Exercise guide · Beginner · Compound

Isometric Chest Squeeze: How to Do It & Muscles Worked

The isometric chest squeeze is a bodyweight exercise that targets the pectoral muscles by requiring you to contract and hold tension in your chest while your arms are extended in front of you.

Primary muscles
Chest
Secondary muscles
Shoulders , Triceps
Equipment
Body Weight
Level · type
Beginner · Compound
Demonstration of the isometric chest squeeze
Front view: muscles worked by the isometric chest squeeze. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Back view: muscles worked by the isometric chest squeeze. Primary: chest. Secondary: shoulders and triceps.
Primary Secondary

How to do the isometric chest squeeze

  1. Step 1: Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart and your knees slightly bent.
  2. Step 2: Extend your arms straight out in front of you, parallel to the ground, with your palms facing each other.
  3. Step 3: Squeeze your chest muscles together as hard as you can, while keeping your arms straight.
  4. Step 4: Hold this position for a few seconds, focusing on contracting your chest muscles.
  5. Step 5: Release the squeeze and relax your chest muscles.
  6. Step 6: Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.

Sets, reps and programming

Suggested sets, reps and rest for the isometric chest squeeze by training goal
Goal Sets Reps Rest Effort
Strength 3–5 3–6 3–5 min 1–3 reps in reserve
Muscle growth 3–4 6–12 2–3 min 1–2 reps in reserve
Muscular endurance 2–3 12–20 1–2 min 1–3 reps in reserve

Ranges follow the ACSM position stand on progression in resistance training. Muscle grows across a wide range of loads when sets end close to failure (Schoenfeld et al., 2017), longer rests between heavy sets support strength and size (Schoenfeld et al., 2016), and stopping a rep or two short of failure works about as well as training to failure (Grgic et al., 2022). Estimate your working weights with the strength calculators.

Isometric Chest Squeeze alternatives

More exercises that train the chest as their main target:

More chest exercises

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Sources

  1. American College of Sports Medicine. Progression models in resistance training for healthy adults. Med Sci Sports Exerc. 2009;41(3):687-708.
  2. Schoenfeld BJ, Grgic J, Ogborn D, Krieger JW. Strength and hypertrophy adaptations between low- vs. high-load resistance training. J Strength Cond Res. 2017;31(12):3508-3523.
  3. Schoenfeld BJ, Pope ZK, Benik FM, et al. Longer interset rest periods enhance muscle strength and hypertrophy in resistance-trained men. J Strength Cond Res. 2016;30(7):1805-1812.
  4. Grgic J, Schoenfeld BJ, Orazem J, Sabol F. Effects of resistance training performed to repetition failure or non-failure on muscular strength and hypertrophy: a systematic review and meta-analysis. J Sport Health Sci. 2022;11(2):202-211.

Step-by-step instructions and demonstration media are from the ExerciseDB exercise dataset.

This guide is general fitness information, not medical advice. Stop if an exercise causes pain and speak to a doctor or physiotherapist about injuries or health conditions before starting a new programme.