Target Your UPPER CHEST (Pec Isolation Reality!!) – ATHLEAN-X™

by YouTube Team

Build a bigger chest – from upper to lower and everywhere in between!

One of the most common workout questions out there is how to target your upper chest (or inner, outer, and lower for that matter). Guys want to know if there is a specific chest exercise that would allow them to get a bigger upper chest, faster, if done in their workouts.

Unfortunately, there are quite a few myths and broscience arguments made to support whether or not this is true. Getting to the bottom of the topic and getting you the right answer is the focus of this chest training video.

Here I show you that there are absolutely two separate areas of the pec major muscle…each with its own nerve innervation. There are sternal and clavicular areas. Contraction of the pecs or chest occurs as an “all or none” phenomenon, meaning that you cannot just contract the lower, outer, upper, or inner chest. That said, with contraction you do have control of the intensity of the squeeze. This is affected by the number of motor units and muscle fibers that are recruited during the contraction.

The upper chest fibers are at a greater mechanical advantage to work when the flexion of the shoulder passes 90 degrees and is combined with horizontal adduction and internal rotation of the shoulder. That means, in order to get a bigger upper chest you want to be sure to include chest exercises that put your arm in this position.

It is true that you can influence the degree of upper pec or chest growth by using the correct chest exercises in your workouts.

For more information on how to build a bigger chest, make sure you head to and get the 90 day workout program for men – ATHLEANX. Pro athlete trainer and sports medicine expert Jeff Cavaliere takes you through his favorite chest building routines and exercises.

For other upper chest exercise variations and workouts you can do at home or in a gym, along with nutrition and supplement videos be sure to subscribe to our channel here on youtube at

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39 comments

Vikas Joshi August 20, 2017 - 11:41 pm

his video are good and very helpful. .keep it on …

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Durv Viswanathan September 15, 2017 - 8:46 pm

i came here from 2017…

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René Naranjo September 29, 2017 - 4:29 am

omg that drawing of the chest killed me lmao the nipple hahaha

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Terence G. November 17, 2017 - 4:18 pm

That Nipple though!!!

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Savvas Koseoglou November 18, 2017 - 9:28 pm

the only natty

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Rubén Muñoz November 28, 2017 - 9:09 pm

it's hilaroius to see jeff here and now, the energy in front of the camera is so different xd

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Michael Exsiledl December 5, 2017 - 1:35 pm

atlhlene x what is the best sequence to train muscle in to minimize time and maximize gains?

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Colt MP December 15, 2017 - 10:09 am

It looks like he’s wearing a tiny pink T-shirt in the photo for this video s’funny.

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ryuujin mueller December 16, 2017 - 4:40 pm

Thank you for a practical explanation of a subject typically colored with emotions and mythology. VERY easy to understand and extremely useful!

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Spyros Passas February 4, 2018 - 9:47 pm

Take a shot every time he says pec

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henry hola February 10, 2018 - 12:05 pm

I workout hard on my shoulder .I also get tension on then but not that much gain I get that I want. Tell something

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The Stud Muffin February 19, 2018 - 6:31 am

watching in 2018

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Thor Thumb February 20, 2018 - 3:44 am

Excellent video Jeff! Thanks for pointing that out on how to assist the anterior delt and prevent injury. Love this channel. .

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JG N March 2, 2018 - 7:54 am

This was the "boring" Jeff that even he has mentioned. Now days he sounds so much better.

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Tom White March 9, 2018 - 10:51 pm

If Jeff ate allot of cookies…how would we be able to see the clarity of his message? Thanks Jeff.

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DartfullRodger May 23, 2018 - 1:57 pm

Great video!!

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Jessi Baet May 29, 2018 - 11:47 pm

That drawing looks like a ripped belly chunk!

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Derrick High June 2, 2018 - 12:04 pm

Thank you! I've always wondered how to develop my upper chest. Most of my development would show in the lower portion. This video is easily understood and extremely informative!

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Dan Olympiadis June 10, 2018 - 2:21 am

Great video! very helpful

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Fritz July 12, 2018 - 12:15 pm

i could see my collar bone so i think that muscle could fill it up so pls teach me how to train my chest

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King El III July 17, 2018 - 11:01 am

Jeff you are priceless. I've been hitting my chest for over 30 years and never built my upper chest until I ran into your videos. My results have been amazing thanks to you. In return I tell everybody I can about your videos when they want to get better results on their bodies. I appreciate you taking the time by giving experienced advice and being the part that makes it easy for one to trust because you are a perfect picture of fitness.

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Kevin Tan July 18, 2018 - 4:41 pm

I have chest the same as you with a gap on the upper chest
Its genetics right? And it wont be able to fill the gap?

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Gabriel Ortiz September 10, 2018 - 3:49 pm

Yep…but where's the rest? I feel like I needed directions and was only told how to start the engine…lol!

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Sanju Baba December 27, 2018 - 11:23 am

In the course of training so far, all I could learn is that you need a big chest for a big upper chest. Some people genuinely have more mass in the upper part like me while lag in that lower definition, whereas some have the reverse way around. Some on the other hand have a full all around chest even without lifting. A lot of genetics play a big role here. Speaking about the video, I have tried this thing with cables and dumbbells standing with arched back. It feels amazing in the upper inner part. But I still believe that the hypertrophy will still occur much overall. You see the upper chest complaints do not come often from much mascullar dudes. I believe keep growing chest until you get those upper, inner, lower, outer and a fuller chest. Some people will succeed soon some will take time. It’s only about trying different things and trying consistently.

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Filip G January 14, 2019 - 9:07 pm

Thats exactly what I have, Jeff literally has an answer to everything!

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Jesse mccnoodles January 21, 2019 - 7:39 pm

Bro sometimes I need quick answers

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Vee Ray May 3, 2019 - 7:36 am

I was having trouble getting my pecs until I watched this video. word.

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Fun Frizzy May 12, 2019 - 10:03 am

I'm a lady and my collarbones are too prominent, pls help me out

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S C May 27, 2019 - 12:43 pm

this is exactly what I needed!!!! omg my clavicular chest muscle has not been firing for years

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Soap June 19, 2019 - 1:45 am

I had a bone fracture on my left collarbone 4 years ago. Today, I work out 3 times a week, and doing regular push-ups and pull-ups is sort of uncomfortable for my left side. Any tips on how I can sort of still work on that area without damaging it further? Thanks.

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Will G. July 31, 2019 - 4:59 pm

Thought it was all about muscle insertion?

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Chicago Roots November 12, 2019 - 4:01 am

You just saved my shoulders, god bless you

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Skarlet Main November 18, 2019 - 6:19 am

Just seeing this really shows how much Jeff grew.
Both as a person, and as in the channel.
Keep up the great work Jeff.

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daniel spell February 6, 2020 - 10:14 pm

just bench press

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Ramesh Chawla May 1, 2020 - 11:52 am

V.nice sir….pl.lower chest exercise

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Nadia Belhadj May 26, 2020 - 2:22 pm

ALLER LES MILLE POUSSE ROUGE ALLER LES GENT

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TAYLEN DAY September 18, 2020 - 10:43 am

The nipple is not in the middle of the pec Jeff, I thought you were a professional! Lol

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Ramesh Gautam July 4, 2021 - 2:04 pm

I have problem of upper chest come forward🤒and i feel worried

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Busy mind August 24, 2021 - 7:04 am

Lwada Ka sarkar ☺️😂

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