How to Work On Your Pecs (Without a Gym Membership)

If you’re new to the weightlifting game, meet with a trainer (video conference FTW) to ensure you use proper form. Solid form reduces the risk of injury and also makes every exercise count.

If you’re looking to bulk up, you want to feel the burn, but you don’t want your arms to quiver. Always start with lower weights and work your way up.

Remember, if something hurts — stop! If you need a break, take one. (Let’s face it: Strong pecs are nice, but an injury-free bod is better.)

Reduce the risk of injury (and that dreaded next-day soreness) by warming up your muscles beforehand. Whether you opt to do some jumping jacks or jog around the neighborhood, fit in about 10 minutes of light cardio before you get started.

Anyone can benefit from the exercises below, which target the chest, shoulders, arms, and a bit of the abs. Since they help with bulk, these exercises are often geared toward men, but let’s be real: They can be for everybody (and every body).

We’ve incorporated a variety of basic equipment and bodyweight options to choose from.

Some equipment that may come in handy:

• a mat, bench, or sturdy chair
• weights that cause you to break a sweat (without risking your safety)

Moves using just your strength

When I dip, you dip, we dip

Move: dips

Equipment: parallel dip bars, stairs, or a bench

1. Grab the parallel dip bars and raise your body off the floor.
2. Keep your elbows straight, your head aligned with your knees, and your wrists right under your forearms.
3. Squeeze your abs and cross one leg over the other to stabilize your lower body.
4. Bend your elbows and lower your body. To prevent swinging around (like a wrecking ball), keep your legs directly under your body.
5. Lower yourself down until your elbows reach a 90-degree angle. Your upper arms should be parallel with the floor, wrists straight.
6. Pause and push into the bars to return to starting position.
7. Complete 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps.

Push it, push it real good

Move: pushups

Equipment: nada

1. Starting with correct form is the secret to effective pushups: tight abs, flat back, neck aligned with spine, and elbows close to your sides.
2. Slowly lower yourself, hands directly under shoulders.
3. Now, as the name suggests, push yourself back up. Ta-da!
4. Complete 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps.

Pump it up with jumping pushups

Move: plyometric pushups

Equipment: nada

FYI: Nicknamed the “jumping pushup,” this advanced exercise should only be attempted after you’ve mastered several reps of the traditional pushup.

1. Start in a traditional pushup position.
2. As you lower yourself to the ground, press your weight through your hands into the floor.
3. Now, push your hands and body off the ground and spring up. Keep your abs tight, back flat, and neck aligned with your spine.
4. Complete 2–3 sets of 8–12 reps.

Now, walk it out

Move: walking plank

Equipment: nada

1. Start in plank position with your body in a straight line. Squeeze your abs like you’re trying to hold a balloon between your thighs.
2. Push up from the ground with one arm while retaining your plank form.
3. Switch arms and try to repeat for 1 minute. Then, take a breather and repeat as desired.

Break out the dumbbells

Move: overhead dumbbell press

Equipment: dumbbells

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, back straight. Hold the dumbbells with your elbows pulled toward your ribs and your palms facing each other.
2. Drive the dumbbells up, with your hands over your shoulders and your biceps next to your ears.
3. Complete 3–5 sets of 4–8 reps.

Pump up those pecs

Move: standing dumbbell upright row

Equipment: dumbbells

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, back straight. Hold the dumbbells by your thighs, palms facing your legs.
2. Keep the dumbbells close to your sides as you drive them toward your chin.
3. Slowly lower them back down to starting position.
4. Complete3–5 sets of 4–8 reps.

Impress with the chest press

Move: chest press

Equipment: dumbbells, optional bench or mat

1. Lie down on the floor, mat, or bench with your knees slightly bent, feet on the floor.
2. Grab the dumbbells and press them above you, elbows slightly bent.
3. Pull the dumbbells toward your chest.
4. Complete 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps.

Fly high with dumbbell flies

Move: incline dumbbell flies

Equipment: chest press bench, dumbbells

1. Set up with your bench with a medium incline. Sit with your feet planted on the floor. Press your shoulders, back, head, and booty into the bench.
2. Hold the dumbbells close to your chest and arms, palms facing in, wrists straight.
3. Squeeze your abs and slowly push the dumbbells right above your chest, shoulder-width apart. Avoid locking your elbows.
4. Lower the dumbbells outward slowly in a semicircle to chest level.
5. Bring them back toward the ceiling in the same motion.
6. Take it from the top for 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps.

Throw them ‘bows with the triceps extension

Move: incline dumbbell triceps extension

Equipment: chest press bench, dumbbells

1. Set up your bench with a moderate incline. Lie on it and hold the dumbbells above your chest, fists facing each other.
2. Raise the dumbbells above your head, elbows bent slightly.
3. Lower them slowly back toward your chest.
4. Complete 3–6 sets of 4–8 reps.

While some want to get built, others want to look svelte. Who’s judging? Since these exercises focus on tightening and toning, they’re primarily geared toward women, but c’mon, anyone can do them.

The following moves will work your chest, shoulders, arms, and some abs. They help support strong muscles, proper balance, and excellent posture (so your mom will never have to bug you to sit up straight again).

FYI: Women are especially at risk for osteoporosis, a condition characterized by the weakening of bone tissue.

Moderate resistance exercises like these can help build strong, healthy bones by signaling to the body to generate increased tissue. Strengthening bone health today can lower the risk of osteoporosis later.

For the exercises that call for weights, select a dumbbell size that you can comfortably lift high above your head without straining. These moves focus on increased reps, so you don’t want to struggle with every move.

For when your body’s the best equipment

Forget the gym: You don’t need expensive machines to get a great workout. Get a full-on fitness sesh from your living room with these strengthening exercises.

Pro tip: Since you’re in your living room, catch up on your guilty pleasure shows while you move. Feeling the burn cancels out the guilt right?

Time to dip like it’s 1997

Move: triceps dips

Equipment: sturdy bench or chair

1. Sit on the bench or chair with your arms by your sides, feet on the ground.
2. Grab the front of the seat on either side of you, palms downward.
3. While you grip the seat, lift yourself up off it. Keep your knees slightly bent, booty above the floor. Fully extend your arms.
4. Lower your body until your elbows make a 90-degree angle. Work those glutes by letting them hover just above the ground.
5. Pause and return to starting position.
6. Complete 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.

In the arms of wall angels, fly away from here

Move: wall angels

Equipment: nada

1. Stand with your head, shoulders, upper back, and booty pressed against a wall. Keep your knees bent just a bit.
2. With the backs of your hands against the wall, extend your arms directly above your head.
3. Tighten your mid-back muscles as you move your arms down toward your shoulders. Remember to keep your bod glued to the wall.
4. Slide your arms down until they’re just below your shoulders. Hold for a sec and return to starting position.
5. Complete 2–3 sets of 15–20 reps.

Ain’t no mountain high enough

Move: mountain climbers

Equipment: nada (a mat can make things comfier, though)

1. Get in plank position with your shoulders over your hands.
2. Squeeze your abs and bring one knee toward your chest.
3. Drive that knee backward as you bring the other toward your chest.
4. Repeat at a quick pace for 20–60 seconds. Try 2–3 sets.

Shine bright with diamond pushups

Move: diamond pushups

Equipment: nada (but a mat’s nice to have)

1. Start in modified pushup position: Knees turned outward, feet just touching, hands shoulder-width apart.
2. Tighten your abs and keep your spine straight. Bend your elbows inward and lower your torso to just a few inches above the floor.
3. Press back up and do 2–3 sets of 10 reps.

Hand release toss, check my nails. Baby how you feelin’?

Move: hand release pushup

Equipment: nada

1. Start in plank position with your shoulders over your hands.
2. Lower your body to the floor, flexin’ that core.
3. Now that you’ve hit the deck, lift both palms off the ground slightly.
4. Press your palms into the floor and push your body back up to starting position.
5. Complete 2–3 sets of for 10 reps.

Dumbbells: Check. Crushing this workout: Check

Keep it cool with some curls

Move: dumbbell curls

Equipment: dumbbells, optional sturdy chair or bench

1. Sit or stand holding the dumbbells with your arms by your side, feet shoulder-width apart.
2. Hug your elbows to your side as you rotate the dumbbells so your palms face.
3. Contract your biceps and curl the weights upward.
4. Pause at the curl and lower to starting position.
5. Complete 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.

Kick back with triceps kickbacks

Move: triceps kickbacks

Equipment: dumbbells

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, knees slightly bent. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, palms facing in.
2. With your spine straight, bend at the waist until your core’s tilted toward the floor.
3. Bend your elbows and keep your head aligned with your spine.
4. Work your triceps to push your forearms backward, straightening your elbows.
5. Pause and take it from the top.
6. Complete 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.

Time to double-fist… your dumbbells

Move: two-arm dumbbell row

Equipment: dumbbells

1. Stand with feet shoulder-width apart, a dumbbell in each hand.
2. Bend your knees a bit, hinge at the waist, torso toward the floor. The dumbbells should be close to your knees. Squeeze your abs.
3. Activate your back muscles, bend your muscles, and pull the dumbbells to your ribcage.
4. Pause, squeeze, and repeat from starting position.
5. Try this move for 2–3 sets of 10–12 reps.

Don’t stress – just chest press

Move: chest press

Equipment: dumbbells, optional bench or mat

FYI: While this move is great for bulking up (see above), using a lower weight for more reps is perfect for toning and tightening.

1. Lie on the floor, mat, or bench with your knees slightly bent, feet on the floor.
2. Grab the dumbbells and press them above you, elbows slightly bent.
3. Pull the dumbbells toward your chest.
4. Complete 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.

Raise the stakes with deltoid raises

Move: deltoid raises

Equipment: dumbbells

1. Stand with knees slightly bent, feet hip-width apart. Hold the dumbbells at your sides, palms facing your body.
2. Hinge slightly forward at the waist, squeezing your core.
3. Extend your arms outward ‘til you form a “T.” Now, take it from the top.
4. Complete 2–3 sets of 10–15 reps.

To the front now, y’all

Move: dumbbell front raises

Equipment: dumbbells

1. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold the dumbbells in front of your thighs, elbows bent slightly, palms facing your body.
2. Raise them up until your arms jut out directly from your shoulders, arms parallel to the floor.
3. Return to starting position.
4. Complete 3 sets of 10–15 reps.