Build a Stronger, Balanced Upper Body with One-Arm Chest Exercises

If you’ve ever noticed one side of your chest working harder than the other—or if you're coming back from an injury—adding single-arm chest exercises to your routine can unlock serious gains in strength, symmetry, and control. While classic barbell presses dominate most chest workouts, unilateral training forces each side of your body to pull its own weight—literally.

This article will walk you through some of the best one-arm chest exercises, how to structure a one-arm chest workout, and the surprising benefits of training your chest one side at a time.

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Why Train One Arm at a Time?

Most people have a dominant side, whether they notice it or not. Traditional two-handed movements like the bench press can mask imbalances and allow your stronger side to do more of the work. Over time, this creates uneven muscle development, affects posture, and even increases injury risk.

Single-arm chest exercises allow for better muscle activation on the weaker side, improve joint stability, and train the core in ways bilateral exercises simply can’t.

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Top Single-Arm Chest Exercises

Here are five tried-and-true one-arm chest exercises to add to your routine:

1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Chest Press

• How to do it: Lie flat on a bench, holding a dumbbell in one hand with your arm fully extended. Lower the dumbbell slowly to chest level, then press back up.

• Why it works: It forces your core to stabilize while isolating the working side. You’ll feel your abs working almost as much as your pecs.

2. One-Arm Cable Chest Fly

• How to do it: Set the cable at shoulder height. With one arm extended, pull the handle across your body, squeezing your chest at the peak.

• Why it works: Constant tension through the range of motion builds deep, controlled strength and enhances mind-muscle connection.

3. Single-Arm Push-Up (Modified or Standard)

• How to do it: Start with a wide base—feet spread apart—and perform a push-up using only one arm. You can modify by placing the non-working hand on a medicine ball or elevated surface.

• Why it works: Builds explosive strength while challenging stability, balance, and core engagement.

4. One-Arm Landmine Press (Angled Press)

• How to do it: Use a landmine attachment or wedge a barbell into a corner. Press the bar forward and up with one arm.

• Why it works: Combines elements of a chest press and shoulder press, making it great for those with shoulder limitations.

5. Unilateral Machine Chest Press

• How to do it: Many chest press machines allow for independent arm movement. Use one handle at a time and go slow on both the press and the negative.

• Why it works: It offers stability and safety while helping to correct muscle imbalances.

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Sample One-Arm Chest Workout

This simple but effective unilateral chest workout can be added once a week to your regular training split:

1. Single-Arm Dumbbell Chest Press – 4 sets of 8–10 reps per side

2. One-Arm Cable Chest Fly – 3 sets of 12 reps per side

3. One-Arm Landmine Press – 3 sets of 10 reps per side

4. Single-Arm Push-Up or Assisted Version – 3 sets to failure per side

Tip: Rest 30–60 seconds between sides and 90 seconds between sets.

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What I Learned From Switching to One-Arm Chest Training

A few years ago, I tore my left shoulder during a heavy flat bench press. Recovery forced me to reassess how I trained my chest. That’s when I discovered the value of single-arm chest work. Initially, I was frustrated by how much weaker and less coordinated my non-dominant side was. But within weeks, not only did my strength return, my posture improved, and I could feel a deeper, more even contraction across both pecs. Unilateral training didn’t just fix an imbalance—it made my overall performance better.

If you’ve plateaued in your chest development or feel like one side is lagging, give these exercises a shot. The precision and body awareness you’ll develop are well worth it.

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Final Thoughts

Adding one-arm chest exercises to your routine helps build balanced strength, better core stability, and sharper mind-muscle connection. Whether you're a beginner or advanced lifter, don’t overlook the power of training one side at a time. You’ll feel the difference—and so will your results.