging from 20 to 45 degrees, you’ll blast your upper pecs. The higher the angle, the more you’ll work the muscle around your clavicle, which is the bony ridge just beneath your neck. The advantage of working at an incline in front of mirror is that you can see what you’re doing. Compared to a flat bench press, it’s a little easier to make adjustments to maintain correct form.

  1. Incline Press

    • Incline presses, which include those done with a barbell or dumbbells as well as a machine, will exert tension on your upper pecs. To perform an incline barbell bench press, set the incline to a 35- to 45-degree angle. Take hold of the bar with a slightly wider grip than shoulder-width distance apart. Lower the bar to your clavicles. By keeping your elbows pulled back, you can give your upper pecs a good stretch. If you maintain an arch in your lower back and hold your chest up, you’ll avoid shifting the stress to your upper shoulders. When you reach the bottom of the exercise, push the bar back up. Don’t allow the bar to drift too low or you’ll work your lower pecs instead. Keep the barbell moving up and down, only allowing your pecs to rest for a split second on each rep. Perform four to six reps for three sets.

    Incline Fly

    • An incline fly with dumbbells is an isolation exercise for the upper pecs. During the lowering phase of the exercise, give your pecs a deep stretch. Hold the peak position for a few seconds. By doing so, you perform an isometric contraction in which your upper chest muscles contract without any arm motion. Use a few angles on an incline bench to perform the exercise. For example, do the first set at a 30-degree incline, the second set at 45 degrees and the third set at 60 degrees. The steeper the angle, the more you have to work your pecs. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, extending your arms toward the ceiling. On the inhalation, lower the dumbbells to your sides until you reach shoulder height. Loosen your grip on the descent. Hold the stretch for a few seconds before you lift the weights back up. Perform eight reps for one set. Pause for 15 seconds and then try and do as many more reps before muscle failure.

    Techniques

    • To activate more muscle fibers when you lift heavy weight, such as a bench press, unrack the weight first. Put the bar at arm’s length and take a pause. Allow your body to grow accustomed to the weight before you lower it. Your body will also become familiar with the movement of the exercise, according to Thomas Incledon’s in his book “Men's Health Maximum Muscle Plan.” Use a pronated, or overhand, grip and wrap your thumbs around the bar. As you get tired, you can squeeze the bar. This action will pull in your triceps and enable you to perform more reps. Avoid using a false grip in which all fingers are positioned on one side of the bar. Because the grip is not secure, it can be dangerous.

    Precautions and Considerations

    • If you’re feeling achy where your chest and shoulder intersect, the first thing to look for is impingement, or an inflammation of your rotator cuff. This condition often results from overusing your chest muscles and neglecting your back. You need to redress the muscular imbalance. Perform exercises that will build your upper back to prevent your shoulders from pulling forward when you’re blasting your chest. For example, horizontal shrugs will strengthen your upper back. Always warm up before you begin a chest workout. Arm swings are a good exercise to stretch and warm your upper pecs.