5 Bodyweight Exercises For a Bigger Chest

Who doesn’t want to build a bigger chest? The chest is the most popular muscle men want to work on and there is a good reason for this too.

A muscular chest is the embodiment of masculinity and strength. This is why you see so many people working endlessly on their bench press, one of the most popular, if not the most popular exercise.

However, this is not the only way to build a bigger chest. You can get the results you want, without leaving your house, with little to no equipment, using bodyweight exercises. 

In this article, we will share with you 5 bodyweight exercises to build a bigger chest, all from the comfort of your own home.

#1 Push-ups

If you want to build a bigger chest, do push-ups. It’s as simple as that. 

Push-ups are the king of chest exercises and to not include them in an article about calisthenics exercises to build a bigger chest would be a crime. You can build an impressive chest with just push-ups alone. 

They can also be performed at any skill level and are highly adaptable. Just started training and struggling to do a single push up? Do knee push-ups. Already been training for a few years and push-ups are easy for you? Try doing a one-handed push-up.

All in all, you want to include push-ups into your routine. It’s an absolute must for gaining strength and size.

#2 Dips

Much like the push-up, the dip is also an extraordinary chest exercise. 

Want an exercise that works your chest, your triceps, your abs, your shoulders and your back? Well, then dips are for you. Dips are one of the best all-around bodyweight exercises, with the main focus being on the chest. Dips are a popular exercise within the calisthenics community and there is a good reason why. They are a true sign of strength.

Unlike push-ups, dips require some strength to begin with, and not everybody will be able to perform a dip straightaway.

Similar to push-ups dips are very versatile and can be changed to accommodate your strength level. For beginners, you can do them off of a couch or chair. This makes them easier to perform. If you have no problem performing dips and already have a good base level of strength, why not add some weighted chains to your body to increase the weight, which has the side effect of looking bad-ass too.

Add dips to your calisthenics chest routine and watch your chest quickly transform. You seriously cannot go wrong with dips.

#3 Bodyweight Ring Fly

Image credit: VAHVA Fitness.

Already as strong as an ox and trying to take your chest to the next level? This one’s for you.

The two previously mentioned exercises can build you a good chest that’s for sure, but if you want to truly take it to the next level then bodyweight ring fly’s will do that.

This exercise already requires a good amount of strength to perform. It is a very difficult exercise and you will have to already have either an exceptional base level on strength or already been training for many years. However, if you can do this exercise, you should. 

Bodyweight ring fly’s are certainly one of the best calisthenic exercises that will build you a bigger chest. They will take an already strong chest, and turn it into something truly remarkable and impressive.

#4 Wide Grip Plank

You may be thinking, why is a plank on a list of 5 bodyweight exercises to build a bigger chest? Isn’t plank for abs? Well yes, and no.

Get on your floor and put yourself in a plank position with a wider grip than usual. You will quickly see that just by altering your hand positing you are putting a lot of stress on your chest.

This exercise will not build you a big chest on its own like the first two exercises. Wide grip planks are to be used in conjunction with the other exercises mentioned.

Doing wide grip planks will make your chest stronger and more accustomed to stress, which will in turn allow you to progress faster with push-ups and dips. Allowing you to build an impressive chest quicker.

If you feel like you are struggling to make progress doing push-ups or dips then incorporating wide grip planks into your chest routine will be your secret weapon.

#5 Iron Cross

Image credit: Lean Shapes.

Last but not least the iron cross. The ultimate feat of strength. 

This one is for those of you who don’t just want an impressive chest, but a truly super-human chest. Do not even attempt this exercise if you don’t already possess awe-inspiring strength from years and years of training and hard work. To say the iron cross is hard is an understatement. 

However, if you like a challenge and you are willing to put in the work, you will certainly reap the rewards. Not only does the iron cross look insanely impressive, but there is also no other exercise that will build such a chest. 

If you get to the point where you regularly incorporate this exercise into your calisthenics chest exercise routine, you have made it. You have reached a level of strength that not many will ever experience, which along with that will give you a chest many people would never dream of obtaining.