The decline press is a solid chest exercise, but it might not be an essential. Dips, flat presses, and cable exercises can target the same area just as well. Swap it out for these tried-and-tested moves to add variety and keep building a strong, well-developed chest.

It is often considered the “holy grail” of chest workouts, so skipping it may sound surprising. However, in a Men’s Health video, Fitness Director Ebenezer Samuel and Forzag Fitness founder Matthew Forzaglia explain that the exercise is simply “not worth your time.”

“If you really want to grow your chest to that size, you’re a lot better off (without the decline press). You’re going to get a lot more time under tension. And, you’re going to hit a lot more chest fibers by just going to the classic dumbbell press or even an incline press,” Ebenezer explained.

Forzaglia goes on to add that he spent years doing the decline press but did not see much of a result. Instead, he found a lot more visual results from the incline press or flat barbell press, he stated in the video.

So, what are the best alternatives to grow a strong chest without decline press? Here’s all you need to know.

Chest dips

(3 sets of 8-10 reps)

The chest dip may look innocuous, but it actually does wonders for your chest. Furthermore, it is friendly on the shoulders, ensuring you don’t leave the gym with unnecessary pains and aches. This exercise also allows you to adjust the tension on each dip- you can angle your body upright or forward, incorporating higher triceps engagement.

To make the workout more challenging, add a belt attachment or weights, as per Men’s Health magazine.

Grip the parallel bars with your arms fully extended, lean slightly forward, and tuck your legs behind you. Lower your body until your upper arms are parallel to the floor, then press through your palms to return to the starting position while keeping your chest engaged.

Elevated push-ups

(3 sets to failure)

The push-ups are a classic move. However, adding this variation is an excellent starting point to build an incredible mind-muscle connection. You can use any form of elevation- a bench, a wall, a chair- and you will notice how your shoulder blades free up at the end of the chest workout.

Floor press

(3 sets of 6-8 reps)

Those who absolutely need an ego stroke before leaving the gym will love the floor press. Similar to the decline bench, this exercise provides a shorter range of motion, but the floor enables you to press more weight without risking shoulder injury.

Try these alternatives and let us know if you notice a difference.

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Written by

Avantika Das

Edited by

Rati Agrawal