---
title: 'Why Is It So Hard To Build Your Upper Chest?'
source: 'https://youtube.com/watch?v=xGnxyyWMk4s'
video_id: 'xGnxyyWMk4s'
date: 2026-08-01
duration_sec: 480
---

# Why Is It So Hard To Build Your Upper Chest?

> Source: [Why Is It So Hard To Build Your Upper Chest?](https://youtube.com/watch?v=xGnxyyWMk4s)

## Summary

This video explains why upper chest development often lags and provides a practical blueprint for building it. Key strategies include prioritizing incline pressing, using a six-set specialization phase, correcting arch and bar path, and controlling rep speed with a deep stretch.

### Key Points

- **Incline pressing is non-negotiable** [00:14] — To grow your upper chest, you must include incline pressing in your routine; without it, building your upper chest is close to impossible.
- **Flat bench hack** [00:28] — If you work out at home and lack an incline bench, put your feet in a backpack and do decline push-ups — an effective alternative that hits the upper chest.
- **Order matters: incline before flat** [00:58] — Always perform incline press before horizontal (flat) press so your upper chest gets worked when you're strongest and freshest. This small change can make a massive difference.
- **Specialize with six sets of incline** [01:38] — For a lagging upper chest, replace one style of horizontal pressing and three sets of incline pressing with six sets of incline pressing. This high-volume approach is common for improving a specific area.
- **Commit for three months** [02:03] — Avoid doing this forever; dedicate about three months to emphasizing incline pressing, and you can make insane gains in upper chest size.
- **Set/rep scheme** [02:17] — Start with three heavier sets in the 5–8 rep range, then lower the weight for three sets of 12–15 reps. This combines strength and hypertrophy benefits while managing fatigue.
- **Use low-to-high cable fly** [03:32] — Swap the classic high-to-low cable fly for the low-to-high cable fly to bias the upper chest during isolation work.
- **Arch, but not too much** [03:45] — Set an arch to protect your shoulders and load the chest, but excessive arching turns an incline press into a flat press. Cue: your chin should never be below your chest; push your chest up and pull shoulder blades together.
- **Correct bar path** [05:04] — On incline press, lower the bar to your clavicle (or just below it), not your nipples or lower. Press straight up from there. Mixing the flat press bar path is a major reason upper chest stays underdeveloped.
- **Control rep speed, don't slow down artificially** [05:46] — Be in control of the weight on the way up and down, but don't artificially slow the tempo — that's not what control means. Don't throw the weight either.
- **Deep stretch at the bottom** [07:05] — Lower the weight all the way to the clavicle to get a deep stretch in the upper chest. The stretch is a key stimulus for growth.

## Transcript

completely missing, no matter how much you can bench, you are probably making one of these mistakes. Or maybe you just need to learn how to overcome your loss will show you how to go from your upper chest being basically non-existent to it
thing you need to realize is that in order to grow your upper chest, you in your routine, which I hope that you all do, because without it, building your upper chest is close to impossible. I know that some of you work out at home
have a flat bench and not an incline one. But that still doesn't mean that You just need to be more creative. In a case like that, simply put your in your backpack and do decline push-ups. I know the exercise has
is an incline press that will hit your upper chest very well. Now that you have routine, you have the correct chest training foundation. But if you allow me to guess, whenever you train chest, the first exercise of the workout is always
the horizontal press. It's like it has been etched into your mind. But let me your upper chest grow, always do the incline press before the horizontal press. That way you do it when you are at your strongest and freshest. I know
a deal, but something as small as this can make a massive difference. But even routine and you always do it first, it simply might not be enough alone because your mom screwed you on the genetics part too hard. This is where another
tactic comes in. As you know, a regular chest foundation in one workout will look something like this. And I have already stated many times how important it is to do all the movement patterns. But in a special case like this, when
you are trying to achieve a very specific goal, you could do one very of horizontal pressing and three sets of incline pressing, you can transform this whole thing into six sets of incline pressing instead. To some of you, this
probably sounds absolutely insane, but this is a very common approach when you are trying to improve in a specific area. And let me tell you, it works to worry that the rest of your chest is
horizontal press. That will not happen. Of course, you don't want to do what I life. Simply do it for a couple of months. You can think of it as a upper dedicate the next 3 months to only
horizontal pressing. And you best believe that in those 3 months, you're going to make an insane improvement on your upper chest. My favorite strategy for this is to always start with three heavier sets in a lower rep range like 5
to 8. And then do the next three sets with lower weight in a higher rep range like 12 to 15. This way you get the best of both worlds. Plus, naturally, doing six sets of the same exercise will start to get pretty tiring. That's why the
first three sets are heavier, so you can give it your all. And once you get a little more tired, you lower the weight and increase the reps, which will be very beneficial when you are already a little tired. All right, this covered
before we continue with more information, let me show you the new building journey that will teach you everything you need to know in the simplest way possible, so that you never get overwhelmed, because I know very
to feel when I was getting started. To ensure your success, you will get a training, nutrition, and a cardio plan, so that you are completely covered. So chest, but your entire body, go click
learn more about the beginner bundle. Now, let's continue with building your upper chest, because it's not just the foundational exercises, there's also isolation, which can also play a huge role. Here you can also make it more
tailored towards the upper chest. So for example, instead of doing the classic high to low cable fly, replace it with the low to high cable fly. This will more. So now you know how you should structure your routine, but there is one
very important thing you need to know before you put all of this into action. chest pressing, it's important that you get into the arched position. This will protect your shoulders and put all the load on your chest, which is exactly
what you want. But don't get it twisted, because excessive arching can completely ruin your incline press, because when you arch too much, you put your body in were doing a regular flat press, which happens pretty frequently, and it's a
big reason why a lot of people struggle with their upper chest size. You know, people think that they are doing a ton of incline pressing, but they arch to couldn't call it an incline press anymore. Easy cue that you can remember
is that your chin should never be below your chest. That's when you know that doesn't mean that you should stop arching. You always need to arch, as it is a part of a healthy press, but it should be done just a little bit. You
more power without changing the angle of the press. Just really focus on pushing your chest up and pulling your shoulder blades together. It's more of a mental to look like you got possessed by an evil spirit. Otherwise, you are not
have learned today, without incline pressing, there is no upper chest. The other reason why most people's upper chest is so underdeveloped is because way. Using the correct bar path is extremely important, but most people
just mix up the bar path of the regular flat bench press with the bar path of the incline bench press. On the regular flat bench press, you want to press like you want to press in a straight line. That's how you get the best upper chest
down, you want to directly touch your clavicle bone, or just the area slightly under it. Definitely not your neck. And then from there, you press straight up. people make contact with the bar somewhere around their nipples, or god
forbid, even lower. And I can't even tell you how wrong that is. It's properly in a position like that. It's from your body. Combination of those two things is a recipe for a non-existent
the speed of the reps, because I have seen a lot of your guys' incline bench press clips, and you know, I always say that you got to be in control of the weight on both the way up and the way down. But some of you clearly took it
clips I saw, and I can't believe I'm going to say this, but some of you really did the reps way too slow. Yeah, I also didn't know that was possible, but it clearly is. What the control of the rep is referring to is that you are
move the weight exactly as you want, not as the weight wants. But the fact that you have absolute control doesn't mean that you should be artificially slowing down the tempo just because you can. Slower doesn't always mean better. As
long as you are literally not throwing the weight, you've most likely be fine. can slow down the weight so much that it looks like a comedy skit, the weight you anyway. Because if you are working with challenging weight, you don't really
have the luxury of artificially slowing down the weight. I get that people that are doing the reps way too slowly are probably still learning the proper form, and that's fine. The correct speed and execution will come with more experience
as your confidence in the exercise grows. But just keep in mind that you don't need to go super slow. You just need to be in control. And lastly, we chest at the bottom of the rep. No matter if you are using a barbell or
dumbbells, the bottom part of the rep is super important. You don't want to just really want to go all the way down and really feel the pressure that it's putting on your upper chest. If you lower the weight to the clavicle bone
achieve such a great stretch of the upper chest that you will feel like your upper chest just instantly grew by an inch. In my eyes, the stretch at the good setup, which means that if you follow all advice I gave you in this
like never before. So take all the and apply it to your own training plan. And I promise that you will see results forget to check out the beginner bundle by clicking the first link below. I hope
you learned something. Good luck in the gym, and I will see you next time. If you like this video, then you will for sure like this one, too.