20 Best Bodyweight Chest Exercises (With Workout Routines)

You don’t need to spend hours in the gym or lift heavy weights to build a strong and muscular chest. With bodyweight chest exercises, you can get the results you want.

Whether you’re a beginner or an advanced fitness enthusiast, bodyweight chest exercises are a simple yet powerful way to build a bigger, stronger chest.

Contrary to popular belief, bodyweight exercises can yield comparable results to traditional weightlifting if done correctly and consistently.

As a fitness enthusiast, I’ve found bodyweight chest exercises incredibly effective in maintaining and building upper body strength.

When I couldn’t go to the gym due to traveling or my busy schedule, these were my go-to chest exercises.

I will share with you my best (based on experience and science) bodyweight chest exercises. with how to do them correctly. I will also provide you with workout routines.

How To Train Chest With Bodyweight Exercises

Bodyweight chest workouts are great for building upper body strength. To increase muscle, we need to increase the intensity, and doing different types of push-ups and dips is important for muscle hypertrophy.

Indeed, the exercise will effectively target the muscles of your chest, shoulders, and arms. However, numerous techniques can enhance the intensity of your workout.

We can change the focus of your chest, triceps, and shoulders by making a few changes, such as putting your hands up for incline push-ups or down for decline push-ups and dips.

You can also change the hand position, such as close and wide hand position, to shift the focus on the chest muscles.

You might consider using various bodyweight chest exercises for a more well-rounded physique.

• Standard push-ups are best for the chest, shoulder, and tricep.
• Incline Push Up works your lower chest more.
• Decline push-up works more on the upper chest and front shoulders.
• Wide grip push-ups focus more on the outer chest and shoulder.
• Close grip push-ups focus more on the inner chest and tricep.
• Dips focus more on the lower chest and tricep.
• Pike Push-ups focus more on the shoulder than the chest and tricep.

20 Best Bodyweight Chest Exercises To Build Muscles

There are many chest exercises that you can do with your bodyweight and without using equipment. These exercises will help you improve and work your chest from different angles.

• Beginners can perform the bodyweight chest exercises on their knees or do more straightforward variations.
• Intermediates perform them in a standard fashion.
• Advanced will increase the difficulty level and challenge your pecs even more.

You can also change the tempo by slowing down your descent or pausing at the bottom of the position. This will increase the time under tension, maximizing your muscle-building potential.

Make sure you have a solid grasp of the most important aspects of good form, positioning, etc. and apply them as necessary.

For workout inspiration, be sure also to read our complimentary bodyweight exercise posts:

• Bodyweight Shoulder Exercises: Beginner To Advance
• Best Bodyweight Leg Exercises That You Can Do Anywhere
• 15 Best Bodyweight Back Workout: Beginner To Advanced

Here are the best bodyweight chest exercises for beginners, Intermediates, and Advanced levels that you can do at home or in the gym.

Beginner Bodyweight Chest Exercises

Kickstart your fitness journey with beginner-friendly bodyweight chest exercises for a stronger, fitter you. Let’s begin

1. Wall Push Up

The wall push up dramatically reduces the pressure on the arms, upper back, and abs.

It’s one of the best home bodyweight chest exercises for beginners to do at home.

The closer you stand to the wall, the easier it is to perform, but remember to be aware of your body alignment as you perform this push-up.

How To Do It Properly

1. Stand approximately 2 to 2.5 feet from the wall with your arms held at shoulder height in front of you.
2. Place your hands against the wall with your body straight and your legs a few feet behind.
3. Keep your feet fixed to the ground, lean your body forward so that your elbows flex and your chest is within inches of the wall.
4. Using your hands, push your body back into a standing position.
5. The movement should be smooth and controlled.
6. Try not to flare your elbows to the sides.

2. Incline Push Up

The incline push-up is a great bodyweight exercise for building your chest. The incline angle will put more focus on the lower chest.

Incline push-ups are easier than normal push-ups because they have to be done at an incline angle. The push will be 50% easier if you have a 45-degree incline angle with your feet below your head, than if you have a horizontal angle.

It offers many benefits and is excellent for beginners who want to build upper body strength. You can also use objects like a chair, a gym bench, a sofa, a box, a sturdy table, or anything else.

How To Do It Properly

1. Stand approximately 3 to 3.5 feet away from a low bench or sturdy chair.
2. Slowly lower yourself by flexing your elbows so that your chest comes within a few inches of the edge of the chair or bench.
3. With your hands, push yourself back to the starting position while maintaining a straight body position.
4. Be sure the bench or chair is stable and secure before you perform the push-ups.
5. Your back and legs should be straight at all times.

Know More: Best Push-Ups For Lower Chest That You Can Do At Home

3. Knee Push Up

Knee push-ups are one of the most effective beginner-friendly upper-body exercises to build functional strength.

Knee push-ups are a good way to start if you have trouble doing the standard push-ups. The exercise reduces the amount of body weight you are lifting. 

It is a great way to strengthen your chest muscles and train your shoulders and triceps.

How To Do It Properly

1. Kneel on the floor. Extend your arms and put your hands shoulder-width apart on the floor in front of you.
2. Lower yourself by flexing your elbows so your chest comes within a few inches of the floor.
3. Raise your body to the starting position.
4. Keep your muscles working when you lower yourself to the floor.
5. Keep your back straight — never rounded! — throughout the move.

4. Knee Diamond Push-Ups

The diamond push-up on the knees is a brilliant beginner exercise for developing the triceps brachii and inner chest.

Practice diamond push-ups on the knee by bringing your hands too close together to form a diamond or triangle shape below your chest, and by putting the knee on the floor.

How To Do It Properly

1. Get into a push-up position, supporting your body on your hands and knees instead of on your hands and forefeet.
2. Your hands should be positioned so that your thumbs and index fingers form a diamond shape.
3. Keep your body straight and rigid and your elbows close to your body, and inhale as you lower your chest to the floor.
4. Exhale as you extend your elbows and push your body back up to the starting position.
5. Keep your elbows tucked into your body
6. Keep your body straight and rigid.

Know More: 15 Bodyweight Triceps Exercises: Beginner To Advanced

Intermediate Bodyweight Chest Exercises

Elevate your chest workout routine with these dynamic intermediate-level bodyweight exercises. Let’s sculpt and strengthen your chest like never before.

5. Standard Push-Ups

Push-ups are the best bodyweight calisthenics exercise for building your entire upper body.

The standard push-up has survived the test of time and is the single most efficient exercise to simultaneously strengthen the chest, arms, deltoid, lower back, abs and glutes.

Check how to do them correctly and blast your muscles at home or the gym.

How To Do It Properly

1. Lay face down on the ground with your legs straight and arms supporting your upper body.
2. Raise yourself off the ground, straightening your elbows and your arms. Keep your elbows close to your body.
3. Raise until your elbows are locked and then pause for a moment at the top of the movement.
4. Now, lower your body all the way down until your chest is very close to the ground.
5. For more variations, you do incline push-ups and ups.

6. Knuckle Push Up

Knuckle push-ups are similar to traditional push-ups but are performed with the hands in a closed-fist position (knuckles facing the ground).

If you are experiencing pain in your wrists when doing standard push-ups, try doing knuckle push-ups.

Knuckle push-ups are easier on your wrists than regular push-ups. The fist position puts your wrist in a more neutral alignment, reducing strain on the joint.

How To Do It Properly

1. Assume a standard push-up position but place the knuckles of your fists on the floor perpendicular to the body.
2. Pushing yourself up, until your arms are fully extended.
3. Slowly lower yourself back down to the starting position. This completes one rep.
4. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
5. Perform on an exercise mat to avoid any discomfort on your hands.
6. Be sure to exhale as you push up and inhale on the way down.

7. Stability Ball Push Up

Using a Swiss ball (or exercise ball) can bring an extra element to push-ups, giving you an uneven surface to increase the difficulty.

You’ll have to focus on maintaining your balance on the ball, which allows you to work more than you would be performing the standard, floor-bound version of the classic move.

How To Do It Properly

1. Lay with your chest on the stability ball. Place your hands on the ball at the sides of your chest.
2. Place your feet back and lean forward so that your chest is directly over the ball, and you are supported on your toes.
3. Push your body up, until your arms are almost straight.
4. Extend your arms to bring your upper body back to the starting position.
5. Do not let your lower back sag or your butt rise. Ensure your body is straight and rigid.
6. Your neck should be aligned with your body, not tilted up, which could strain the neck.

8. Decline Push-Up

Decline pushups are a great way to strengthen your chest muscles and train your shoulders and triceps. They emphasize the muscles in your upper chest.

A decline push-up is a more difficult version of a regular push-up in which you raise your feet higher than your hands.

It’s perfect for intermediate and pros who want to strengthen upper body.

How To Do It Properly

1. Placed your hands firmly on the floor and spaced slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Put legs on the bench.
2. Now, raise yourself off the ground, straightening your elbows and your arms.
3. Raise until your elbows are almost locked, and pause for a moment.
4. Now lower your body all the way down until your chest is very close to the ground.
5. Vary the position of the bench to hit different angles of the upper chest.

9. Wide Grip Push Up

If you’ve mastered regular pushups and want to target your muscles differently, Wide pushups are a good option.

By positioning your hands further apart, wide pushups target your chest and shoulder muscles more than standard pushups.

For an easier variation, you can try a wide-hand knee push-up, also known as a modified type push-up.

How To Do It Properly

1. Lay face down on the ground with your legs straight, and arms supporting the upper body.
2. Slowly descend to the floor by retracting the shoulder blades and unlocking the elbows.
3. Push back to the starting point by extending the elbows and driving your palms into the floor.
4. Remember to keep your back straight.
5. Keep your chin down and don’t look forward.

Know More: Best Push Ups For Upper Chest To Build Size And Strength

10. Dumbbell Push-Up

Dumbbell push-ups are the best intermediate-level bodyweight exercise for building your upper body, including your shoulders, chest, and arms.

It is a great exercise for your inner chest bodyweight workout arsenal.

Push-ups can be a real challenge if done at various angles and Intensity to build muscle and strength.

How To Do It Properly

1. Grip a dumbbell in each hand and get into a plank position.
2. Now, raise yourself off the ground, straightening your elbows and your arms.
3. Raise until your elbows are locked, and pause for a moment.
4. Now lower your body all the way down until your chest is very close to the ground.

Know More: Best Push Ups For Inner Chest To Build Size And Strength

11. Close Grip Push-Up

The close grip push-up is a bodyweight exercise that, due to its close hand position, focuses more on the centre of the chest and the triceps.

Several benefits can be gained from adding the narrow push-up to a workout routine.

It includes an increase in triceps and chest activity, an improvement in core strength and stability, and an enhancement of shoulder strength.

How To Do It Properly

1. Lay face down on the ground with your legs straight, palm near, and arms supporting the upper body. Take a narrower push up stance than you normally would.
2. Now raise yourself off the ground, straightening your elbows and your arms.
3. Raise until your elbows are locked, and pause for a moment.
4. Now lower your body all the way down until your chest is very close to the ground.

12. Decline Stability Ball Push-Up

The push-up with feet on a Swiss ball is a progression of the decline push-up that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps while engaging the core. The exercise emphasizes the upper chest and shoulders.

This exercise has improved my upper chest definition and core stability. The extra challenge of balancing on the stability ball keeps my workouts interesting and enjoyable.

How To Do It Properly

1. Lie face-down on the ball with your arms supporting you in a push-up position.
2. Your hands should be directly beneath your shoulders.
3. Lower yourself by bending your arms until your elbows form a 90-degree angle.
4. Pause for seconds at the bottom, and use your arms to push you up to the starting position.
5. Core tight and your back flat throughout the movement.
6. Keep your body in a straight line. Don’t allow your hips to sag or rise.

13. Spiderman Push-Up

A Spiderman push-up is an intermediate to advanced variation of the traditional push-up exercise that targets the core, shoulders, and back muscles.

The twisting motion of the Spider-Man push-up also targets the oblique and ab muscles, helping to strengthen and tone them.

This exercise is primarily chest and arm strengthening, but it also increases hip flexibility and really works your core, too.

How To Do It Properly

1. Start in a high plank position with your hands flat on the floor about shoulder-width apart.
2. Keeping your body in one long line, bend your arms and lower yourself as close to the floor as possible.
3. As you lower your body, bend one leg out to the side and bring your knee toward the arm on the same side.
4. Push back up to start, and straighten your leg back out. Repeat alternating sides.
5. Engage your glutes, tense your legs and brace your core to keep your body rigid.
6. Keep your knees high and away from the floor, and ensure your movement is well-coordinated.

14. Bench Dip

Bench dip is a medium-intensity exercise that uses your body weight to strengthen your triceps and pecs.

Bench dips are fairly simple to learn and can be done almost anywhere, making them an excellent exercise for home-workout. To increase the intensity, you can try the weighted bench dip.

How To Do It Properly

1. Place your hands on the side of a flat bench so that your body is perpendicular to the bench when you place your feet out in front of you.
2. Only your heels should be on the floor, and your legs should be straight.
3. Your arms should be fully extended with just your palms on the bench.
4. Bend your elbows to lower your body down until your elbows reach 90 degrees.
5. Now, extend your arms to lift your body back to the starting position.
6. Do not dip down too low, as it places unnecessary strain on the shoulder joints.

Advanced Bodyweight Chest Exercises

Unleash the full potential of your chest muscles with our advanced bodyweight exercises. Get ready to take your strength and definition to new heights.

15. Chest Dip

The dip is another bodyweight chest exercise. It is one of the most effective compound movements for the upper body, especially pushing muscles in the lower chest and triceps.

How To Do It Properly

1. Grasp the dip bars with your arms extended and locked.
2. Keep your body as vertical as possible to keep the emphasis on the triceps and away from the chest.
3. Keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible as you bend them to lower your body down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor.
4. Press your hands forcefully into the bars to extend your arms and raise your body back up.
5. Repeat for the recommended number of repetitions.
6. Do not lock out your elbows at the top of the movement.
7. To focus effort on the triceps, keep your body upright and elbows tucked in.

16. Shoulder Tap Push Up

The shoulder tap push-up is a variation of the push-up that challenges the core more than its traditional counterpart.

It is a full-body strength move that focuses on your arms and chest while strengthening your core.

How To Do It Properly

1. Start in a high plank position with your palms flat on the floor, hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower yourself by flexing your elbows so that your chest comes within a few inches of the floor.
3. Raise your body to the starting position by pushing up with your arms. Tap your left hand to your right shoulder.
4. Place it back on the floor and repeat your next push up and shoulder tap with another hand.
5. Tighten your core, engage your glutes, and keep your spine, head and neck aligned.

17. Hindu Push Up

The Hindu push up is a traditional Indian-style exercise practiced by wrestlers. They improve strength and endurance.

It is a complete exercise that has a compound effect on the body. It improves flexibility and posture.

The Hindu push-up works your whole body, from your upper to your lower body; it works from your front to your back. 

How To Do It Properly

1. Start in a downward dog pose, your body in a V shape.
2. Bend your elbows and lower your chest until it’s just above the floor, going into a low plank pose.
3. In a scooping motion, lift your head upward while arching your lower and upper back, then go into cobra pose.
4. Return to the starting position; you do not need to reverse back through the sweeping, arching motion.
5. Engage your core, relax the spine and neck, open the shoulders, and keep the movement smooth.

18. Single Arm Push Up

A one-arm push-up is an advanced bodyweight chest exercise that requires far more strength and balance than a standard push-up using two arms.

It just might be one of the most difficult body-weight exercises to master. Almost 70 percent of your body weight is bearing down on one arm.

How To Do It Properly

1. Get in the standard push-up position. Place one hand on the ground directly beneath your chest and the other behind your lower back.
2. To maintain balance, turn your torso slightly away from the pushing arm.
3. Lower your angled torso to the ground until your chin is a few inches above the floor.
4. Push yourself up from the floor.
5. Do not rotate your arm outwards from your chest, as it will put additional stress on the elbow that can lead to discomfort and injury.

19. Clapping Push Up

Clapping Push-ups, also known as Plyometric (plyo) push-ups, are an advanced bodyweight exercise that works your chest, triceps, abs, and shoulders.

With this type of push up, a “jumping” element is added to the exercise to make it more challenging and explosive.

How To Do It Properly

1. Start with a standard Push-up with your palms flat on the floor and hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Lower your body as if you’re going to do pushups until your chest almost touches the floor.
3. Reverse the motion by pushing hard through the palms. Just as your arms reach full extension, pull your hands up off the floor.
4. Rapidly clap the hands together and place them back in the original position before your body falls back to the ground.

20. Pike Push Up

Pike Push-ups, also known as shoulder push-ups, are a variation of the push-up that increases strength and stability in the shoulders and triceps.

Performing the exercise more uprightly will target the shoulders more than the chest.

The pike push-up looks like a mash-up of Downward-Facing Dog and Dolphin Pose, and this move can build major strength.

How To Do It Properly

1. Start in a standard push-up position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart.
2. Lift the hips up and back until your body forms an inverted V shape. Keep arms and legs as straight as possible.
3. Slowly lower the top of your head towards the ground. Once your head is about to contact the ground, pause for a second.
4. Then slowly push back until your arms are straight and you’re in the inverted V position.
5. Make sure you maintain control throughout the movement.

Bodyweight Chest Workout Routines

Bodyweight chest exercises are a versatile exercise. You can do them:

• As a chest focused workout.
• at the end of a weightlifting session.
• Mixed into your cardio or strength-training workout

Bodyweight Chest Workout Routine For Beginner

Here is a beginner bodyweight chest workout routine that can be done at home:

Chest Workout Routine For Intermediate

Here is an intermediate bodyweight chest workout routine that you can do anywhere:

Advance Bodyweight Chest Workout Routine

FAQs

How To Add To Bodyweight Chest Exercises to Your Workout?

Is it OK to do push-ups every day?

Push-ups shouldn’t be done every day. It’s not a good idea to do them every day because muscles need time to recover. Overall, you need to listen to your body. If your chest isn’t recovered, then don’t do push-ups. It’s as simple as that.

Can I build a good chest with just bodyweight exercises?

It is possible to build a good chest using bodyweight exercises.

Exercises such as push-ups and dips can build your chest muscles.

How often should I do chest workouts?

Beginners can start with 1-2 chest workouts per week, while more advanced individuals may benefit from up to 3-4 chest workouts per week.

It’s essential to allow for adequate rest and recovery between workouts to prevent overtraining and injury.

Takeaways

A bodyweight chest exercise will make your chest bigger and broader, which looks good and is great for those trying to lose chest fat.

You can progress and hit your chest from different angles constantly with bodyweight chest exercises without weights.

The key to achieving hypertrophy (building muscle) with bodyweight exercises is maximizing tension and time under tension.

Thanks for reading; enjoy your Workout!

Manish Kumar

Manish is a NASM-certified fitness and nutrition coach with over 10 years of experience in weight lifting and fat loss fitness coaching. He specializes in gym-based training and has a lot of knowledge about exercise, lifting technique, biomechanics, and more.

Through “Fit Life Regime,” he generously shares the insights he’s gained over a decade in the field. His goal is to equip others with the knowledge to start their own fitness journey.