I've been working out since I was 13, and I turn 18 this May. That gives me a little over five years of experience in the gym. One of the biggest weak points in my physique has always been my chest. It felt small and out of proportion compared to the rest of my body. So I made it my mission to focus on it, grow it, and finally bring it up to par.

At the start of my senior year, I switched from my old workout plan—which, looking back, was the main reason my chest wasn't developing. On paper, it looked fine, but in practice, it was subpar. It leaned too much into "ego lifting" and not enough into what actually works. Since switching to a simpler plan built around just three movements, my chest has grown way more than it had in years of being stuck.

The Workout

This new plan focuses on three tried-and-true movements: incline Smith machine press, incline chest flies, and chest-focused dips. All three have been broken down and refined for proper form. The key is doing them at the start of your workout. If you're running a push/pull/legs split and hitting chest on Mondays and Thursdays, these need to come first. You don't want your chest already fatigued before you even get to your main lifts.

Warm-Up

Before doing anything, you need to warm up properly. A lot of people think that just means light cardio or a quick stretch—and while that helps, it's not enough. If you want to avoid elbow and shoulder pain (which is super common on chest days), you need a real warm-up.

Bicep curls mixed with hammer curls
Y raises
Light sets of your main exercise

Do these after stretching. Keep the weight light—the goal is just to get blood flowing. I skipped proper warm-ups for years and ended up with clicking joints and discomfort. Don't make that mistake. Never jump straight into heavy weight—ease into it.

Incline Smith Machine Press

This is your main movement and the most important one. Set your bench to about a 45-degree angle. Your grip should be neutral—not too wide, not too close. A good way to find it is to extend your thumb along the bar and see where it naturally lands.

Man performing Smith machine bench press exercise from two angles showing proper form and movement

Grip matters, but don't overthink it. You're not trying to crush the bar—your hands are just guiding the movement. All your focus should be on your chest.

Do two heavy sets. And I mean heavy. Most people cheat themselves out of real growth by not pushing hard enough here. Stay in the 4–6 rep range, and your last rep should be a grind.

Incline Chest Flies

For your second movement, keep the bench at 45 degrees. Use a weight that challenges you, but be more controlled here—this exercise is easier to mess up and get hurt.

Dumbbell bench press exercise showing starting and ending positions on an incline weight bench

Aim for 8–10 reps. This is an isolation movement, not a big compound lift.

Biggest tip: keep a slight bend in your elbows and don't let it change. Also, keep your head still so you're not putting strain on your neck.

Chest-Focused Dips

Last exercise—dips. You can use a machine for assistance or add weight, but bodyweight works perfectly fine.

To target your chest:

Lean slightly forward
Flare your elbows around 45 degrees

I treat this as a burnout set. Go to failure and push yourself.

Illustration of a man performing exercise bike workouts showing two positions of the movement

Best tip here: stop overthinking it. Put on a song you love and just go. This movement works best when you're fully locked in and not counting every second.

Final Thoughts

At the end of the day, the biggest change for me wasn't just the exercises—it was how I approached my training. Once I stopped chasing weight and started focusing on actually working the muscle, everything changed.

If your chest is lagging, don't overcomplicate it. Stick to the basics, stay consistent, and actually push yourself when it matters. Progress doesn't come from doing more—it comes from doing the right things, the right way, over time.