The Hex Press is a highly underrated and undervalued strength training movement. Unlike traditional chest day movements, like the bench press, the hex press works and emphasizes the inner chest helping attain better muscle separation and definition. We’re going to talk more about the benefits of the dumbbell hex press, the muscles worked, and how to do them properly so you can add this exercise to your upper body training split.
What Is Hex Press
Hex press is an upper body strength training exercise, specifically focused on training the chest. It’s a variation of the traditional dumbbell bench press, however, as opposed to keeping the dumbbells directly over your chest with separation, the dumbbells are pushed together throughout the movement, creating a hexagonal shape, hence, hex press.
Hex Press Muscles Worked
The hex press works multiple muscle groups mainly the pectoralis major, as well as the pectoralis minor, anterior deltoids, and triceps. Hex press emphasizes the inner chest, which focuses the movement on the pectoralis major. Hex press is used to build and strengthen the inner chest to achieve better definition and muscle separation.
Hex Press Benefits
1. Build Strength
The hex press is an isolated strength training movement. With any resistance training exercise, you will build more strength and muscle mass. Hex press primarily works the pectoralis major, while secondary muscles worked are the shoulders, triceps, biceps, and shoulder joints. Research has shown that dependent upon the specific variations of chest exercises (i.e., dumbbell bench press, smith machine bench and barbell bench), each one activates the pectoralis to a different degree. Hex press has greater muscle activation in the inner pectoralis than other strength training movements.
2. Develops The Inner Chest
If aesthetics is the goal, then the hex press can be a valuable movement added to your strength training library. Developing the inner chest can be difficult for some. With the hex press you can efficiently isolate your inner chest, to develop better muscle definition and muscle separation.
3. Improves Body Composition
The more muscle mass you have, the more calories you’ll burn. Muscle tissue increases your body’s natural thermogenic response. The hex press will help you build more muscle, and therefore, support your body optimization goals, burning more body fat and increasing lean muscle mass.
How To Hex Press
- Lie flat on a bench and grab a pair of dumbbells, preferably hex dumbbells.
- Plant your feet firmly into the ground and brace your core, pushing the dumbbells away from you.
- With your arms extended over your chest, hold the dumbbells together
- Slowly inhale and lower the dumbbells in a very controlled manner to the lower chest bracing your core
- Touch your chest and drive the dumbbells back up, exhaling and driving your feet into the floor with controlled movement.
Hex Press: Takeaway
If you want to build your inner chest definition and strength, the hex press is one of the most effective and underutilized strength training movements. Hex press is a great exercise to add into your training program and can provide not only aesthetic benefits, but performance benefits s well, increasing strength and size, which can translate into heavier compound movements.
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