Chest and Bicep Workout Plan: 10 Best Exercises

Best Chest and Bicep Workout Plan: 10 Best Exercises for Chest and Biceps

Hey there, fitness enthusiasts!

Are you ready to take your chest and bicep gains to the next level?

Look no further because I’ve got the perfect workout routine for you, designed to build muscle and achieve that sought-after symmetry.

Why Combine Chest and Biceps in One Workout?

Training your chest and biceps together allows you to hit each muscle group in a fresh and rested state.

This means you’ll be able to lift heavier weights, leading to more muscle growth and jaw-dropping strength gains.

Plus, it’s worth noting that this combo is not only effective but also safe for your workout routine.

Understanding Your Muscles

The chest consists of four muscles: pec major, pec minor, serratus anterior, and subclavius.

These muscles play an important role in pushing movements, so we’re going to make them work with killer exercises like push-ups, bench press variations (barbell or dumbbell), and fly movements.

Next up, the biceps!

These pulling muscles are composed of three parts: biceps brachii, brachialis, and coracobrachialis.

To build those impressive biceps, we’re going to focus on curls—flexing and extending at the elbow joint to lift the weight up and down.

And let’s not forget the mighty pull-ups, which will also give your biceps an epic workout thanks to the hand position and range of motion.

The Push-Pull Split Approach

Many fitness enthusiasts swear by the push-pull split, and it’s been one of my personal favourite approaches to training splits too.

By combining chest and bicep training, you’ll be utilising those biceps again as secondary muscles when you train back on another day later in the week.

This creates a well-rounded workout plan.

Get the Most Out of Your Workout

Now, let’s talk strategy!

To optimise your results, target those bigger compound lifts earlier in your workout.

Start with a bang by hitting the bench press or other compound movements at the beginning of your training session.

Later on, you can transition to push-up variations or dumbbell chest flys.

Benefits Galore

Here’s why this chest and bicep combo is pure gold:

Train your muscles in a fresh and rested state for maximum impact.
Keep the workout streamlined with fewer exercises, saving you precious time and energy.
Achieve better efficiency and results by prioritising the right exercises.
Crush those strength and muscle plateaus like a pro with specialised training.

10 Best Chest and Bicep Workout Exercises

During my 10+ years as a personal trainer, I’ve encountered a plethora of chest and bicep exercises.

However, after careful evaluation and experience, I’ve curated a list of the nine most powerful and effective exercises.

These are the very exercises I regularly implement with my clients to boost chest and bicep strength.

Whether you’re a beginner or a seasoned pro, these exercises will help you sculpt and strengthen your chest and biceps.

From equipment-free bodyweight moves to those needing dumbbells, a barbell, or an overhead bar, I’ve got you covered.

At the end of the list of exercises, I will include a sample chest and bicep workout plan for you to try.

Incline Bench Press (Chest)

The incline bench press presents a tailored variation of the traditional bench press, specifically honing in on the muscles in the upper chest region.

How to perform the incline bench press:

Adjust the incline bench to an angle of approximately 30-45 degrees.
Lie down on the bench with your back facing up, making sure your feet are planted firmly on the floor for stability.
Grasp the barbell with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and lift it off the rack, ensuring a secure and comfortable grip.
Lower the barbell towards your chest in a controlled manner, being mindful not to excessively flare out your elbows.
With focused effort, push the barbell back up to the starting position, maintaining stability and control throughout the entire movement.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, keeping your form impeccable and engaging those upper chest muscles with each repetition.

Alternatively using dumbbells instead of a barbell is equally effective.

Flat Bench Press (Chest)

The flat bench press is an essential chest exercise that can be found in nearly every workout routine.

To perform the flat bench press, focus on targeting the chest, triceps, and shoulders as the primary muscle groups.

Here’s how to perform the flat bench press:

Lie flat on a bench and position your hands just slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the barbell.
Lift your chest up and retract your shoulder blades by squeezing them together, ensuring a firm press against the bench.
Take a deep breath and slowly lower the barbell towards the base of your sternum (breastbone), keeping your elbows unlocked.
Once the barbell reaches the bottom position, exhale and push it back up in a straight line. Press yourself firmly into the bench, drive your feet into the floor, and fully extend your elbows.

As with an incline bench press, using dumbbells instead of a barbell is equally effective and offers variation to your routine.

Dumbbell Fly (Chest)

Get ready to strengthen and sculpt your chest with the Dumbbell Fly—an excellent exercise that targets and isolates those chest muscles.

This isolation allows for a more targeted workout, helping you achieve greater muscle definition and enhanced chest aesthetics.

How to perform dumbbell flyes:

Lie flat on a bench, ensuring your feet are firmly planted on the floor to maintain stability. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, positioned directly above your chest, with your palms facing inward. This is your starting position.
Initiate the movement by gradually lowering the dumbbells out to the sides, keeping a slight bend in your elbows. As you do this, focus on feeling a gentle stretch in your chest muscles.
Continue lowering the dumbbells until your arms are parallel to the floor or until you sense a comfortable stretch in your chest. Be mindful not to lower the dumbbells too far, as this might strain your shoulders or compromise your form.
Engage your chest muscles as you reverse the motion and bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position. Remember to exhale during this phase of the exercise.
Repeat the movement for your desired number of repetitions, maintaining control and proper form throughout the exercise.

Chest Press (Chest)

The chest press machine is a timeless and essential resistance exercise commonly found in gym settings.

Specifically engineered to target and fortify various upper-body muscles, including the chest, shoulders, and triceps, the chest press machine provides a convenient and highly effective means to enhance your upper-body strength.

How to perform the chest press machine:

Adjust the machine’s seat height to ensure proper alignment and range of motion. Sit down, keeping your back flat against the backrest.
Grasp the handles firmly with a full grip, ensuring your thumbs are wrapped around the handles to maintain a neutral wrist position aligned with your forearms.
Take a deep breath and exhale as you push the handles outward, extending your arms fully without locking your elbows. Focus on pushing horizontally and feel the resistance against your chest muscles.
Pause momentarily when your arms are fully extended, maintaining tension in your muscles. Keep your core engaged and avoid arching your back during this phase.
Inhale as you slowly bend your elbows and bring the handles back towards your chest, returning to the starting position. Control the movement and emphasise a slow and controlled lowering phase.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form and technique throughout the set.

Push-Ups | Press-Ups (Chest)

Push-ups (or press-ups) are a timeless and versatile exercise, specifically designed to target the chest muscles, making them an excellent addition to any workout routine.

The beauty of push-ups lies in their adaptability to accommodate various fitness levels. They can be modified to suit beginners, intermediate, and advanced individuals, allowing everyone to benefit from this effective exercise.

Push-ups require no equipment, granting you the freedom to perform them anywhere, whether at home, in the gym, or even outdoors.

How to perform a push-up:

Assume a plank position with your palms flat on the floor directly beneath your shoulders. Extend your legs straight behind you, balancing on the balls of your feet. Ensure your body forms a straight line from your head to your heels.
Engage your core muscles to maintain stability and keep your elbows close to your body throughout the exercise.
Begin the movement by lowering yourself down by bending your elbows, allowing them to flare out at a 45-degree angle. Lower your body until your chest is just above or nearly touches the floor. Keep your head aligned with your spine and maintain a neutral neck position.
Once you’ve reached the bottom of the movement, push back up to the starting position by fully extending your arms. Focus on exerting force through your chest and triceps to raise your body.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, aiming for a controlled and smooth movement pattern.

If you’re new to push-ups, try performing them on your knees or against a stable elevated surface like a bench or step. This modification reduces the resistance and makes the exercise more manageable while still effectively targeting the chest, triceps, and core muscles.

Chin-Ups (Biceps)

The chin-up represents a modified version of the pull-up, designed to target and strengthen the back muscles, especially the lats.

In contrast to the pull-up, the chin-up places more emphasis on engaging the biceps during the pulling motion.

How to perform chin-ups:

Hold the bar with a shoulder-width grip using a supinated grip (palms facing you).
Take a deep breath, engage your glutes, and tighten your core.
Depress your shoulder blades (pull them down and back) and engage your lat muscles.
Drive your elbows downward toward the floor, activating your lats throughout the movement.
Pull your chin towards the bar until your lats are fully contracted.
Slowly lower yourself back to the starting position.
Repeat the movement for the assigned number of repetitions.

Barbell Curls (Biceps Exercise)

The barbell curl offers a distinct advantage as it allows you to lift heavier weights, which is crucial for promoting muscle growth in the biceps.

This timeless exercise has maintained its reputation throughout the years, endorsed by bodybuilding legends like Arnold Schwarzenegger and Lou Ferrigno, who performed countless repetitions to build their impressive arms.

How to perform barbell curls:

Grasp a barbell or Olympic bar with an underhand grip, positioning your hands at shoulder width apart and palms facing upward.
Stand upright with your feet together (or place one foot slightly back for better stability) and maintain a straight back while fully extending your arms.
Make sure the barbell is not touching your body.
Keep your gaze forward, elbows close to your sides, and your body steady without unnecessary movements.
Slowly curl the barbell upward, ensuring you maintain control throughout the entire motion.
At the top of the movement, contract your biceps tightly for a moment.
Lower the barbell back down to the starting position in a slow and controlled manner.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, focusing on maintaining proper form and emphasising the contraction of your biceps throughout the exercise.

Face Away Cable Curls (Biceps Exercise)

To maximise the potential growth of your arms, consider incorporating the face-away cable curls exercise into your routine.

By adding face-away cable curls, you specifically target the biceps in the lengthened position, an aspect often overlooked in many pulling exercises.

This exercise is beneficial for enhancing bicep strength and contributing to overall arm growth.

Here’s how to perform Face Away Cable Curls:

Set up a cable machine with an adjustable pulley at a low height.
Stand facing away from the cable machine and grab the handle attachment with an underhand grip.
Take a step forward to create tension in the cable, and position your arm fully extended, with your shoulder slightly back and your elbow close to your side.
Keep your upper arm steady and motionless, then curl the handle attachment towards your shoulder, concentrating on squeezing your biceps at the top of the movement.
Slowly lower the handle attachment back to the starting position, allowing your biceps to experience a deep stretch.
Repeat the motion for the desired number of repetitions, ensuring you maintain control and proper form throughout the exercise.

Dumbbell Drag Curl (Biceps Exercise)

The dumbbell drag curl is a highly effective exercise for building bicep muscles while minimising momentum during the movement.

How to perform the dumbbell drag curl:

Select the desired weight dumbbells from the rack and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart.
Hold the dumbbells with a supinated grip (palms facing up) and position them at your sides, keeping them close to your body.
Take a deep breath and initiate the curl by pulling the dumbbells directly up the front of your body.
As you lift the dumbbells, allow your elbows to drift slightly behind your body, ensuring the weights remain close to your body throughout the entire movement.
Continue the curl until your biceps are fully contracted, squeezing them at the top of the movement.
In a controlled manner, lower the weights back down to the starting position.
Repeat the exercise for the desired number of repetitions, maintaining proper form and focus throughout the entire set.

Incline Dumbbell Biceps Curls (Biceps Exercise)

The incline dumbbell curl is a highly effective variation of the biceps exercise, aimed at building larger and more defined biceps.

Adjusting the incline angle allows you to target different aspects of the biceps muscle and enhance the exercise’s effectiveness for muscle growth.

During this exercise, the negative portion (lowering phase) is extended, providing a deeper stretch to the biceps muscle tissue, which can further contribute to its development.

Dumbbell curl variations, including the incline dumbbell curl, are particularly popular among those seeking aesthetic improvements.

While they may not directly result in maximum strength gains, they play a significant role in overall arm development.

How to perform Incline Dumbbell Curls:

Set an incline bench at an angle of approximately 55-65 degrees.
Sit upright on the bench with your back against the pad.
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with a supinated grip (palms facing up).
Keep your elbows close to your sides and maintain proper breathing throughout the exercise.
Curl both dumbbells towards your shoulders, focusing on squeezing and contracting the biceps muscles.
Slowly lower the weights back to the starting position with control.
Repeat the movement for the desired number of repetitions, ensuring you maintain proper form and control throughout the exercise.

Example Chest and Bicep Workout For Beginners

Below is a sample training plan for your next upper body workout, focusing on chest and bicep exercises while also engaging other upper body muscles.

Warm-up:
- 5-10 minutes of light cardiovascular exercise, such as brisk walking or cycling, to increase blood flow and warm up your muscles.
Chest Exercises:
- Incline Bench Press: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Dumbbell Chest Flyes: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Press Ups: 3-minute AMRAP (As many reps as possible)
Bicep Exercises:
- Chin Ups: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Incline Dumbbell Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions
- Face Away Cable Curls: 3 sets of 10-15 repetitions

Make sure you choose weights that give you a good challenge while still allowing you to maintain proper form during your exercises.

If you find yourself comfortably completing 15 repetitions, it’s time to consider increasing the weight for your next set.

On the other hand, if you’re struggling to complete 10 repetitions, it’s best to decrease the weight for the next set to avoid compromising your form.

Always remember, proper form should be your top priority—don’t sacrifice it just to lift heavier weights for the sake of your ego.

Take ample rest between sets, ranging from 40 seconds to 1 minute, to ensure your body has enough time to recover.

For those who are new to training, start with lighter weights and gradually increase the intensity as you build strength and gain confidence.

Keep in mind that this training plan is just a sample—you have the flexibility to adjust sets, repetitions, and exercises to suit your fitness level and preferences.

Don’t overlook the importance of incorporating rest days into your workout routine. Giving your muscles time to recover is essential to prevent overtraining and promote overall fitness progress.

Listen to your body, stay hydrated, and maintain proper form throughout all your exercises to avoid injuries and maximise results.

Thanks for checking out this article on the best chest and bicep exercises.

Keep pushing.

Speak soon.

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