The hex press is a highly underrated and often overlooked movement in strength training routines. Unlike traditional chest exercises like the barbell bench press, the hex press emphasizes the inner chest, helping improve muscle separation, symmetry, and overall upper body definition.
In this guide, we’ll cover everything you need to know about the hex press, including benefits, muscles worked, and how to perform it correctly, so you can add this powerful move to your upper body training split for better gains and aesthetics.
What Is the Hex Press?
The hex press is a dumbbell-based upper body strength training exercise specifically designed to target the pectoral muscles. It’s a variation of the classic dumbbell bench press, but with a slight twist.
Instead of keeping the dumbbells shoulder-width apart during the press, you push the dumbbells together throughout the movement, forming a hexagonal shape — hence the name “hex press.” This continuous tension increases muscle engagement in the inner chest, making it a highly effective movement for both strength and hypertrophy.
Muscles Worked by the Hex Press
The hex press works multiple muscle groups in the upper body, with a strong emphasis on the inner portion of the pectoralis major.
Primary muscles worked:
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Pectoralis major (emphasizing the inner chest)
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Pectoralis minor
Secondary muscles worked:
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Anterior deltoids
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Triceps brachii
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Shoulder stabilizers
According to a study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research by Saeterbakken et al. (2017), muscle activation patterns differ significantly depending on the variation of the chest press used, and dumbbell variations like the hex press can increase the activation of the pectoralis major more than barbell variations (Saeterbakken et al., 2017).
Benefits of the Hex Press
1. Builds Upper Body Strength
Like any resistance training movement, the hex press is effective for building muscular strength and hypertrophy, especially in the chest. While it primarily targets the pectoralis major, it also activates supporting muscles like the triceps, biceps, deltoids, and shoulder joints.
In a comparative analysis, dumbbell pressing variations have been shown to allow a greater range of motion and joint stabilization demands, which can contribute to improved muscular development (Schoenfeld, 2010).
2. Enhances Inner Chest Development
Developing the inner chest is a common challenge in physique training. Because the hex press keeps continuous tension in this region by forcing the dumbbells together throughout the entire movement, it’s one of the few exercises that can truly isolate and build this area.
This contributes to greater muscle definition and more prominent separation, helping to create that sculpted and aesthetic chest appearance.
3. Supports Better Body Composition
By increasing lean muscle mass, the hex press helps support body recomposition. More muscle mass means a higher resting metabolic rate (RMR), which leads to increased calorie burn throughout the day.
Muscle tissue is metabolically active — research shows that for every pound of muscle gained, your body burns approximately 6-10 extra calories per day at rest (Wolfe, 2006). Adding hex press into your training can support fat loss and improve overall lean muscle development.
How to Do the Hex Press Properly
To maximize effectiveness and minimize injury risk, form is everything when performing the hex press. Here’s how to do it step-by-step:
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Set Up on a Flat Bench:
Lie flat on a bench with a pair of dumbbells, preferably hex dumbbells for better grip alignment. -
Feet Firmly Planted:
Place your feet flat on the ground and engage your core. -
Press Dumbbells Together:
Hold the dumbbells directly over your chest and press them together, creating constant tension. -
Controlled Descent:
Inhale slowly and lower the dumbbells in a controlled motion toward the lower chest, while maintaining tension. -
Press Up with Power:
Touch the chest lightly, then drive the dumbbells back up, exhaling as you push and maintaining control through the lift.
Final Thoughts
Whether your goal is increased strength, better aesthetics, or body recomposition, the hex press is a smart addition to your chest day. It’s especially useful if you’ve plateaued with traditional pressing exercises or are looking for more inner chest development.
For more science-backed strength training tips and programming strategies, check out the Swolverine Training Blog and The Swole Kitchen’s coaching programs.
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