The chest is one of the most popular muscle groups to train amongst the fitness and bodybuilding community. From the exercises to the awesome pump, nothing is comparable.
Supersets are a highly underutilised tool which can be very powerful for making muscle gains. Essentially, a superset is where you perform one exercise immediately after another with no rest.
Here are some of the best chest supersets which you should incorporate into your next workout to really get your chest pumped!
Superset #1
Barbell Bench PressThe king of chest exercises. A staple in our chest workouts. The barbell bench press is one of the most powerful exercises in really growing your chest. Begin by lying on a bench, unracking the barbell with your arms shoulder width apart. Slowly lower the weight down ensuring you keep a slight arch in your back with your shoulder blades retracted. Touch your chest with the bar, pause and push up. Repeat this movement.
Push UpsThe bench press should be immediately followed by push ups. Lie on the floor with your feet together, back straight and arms shoulder width apart. Lower yourself to the floor and push up, ensuring that you keep your back straight and do full repetitions.
Perform 8-12 reps of each exercise for 3-4 supersetsSuperset #2
Seated Machine Chest PressSit down at the machine with your feet firmly planted to the ground. Place your hands around the middle of the grips, adjusting according to your own preferences. As you press the weight, contract your chest and explode forwards. Slowly lower the weight back to the starting position and repeat.
Incline Dumbbell PulloversSet a bench up at a 45 degree angle. Sit back against the bench with a dumbbell held above your torso. Ensure you don’t bend your elbows, only your shoulders should move. Slowly lower the weight back over your head, pausing at the bottom and maintaining the stretch. Then press the weight back up to the starting position and repeat the movement. Incline chest pullovers are a highly underutilised exercise which can really help to grow your chest.
Perform 8-12 reps of each exercise for 3-4 supersetsSuperset #3
Incline Barbell Bench PressLie with your back flat on a bench elevated at a 45 degree angle. With the same form as a regular barbell bench press, unrack the barbell, with your arms shoulder width apart. Keep your shoulder blades retracted as you lower the weight down to your chest. Pause for a second at the bottom of the movement and then explode up. Try to keep the movement as controlled as possible.
Chest DipsUsing parallel dip bars, hold yourself in the air. Place your legs behind you with your feet crossed over. As you lower yourself down, lean as far forward as possible, allowing your elbows to flare out as you dip down. When you press up to the top of the movement, ensure you do not totally lock out your elbows to help prevent injury.
Perform 8-12 reps of each exercise for 3-4 supersetsSuperset #4
High-to-Low Cable Fly
Set up two sets of cables at a high height, with a medium to wide width. Grab hold of each of the handles and bring them together, contracting your chest. As you do this, imagine you are touching the inside of your elbows together to ensure you get a full contraction. Pause once the grips meet one another and slowly lower the weight back to the starting position, repeating the movement.
Low-to-High Cable FlySet up two sets of cables with a low height and wide width. Grab a hold of each of the handles and take a step forward with your arms straight and behind you. Slowly elevate the handles up whilst keeping your arms straight and contracting your chest. Bring your arms parallel to the ground whilst touching your hands together. Pause for a second, then lower to the starting position and repeat.
Perform 8-12 reps of each exercise for 3-4 supersetsTake Home Message
Incorporating more volume into your workout with things like supersets is an excellent way to grow your muscles.
When your next chest day comes around, try to incorporate some of these supersets into your workout. Or, better still, use all 4 as your entire chest workout. You will really blitz your chest, destroying those muscles fibres so it can grow bigger and stronger.