The chest is one of the most common and often trained muscles by most people. But it’s very sad that it’s also the muscle group that people tend to have the most trouble building. With a mind-boggling and astounding amount of chest exercises out there, it’s very easy to skip on the fundamentals. So, if you’re looking for the best chest workout, you’ve clicked on the right blog; add these 5 exercises to your next chest workout and workout routine. A strong and massive chest improves the overall physique of the body and is essential and crucial that one should work stepping-up the chest game.
Focusing on the chest region with an incline-decline bench and dumbbells allows the practitioner to work on their muscles with elevated levels of adjustability, higher levels of precise control and flexibility. The chest could be improved and it will answer your question of how to get massive chest using dumbbells, cable, and barbells. In this blog, we take a closer look at the chest workout tips one could perform in the gym and the best workouts for the chest.
Working with the gym equipment and weights is highly versatile as it ensures superior customizability and better control during the workout sessions. These work on numerous levels ensuring enhanced intra-muscular and inter-muscular movement for better muscle control and activation. In addition, the change and deviation of the inclination angle aid in shifting the focus on various chest muscle groups.
Today, we’re bringing you numerous chest workout by the famous trainers and true chest exercises that you can use to meet your targets. Some workouts and exercise can be done at home, but for other chest workouts, you’ll likely need to go to the gym for proper training and equipment.
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At first, let’s take a look at the muscles that combine to be the chest muscles. These are the various muscles you’ll be working on for chest workouts.
- Pectoralis major: – The biggest and largest part of the chest muscle, made up of two heads.
- Sternocostal (sternal) head: – The lower and more larger portion of the Pectoralis Major.
- Clavicular head: – The top and a smaller portion of the Pectoralis Major.
- Subclavius: – A small muscle placed under the collar bone (clavicle).
- Pectoralis minor: – Placed under the Pectoralis Major, attached to the ribs and shoulder bone (Scapula).
- Serratus anterior: – Attached to the ribs and placed near the center of the chest wall.
This blog describes 5 best chest workouts that help people gain strength, cuts, definitions and massive chest muscles.
Table of Contents
Crush Press (Squeeze Press)
Crush presses or Squeeze presses force the chest and pecs to contract hard in a shortened position. This makes crush press a very good contrast to fly and dumbbell pressing movements, where all the weights lower past your chest, highlighting and stressing a stretch on the chest muscles. Squeeze really hard at the top on squeeze press and you’ll feel a similar effect to cable crossovers, without needing the two fancy cable stations to perform this workout for chest.
How to perform Crush Press:-
- Lie back on an exercise bench while holding two dumbbells (weights according to your comfort) on your chest, palms facing one another.
- Slowly press the dumbbells together in the center of your chest area (this will be your starting position).
- While keeping the dumbbells pressed together; slowly push them to your arm’s length over your chest. Pause for a moment there, squeezing your chest and the muscles.
- Calmly and slowly reverse the movement, returning back to the starting position.
- Do as many reps as instructed by your trainer.
Resistance Band Pull-Apart
The most efficient and effective chest workout, the old resistance band pull-apart; which is a great cool-down or warm-up or routine. Keep your shoulders even with your feet and your arms fully extended while holding a resistance band and always use an overhand grip. The next step stretches your arms wide as you spread the band while bringing your shoulder blades together. Stretches the band until it’s touching your chest, and then slowly return back to the starting position. Repeat and do as many reps as you can do.
Parallel-bar dips (chest)
Parallel-bar dips activate numerous muscle groups in the shoulders, arms, back, and chest. During this chest workout, remember to lean slightly forward and slowly on the dip to engage the muscles in the chest areas. But, do remember to do it carefully as you might get hurt while doing it improperly and fast. You would only need a set of parallel bars for a workout. It does require a significant amount of strength and flexibility; beginners can build strength and be more confident from the use of resistance bands or assisted dip machines. Alternatively, to help you move forward and progress the movement and increase the strength, weighted dips exercise can also be performed by wearing a weight belt or by hanging a dumbbell between your legs.
How to perform Parallel-bar dips:
- Grip the bars tightly, using the arms to push the body up above them slowly.
- Slowly inhale and nonchalantly bend your arms and lean the torso forward. Proceed to lower the body until there is a slight stretching sensation in the chest area.
- Exhale slowly and lift the body back and up above the bars.
- Repeat as many repetitions as possible without overexerting the muscles and getting hurt.
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Barbell Bench Press
Some might say that incline bench press are the best and an excellent workout, but don’t let that stop you from doing the old and most efficient barbell bench press. Considered the best chest workout for mass worldwide. True mainstays in gyms across the world, this exercise remains compatible and identical with healthy and strong pectoral muscles, presuming you don’t overdo it. Just remember to have a spotter (Support) on hand at all times when performing this chest exercise. One more tip, try not to move your chest during each rep or arch your back.
How to perform barbell bench press:-
- First, start by lying back on the flat bench with your feet touching the ground and your eyes insight with the bar.
- Always remember, to use an overhand grip to grab the bar and keep your arms a little more wide and apart than the shoulder.
- Next step, fully broaden your arms and take the bar off the rack slowly so that it’s wavering directly over your chest area.
- Keep your elbows in as you slowly lower the bar and stop when it touches the tip of your chest (your nipples), and hold for one or two seconds.
- Now, plunge and push hard the bar up with ample power until your arms are back in the starting position as they were before.
- Do as man reps as instructed by the trainer and repeat.
Pec Deck (Butterfly)
A pec deck or a butterfly is a machine designed to increase muscle mass and strength in the chest and is also one the best workout for chest. It’s so effective that the studies that were conducted ranked it as one of the best exercises for building chest muscles. Always remember, to exhale as you pull the handles toward your chest muscles and always inhale as you bring the handles back to resting position. If the workout feels to be too intense for you, then decrease the amount of the weight to prevent serious injuries. Your last rep might seem to be difficult to complete, but not so difficult that your body rocks or sways.
How to perform Pec Decks (Butterfly):-
- First, place your feet flat on the ground, shoulder-width apart, and press your back rigidly against the back pad.
- Raise and bend your elbows 70 to 85 degrees at shoulder level, and locate them directly against the center of the pad on the rotating portions, also called the “wings.”
- Slowly push the wings towards the center until they are just about to touch and meet.
- Then slowly contradict and reverse the motion back to the resting position.
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