Your chest is important in any workout routine. The pectorals are the two large muscles in the chest, and a good pectoral is not only pleasing to the eye, but also very strong. Focusing on working these major muscle groups 1 to 2 times a week is an important part of your workout routine. The muscles in this section are also easy to shape.
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Method 1 of 3: Learning the Chest Exercise
Step 1. Do the pectoral fly exercise
Perhaps the standard fly is one of the best exercises for shaping the chest. Do this exercise with many repetitions without the use of tools or with a small number of sets but using dumbbells or a resistance band (a type of rope that contains springs for strength training). Here's how to do it:
- Lie on your back holding a dumbbell in each hand.
- Extend your arms to your sides, with your body in a cross-like position. Face your palms up.
- Keeping your arms outstretched, slowly raise your hands together until the dumbbells touch each other above the center of your chest.
- Slowly return your arms to your sides.
Step 2. Try the bench press
It can be said that the bench press is the most popular exercise for shaping the chest. This exercise can be done at home or at the gym using a variety of weightlifting equipment. When doing this exercise, always have a spotter (person who supervises weight training) behind you to hold the weight if it falls.
- Lie on your back with the barbell above your body, about in line with your nipples.
- Grip the barbell firmly with both hands with a grip that is about shoulder-width apart.
- Push the barbell from its support up, then slowly lower the barbell to a few inches above your chest.
- In a smooth motion, push the barbell up until your arms are almost completely straight. This means one repetition.
Step 3. Learn how to do the incline dumbbell press
Once you get used to the traditional bench press exercise, you can use dumbbells to do the incline bench exercise to work your chest muscles in a different way. The movement is the same as the bench press exercise, but you can adjust the incline of the bench used to work different parts of the chest muscles so you can get bigger chest muscles. You can also wrap a resistance band around your back and use it instead of dumbbells.
Step 4. Do pull-ups
This exercise can strengthen your chest, shoulders, arms, back, and stomach. Different hand grip positions will train different muscles.
- Pull-ups with a wide grip and palms facing forward will work the back and some parts of the chest muscles.
- Chin-ups, with a tight grip and palms facing your body, will work your chest and biceps.
- When doing pull-ups, keep your lower body still. Your abs and legs should remain stretched as your arms and back do this exercise.
Step 5. Do dumbbell rows
Dumbbell rows help strengthen your arms, shoulders and back. You can do this exercise at home or at the gym.
- Stand holding a dumbbell or resistance band in each hand.
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With your palms facing down, pull the weights up to shoulder height.
Imagine that you are a puppet with a string in the middle of the back of your hand, and you are pulled straight up
- Slowly lower your arms back to your sides.
Step 6. Do a bicep curl
While this exercise is usually thought of as an exercise for the arms, bicep curls can be used to work your chest muscles and help build your chest muscles. You can do this exercise with weights or without weights.
- Sit down and hold a dumbbell in one hand.
- Place the elbow of the arm you are using to grip the weight on your thigh. Position the weight between your legs.
- Bend your elbows to lift the weight toward your shoulders. Only the arm can be moved.
- Slowly lower the weight back to the center of your legs.
Method 2 of 3: Making Exercise Variations for Best Results
Step 1. Adjust the exercises you do, and the way you do them, to form a round, beautiful chest
The best way to do pectoral exercises to get a round and beautiful chest is to use a variety of exercise techniques. Changing the type and equipment used for chest training on a regular basis will prevent you from getting bored and so that your strength training does not run in place (plateau condition, or not getting progress).
- Usually you can only do 2 to 4 exercises in the same muscle group each day. Try practicing a different number of sets each time you work your chest muscles to get a full workout.
- The chest is not made up of just one muscle and is a series of interconnected muscles. Certain exercises will focus more on one part of the muscle and others will focus on other parts of the muscle as well. So doing a variety of exercises can be useful for building entire muscle groups.
Step 2. Use free weights to perform customized exercises
Free weights can also be used to adapt exercises to different locations and different physical needs. Range of motion and added load to the muscles that have stabilized (as compared to machine lifting equipment) are important for building a strong chest.
Free weight is a lifting equipment that is not connected by cables or machines. This can be dumbbells or barbells
Step 3. Use a weightlifting machine to train with heavier weights and for specific muscle groups
The weight lifting machine can be used to comfortably perform a variety of chest exercises that can be changed weights to increase or decrease resistance. Consult a physical trainer if you want to do additional chest exercises such as overhead pulls, hanging dips, and several other chest exercises. Because you can only do one range of motion (the range of motion that is set on a weightlifting machine), a weightlifting machine is perfect for focused, intensive training.
Don't just use a weight lifting machine. Free weights are very useful so that your muscles can move naturally so you can avoid injury
Step 4. Use a resistance band if you can't get to the gym
Resistance bands provide a convenient and inexpensive alternative to free weights or lifting machines. It's easy to carry and can be used to do just about any chest workout you could want. The tools are available in various resistance levels for any skill level.
Resistance bands are often considered "too light" for some people. To work around this, focus on doing exercises with light weights and lots of reps, trying to do 25 to 30 repetitions of each exercise, doing 3 sets
Step 5. Use body weight to practice endurance
You can use your body weight to help build and tone your chest muscles by doing push-ups and pull-ups. Using your own body weight will relieve the stress on the muscles and joints that will occur if you use weight lifting equipment. It's also a great way to enlarge muscle in various places:
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Push-ups:
Straighten your back with your toes and palms on the floor, shoulder-width apart. Lower your body to the floor, then slowly push your body back up until your arms are extended straight. The wider the position of the hands, the more parts of the chest muscles you train.
- Dips: Perform a sitting position floating in the air with feet on the floor, hands behind the body, and buttocks on the floor. Your body will form a small chair, with your arms extended behind your body. Keeping your elbows in line with your feet, lower your butt toward the floor until it dives down, then push your body back up until your arms are outstretched.
Step 6. Know that lifting weights isn't the only way to build a strong chest
Strong chest muscles require a variety of different challenges and the ability to function properly in all situations. To give your chest the best possible workout, do a variety of other exercises that will force your chest muscles to grow at the same time as your shoulders, arms, and back. Play sports that require upper body strength and coordination. Choose activities that require you to move your upper body, such as pushing, throwing, or pulling.
- Row
- Rugby
- Football
- Baseball/ Softball
- Swimming
- Climbing
- Volleyball
Method 3 of 3: Learn the Right Muscle Building Techniques
Step 1. Stretch before and after training
Stretching muscles is very important so that you don't get injured and so that your muscles get the most benefit from the exercises you do. It will also flex your shoulders and back so they can be effectively involved in your workout.
- Slowly swing your arms in a circular motion. And make a circle that is getting bigger and bigger.
- Lift your elbows and pull your hands back toward your shoulders. Gently push your elbows back until you feel a stretch in your body.
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Place your arms at your sides with your hands on top, forming a small "U" in the shape of a square. Ask a friend to hold your elbows and gently pull them behind your back. Counter this movement slowly by pulling the chest muscles together.
You can also do this yourself using a wall. Place your hands on the wall and walk through the wall to stretch your chest
Step 2. Encourage and relax slowly throughout your workout
Concentrating on slow, calm movements will help strengthen all the muscles associated with the movements you use in the exercise. This makes your muscles grow and can help you to go about your daily activities with better control.
Every movement must be done under control. Do each lift or push slowly, not in a jerky, hasty motion
Step 3. Always try to tone your muscles
By always keeping your chest muscles contracted and tight as you do reps, it can be more challenging and toning the muscles for the same number of reps. You can feel your chest muscles tighten, so focus on those muscles. Otherwise, you can get in bad shape.
Step 4. Do the number of repetitions that suit your body
If you want to build and tone muscles, aim to do about 20 reps at each exercise, with the reps getting harder at the end of the workout. If you want to increase your bust size, try to do 8 to 12 hard reps. Once you can do 12 reps without experiencing too much difficulty, increase the weight or resistance for the exercise so that you can only do a maximum of 8 reps.
You'll need to put in a lot of effort, but still be able to complete the exercise, at 8, 9, and 10 reps for each set
Step 5. Work your shoulders, back, and arms as well
Back, shoulder, and arm exercises not only help strengthen your chest, they also balance muscle strength and growth. This prevents you from having the poor posture and unsightly figure that can result from overtraining one muscle group.
Step 6. Rest your muscles for about 1 to 2 days before returning to chest exercises
You should rest your chest for about 1 to 3 days between targeted workouts, unless you've reached an advanced level of strength training. You may find that your muscles get bigger quickly if you train every day, but they need time to rest and grow new muscle fibers. Doing chest exercises every day is not only painful, it can actually hinder muscle growth. What's worse, this can make you injured more quickly.
Tips
- Adding protein to your diet, eating a balanced diet, and reducing body fat can make your chest muscles appear firmer and can provide the nutrients needed to build muscle.
- Always do a balanced exercise so that your body has a natural shape and does not swell in certain areas of the body, and this can make your posture unsightly.
