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Push-Ups vs Dips: Which Exercise is Better for Chest Growth?
Jan 20, 2025
When designing a training programme focused on building chest muscle, choosing the right exercises is essential. Among the most effective bodyweight exercises, push-ups and dips are often pitted against each other.
Both exercises are fundamental for upper body strength and hypertrophy, but understanding their mechanics, muscle activation, and overall effectiveness for chest growth can help you maximise your results. This article breaks down the pros and cons of push-ups and dips, backed by scientific evidence, to determine which is better for chest development.
How Push-Ups and Dips Target the Chest Muscles
Push-Ups: Mechanics and Muscle Activation
The push-up is a closed-chain, horizontal pressing exercise that targets the pectoralis major (chest), triceps brachii, and anterior deltoids, while also engaging the core for stabilisation. A study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research demonstrated that standard push-ups effectively activate the chest muscles, with variations such as the weighted push-up further increasing muscle activation (Calatayud et al., 2015).
The degree of chest engagement can be adjusted by altering hand positioning or elevating the feet, making the push-up a versatile tool for building chest strength and hypertrophy.
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