5 Go-To Chest Exercises From Mr. Olympia Winners

Franco Columbu – Flat Barbell Bench Press

The late two-time champion was not only a champion bodybuilder but an elite powerlifter, too. As a matter of fact, he was one of the contestants in the inaugural World’s Strongest Man contest. So for show or go, his words still carry weight. When it came to chest development, many words he shared were about the flat barbell bench press. He told Flex that, in his opinion, there is no better move for overall mass and power than this classic.
“You have five or six good chest exercises, and the bench press with a barbell is far and away the best.”

Frank Zane – Incline Dumbbell Press

Zane wasn’t only a master poser but he was calculated when it came to the way he trained his muscles. The three-time Mr. O winner could find unique ways to spin basic moves so he could change the way it felt to him. One exercise he tweaked was the incline dumbbell press. He explains his version and its purpose to Flex.

“A better way to isolate upper pecs is using dumbbells for the incline press holding a neutral grip. This permits lower stretching and really targets the pecs.”

Arnold Schwarzenegger – Dumbbell Flyes

There may be no bodybuilder associated with a bodypart as Schwarzenegger is with the chest. His pecs measured at 57 inches when he was in his prime. Yes, he benched and inclined but one of his favorite moves was actually an isolation exercise – the dumbbell flye. His reasoning, which he shared with Flex, makes perfect sense.

“Dumbbell flyes have always been a mainstay of my chest program. Since the function of the pecs is to pull the upper arms forward and toward the center of the body, flyes are designed as an isolation exercise that hits the chest without involving the triceps and other muscles. As such, it is a great movement with which to hit the pecs with maximum intensity for maximum growth.”

Brandon Curry – Standing Machine Press

The reigning world bodybuilding champion had made great gains over the last few years, which is why he is where he is. His pecs, whether he’s posing or relaxed, stand out on any stage he is on. One of his favorite chest carvers is the standing machine press which allows him to train the chest horizontally, Curry explained to Flex why this helped him build powerful pecs.
“Using a machine allows you to focus more on the target area (pecs) and less on the stabilizers normally required to help balance a free weight.”

Dexter Jackson – Cable Crossover

The 2008 Sandow winner is still going strong and still considered one of the best in the world. One of the reasons why is because he had become a major advocate of cables and machines. One of his favorite exercises is the cable crossover. Stations that change angles of the cables make this even better. His detail and development of the chest verifies that he’s doing something right. He told Flex why this move is so important to him.

“Cable crossovers are almost always in my routine somewhere, especially pre-contest. Sometimes I superset them with something else, like Hammer machine presses, and sometimes I do them alone at the end of the workout. They’re all about the contractions. I don’t even care how much weight I use. You can make any weight feel heavy on these if you squeeze your pecs hard enough.”

Olympia Calibur Chest Workout

Flat Barbell Bench Press – 4 sets of 12, 10, 8, 6 reps.
Incline Dumbbell Press – 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 reps.
Flat Dumbbell Flye – 3 sets of 12, 10, 8 reps.
Standing Machine Press – 3 sets of 15, 12, 10 reps.
Cable Crossover – 3 sets of 15 reps.

*Add weight each set if possible. Rest 90 seconds between sets.