Resistance bands are cost-efficient, compact, adaptable, and effective workout equipment that helps develop strength, mass, and mobility. They allow you to do myriad exercises for each muscle group and help you achieve your best physique at home. I have already shared total body resistance band exercises, but I’ll hand out the best resistance band chest workout that helps build defined pecs at home in this article.
Here you’ll see the benefits of doing chest workouts with resistance bands, how to perform resistance band chest exercises with step-by-step instructions, and a simple and effective workout routine.
I have also made a PDF file of this workout guide so you can download and use it whenever you want it.
Before jumping on to exercises, let’s quickly look at the chest anatomy.
Muscles of the Chest
The chest muscle is also known as the pectoral muscle (pecs), and it is one of the largest upper body muscles that run down from the neck to the abdomen.
It is a group of four small muscles, such as:
- Pectoralis major (Large and fan-shaped muscle)
- Pectoralis minor (It’s located under the pectoralis muscle)
- Subclavius (a small muscle located beneath the clavicle), and
- Serratus anterior (It’s located more laterally under the chest wall)
The pectoralis major is one of the primary movers, while the other threes are small muscles. However, you need to hit all of them to develop a solid and defined chest.
Here are examples of resistance band chest exercises that work on different chest muscles.
| Exercises | Major Muscle Worked |
| Incline press | Pectoralis major and subclavius (Upper Chest) |
| Flat Press | Pectoralis major, subclavius, and pectoralis minor (Upper and Middle Chest) |
| Decline Press | Serratus anterior (Lower Chest) |
Benefits of Doing Chest Workouts with Resistance Bands
In the absence of dumbbells, barbells, and a bench, the best equipment you can use for the home workout is the resistance band. The resistance bands are super helpful when it comes to building solid pecs. They allow a full range of motion and help you target muscles at every angle.
Below are three crucial benefits of doing chest exercises with resistance bands.
- Resistance bands allow you to control a range of motion and helps you target the upper, middle, and lower chest efficiently.
- You can use the bands anywhere you like, at home, in the gym, in hotels, in parks, or on the street.
- You can do unilateral exercises with bands. Unilateral exercises are good for strength training as they fix muscle imbalance and allow you to work more on your weaker side.
- Resistance bands chest workouts are suitable for those recovering from shoulder injuries. They help you hit your pecs effectively without putting much stress on your shoulders.
Types of Resistance Bands You Need For Pecs Workout
Resistance bands have different types, such as loop bands, resistance bands with handles, tube bands, and power bands. They also have different tension levels. You can use them for various exercises, depending on how much tension level they require. Moreover, using anchors and attachments with bands provides plenty of exercise options.
Examples of band tension levels that you can use for different chest workouts.
| Band Tension Level | Exercises |
|---|---|
| 35 to 75 lbs | Chest Press, Pushups |
| 15 to 35 lbs | Chest Fly, Pushups, Pullover |
Best Resistance Band Chest Exercises
You can do various chest exercises with resistance bands at home and in the gym. Here’s a quick list of all workouts you can do to maximize the strength and size of your pecs.
- Standing Resistance Band Chest Press
- Resistance Band Pushup
- Resistance Band Floor Press
- Standing Single-Arm Chest Press
- Resistance Band Alternate Floor Press
- Resistance Band Standing Incline Press
- Standing Lower Chest Fly
- Resistance Band Lying Chest Fly
- Resistance Band Svend Press
- Single-Arm Upward Chest Fly
Let’s see how to do these workouts step-by-step.
1. Resistance Band Standing Chest Press
The standing chest press engages your chest fully and helps build sturdy and bigger pecs at home. It is suitable for all fitness levels. Whether you’re starting a resistance band workout program or you lift weights, you can add this workout to your routine to develop better strength and mobility.
However, you need to attach the band to the door or windows to perform a standing chest press.
Here’s how to do it:
- Anchor the band behind you at shoulder height, take a couple of steps forward, and stand in the staggered stance.
- Grab the handles firmly with your palms facing down and bending your elbows hold your hands beside your chests.
- Keep your core tight, chest up and back straight. That’s the starting position.
- Press the bands in front of you until your arms are entirely straight and your chest engages.
- Pause for a moment, and then bring the band to the start. That is your one rep.
- Perform each rep in a controlled fashion.
2. Resistance Band Pushup
Resistance band standard pushup is a compound workout that engages multiple muscles simultaneously, such as the chest, triceps, and anterior delt. It helps increase your strength, power, and muscular endurance and build sturdy and sizable pecs at home and the gym.
How to do push-ups with the resistance bands:
- Wrap the band around your back and hands and get into the high plank position so that your body forms a straight line from head to heels.
- Bending your elbows, lower your torso until your chest reaches close to the floor.
- Now, push yourself back to starting position. That is your one rep.
- Do each rep in a controlled manner and with a full range of motion.
- Keep your core tight throughout the movement.
You can also try other variations of resistance band pushups, such as close-grip and incline pushups.
3. Resistance Band Floor Press
The resistance band floor press is another excellent upper body workout. It primarily strengthens chest and tricep muscles and increases your pushing strength and muscle mass. It also helps you scale up for challenging movements, such as the banded pushup and bench press.
Here are steps to perform floor press with a band:
- Lie on the mat on your back and wrap the resistance band below and across your back.
- Grab the handles firmly and hold your hands at your chest level with your palms facing forward.
- Keep your elbows bent at your sides and knees bent at a 90-degree angle. That’s your starting position.
- Brace your abdominal muscles, inhale, and slowly press the band toward the ceiling until your arms are straight and directly over your chest.
- Exhale, hold for a second, squeeze your pecs at the top, and return to the start. That’s one rep!
4. Standing Single-arm Chest Press
The standing one-arm press is an isolation workout that helps you hit your right and left chest individually. Isolation exercises are essential for building good looking physique, as they help fix muscle imbalances and add strength and definition to specific muscles.
How to perform single-arm standing press:
- Attach the band behind you at an appropriate height.
- Grab the handle in your right hand with your palm facing down.
- Bring your right foot back to stand in the split squat stance.
- Keep your torso perpendicular to the floor and press the band forward until your arm is straight and pecs are engaged.
- Hold for a second and then return to the beginning position. That’s one rep!
5. Resistance Band Alternate Floor Press
The one-arm floor press allows you to work more on your weaker side so you can isolate your pecs effectively and balance strength and size.
To perform single-arm floor press:
- Wrap the resistance band across your back band and hold the end of the band tightly.
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Brace your core, and press the hand upward alternatively.
- You can do more reps on your weaker side to fix the imbalance.
Combining standard and alternate band floor presses in the same set would be nice.
For example, if you’re doing three sets of resistance band floor press, you can complete them in the following manner:
- Set 1: 5 reps regular press, 5 reps alternate press each side, and then 5 reps normal press. That’s one rep.
- Repeat three times.
6. Resistance Band Standing Incline Press
To build brawny pecs, you need to hit all three chest muscles, such as the upper, middle, and lower. Although all flat presses work on the entire chest, the incline resistance band press helps work specifically on the upper portion of the pectoralis major and adds definition to your overall chest muscles.
To perform standing incline chest press with a resistance band:
- Stand in the split stance with your feet 12 to 18 inches apart.
- Wrap the band around your rear foot and grab the resistance band with an overhand grip.
- Hold your hands beside your shoulder with your elbows bent.
- Keep your abdominal muscles tight, and press the band at a 45-degree angle above your upper chest until your arms are straight.
- Hold for a moment at the top and then return to the start.
- Squeeze your chest while pressing the band forward so you can feel the work in your pecs.
7. Resistance band Upward Chest Fly
The upward chest fly is an important resistance band chest workout and a good alternative to the cable machine fly. It allows you to focus primarily on your lower chest and helps develop overall pecs.
How to do resistance band lower chest fly:
- Stand in a staggered stance with your feet hip-width apart.
- Wrap the band around your rear foot heel and grab the handles of the band tightly.
- Slightly bend your elbows and rear knee, and raise the band in front of you until your arms are in front of your chest.
- Pause for a couple of seconds at the top and then return to the start. That’s one rep.
- Aim for three to four sets of eight to ten reps each.
8. Resistance Band Lying Chest Fly
The fly is an isolation workout that helps isolate chest muscles specifically. You can do chest fly with dumbbells, machine fly, and bands. All of them are efficient in building solid pecs.
A study also supports that the resistance band is a suitable alternative to dumbbells in doing chest flyes. However, you need a workout bench to perform this movement effectively.
How to perform resistance band chest fly:
- Wrap the band in the lower part of the bench and lie on your back.
- Grab the handles with a neutral grip and keep your arms out with your elbows slightly bent.
- Brace your abdominal muscles and pull the bands toward each other until your hands meet above your chest.
- Focus on squeezing your chest during the movement.
- Perform as many sets and reps as possible.
9. Resistance Band Svend Press
The Svend press works like a dumbbell squeeze press. It keeps your pecs under constant tension and helps build a bigger chest. With a resistance band, you can get the same advantage as a squeeze press and that too without a bench.
How to perform resistance band Svend press:
- Stand upright with your feet hip-width apart.
- Wrap the band around your upper back and your hands.
- Keep your arms bent with your elbows tucked at your sides and palms facing each other.
- Press the band forward until your arms are straight in front of you. And as you press, squeeze your chest thoroughly.
- Pause for a moment and then return to the start. That’s one rep.
10. Resistance Band Pullover
The pullover is an excellent workout to increase strength and mobility. It works on several muscles at once, such as the lats, arms, core, and especially the chest. So it can be a great addition to your resistance band chest exercises.
How to perform resistant band pullover for chest:
- Anchor the band to the door behind your head.
- Lie on the floor with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor.
- Grab the other end firmly with your hands and keep your arms straight behind your head.
- Pull the band all the way from face to chest until your pecs are entirely engaged.
- Aim for three to four sets of eight to 10 reps.
Resistance Band Chest Workout Routine
The below workout routine is for all fitness levels. So whether you’re a male or female, beginner or pro, you can follow these plans to improve your strength, mobility, mass, and muscle coordination.
Routine 1 – 20 minutes workout for beginners
| Workout | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance Band Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Standing Chest Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Resistance Band Incline Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Resistance Band Upward Chest Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
Routine 2 – 30 minutes workout for experienced
| Workout | Reps | Sets |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance Band Pushup | 3 | 8-12 |
| Resistance Band Floor Press | 3 | 8-12 |
| Resistance Band Chest Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
| Resistance Band Chest Fly | 3 | 8-12 |
| Resistance Band Pullover | 3 | 8-12 |
Related: 4 Week Resistance Band Training Program W/PDF
Resistance Band Chest Exercises PDF
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
Can resistance bands build a chest?
Resistance bands are a suitable alternative to weights. They help you build strength, mobility, and mass. Research has also shown that elasticity bands provide similar strength gains in the upper and lower body than weight training. However, if you want to build lots of muscles, you need to incorporate some heavyweight dumbbells, barbells, and machine exercises into your workout regime.
How many times a week should you do resistance band chest Workouts?
You can do resistance band chest exercises twice a week to build strength and size. The chest is one of the largest upper body muscles that are highly responsible for
an attractive-looking physique. To train your chest effectively, you should primarily do compound exercises for the chest, such as pushups and bench presses.
