Chest
Bench Press
The bench press is one of the most important upper-body exercises in your exercise routine. It's not only crucial for developing upper-body muscles, but also an exceptional strength builder. Many people believe that the bench press is solely a chest exercise, but it also involves your triceps, shoulders, back, and even your glutes. It's a complex movement that can lead to disastrous results if not executed properly.
Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is a valuable variation of the traditional bench press that focuses on developing the chest muscles. Additionally, it engages the shoulders and triceps to a lesser extent.
By incorporating an incline angle, you can specifically target the upper region of the chest, which is often a challenging area for many individuals seeking well-rounded chest development.
The incline bench press can be integrated into various workout routines, including chest workouts, upper body workouts, push workouts, and full body workouts. Its versatility makes it a beneficial exercise for overall upper body strength and muscle building.
Dumbbell Chest Fly
Lie down on a flat incline bench, ensuring your back is firmly pressed against the bench and your feet are planted on the floor on either side.
Ask a spotter to hand you two dumbbells, or pick them up gently from the floor and hold one in each hand.
Extend your arms above your head, making sure they are not fully locked out. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows, and position your palms and dumbbells to face each other.
Take a deep breath in and slowly lower the dumbbells in an arc motion until they are aligned with your chest. Your arms should be extended to the sides without locking out. Avoid lowering your arms below shoulder level.
Exhale and gradually press the dumbbells back up along the same arc motion.
Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly
Begin by positioning yourself on an incline bench set at a 30-degree angle, ensuring your back is flat against the bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand.
Commence with your arms at your sides, bent at the elbows and pointing outward, with your hands at chest level.
Gradually exhale as you raise your arms above your chest.
Inhale deeply and slowly lower your arms back to the starting position at your sides.
Continue the motion of pressing the weights upward.
Cable Crossover
To position yourself for the exercise, ensure the pulleys are set at a high position, above your head. Select the desired resistance level and grasp the pulleys in each hand.
Take a step forward, crossing an imaginary straight line between the pulleys, while simultaneously pulling your arms together in front of you. Maintain a slight forward bend in your torso from the waist. This will serve as your starting position.
With a slight bend in your elbows to avoid straining the biceps tendon, extend your arms out to the sides in a wide arc until you feel a stretch in your chest. Inhale as you execute this part of the movement. Remember to keep your arms and torso stationary throughout, with the motion occurring solely at the shoulder joints.
Exhale as you return your arms to the starting position, following the same arc of motion used to lower the weights.
Pause briefly at the starting position and repeat the movement for the designated number of repetitions.
Variations: You have the option to adjust the point in front of you where your arms converge.
Benefits
Cables offer consistent tension throughout the entire range of motion, ensuring constant muscle engagement, even during peak contraction.
Conveniently change the weight for dropsets, allowing for efficient and effective training.
Customize the height of the cable to target specific areas of the chest, tailoring your workout to your individual needs.
Experience a deep stretch in the chest muscles under load, promoting increased muscle growth potential.
Dumbbell Bench Press
To prepare for the press, make sure the weights are ready. If you don't have a spotter, you can lift the dumbbells from the floor to your knees before getting on the bench.
Grasp each dumbbell firmly and engage your shoulder blades by squeezing them together. Raise one knee to bring a dumbbell to your shoulder, then raise the other knee in a controlled manner. Be cautious not to swing the dumbbells too forcefully, avoiding any risk of hitting your head. As you lift the last dumbbell, lie back on the bench. Begin with both dumbbells positioned over your chest, with your arms fully extended.
Maintain the squeeze in your shoulder blades and ensure your feet are actively pressing against the floor.
Gradually lower the dumbbells toward your chest, allowing them to descend both downward and outward to the sides. Lower the weights until your upper arms are parallel or below the floor, or until the dumbbells reach chest height. Throughout the movement, keep your elbows positioned below your wrists.
With your back tightened and the weights at chest level, press the dumbbells upward and inward. Your hands should end up back on top of your shoulders.
Machine Fly
The initial step involves adjusting the equipment. Most machines have a seat pad that can be raised or lowered. Begin by adjusting the seat pad height so that the handles are at chest level. When you sit down, ensure your feet can comfortably rest on the floor while the back pad supports your spine. As you extend your arms out to the sides to grasp the handles, your elbows and wrists should align with your shoulders, neither higher nor lower.
Ensure your arms are in line with the front of your chest, avoiding any positioning behind your body.
If needed, you may have to adjust the arm levers based on your arm length. Note that not all machines offer this adjustment. When fully extended, your elbows should maintain a slight bend.
Next, select an appropriate weight setting. When starting with the machine, choose a weight that feels slightly easy until you become comfortable with the movement. The motion is often described as opening and closing your arms like a butterfly.
Sit upright with a relaxed neck and shoulders, ensuring your feet are flat on the floor.
Grasp the handles with your palms facing forward. Some machines may require you to push a foot bar to release and bring the handles forward.
Execute a slow and controlled movement, pressing your arms together in front of your chest. Maintain a slight, soft bend in your elbows with relaxed wrists.
Pause for one second once your arms are fully closed in front of your chest.
Slowly return your arms to the starting position, opening your chest while maintaining strong and upright posture.
Begin with two sets of seven to ten repetitions. Take a short break between sets.
Benefits
The chest fly machine is an excellent tool for enhancing chest strength and muscle mass by specifically targeting the pectoralis muscles. Within the front of your chest, you possess two sets of pectoral muscles: the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. This exercise primarily focuses on the pectoralis major, the larger muscle responsible for shoulder joint movement.
The pectoralis muscles play a crucial role in numerous daily activities, such as exerting force to open heavy doors, lifting hefty grocery bags, or carrying a child. Additionally, these muscles contribute to chest and ribcage control during deep breathing.
For individuals new to training these muscles, the chest fly exercise is particularly beneficial. It is performed in a seated position with ample support from a back pad, enabling you to maintain proper posture and form while utilizing the machine. Moreover, the seated position facilitates maximal engagement of the chest muscles, allowing you to exert your full effort.
Similar to other exercises aimed at building strength, incorporating the chest fly machine into your routine can promote the development of lean body mass, enhance bone density, and elevate the base metabolic rate.
Dips
Place your hands firmly on a dip station, ensuring a shoulder-width grip. Use climbing or jumping to position yourself in the starting stance.
Descend in a controlled manner, lowering yourself until your elbow reaches or goes beyond shoulder level, or as far as feels comfortable.
Reverse the movement and ascend back to the starting position.
How To Do Dips
Grip and Hand Placement
Ensure that you locate bars that allow for a shoulder-width grip. Having bars too far apart can lead to awkward shoulder movement and difficulty maintaining proper form. On the other hand, bars that are too close together can impede achieving a good depth.
Core Engagement and Posture
Once you have jumped or climbed to the starting position, remember to engage your core and maintain good posture. Keep your shoulders pulled down and back. Failing to maintain core tension can result in a more unstable and shaky movement.
Leg Positioning
To enhance stability during the exercise, cross your ankles and maintain a slight knee bend.
Controlled Movement
Maintain full control throughout the entire range of motion. Avoid rushing and focus on strict form. Your elbows should move backward, not outward, and your shoulders should remain down and back.
Adjusting Weight to Your Ability
If the bar dip feels too challenging, you can modify the resistance by using a resistance band. Place the band around your wrists, allowing it to hang between your arms in a U shape. Position your feet or knees on the band to provide assistance during the ascent. Conversely, if the exercise feels too easy, you can increase the resistance by using a weight belt and attaching weight plates to it.
Hex Press
Lie down on a bench and securely grasp a set of dumbbells, preferably hex dumbbells.
Ensure your feet are planted firmly on the ground and engage your core by pushing the dumbbells away from your body.
Hold the dumbbells together with your arms extended directly above your chest.
Take a slow and controlled breath in as you gradually lower the dumbbells towards the lower chest, all while maintaining core stability.
Gently touch your chest with the dumbbells and drive them back up, exhaling as you press and maintaining control by pushing your feet into the floor.
Plate Press
Position yourself with your feet at shoulder-width distance.
Bend your knees and carefully lift the weighted plate from the ground using both hands. Stand back up and hold the plate vertically at chest level, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Your hands should be positioned at the 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock positions.
Apply pressure to the plate by pushing your hands against it, extending your arms forward until they are fully straightened. Keep your core activated, maintain a straight back, and ensure a slight bend in your knees.
Gradually bring the weight back towards your chest in a controlled manner. This completes one repetition.
