Two Exercises for Proven Upper Pec Growth

Improve your chest aesthetics with science!

In this article:

1. A quick video content summary.

2. Chest muscle anatomy.

3. Two science-backed exercises for upper pec growth.

The Upper Pec Umbrella

Before anything else, I want to outline what ‘upper pecs’ mean in the context of this article. In the diagram below, note there are three pec heads; the Clavicular, the Sternal, and the Costal.

When I say ‘upper pec’ in this article, I’m referring to the Clavicular head, which gets it’s name because it’s attached to the Clavicle. Also, the fibers of the Sternal head, which attach specifically to the Manubrium, also fall under my upper pec umbrella.

OK, I want to keep the anatomy lesson short. Let’s get into the training talk!

Give the Flat Bench a Break

Excuse me, sir. Can you hear me? I’m gonna need you to step away from the bench press. Give that thing a break!

The flat bench press is the classic lift that everyone tries first when getting started in the gym, and it never wains in popularity. When it’s chest day, the flat bench is guaranteed to be in use, along with another guy waiting for it to open up. When you’re hanging with your gym boys, it’s only a matter of time before someone asks ‘What do you bench?’

Guys are obsessed with the flat bench press. Unfortunately, this gets them big middle and lower pecs, while their upper pecs lag. This is not aesthetic.

I’m here to help, because no impressive chest lags in the upper pec department. I feel so strongly about this, and so do the greatest bodybuilders of all time, that I wrote an intensive article about chest and upper chest training. Here’s a link to that article:

If you check out the article, thank you. If not, I’m still going to give you two chest-day exercises for guaranteed science-backed upper chest gains.

Exercise One - 30° Incline Press

Bottom Line - A 2023 study shows greatest upper pec activation while pressing at a 30° incline, while mid and lower pec activation steadily decrease as incline increases.

I found this study to be phenomenal and very informative. It also taught me something new and changed my prior belief that a 45° press was actually best for upper pec growth.

To put this study’s findings to work and build your upper chest, exercise options include (in no particular order of effectiveness):

• 30° Incline Barbell Bench Press

• 30° Incline Dumbbell Bench Press

• 30° Incline Smith Machine Chest Press

The next time you hit the gym for chest or press day, let the flat bench serve someone else while you kick things off with one of the above 30° incline presses.

Exercise Two - Reverse Grip Bench Press

Bottom Line - A 2005 study showed that, during the reverse grip flat bench press, upper pec activation increases by 25-30% compared to the traditional bench press.

While this exercise may be uncommon among the general gym population, you’ll hear it touted by experienced bodybuilders when it comes to upper chest growth. This exercise can be a little tricky or unnerving at first, just because the reverse grip is foreign and it changes the mechanics of the traditional bench press so much. You’re entering a whole new world when you un-rack the bar with this one.

I’ll supply you with a link to an article dedicated solely to this exercise. It’s a great article with plenty of excellent tips and visuals. I’ll also drop a couple of my personal tips below.

1. When it comes to grip width, you’ll find that a wider grip comes naturally. A wider grip eases stress on the wrists, especially as you lower the bar toward your sternum. As the bar lowers, your wrists will bend more, and a generally wider grip feels natural.

2. Lower the bar to your lower sternum area, specifically, to the xiphoid process. Due to the underhand grip, as well as keeping your forearms vertical at the bottom of each rep, this will happen naturally (for the most part). While it happens naturally, it’s still smart to have this form cue in mind so you make it happen and control the bar’s movement at all times.

3. Un-racking the bar feels a little different with this one. I’d say it feels a little more risky, to be honest. The bar isn’t going to sit on your palms as it does with an overhand bench press grip. Your palms are going to be a little more vertical when un-racking, making it seem like the bar could slip out of your hands during that initial lift off. We can minimize this issue by positioning ourselves farther back onto the bench, changing our position relative to the bar. As an example, say you normally position yourself so the bar is directly above your forehead before un-racking it for some traditional bench press reps. When setting up for reverse grip pressing, position yourself so the bar is directly above your nose/mouth area. This seems trivial on paper, but it makes all the difference on the bench.

The Final Rep

Let me make one thing clear; this article isn't telling you to stop flat pressing, it's telling you that you likely have room to re-balance your upper and lower chest development. At some point, most of us get too wrapped up in the flat bench press…it happens.

This article is meant to make you think, as well as give you the knowledge and tools to break the flat bench’s hold and add balance to your chest training routine. Upper pecs matter.

If you take some time and shift your focus to upper chest exercises, while also keeping flat pressing in your routine, you'll love what you see in the mirror.

Thank you for reading!