Chest Training: The 5 Best Exercises
Have you ever wondered what is the best chest workout? Among the many exercises and the different variations, we will illustrate 5 exercises that you absolutely must know and practice, to better develop the pectoral muscles and sculpt them to the maximum!
Without getting into too much detail, what really interests us is to divide the pectoralis major muscle into two main portions: upper and lower. The exercises that we are going to see carry out a complete training of the pectorals, in order to allow us to develop both the upper and the lower part correctly.
Discover Giovanni's chest workout routine
1. Presses on the flat bench
A classic! This is probably the most used exercise in the world for the development of the pectorals, moreover part of the work is also done from the shoulders and is an excellent multi-joint exercise that will allow us to train the pectoral muscles properly.
Execution: lie down on the flat bench with the shoulder blades adducted and feet firmly placed on the ground. Breathing in, lift the bar and start the movement by descending and bringing it almost to touch the chest at the height of the nipples, taking care not to touch the pectorals but to leave a space of about 5 cm between the bar and the chest, this will place greater tension on the muscles and will avoid putting too much stress on the shoulder joints and possible injuries. Push the bar up by contracting the pectoral muscles and exhaling, until you return to the starting position. Complete all necessary repetitions.
2. Inclined bench
Another famous exercise! This movement is practically the same as the previous one but this time we're going to do it on the incline bench, thus placing greater emphasis on the upper part of the pecs.
Execution: lie down on the incline bench with the shoulder blades adducted and feet firmly placed on the ground. Breathing in, lift the barbell and start the movement by descending and bringing it almost to touch the center of the chest (between the collarbone and the nipples), this time it will be easier to touch the pectorals with the barbell but if you feel too much pressure on the shoulder joints, it is possible to leave a space of about 5 cm between the barbell and the pectoral muscle. Push the bar up by contracting the pectoral muscles and exhaling, until you return to the starting position. Complete all necessary repetitions.
3. Pushing with Dumbbells
This exercise is an excellent alternative to the previous ones, especially for those with shoulder joint problems as it will allow us to perform a more natural movement. However, it can be used as an auxiliary exercise after having performed the exercises described above and can be performed with different inclinations of the bench.
Execution: lie down on the incline bench with the shoulder blades adducted and feet firmly placed on the ground. By first placing the dumbbells on the sides of the pectorals, inhale and prepare to perform the movement. Push the dumbbells up by contracting the pectoral muscles and exhaling. Begin the downward movement to slowly return to the starting position, inhaling; it will be possible to go down a little lower than in the previous exercises but without exaggerating, it is important not to excessively stress the shoulder joints. Complete all necessary repetitions.
4. Crosses with Dumbbells
This exercise will allow us to perform a wide stretch of the pectoral muscles and is usually used to specifically train the internal fibers of the chest. As with the previous exercise, it can be performed with different inclinations of the bench.
Execution: lie down on the bench with the shoulder blades adducted and feet firmly placed on the ground. Grasp the dumbbells with a neutral grip (placing the palms in front of each other), extending the arms upwards. Begin the movement by inhaling and opening the arms outwards until the dumbbells are positioned on the sides of the pectorals, with the arms slightly bent and until you feel a particular relaxation of the muscles. The arms must remain stationary throughout the movement and only the shoulder joints must move to allow the hands to move apart until the arms are fully open. Exhale, perform the reverse movement and push while contracting the pectoral muscles, until returning to the starting position by joining the dumbbells. Complete all necessary repetitions.
5. Bib Dips
The pectoral dips, not to be confused with the triceps variant, are an excellent exercise for developing the chest muscles with a particular emphasis on the lower part. To perform this exercise you will need parallel bars or similar supports to allow us to lift ourselves off the ground.
Execution: start the movement by grabbing the parallels with the arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Bend forward by slightly spreading the elbows and, contracting the abdomen and bending the knees to avoid swinging, push with the arms avoiding to stretch them completely and lift the body upwards and then bend the arms and descend downwards without ever touch with your feet on the ground. Also in this exercise the shoulder blades must be adduced. Don't forget to lean your torso forward or this exercise will work primarily on the triceps. Exhale as you lift your body and inhale as you descend.
Conclusion
These exercises are pillars of pectoral muscle training and with the right execution and balanced nutrition, you will achieve incredible results.
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