Having a defined and broad chest is a goal of every fitness freak. Broad chests shaped
in a certain way completely change the look of a person. But it is also true
that shaping those pectoral muscles on your chest is not an easy task, and it
does require a lot of determination and strength. The chest muscles, including
the pectoral muscles or the Pecs, are a combination of three different muscles,
which are latissimus dorsi present on the two sides of the chest and trapezius
muscle. People mostly work on these three muscles to sculpt their chest just
the way they want. So, here’s a look at the best ways of doing a chest workout.
The Best Ways of Doing a Chest Workout
1) Barbell Bench Press
This chest workout is excellent for
building muscles in the lower area of the chest. It can be easily performed on
an open-ended bench. Lie down on the bench with your feet touching the ground
and hold the rod of the barbell with both your palms and thumbs wrapped around
it. The barbell must be completely over your head. Lift it up slowly and then
bring it down. If you are a beginner, then you can take the help of your
trainer in lifting the barbell up. Remember to keep your elbows and wrists
straight. Also, inhale and then bring the bar down up to your chest, widening your
elbows. This workout will help you build not only your chest muscles but
your muscles correctly.
2) Chest Fly
Completely
contrary to what its name suggests, a chest fly workout is performed with
weights that one can easily handle to put pressure on the pectoralis muscles on
the chest. Similar to a bench press, you first need to lie on a bench with your
feet resting on the ground. Make a grip on dumbbells with lesser weight than
you expect in each hand. Now, open up your arms right around your shoulders on
both sides. This will cast stress on the chest building up the chest muscles.
Doing chest fly with weights that are too heavy can pressurize the chest
leading it to be a chest press exercise and not a chest fly. Thus, chest fly
shall be performed with lighter weights.
3) Pushups
Pushups are
a very well-known exercise. They are perfect for building muscles in the arms,
chest, and even shoulders. They require no pushup equipment and can be easily performed at home also. To
perform on the pushup machine,
lie down, resting your chest on the ground. Keep your head and neck in
alignment with your spine and place your elbows on both sides, resting the palm
on the ground. Now, press up and then come down and perform this
repeatedly.
4) Incline Dumbbell Chest Press
This workout works as one of the most excellent chest machines to strengthen the pectoral muscles and the
anterior deltoid. This type of workout does require a bench with a backrest of
45 degrees and a pair of dumbbells. So lie on the bench with your shoulders
pinched back and your chest out. Hold a pair of dumbbells with your elbows
facing the ground. Now lift the dumbbells out to the side, parallel to the
floor, and then back to the top. Keep in mind to have a tight core and do not
arc your chest.
5) Cable Fly
Just
pressing your chest muscles is very monotonous. So give your muscles a change
by practicing these cable fly exercises. Get your hands-on stirrup handles and
attach them to high pulley cables. Stand in a stumbled position with the upper
half of your body slightly inclined towards the ground. Hold both the handles
with each hand. Now, pull them to a cross and then pull them out so that you
can outstretch your arms.
The Bottom Line
These chest
workouts work as great push up a
machine for the chest. Several chest workouts help to shape the chest
muscles. Working on chest muscles gives your body a more pleasing look. It can
be performed by not only men but women too. Although building chest muscles is
tough, once you have built them, it is worth all the sweat.
