Besides the arms, it is probably the most popular muscle to train in the gym. Unfortunately there is also one exercise that seems to be associated with training that muscle group.

The muscle I am talking about is the chest and the exercise is the barbell bench press. Now I am not against the benefits of the bench. As a matter of fact, I have an article on how to improve your bench that has gotten positive reviews and helped people lift heavier weight.

The fact of the matter is that you are on Bodybuilding.com and you want to build your chest. To build a respectable chest, there is more to it than just the bench. There are different angles. There are different movements that you need to do to in order to improve and balance your chest.

The routine we are going to do does not include the flat bench. If you have been doing the bench every week, I ask you to give this routine a try for 6-to-8 weeks and let me know how much your chest improves.

Attacking From Different Angles

Not only is this program not going to include the flat bench press, we aren't going to do any exercise on a flat bench at all. Every exercise is either going to be incline, decline or a machine that requires an angle.

We are going to use inclines to cover the upper chest and where the pecs tie in to the delts. We are going to use declines to cover the lower part of the chest.

Doing this and laying off the flat movements will help balance everything out and the result will be an improved, more powerful looking chest.

1. Barbell Incline Bench Press

2 warm-up sets, 4 sets of 8-10 reps

We are going to start with a compound movement because hitting these first, when your energy is at its highest, will be best.

Take a moderate to wide grip of the bar and unrack it until you are holding the bar at arm's length. Lower the bar slowly for a count of two until the bar touches your chest.

If you have trouble lowering the bar that far or feel pain doing so, lower it as far down as you can. Once you reach the bottom, explode and push the bar back up to the starting position.

Hold the bar at the top for a count of one and repeat. Breathe in as you lower the bar and breathe out as you push the bar back to the top.

Warm up with one or two sets of 20 with just the bar. Add weight and do four working sets of 8-10 reps. Rest for 90-120 seconds between sets. You should go heavy with this movement without sacrificing form. Also have a spotter to help you and to ensure safety.

2. Incline Dumbbell Press

3 sets of 10 reps

Most gyms have adjustable benches that you can change the angle on. If so, adjust it so that it is set to the lowest inclined angle possible. If not, just use the incline bench provided.

Lie back on the bench with the dumbbells in your hands and press them up until they are up at arm's length. Lower the dumbbells as far as you can slowly to a count of three.

Once you reach the bottom of the movement, explode and press the weight back up to the starting position. Squeeze at the top for a count of one and repeat. Breathe in as you lower the bar and breathe out as you push the bar back to the top.

Perform three working sets of 8-10 reps. Rest for 90-120 seconds between sets. You should also go heavy with this movement without sacrificing form. Have a spotter with you to ensure safety.

3. Decline Barbell Bench Press

3 sets of 12-15 reps

Declines are great for providing balance to your chest. It is a short movement, but should not be taken lightly.

Take a moderate to wide grip of the bar and unrack it until you are holding the bar at arm's length. Lower the bar slowly for a count of two until the bar touches your chest.

Once you reach the bottom, explode and push the bar back up to the starting position. Hold the bar at the top for a count of one and repeat. Breathe in as you lower the bar and breathe out as you push the bar back to the top.

Perform three working sets of 12-15 reps. Rest for 90-120 seconds between sets. Go heavy without sacrificing form and have a spotter with you every time you perform this exercise.

4. Cable Crossovers

3 sets of 20 reps

This movement is great for finishing off a workout and will pump the entire chest region up. It isolates the chest so it is the only muscle group working as opposed to compound movements like the incline bench that will also recruit the delts and triceps for assistance.

Hold the single-hand cable attachments that are attached to high pulleys. Stand about one foot in front of the weight stacks with a handle in both hands. Lean slightly forward and put one foot in front of the other to help you keep balance.

Your front knee should be slightly bent. Bring your hands around and in front of your body in a hugging motion with your elbows slightly bent. You should be pulling down at a slight angle. Imagine yourself doing a version of the crab most muscular pose. Do this to a count of one.

Focus on using just your chest muscles. When your hands meet directly in front of your midsection, squeeze the muscles for a count of one and then slowly return to the starting position to a count of three.

Your elbows should stay in the same slightly bent position the whole time you are performing the exercise. Do not walk out too far in front of the pulley system or bend over a lot. Breathe out as you let the pulleys up and breathe out as you perform the exercise.

Perform three working sets of 15-20 reps. Rest for 90-120 seconds between sets. Go moderate with the weight since this is an isolation movement. Going too heavy with this exercise could potentially lead to injury.

A Few Pointers To Remember

Make sure you stretch and flex the chest muscles in between sets. It might appear narcissistic, but it does serve a purpose. Contracting the muscles you are training helps both increase blood flow to the muscle and increase your mind muscle connection.

Drink at least 20 ounces of water throughout the workout. Water is crucial and you don't want to be dehydrated while training. Don't forget to drink water throughout the day as well.

Do not neglect recovery. As soon as you are done training, get some Vitargo and protein and consume it. You want to begin the recovery process as soon as possible to ensure you will make gains with this program.

Conclusion

Using this routine may take some time to get used to, especially if you have been benching for a long time. Think about it like this - if the winner of the Mr. Olympia was determined in part by how much someone could bench, there would be a bench onstage and it would be a bench meet, not a bodybuilding show.

Give up your regular benching for a couple of months; do this program and you will be glad you did when you look in the mirror and see the more balanced, sculpted and powerful chest you will see at the conclusion of it.