For many people who are new to the gym, getting stronger is probably the goal for most of them, and chest muscles are the top priority. Chest muscles can make your whole body look fuller, especially when wearing clothes, it will also make you more three-dimensional.
We can choose a combination of 2-3 actions below. For better results, rotate new movements every 3 to 4 weeks.
push-up
Changes in push-up movements affect the training effect of different muscle groups. The main changes are the distance between the palms and the height of the feet——
The distance between palms is generally shoulder width. If it is wider than shoulders, it will train the outer pectoral muscles; if it is narrower than shoulders, it will train the inner pectoral muscles and chest line.
The height of the feet is also important. If the height of the feet is higher than the palms of the hands, the upper chest is trained; if the height of the feet is lower than the palms of the hands, the lower chest is trained; at a normal height, the pectoralis major muscles are trained.
You can adjust the movements according to the effect you want. Next, I recommend a few push-up movements and talk about the essentials of them——
Action 1: Push-ups
Action essentials:
Spread your arms slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Keep your toes on the ground and use your waist and abdominal strength to control your torso into a straight line. Then separate your elbows to both sides and slowly lower your body until your upper body is close to the ground. Pause briefly, then control the restoration. Inhale when falling and exhale when going up.
Action 2: Narrow push-ups
Action essentials:
The action is basically the same as an ordinary push-up, but it should be noted that the distance between the hands is narrower than the shoulders, and the upper arms on both sides should be pinched inward.
During the process, the head should not be raised or lowered, and the eyes should be looked at the ground. Keep your waist straight and your head to toes should be in a straight line when viewed from the side.
Action 3: Dead-Stop push-ups
Action essentials:
Get into the starting position of a push-up, with your body in a straight line from your shoulders to your ankles. Next, unlike a standard push-up, begin lowering your body toward the ground and then lift your hands off the ground.
Pause for a while, then push up again, and still maintain body tension when you resume the movement.
flying birds
The fly is a weight-bearing exercise that mainly exercises the chest muscles. The fly can make the left and right chest muscles closer together. The simplest equipment can use elastic bands or dumbbells, of course, bird machines and butterfly machines can also be used.
Different rope fly movements exercise different muscle parts.
Action 1: Elastic Band Fly
Action essentials:
Fix the two elastic bands on a stable rack (such as a strength rack) and grasp the ends of the two elastic bands with both hands. Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, arms extended but slightly bent, and hips slightly forward.
Without changing the bend of your arms, press your hands inward toward your chest. The recovery movement should still be slow and pay attention to controlling the rhythm.
Action 2: Dumbbell fly
Action essentials:
Lie on your back on a horizontal dumbbell bench, hold dumbbells in both hands, palms facing each other, and push up until your arms are straight. When returning to action, extend your hands and drop them from both sides, keeping your elbows slightly bent, and the position of the descent is where your elbows are slightly lower than the horizontal line of your body.
During the process, it is important to keep your elbows bent so that you can feel the muscles on both sides of your chest being fully stretched.
The same movement is the incline dumbbell fly. The essentials of the movement are basically the same as the dumbbell fly. The difference is that the angle of the dumbbell bench is 30-45 degrees.
bench press
The bench press mainly focuses on training the pectoralis major muscles. Changing the angle of the bench press can effectively train the upper, middle and lower parts of the pectoral muscles. A flat bench exercises the middle chest, an upward tilt of the bench exercises the upper chest, and a downward tilt of the bench exercises the lower chest. The tilt angle is mostly between 30 and 45 degrees.
The placement of the soles of the feet also affects the stability of the bench press. Generally, placing them flat on the ground is more stable, while placing them on a bench can also exercise the abdominal muscles.
Action 1: Dumbbell incline grip press
Action essentials:
Lie on an inclined dumbbell bench and hold dumbbells in both hands. Lift the dumbbells with your arms straight, trying to keep the dumbbells as close together as possible. Slowly lower your arms and open them to both sides. Similar to a bent arm, but now the forearm is perpendicular to the ground.
Action 2: Barbell Bench Press
Action essentials:
Lie on a horizontal bench press with your feet flat on the ground. Straighten your arms and hold the bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. Support the barbell above your chest with your arms straight.
Push the bar up and away from the fixed frame, slowly bend your elbows, and lower the barbell vertically until the bar is close to the chest to a position approximately above the nipples without completely touching the chest; then push up to the starting position and repeat the action.
What needs to be noted during the process is that when the movement reaches the middle (when the barbell is lowered close to the chest muscles), the forearm muscles form a ninety-degree angle with the upper end of the arm and then move downward
Parallel bar dips
Parallel bar arm extensions mainly train the chest muscles, triceps brachii and deltoid muscles (front beam), and also train the latissimus dorsi, trapezius, etc. Different movements will produce different exercise effects – the greater the body leans forward, the stronger the stimulation of the pectoralis major muscles; a wide grip exercises the pectoralis major muscles, while a narrow grip exercises the triceps brachii.
Action essentials:
Support both arms on the parallel bars, keep your head straight, chest and shoulders up, torso and upper limbs perpendicular to the parallel bars, bend your knees and overlap your calves at the ankle joints of your feet. Slowly bend the elbow joint and extend and bend the shoulder joint at the same time, so that the body gradually drops to the lowest position. Stay for a moment and push your arms up until they return to normal.
