Ethan Gohari has recently gained significant attention for his impressive advancements in bodybuilding contests, and he has revealed three reliable techniques to help build substantial muscle mass in the chest area. Discover how you can incorporate this effective routine into your own training regimen.
As Gohari prepares for the 2026 Arnold Classic, he carries tremendous momentum into the event. This Classic Physique athlete achieved back-to-back victories in two IFBB pro competitions last year, marking him as the first Australian bodybuilder to accomplish this milestone. This latest achievement builds on his prior groundbreaking records, including becoming the inaugural Australian to claim an IFBB Classic show title and the first from his country to earn qualification for the Classic division at an Olympia finals.
Gohari serves as an inspiring model of how dedication and effort yield real results. In a recent social media update on Instagram, he detailed his approach to sculpting a powerful chest. “Here are three essential exercises to develop a larger chest,” stated the champion of the Atlantic Coast Pro and Las Vegas Pro events.
Ethan Gohari’s Premier Chest Exercises for Enhanced Muscle Development
Seated Machine Chest Fly Variation
Gohari begins his session with the seated machine chest fly to establish optimal activation in the chest muscles. “The objective with this movement is to achieve peak chest engagement right before moving into pressing exercises,” he notes. “By starting with a fly, you stretch the chest deeply, which trains you to properly engage your pectoral muscles rather than allowing your shoulders or triceps to take over the workload.”
Performing the chest fly effectively stretches and opens up the pectoral muscles as the primary focus, while secondarily engaging the deltoids for stability and load support, along with some triceps involvement.
Execution Guidelines
“Maintain a deliberate tempo with a powerful contraction at the peak position, intentionally drawing your biceps closer together and pausing the squeeze for one full second,” Gohari instructs. “This technique strengthens the mind-muscle connection, significantly boosting the effectiveness of all subsequent pressing movements.” The bodybuilder and trainer recommends targeting 9 to 14 repetitions using moderate to heavy weights to maximize benefits.
Seated or Plate-Loaded Chest Press Variation
For his main pressing exercise, Gohari favors the seated chest press machine or the flat plate-loaded chest press. “This serves as your core heavy compound lift,” the experienced coach explains. Using the seated chest press, he intensely targets his pectorals, with deltoids and triceps providing secondary assistance to foster balanced upper body development and impressive proportions.
Execution Guidelines
“With the chest now thoroughly pre-activated from the fly, you can handle heavier weights safely while directing tension precisely to the pecs,” he continues. “The stability offered by plate-loaded machines lets you concentrate entirely on applying progressive overload and maintaining strict control throughout each rep.” Shoot for 6 to 10 reps with heavy loads to drive strength and size gains.
Incline Cable Chest Press Finisher
To wrap up the workout, Gohari delivers a finisher packed with bodybuilding insights while delivering the ultimate pump to his chest. “Cable setups produce a converging resistance pattern, where the tension ramps up as the chest muscles contract,” he describes, once more firing up the chest, shoulders, and triceps to conclude the session powerfully.
Execution Guidelines
Gohari strategically positions the incline cable chest press as the final exercise on chest day for good reason. “It emphasizes the fully contracted position, enabling a complete squeeze to exhaust the muscle after the heavy compound lifts, which is crucial for achieving well-rounded chest growth.” Target 7 to 13 reps, pushing as heavy as possible to end on a high note. “Approach every session with purpose,” advises the ascending star in the Classic division. “Follow a structured plan. Achieve growth through unwavering consistency.”
