Latest from Coach in Chest-workouts

Five Moves To Build Bigger Chest Muscles

Alice Porter — Mon, 04 Mar 2024 17:00:23 +0000

The chest is one of the most popular upper-body muscles for weight room regulars to train, so I’m always on the lookout for worthy chest workouts to introduce to readers.

That’s why I’m sharing this muscle-building chest session from PT, Nike Well Collective coach and Coach favorite Ali Kabba. It’s ideal for people who are training more than three times a week and have the gym experience necessary to dedicate a session to a single body part.

If you’re training less than three times a week, it might be better to concentrate on full-body workouts. Try modeling your routine on the progressive plan outlined in this beginner gym workout program.

To complete this routine, you’ll need TRX bands (or another of the best suspension trainers), a weights bench, a barbell and weight plates, and a pair of dumbbells.

Watch Kabba’s Instagram Reel where he demonstrates each exercise.

A post shared by Ali Kabba - Personal Trainer (@amt.fitness)
A photo posted by on

If you haven’t tried the TRX before you’re in for a treat—incorporating this piece of kit into your routine can offer you lots of benefits. TRX exercises provide a stimulus for the target muscles, but also engage your core as you work to keep your body stable.

Kabba’s workout also features the incline bench press, which shifts the emphasis to your upper chest compared with the flat bench press. In our guide to the incline bench press, NSCA-accredited strength and conditioning coach Andrew Reay recommends lifting a lighter weight than you would use for the flat version of the classic chest exercise. Reay’s rule of thumb is taking what you bench, then dropping the weight by 20-25%, going lighter the higher the angle of the incline.

This workout is made up of push exercises, which will train your chest, as well as your shoulders and triceps. This recruitment of your shoulders means it’s a good idea to add some shoulder warm-up exercises to your warm-up routine.

It’s also a good idea to follow up a chest-focused session with a back workout, to counterbalance the push moves with pull exercises. You can even structure your training this way. Take a look at Coach’s push/pull workout plan for an effective routine to follow.

I Tried Bodybuilding Legend Frank Zane’s Push Workout And I Learned A Lot

Harry Bullmore — Thu, 04 Jan 2024 07:03:53 +0000

When Arnold Schwarzenegger moved to America in 1968, he assumed he’d be a shoo-in for his first bodybuilding title on US soil, but one man got between him and the Mr Universe title: Frank Zane.

“It was all about being big with [Schwarzenegger],” Zane told camera crews filming the Arnold Netflix documentary. “Landing in this country for the first time, he’d been defeated by, in his words, ‘a chicken with 17-inch arms’. That really bothered him.”

Zane would go on to become one of the all-time bodybuilding greats, securing three consecutive Mr Olympia titles between 1977 and 1979.

In a recent blog post on his site FrankZane.com, he wrote about the pull/legs/push Growth Program he used to train during this time, which he found “very successful for adding muscle mass during those years that I was at my best”.

So naturally I decided to give it a try, taking the chest, shoulders and triceps workout for a spin at a nearby gym. This and many more workouts have been detailed in The Workouts: Personal Training Diaries by Zane.

How To Do Frank Zane’s Growth Program Push Workout

A post shared by Harry Bullmore: Fitness Writer (@harry_bullmore_fitness_writer)
A photo posted by on

1 Bench press

Sets 5 Reps 12, 10, 8, 6, 4, 2

Zane writes that he used “a shoulder-width grip to put more emphasis on the pecs, front delts and triceps”. He would avoid locking out at the top of each rep, employ slow eccentrics (the lowering phase) to increase time under tension, and perform doorway stretches after each set. Treat all exercises with descending reps in this workout as pyramid sets, aiming to increase the weight you’re lifting with each set.

2 Incline dumbbell bench press

Sets 4 Reps 10, 8, 6, 4-6

Zane would adjust a bench to roughly a 70° angle, then lower this angle with each set.

3 Decline dumbbell flye

Sets 3 Reps 12, 10, 8

Zane set the bench at a -10° angle for this exercise.

4 Dumbbell pull-over

Sets 3 Reps 12, 10, 8

Zane’s reason for including this move was targeting the serratus anterior, a chest muscle found on either side of the ribcage. “It also expanded my ribcage, pumped up my lower pecs, and really developed the posterior head of my triceps,” Zane writes. Between sets he would do a single-arm overhead stretch.

5 Close-grip bench press

Sets 3 Reps 12, 10, 8

After each set Zane would do a stretch which involved reaching both arms behind his back.

6 Single-arm overhead dumbbell extension

Sets 3 Reps 12, 10, 8 each side

Meticulous in his approach to maximizing his muscle-building potential, Zane suggests a few form tweaks to improve this exercise. “I’d hold onto a support and lean slightly backward, making sure to let the weight down deeply behind my back then, keeping my upper arm close to my head, not quite lock out at the top of the exercise,” he writes.

7 V-grip triceps press-down

Sets 3 Reps 12, 10, 8

At the bottom of each rep, “hold the contraction for a full second,” Zane writes.

8 Dumbbell reverse flye

Sets 3 Reps 12, 10, 8

Pick up a pair of “not-so-heavy dumbbells” for this exercise. “I had already worked the front delts with the pressing exercises, so all that was left was an exercise for the rear delts and something for the side or lateral heads [of the deltoids—the largest muscles in the shoulder]”, Zane writes.

9 Single-arm cable lateral raise

Sets 3 Reps 12

Zane would sometimes perform all three sets with alternating arms, not taking any rest between them.

Five Things I Learned Doing Frank Zane’s Push Workout

1. Build Your Workout Around The Big Three

I really enjoyed Zane’s plan. Not only will it help you pack on mass using hypertrophy training principles like pyramid sets and 6-12 rep ranges, but it also begins each training day with a powerlifting staple—a surefire way to build strength.

“This routine helped me grow because I incorporated one (modified) powerlifting movement into each workout,” Zane writes.

The pull day starts with a deadlift, the leg workout kicks things off with six sets of a heavy barbell back squat, and the push session I tried opens with some good ol’ bench press.

This gave me the opportunity to lift heavy (for me, at least), finishing with two reps at 220lb/100kg. And a heavy bench session is usually a good time.

Zane sticks with multi-muscle compound exercises like the incline dumbbell press and close-grip bench press for much of the rest of the workout too, shifting to more targeted isolation moves like the single-arm overhead dumbbell extensions as the session progresses.

2. Free Weights Can Get The Job Done

Modern bodybuilders tend to use weights machines—Chris Bumstead recently shared one of his pre-Olympia chest workouts, which featured cable machines, a pec deck, multiple chest press machines and more, as well as dips and dumbbells.

But Zane’s competing physique goes to show that free weights can still be incredibly effective. Using Zane’s selection of push exercises I was able to hit my chest, shoulders and triceps from a variety of angles to help me develop their strength and size, all without the help of specialist equipment.

3. More Volume Isn’t Always Better

I’ve also tried Arnold Schwarzenegger’s two-hour chest and back workout and there are a couple of stark differences between the two in the overall volume and intensity.

Arnold’s mammoth upper-body pump session has more than 50 working sets. Zane’s has less than 30, taking me about 80 minutes.

Discussing his standard pull session, Zane writes: “This gave me a total of 15 sets for back, nine for biceps, and four for forearms, adding up to 28 total sets in the workout, which proved to be enough for growth.”

There is no pointless volume. Everything in the workout serves a purpose, such as the dumbbell pull-overs targeting the serratus anterior.

Arnold’s routine was also dominated by supersets, rather than Zane’s straight sets approach, leading to less overall intensity.

At 6ft 3in and naturally lanky, my time bodybuilding taught me that my muscles tended to respond better to shorter, more focused sessions. So, while Arnold’s routine left me dead on my feet, I felt tired but still able to function after Zane’s.

In short, if I was picking one plan to follow, I’d pick Zane’s.

4. There Are Always Ways To Improve

In an interesting segment at the end of Zane’s blog post, he dives into the changes he would make if he was to run The Growth Program again.

In his heyday Zane would perform the three workouts on consecutive days, rest for a day, then repeat this sequence.

“It was hard and I got really sore from it. I needed lots of rest and noticed a tendency to become overtrained after about a month on this four-day cycle, so I took a few extra days off every month,” he says.

With what he knows now, Zane explains that he would choose to add more rest days in a “5-5-5-6” format.

This means you would perform the three workouts over five days for three cycles, then add an extra day to the fourth cycle.

“The 5-5-5-6 day cycle should produce more growth because there’s more rest so you’ll be stronger each workout and be able to train heavier,” Zane writes.

5. Zane Stretches Between Sets

Zane recommends a variety of stretches between sets, which is something I remember seeing people at my old bodybuilding gym do.

I know many of the benefits of stretching or mobility work in general, but I was never too clued up on the logic of doing it mid-workout.

In an Instagram post on the topic, Zane revealed his thoughts.

A post shared by Frank Zane (@therealfrankzane)
A photo posted by on

Trying it for myself during this workout, I found that stretching the muscle that had just been worked provided an enjoyable opposition to the contractions targeted during the set.

I can’t speak for the long-term impacts of this practice, with Zane and Schwarzenegger’s fellow “golden era of bodybuilding” alumni known for their experimental approach to training. Instead, you’ll just have to try it for yourself.

Would I Do Frank Zane’s Push Workout Again?

Yes I would. Even though my training revolves around CrossFit now, I can’t resist a bit of bodybuilding and it doesn’t get much better than this workout from Zane.

It delivered an enviable pump and a chance to flex my muscles on the strength front. It also doubled up as a fun social activity as I roped my brother into tackling it with me, giving us the chance to catch up and have a laugh between sets.

I Tried Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Two-Hour Chest And Back Workout And It Was A Wake Up Call

Harry Bullmore — Mon, 26 Jun 2023 05:49:49 +0000

Arnold Schwarzenegger is arguably the biggest name in bodybuilding history, both literally and figuratively.

Now, the Austrian Oak has shared the two-hour chest and back workout he used to pack on mass during his Mr Olympia golden era. So I (the British twig) decided to give it a go.

“I want to give a serious warning,” Schwarzenegger writes in his Pump Club newsletter. “If you haven’t been training for a really long time, this isn’t a good idea.”

I’ve been lifting in some form for 10 years, from powerlifting to calisthenics to (most recently) CrossFit. But it all started in my teenage bedroom with some good old-fashioned bodybuilding, so this note of caution served to fire me up for a return to my hypertrophy training roots.

Then I scrolled down and realized what was in store.

Arnold Schwzarzenegger’s Chest And Back Workout

Warm-up: 10 minutes of abs exercises

1 Deadlift: Sets 3 Reps 10, 8, 6 Rest 2-3min
2A Wide-grip weighted chin-up: Sets 4 Reps 10 Rest 0min
2B Incline bench press: Sets 4 Reps 15, 12, 8, 6 Rest 2-3min
3A Bench press: Sets 4 Reps 15, 12, 8, 6 Rest 0min
3B Chin-up: Sets 4 Reps 15 Rest 2-3min
4A Dumbbell flye: Sets 4 Reps 10 Rest 0min
4B Wide-grip bent-over row: Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 2-3min
5A Machine pull-over: Sets 4 Reps 15 Rest 0min
5B Triceps dip: Sets 4 Reps To failure Rest 0min
5C Cable flye: Sets 4 Reps 12-15 Rest 2-3min
6A Seated cable row: Sets 4 Reps 10 Rest 0min
6B One-arm cable row: Sets 4 Reps 10-12 Rest 0min
6C Dumbbell pull-over: Sets 4 Reps 15 Rest 2-3min

Four Things I Learned Doing Arnold Schwarzenegger’s Chest And Back Workout

1. Effective Bodybuilding Is Hard

I’m used to metcons that reduce me to a sweaty mess on the floor and lifting sessions that leave my muscles quivering, so I thought a lengthy bodybuilding workout with rest periods of two minutes might be an almost relaxing alternative.

It was not.

For each set I picked a weight that had me flirting with failure and, combined with doing supersets, this sent the intensity off the charts. Relief, rather than relaxation, is what I felt during the two minutes.

The workout took me about 2½ hours and left me feeling like I’d gone 12 rounds with the Terminator. My fatigued muscles forced me to reduce the last few reps of the final set of dumbbell pull-overs to cluster sets of singles.

The experience made me realize how little intensity I used to put into bodybuilding workouts during college. I’d pat myself on the back for making it into the gym between studying and nights out before hitting three sets of 12 on a couple of my favorite exercises at a fairly comfortable weight.

For the best results, you need to push yourself. That’s progressive overload 101.

2. More Volume Means More Pump

(Image credit: Harry Bullmore / Future)

In my regular training routine I use the three big lifts (the barbell squat, bench press and deadlift) to build strength and power, focusing on fewer reps, but this workout had chunky sets of up to 15 reps for most exercises.

This was a new challenge and one which dented my ego. My muscular endurance was found wanting and, to hit the rep goals, I had to strip plates from the bar and lift lighter than I had anticipated.

But the payback was almost instant when I experienced Schwarzenegger’s fabled “pump”.

3. A Workout Partner Would Have Been Welcome

When I watched the recent three-part Netflix documentary Arnold, my ears pricked up when Schwarzenegger discussed his talent for creating a community. Whether he was pumping iron in rural Austria, in England or on Muscle Beach, he brought together like-minded individuals for support, camaraderie and competition.

It’s something I can relate to. Training in a CrossFit box, my average session is almost as much a social endeavor as it is a fitness one, including chats with other regulars and moaning about the programming (sorry coach).

I tackled this two-hour session solo, and by the second half I was in need of a supportive word, or at least the reassurance that someone else was in the same boat as me. If you like lifting alone, all power to you, but my advice would be to rope in a training partner.

4. It’s Not Completely Doable In Commercial Gyms

(Image credit: Harry Bullmore / Future)

I tackled this workout in a commercial gym in the UK, and for the most part I was able to follow it to the letter. However, I did encounter a couple of problems.

During the supersets, I would finish cranking out bench press reps only to find the pull-up bar I had been using was now taken. I then had to substitute dips for straight bar dips in a power rack because the only dip station was occupied, and machine pull-overs became banded lat pull-downs.

I also had to run between the cable machines and free weights area during the final tri-set. They were located at opposite ends of the warehouse-sized space.

Will I Be Back?

“You’ve survived,” Schwarzenegger writes after the final exercise in his chest and back marathon.

“It took me at least two hours, and then I went back to the gym for another two-hour workout at night. I was a bodybuilding champion, and I had also been a powerlifting champion in Europe. If it feels like too much, stop.”

It’s sound advice. This workout is only for people with extensive experience in the weights room and even this is likely to leave you struggling to give good hugs for a few days. However, it’s also incredibly fun.

At the end, my T-shirt felt a little bit tighter in all the right places courtesy of an almighty pump, and my muscles had that enjoyable numbness only quality time with a barbell can bring.

My ego quite liked it, and I even allowed myself a glance in one of the gym’s many mirrors as I trudged to the locker room. If you, in common with most people, like the idea of looking good naked then this workout is custom-made to help with that.

I may even be tempted to include a little more bodybuilding in my weekly routine, although I won’t be leaving CrossFit any time soon.

As someone who loves to learn and hasn’t always had an impeccable relationship with my body image, CrossFit’s focus on performance suits me perfectly. I work each day to improve the way I move during Olympic lifts, add new skills like handstands and muscle-ups to my repertoire, and build strength. It’s fun, and there are far more things to celebrate than how I look in a mirror.

I definitely recommend trying this workout if you’ve been lifting for a while and want to push yourself, but for your overall approach to training, find what makes you feel good and see how far it can take you.

Want to start with a less taxing session? Try this chest and back workout instead.

Two Chest And Back Workout Routines For More Muscle

Nick Harris-Fry — Tue, 28 Feb 2023 07:00:42 +0000

A good chest and back workout is a staple of many gym training plans. This session created by Luiz Silva, head of fitness and wellbeing at Castle Royle of The Club Company, is designed to help build strength and size in your upper body.

Knowing that people don’t always have the same amount of time to train each week, Silva has created a workout that can be approached in a few different ways, depending on your available time.

How To Do This Workout

Silva has offered a few ways to complete the workout. The first is to simply work through 3-4 sets of each exercise with a 90-second to two-minute rest in between sets, as detailed below.

The second, if you don’t have as much time is to do three sets of each move and take a 45-60 second rest between sets.

The final option, when time is even more limited, is to do supersets, which is a great way to squeeze in an upper-body workout when time is tight. Simply pair one chest move and one back move into a combined set, only resting for 60 seconds when you’ve performed a set of each. Silva suggests doing exercises 1 and 4, 2 and 5, and 3 and 6 together, for 3-4 sets of 6-10 reps.

Silva recommends doing the workout two to three times a week.

How To Choose The Right Weight

“Gauge the weight by using the range of repetitions as a guide,” says Silva. “If you can do more than 12 reps, increase the weight, but if you can’t get at least eight reps in, then decrease the weight.

“Work with a full range of motion—don’t sacrifice a good-quality rep in order to increase the weight. Try to stretch the muscle work slightly before doing the next rep. So if you're doing a bench press, make sure you feel a small stretch across the chest muscles before pushing the bar back up.”

Chest And Back Workout

1 Dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Castle Royle)

Sets 3-4 Reps 8-12 Rest 90-120sec

Lie on a flat bench with both feet on the floor, holding dumbbells by your chest with your elbows bent at 90°. Create a small arch of the lower back—the gap between your back and the bench should be no wider than a flat hand.

Position your elbows just below your shoulder line so there is a small stretch across the chest. Push the weight straight up, but don’t fully extend your elbows. Lower the dumbbells under control back to the start position.

2 Incline dumbbell A-press

(Image credit: Castle Royle)

Sets 3-4 Reps 8-12 Rest 90-120sec

Set a bench to a 30° incline. Lie back, holding the dumbbells with your palms facing and keeping a bend in your elbows. Position your elbows just below your shoulder line so there is a stretch across your chest. Push the weights up toward the ceiling until the dumbbells meet at the top. Don’t let your elbows extend fully. Lower the dumbbells back to the start position.

3 Cable flye

(Image credit: Castle Royle)

Sets 3-4 Reps 8-12 Rest 90sec-2min

Stand in the middle of a cable machine, holding two D-handles attached to high pulleys. Your arms should be spread wide with elbows slightly bent and you should face away from the towers. Lean your trunk forward 45-60°. Press the handles forward until they meet in front of your chest. Your hands should draw a rainbow shape with the handles. Return to the start position in a slow and controlled manner.

4 One-arm dumbbell row

(Image credit: Castle Royle)

Sets 3-4 Reps 8-12 each side Rest 90sec-2min

Hold a dumbbell with your right hand, and place your left hand on a knee-high bench by leaning forward from the hips while keeping your back straight. Your back should be close to horizontal. Pull the dumbbell toward your ribs by lifting your elbow towards the ceiling, making sure to keep it close to your body, and squeeze your right shoulder blade in toward your spine. Lower the weight until your arm is fully extended. Complete the set and then repeat with your left arm.

5 Barbell bent-over row

(Image credit: Castle Royle)

Sets 3-4 Reps 8-12 each side Rest 90sec-2min

Hold a barbell with your grip wider than shoulder-width apart, and bend forward from your hips until your trunk is close to parallel to the floor. Bend your knees slightly to facilitate the hip hinge. Keep your core muscles braced tightly while holding this position. Your arms should be fully extended.

Pull the bar toward your lower ribs by driving your elbows toward the ceiling. Make sure you squeeze your shoulder blades. Avoid rocking your body to move the bar—if this is happening, use a lighter weight. Lower the bar in a controlled manner until you’re back in the start position.

6 Straight-arm cable pull-down

(Image credit: Castle Royle)

Sets 3-4 Reps 8-12 each side Rest 90sec-2min

Attach a straight bar to a high pulley and hold it with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Hold the bar with your arms straight and lean forward so your trunk is at a 45° angle with your head between your arms. Keep your arms straight as you pull the bar to your thighs, drawing a semi-circle shape. Reverse the move in a controlled manner.

Superset Chest And Back Workout

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Push/pull workout splits are a great way of structuring your time in the gym, but another smart way of approaching upper-body workouts is to do antagonistic supersets, a method that pairs exercises which work opposing muscle groups.

That’s the approach taken in this challenging chest and back workout, created by Will Duru, a personal trainer and level 4 strength and conditioning coach.

Duru explains that supersets are a great way to keep muscles under tension for longer. “They also damage more muscle fibres, which later helps to build muscle and increase strength,” he says. “Supersets also burn more calories.”

This gym-based workout is made up of three supersets and a single exercise. You’ll need a barbell, pull-up bar, bench, suspension trainer and a cable machine.

Follow the sets, reps and rest indicated. The reps in the supersets often decrease, so stay focused, and Duru has programmed short rest periods, so be prepared for your muscles to stay fired up.

1A Bench press

Sets 6 Reps 15, 12, 8, 6, 6, 2 Rest 0sec

Lie on a flat bench underneath a barbell in a rack. Hold the barbell with your hands just wider than shoulder-width apart. Driving your shoulder blades into the bench, lift the bar out of the rack, then slowly lower it to the base of your chest. Push your feet into the floor and your back into the bench as you press the barbell back up.

1B Pull-up

Sets 6 Reps 10, 8, 8, 6, 4, 4 Rest 30sec

Hold a pull-up bar with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart and your palms facing forwards. Pull yourself up until your chest touches the bar. Think about driving the bar towards your chest. Lower under control.

If a pull-up is too difficult, use a long looped resistance band and perform an assisted pull-up.

2A Dumbbell incline bench press

Sets 5 Reps 15, 12, 8, 6, 6 Rest 0sec

Sit on a bench set at an incline with your feet flat on the floor. Hold dumbbells by the top of your chest with your palms facing forwards. Engage your core and keep your back pressed into the bench as you press the dumbbells overhead. Lower under control.

2B Bent-over row

Sets 5 Reps 20, 15, 8, 8, 8 Rest 30sec

Stand holding a barbell in front of your thighs with your hands just outside of your legs and your palms facing you. Push your hips back and lower your torso until it’s almost parallel to the floor. Stay in this position as you drive your elbows back, pulling the bar up to your rib cage. Pause, squeeze your shoulder blades, then lower the bar under control.

3A Press-up

Sets 5 Reps 20, 20, 15, 15, 10 Rest 0sec

Get into a high plank position with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then bend your elbows, keeping them close to your body, to slowly lower your torso to the floor. Push up powerfully to the start.

3B TRX row

Sets 5 Reps 20, 20, 15, 15, 10 Rest 30sec

Stand holding the handles of the TRX (or other suspension trainer) and lean back so your body is in a straight line and your arms are extended. The closer your feet are to the anchor point the harder the exercise will be. Pull your body to the handles until your hands are by your chest. Pause, squeeze your shoulder blades, then slowly extend your arms to lower.

4 Cable flye

Sets 5 Reps 15 Rest 30sec

Attach D-handles to a cable machine’s high pulleys. Stand in the middle in a split stance with one foot in front of the other, holding the handles at shoulder height. Maintaining a slight bend in your elbows, bring the handles in front of your chest. Pause, then return to the start under control.

Our Go-To Home Chest Workout With Dumbbells – No Weights Bench Necessary

Sam Rider — Wed, 22 Feb 2023 17:38:56 +0000

Forget the bench press, pec deck or cable machine. To strengthen and train your chest muscles, all you need is a pair of dumbbells and this comprehensive home chest workout from Louis Marsden-Challis, head coach at Orangetheory Fulham.

It varies the tempo you use to perform each exercise: from slow and controlled, to increase the time the muscles are under tension, to fast and dynamic to develop athletic power.

The result will be a stronger, bigger and more functional upper body. If this workout becomes a staple of your week, just remember to balance out all these pressing exercises with a complementary routine, such as this home back workout.

Workout Format

This home chest workout with dumbbells can be completed in under 30 minutes. “It features four blocks, each with a focus on attacking your chest in a different way,” says Marsden-Challis.

“I guarantee you’ll feel this one tomorrow,” says Marsden-Challis. The first time you try it, keep the weights relatively light as you familiarise yourself with the moves and your muscles adapt to the high volume.

As you get stronger you can increase the weights. “If you only have one pair of light weights, try slowing the tempo of each rep to increase the time your muscles are under tension – a surefire way to get them growing,” Marsden-Challis suggests. Or buy another pair, or an adjustable set – you’ll find plenty of options in our selection of the best dumbbells.

Block 1: Warm-Up

Complete three rounds of the following three exercises with minimal rest.

“These dynamic movements will elevate your heart rate to get blood pumping around your body and activate the specific muscle groups you’ll be using during the workout,” says Marsden-Challis.

1A Walkout and hand release press-up

Time 30sec

From standing, hinge forwards at your hips and place your hands on the floor. Walk your hands forwards until you’re in the top of a press-up position. Lower your chest to the floor. Quickly take your hands off the floor, then press them back into the floor to drive your body up to the top of a press-up. Walk your hands back to your feet and stand to complete one rep.

1B High plank shoulder tap

Time 30sec

Start in the top of a press-up position with hands under shoulders and feet hip-width apart. Lift one hand off the floor to tap your opposite shoulder, then repeat on the other side. Engage your core and glutes to keep your torso as still as possible and your hips square to the floor.

1C Deep squat alternating T-spine rotation

Time 30sec

Sink into a deep squat, keeping your knees wide apart and heels down. Grab your left toe with your right hand and rotate your upper back as you raise your left arm towards the sky. Look up at your left hand and feel the muscles in your upper back releasing as you twist. Alternate sides.

Block 2: Power

Choose a heavy weight for the floor press (Image credit: Getty Images / Gary Yeowell)

Perform the following exercises back to back for three rounds.

“The goal here is to complete two exercises back to back with minimal rest. We spice it up by adding in a ‘load and explode’ modifier – one weighted exercise followed by an explosive exercise using the same movement pattern,” says Marsden-Challis.

2A Dumbbell floor press

Reps 8

Lie on your back with your knees bent, feet flat on the floor and holding dumbbells above your body with your arms extended, palms facing forwards. Slowly lower the dumbbells, letting your upper arms move out to the sides until they touch the floor, then powerfully drive the weights away to meet above you. Take two seconds to complete the lowering phase, pause for one second, then press away for one second.

Marsden-Challis says: “Choose a heavy weight for the floor press. It should be heavy enough that you only have one or two reps left in reserve at the end of each set.”

2B Power press-up

Reps 6

Start in a traditional press-up position with your hands beneath your shoulders, and your core and glutes engaged to protect your lower back. Lower your chest towards the floor for a count of two seconds, pause with your chest just off the floor, then explode up with as much power as you can.

Marsden-Challis says: “Press the floor away with enough power that your hands leave the floor. If this is too much, perform the move on your knees and rest as long as you need to attack the set with maximum intensity.”

Block 3: Hypertrophy

Complete three rounds, resting for up to 60 seconds between sets.

“The focus of this block is to slow down the eccentric phase of each exercise to recruit maximum muscle fibres,” says Marsden-Challis. “Go as heavy as you can for each set. If your dumbbells aren’t heavy enough, slow the tempo further to increase the intensity.”

3A Bridge hold dumbbell close-grip chest press

Reps 10 Rest 60sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and your hips raised so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold dumbbells above your body with straight arms, palms facing. Keeping the weights together, slowly lower them for a count of three seconds until they’re just above your chest, pause for one second, then press them away powerfully for one second.

Marsden-Challis says: “The bridge position allows you to hit your chest from a slightly different angle. Keep your elbows tucked in close to the side of your body and push the dumbbells together throughout the entire set to keep tension on your chest.”

3B Dumbbell pull-over

Reps 10 Rest 60sec

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor. Hold one dumbbell by the head in both hands, above your chest, so the other end of the weight is pointing towards your chest. Keeping your lower back pressed into the floor and your core engaged, lower the weight over your head until it taps the floor, then bring it back to the starting position. Lower for a count of three, pause, then drive up powerfully for one.

Marsden-Challis says: “Once you’ve lowered the weight to the floor, think about driving your elbows forwards rather than pushing with your hands. You’ll feel this in your lats as well as your chest.”

Block 4: Finisher

The workout finishes with you holding this position for as long as possible (Image credit: Getty Images / Kong Ding Chek)

Complete three rounds, resting as little as possible.

“If you can, use lighter weights for this three-move finisher,” says Marsden-Challis. “Rest as and when you need it, but keep it to a minimum to challenge your muscular endurance.”

4A Bridge hold dumbbell flye

Reps 12

Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor and your hips raised so your body forms a straight line from your shoulders to your knees. Hold dumbbells above your body with straight arms, palms facing. Slowly lower the weights to the sides for a count of two with arms only slightly bent. Lower until your arms tap the floor and you feel a gentle stretch in your chest, then bring the weights back together above your chest.

Marsden-Challis says: “Keep your hips off the floor, squeezing your bum to stabilise the position. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows throughout the movement.”

4B Hollow hold single-arm press

Reps 6 each side

Hold one dumbbell and sit on the floor with your legs extended. Engage your core and lower your torso until your lower back is on the floor but your shoulders are off it. At the same time, lift your feet just off the floor. In this position, press the dumbbell straight up with one arm. Lower the weight for two seconds, pause for one second, and then press for one second. Complete all the reps with one arm, rest, then repeat on the other side.

Marsden-Challis says: “This is tough but a great test of your core strength and control too. Believe me, your abs as much as your chest will be on fire.”

4C Isometric press-up

Reps To failure

Start in a classic press-up position with your shoulders above your hands and your feet close together. Take a deep breath in, then lower until your chest is just off the floor. Keep your core and glutes engaged and breathe normally as you dig in to hold this isometric position as long as you can. If necessary, perform the move on your knees.

Marsden-Challis says: “This is as much a test of your mental strength as your pectoral might. Cling on for as long as you can and remember to breathe.”

This Bodyweight Chest Workout Takes Just 10-Minutes

Jon Lipsey — Tue, 08 Nov 2022 07:01:13 +0000

Armed with the right attitude you can achieve an awful lot in 10 minutes, and with this bodyweight chest workout you don’t even need equipment to hand to leave a lasting impression on your upper body.

You will need an iron will, however, because you’ll be doing a lot of press-ups. It’s one of the best bodyweight exercises you can do, especially when you add in some press-up variations to ensure you’re working your shoulders and triceps as well as your chest.

By tackling this 10-minute routine twice a week you’ll quickly build strength and size in your chest. If you then want to progress, tackle this chest workout for beginners, then graduate to this four-week chest workout plan for the gym.

How To Do This Bodyweight Chest Workout

For the workout below you’ll be completing a total of 30 press-ups in each round, and aiming to do three rounds. The bulk of the press-ups are done in the standard style, with some variations thrown in to target other muscle areas more effectively. There’s no rest between moves, but you do get a nice 90-second break at the end of the round to calm the burning sensation in your chest and arms. Have at it.

1 Press-up

Reps 10 Rest 0sec

Get into a press-up position with your body in a straight line from head to heels. Make sure your core is braced and your hips aren’t raised because that will take tension off your abs. Also ensure your hips don’t sag because that will place stress on your lower back. Start with your hands directly below your shoulders and, as you lower, keep your elbows in to your sides rather than letting them flare out to the sides. Lower until your chest is almost touching the floor, pause for a second, then press back up powerfully. Complete all 10 reps, then go on to the next move without resting.

2 Diamond press-up

Reps 5 Rest 0sec

This is similar to a press-up but your hands are placed together so your thumbs and index fingers touch, forming a diamond shape. It’s essential to keep your elbows in to your sides rather than letting them flare out to the sides. If you’re unable to press back up, just do the lowering phase of the move as slowly as you can. Complete all five reps, then go on to the next move without resting.

3 Press-up

Reps 10 Rest 0sec

Use the same form as you did for the first set of press-ups. By now you’ll be starting to fatigue so pay attention to your form. Complete all ten reps, then go on to the next move without resting. If you can’t manage ten reps, do as many as you can and then move on to the next exercise.

4 Eccentric press-up

Reps 5 Rest 90sec

An eccentric press-up is one where you only do the lowering part of the move. Start in a conventional press-up position, lower to the floor, pause, then reset to start in the top position again. Once you have done five reps you’ve completed one round. Rest for 90 seconds and go again. Aim to complete three rounds in total.

More Workout Ideas

The Only Home Chest Workout You’re Ever Going To Need
The Push-Up Home Workout For Big Arms
More 10-Minute Workouts

Use This Chest Workout For Beginners To Get Stronger

Max Anderton — Mon, 24 Oct 2022 05:56:39 +0000

There are several exercises you would always expect to see in the best chest workouts, such as press-ups and bench presses. Getting familiar with those moves is essential if you are looking to bulk up and increase muscle definition in your chest, and this chest workout for beginners will help you do just that.

Along with the bench press and press-up the workout contains three other excellent moves that will work not only your chest but also your entire upper body and core, so you can be sure you’re building balanced strength rather than focusing solely on the pecs.

To use the five exercises in a workout, tackle each of them in turn with two minutes’ rest between moves. You can also pick from the first four moves and add them to your other workouts to increase the emphasis on your chest.

You’ll need a barbell, a set of dumbbells and a weights bench to complete the workout, so it’s one that’s best done in a gym (try this home chest workout if you don’t have a gym membership). We’ve suggested reps, sets and rest periods that should bring you almost to the point of failure on the final set of each move. If you find it too easy or hard, increase or decrease your reps, sets and rests accordingly.

When picking the weight for the bench press and dumbbell flye we’d urge you to go light at first and ensure you can complete the first set comfortably. If you struggle at all then switch to lighter weights. It’s more important to complete the workout safely and with good form, especially when you’re a beginner, than it is to impress everyone else in the gym.

Chest Workout For Beginners

1 Press-up

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sets 5 Reps 15 Rest 90sec

Start with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body in a straight line from head to heels. Lower yourself towards the floor until your elbows reach 90˚. Press back up to return to the start.

Use our guide to master the press-up

2 Bench press

(Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Sets 5 Reps 8 Rest 90sec

Lie on the bench with your feet on the floor directly underneath your knees. Hold the bar with an overhand grip with your hands shoulder-width apart. Slowly lower the bar towards your chest, taking your elbows out to 90˚, until the bar is almost touching the middle of your chest or is just above your nipples. Drive your feet hard into the floor and push the bar strongly back to the start.

Use our guide to master the bench press

3 Spider-Man press-up

(Image credit: Getty Images)

Sets 5 Reps 10 each side Rest 90sec

Get into a press-up position with your hands shoulder-width apart and your body straight from head to heels. Lower your chest towards the ground and bring one knee up towards your chest. Once your elbows reach 90˚ press back up and straighten your leg to return to the start. On the next rep, bring the other knee up.

4 Dumbbell flye

(Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus / Michael Edwards)

Sets 5 Reps 8 Rest 90sec

Lie on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand directly above your chest with your palms facing each other. Make sure your head and upper back are supported on the bench and your feet are flat on the floor. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, slowly lower the weights out to the sides as far as is comfortable. Use your chest to reverse the move back to the start.

Use our guide to master the dumbbell flye

5 Side plank

(Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus)

Time To failure

Lie on your side with your elbow beneath your shoulder. Raise yourself so your body forms a straight line from head to heels. Hold the position as long as you can. When your hips sag, the rep ends.

Use our guide to master the side plank

More Workouts For Beginners

A Straightforward Gym Workout Routine For Beginners
This Beginner Back Workout Is Genuinely For Beginners – Not A Full Pull-Up In Sight
A Simple Gym Machine Workout Plan For Beginners

The Best Chest Workout To Build Strength And Size In The Gym

Sam Rider — Mon, 10 Oct 2022 06:28:10 +0000

There are two types of exercises that feature heavily in the best chest workouts: presses and flyes. Most gym-goers are very familiar with pressing exercises like the bench press and press-up, but flyes should also be a staple of your routine if you have aspirations to build a pecs-tacular chest.

Below you’ll find two workouts that use a combination of presses and flyes to work the chest from different angles. While both sessions use the same exercises, they differ in their approach to chest building. The first session increases strength using a high number of sets but fewer reps. The second uses bodybuilding principles to target increased size alongside strength by programming fewer sets but a higher number of reps. Each workout requires a barbell, dumbbells and an adjustable weights bench.

One note of caution: workouts that focus solely on one muscle group like this one are suitable for people with a high degree of training experience. If that doesn’t sound like you we have plenty of other options to consider, from a full-body beginners’ gym workout, upper-body workout or, as a stepping stone, a push/pull workout plan.

How To Do These Chest Workouts

Both workouts are made up of five moves with sets, reps, rest periods and tempo detailed. Our guide to tempo training explains why performing a rep at a certain tempo is beneficial, but here’s a reminder of how to decipher the four-digit code: the first digit indicates how long in seconds you take to lower the weight, the second how long you pause at the bottom of the move, the third how long you take to lift the weight, and the final digit how long you pause at the top. An X means that part of the move should be done explosively. Keep each rep smooth and controlled so your muscles – not momentum – do the work.

The first two exercises are big, compound lifts performed as normal sets. Select a challenging weight for these and push yourself as hard as possible. Then the final three moves are a tri-set, so you rattle through the first set of 3A, then the first set of 3B, then the first set of 3C with minimal rest between them. Rest, then repeat that sequence to complete the second set of the tri-set. Continue until all sets are completed.

Chest Workout: Strength Protocol

1 Bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 5 Reps 5 Tempo 10X0 Rest 60sec

Lie on a flat bench holding a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start.

2 Incline bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 5 Reps 5 Tempo 10X0 Rest 60sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start.

3A Incline dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand by your shoulders. Brace your core, then press the weights up until your arms are straight. Lower them back to the start.

3B Incline dumbbell flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 10 Tempo 2111 Rest 20sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your face, with your palms facing and a slight bend in your elbows. Lower them to the sides, then bring them back to the top.

3C Press-up

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec

Get into position with your feet together and hands underneath your shoulders. Brace your core so your body is straight from head to heels. Bend your elbows to lower your chest, then press back up powerfully.

Chest Workout: Strength And Size Protocol

This uses the same moves as the first chest workout but with different protocols – low sets and high reps to focus on increasing muscle mass.

1 Incline bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 4010 Rest 60sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start.

2 Bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 4010 Rest 60sec

Lie on a flat bench holding a barbell with your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Brace your core, then lower the bar towards your chest. Press it back up to the start

3A Incline dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 12 Tempo 3010 Rest 20sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand by your shoulders. Brace your core, then press the weights up until your arms are straight. Lower them back to the start.

3B Incline dumbbell flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec

Lie on an incline bench holding a dumbbell in each hand above your face, with your palms facing and a slight bend in your elbows. Lower them to the sides, then bring them back to the top.

3C Press-up

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 20 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec

How Often To Perform These Chest Workouts

You can perform one version of the chest workout once a week. However, those with plenty of training experience can perform both versions in one week, leaving at least two days between workouts.

They can also be paired with total-body workouts for a challenging weekly routine.

Workout 1: Chest Workout 1

Workout 2: Total-Body 1

1 Back squat: Sets 5 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
2 Chin-up: Sets 5 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
3A Overhead press: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec
3B Bent-over row: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec
3C Good morning: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec

Workout 3: Chest Workout 2

Workout 4: Total-Body 2

1 Front squat: Sets 5 Reps 8 Tempo 2010 Rest 60sec
2 Rack pull: Sets 5 Reps 8 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec
3A Standing dumbbell biceps curl: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2010 Rest 20sec
3B Triceps extension: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 20sec
3C Lateral raise: Sets 4 Reps 12 Tempo 2111 Rest 60sec

More Chest Workouts

Gym Chest Workout

You’ve got two fine chest workouts for the gym – do you need more? Why yes, especially since those above skip one of the finest chest exercises around: the dumbbell pull-over. This session also employs the cable machine to give your muscles another type of stimulus.

See the chest workout for the gym

Home Chest Workout

This no-kit workout from strength and conditioning expert JC Santana is designed to complement your efforts in the gym. It’s three rounds of a series of press-up variations and, provided you can handle the volume of reps, you’ll be done in 15 minutes.

See the home chest workout

30-Day Press-Up Challenge

If the home chest workout above is too advanced, work on your press-ups with this 30-day plan, where you build up to knocking out 100 press-ups in one go. It starts with just 20 press-ups today. That’s day one done. From there you’ll build up using variations like the diamond and decline press-ups, which builds strength throughout your upper body but, of course, works wonders on your chest in particular. If you like a medium-term goal to motivate your fitness efforts, give this a go.

See the press-up challenge

How To Fuel Your Chest Workouts To Build Muscle

To get the most out of this plan, you need to make sure you consider your nutrition carefully. Even if you nail every rep of the workouts, you won’t get the results you want if you’re not fuelling your training in the right way.

That starts with eating enough protein to repair and rebuild your muscles after a workout. We asked a dietitian how much protein you need to build muscle and the answer for people following this type of high-volume plan is 1.2-2g per kg of bodyweight per day. Before you begin browsing our selection of the best protein powders, remember that it is always better to get your protein requirement from food rather than a supplement, which is easier than you might imagine and will also help ensure you have a healthy, well-rounded diet.

Outside of protein, it’s important to maintain a healthy diet in general, starting with getting at least five portions of fruit and veg a day. Also make sure your energy reserves are topped up by eating carbohydrates, aiming for wholegrain varieties to maximise the fibre you get from your food.

If all that sounds like a lot of effort, there’s also the option of using a meal prep service. Some will send a variety of healthy meals at once that you can reheat and eat when you wish, while others will deliver daily and cover all your meals and snacks with a menu designed to fit your precise training goals. These are, of course, more expensive than cooking for yourself, but it's certainly no more expensive than a takeaway habit and a whole lot healthier.

This Chest Workout For The Gym Challenges Your Pecs From All Angles

Joe Warner — Tue, 28 Jun 2022 16:21:32 +0000

To grow a big, wide chest you need to challenge your pecs in ways they have not been challenged before. Which is why doing three sets of ten barbell bench press every Monday and little else is never going to be enough to build impressive pecs.

So if you’re struggling to add chest size, try this six-move session that targets your chest muscles from a variety of angles and through different rep ranges to hit as many muscle fibres as possible. Do the moves in order, and prioritise proper form throughout.

Expert tip This session starts with two moves done as straight sets. Go as heavy as you can while maintaining good form. This will get your chest muscles firing hard, which means you can then work them even harder with the final four moves, which are split into two supersets, to increase the muscles’ workload while minimising rest to fatigue as many muscle fibres as possible.

Any good chest workout in the gym should involve a variety of exercises that hit your muscles from different angles and challenge them in different ways. In other words, if your chest training is based entirely around the barbell bench press, you’re selling your pecs short (even if the bench press is one of the best chest exercises you can do).

This six-move chest workout is a great way to mix up your training. It’s one to do in the gym because it requires a variety of free weights, a weights bench that can be set on an incline, and a cable machine. As well as hitting the chest from different angles, the workout also uses different rep ranges to recruit as many muscle fibres as possible. If you do just one chest workout in the gym this week, make it this one.

How To Do This Workout

The workout is broken up into two moves done as straight sets followed by two supersets. The first superset is performed on an incline bench with dumbbells with the other done using a cable machine. A superset means you do one set of exercise A, then rest for the time specified, followed by one set of exercise B then the rest period. Then you return to exercise A and repeat that sequence until you’ve completed all the sets.

Go as heavy as you can while maintaining good form with the first two exercises. This will get your chest muscles firing hard, which means you can then work them even harder in the supersets, where you’ll be minimising rest to fatigue as many muscle fibres as possible.

1 Close-grip bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 5 Reps 10 Rest 60sec

Why A narrow grip keeps your form strict to work your chest harder.

How Lie on a flat bench holding a barbell with a shoulder-width grip. Lower the bar to your chest, keeping your elbows tight to your sides, then press it back up powerfully.

2 Dumbbell pull-over

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 5 Reps 10 Rest 60sec

Why It “opens up” your chest and works it through a range of motion hard to replicate.

How Lie on a flat bench holding a dumbbell with both hands above your chest. Slowly lower the weight behind your head until you feel a good stretch in your lats. Pause, then lift the weight back to the start position.

Expert tip The two moves below make up a superset, which means you’ll do all the reps of 3A, rest for 30 seconds, then do all the reps of 3B, then rest for 60 seconds. Do four total sets, then move on to the final superset of this workout.

3A Incline dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 30sec

Why It targets the upper portion of the pecs muscles.

How Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height. Press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight, then lower them back to the start under complete control.

3B Incline dumbbell flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It works your chest in isolation.

How Switch to lighter dumbbells than you used for the incline dumbbell bench press. Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights down to the sides, then squeeze your chest to return to the start.

4A Standing cable flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 30sec

Why It will build better pec width.

How Stand in the middle of a cable machine holding a D-handle in each hand. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows and your chest up, bring your hands down in an arc to meet in front of your chest. Pause, then reverse the movement to the start.

Expert tip The final two moves of the session, good form and range of motion are more important than weight, so choose a level of resistance that allows you to perform the two moves perfectly.

4B Standing cable cross-over

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 60sec

Why It works the chest through its full range.

How Stand in the middle of a cable machine holding a D-handle in each hand. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows and your chest up, bring your hands down in an arc to meet in front of your bellybutton. Pause and hold, then reverse the movement to the start.

More Gym Workouts

Build new muscle mass and strip away belly fat fast with this gym workout routine
Get the most from the cable machine with these cable machine exercises and workouts
The best pecs workout for hitting your chest from all angles
The chest workout for men who want bigger pecs

The Best Pecs Workout For Hitting Your Chest From All Angles

Lucy Gornall — Mon, 28 Mar 2022 06:25:21 +0000

When you’re starting out in the gym, the bench press is the go-to exercise for building your chest, but after a while your body adapts and progress can slow. So what to do if you want prominent pecs? Turn to this workout by George Palmer, a London-based personal trainer and instructor. “An effective workout to target your pecs will challenge the muscles to work under loads from many different angles,” says Palmer.

Palmer recommends doing the following exercises using an ascending pyramid. Do four sets of each move but change the number of reps and weight you’re lifting with each set. Start with 12 reps, using a lighter weight. Then drop to 10 reps, eight and finally six. “As you work through your sets, increase the weight as you lower the reps,” says Palmer. Yes, you will be a weights-hogger, so maybe avoid peak times at your gym.

To take it to the next level, try our four week chest workout plan.

1 Dumbbell bench press

Sets 4 Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Use two dumbbells to ensure that if your body has a stronger side, you’re not relying on it. Lie on your back on a bench with your feet planted on the floor. Engage your core, slightly arch your back to raise your ribcage and shrug your shoulders down and back. Hold the dumbbells above your chest, with your arms extended and your palms facing towards your feet. The dumbbells should be closer than shoulder-width apart but don’t let them touch. This is your starting position.

Breathe in and lower the dumbbells to the sides of your chest until your elbows are slightly below your shoulders. Keep the movement slow and controlled with your core tight and your shoulder blades squeezed together. Breathe out and explosively push the dumbbells back up to their starting position.

2 Decline bench press

Sets 4 Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Set a bench to a decline of between 15° and 30° underneath a barbell rack, secure your feet and lie down with your eyes directly underneath the barbell. Take the barbell off the rack and bring it over your shoulders with your arms fully extended. Breathe in as you slowly lower the bar until it is lightly touching your mid-chest without flaring your elbows. Pause for a moment, keeping your core tight. Breathe out and explosively push the barbell back to the starting position.

3 Decline press-up

(Image credit: iStock / Getty Images Plus / Georgiy Datsenko)

Sets 4 Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Kneel, facing away from a raised surface such as a bench or box and plant your hands on the floor directly below your shoulders. Now, place your feet on top of the raised surface. Inhale as you bend your elbows to 45°, keeping this phase slow and controlled. Ensure your spine is neutral by squeezing your abdominals and glutes – if your hips begin sagging or sticking up in the air, this is a sign you are not bracing your core properly. Pause for a second at the bottom, then exhale and explosively push away from the floor back to the starting position.

4 Dumbbell pull-over

Sets 4 Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Placing yourself side-on to your bench, lay your upper back and neck down on the bench, with your hips held at torso height and your knees directly above your heels. Extend your arms above your chest, holding the dumbbell by one end. Inhale and move the dumbbell behind your head. Keep your elbows flared out in order to engage your anterior muscles.

The movement should come from the shoulder joint, rather than the elbow, so keep the same angle in your elbows throughout. Pause for a second at the bottom and exhale as you bring the dumbbell back into your starting position – ensure you keep the movement in a range at the top where you’re still feeling tension in your pecs. Keep your core braced throughout the movement.

5 Dumbbell pectoral flye

(Image credit: Getty Images / JGI/Tom Grill)

Sets 4 Reps 12, 10, 8, 6

Lie on your back on a bench with your feet planted on the ground, and your head and shoulders supported by the bench. Hold the dumbbells directly above your chest with your palms facing. Inhale as you lower the weights in an arc out towards the sides of your chest, as far as you comfortably can. Keep a soft bend in your elbows and ensure your elbows don’t lower past your torso. Your core should be engaged so you don’t arch your back. Pause for a second and then exhale as you reverse the movement back to the start.

Use This 20-Minute Chest Workout With Dumbbells To Build Muscle And Break A Sweat

Sam Hopes — Wed, 09 Mar 2022 07:08:19 +0000

Waiting in line for a spare barbell every chest day can get tiresome. If that feels familiar, give this fast-paced dumbbell chest workout a try. It’s been programmed by JJ Stone, personal trainer and owner of JJSFitness, and it’s worth doing even if the barbell area is free.

Stone explains that with some intelligent programming, we can work our bodies smarter with a simple set of dumbbells.

“One of the key benefits of dumbbells is that they can be used for unilateral training,” says Stone. “This means that both sides of your body are required to work in unison for balance and stability which can help to protect you from injury. Because there’s no way for your stronger side to pick up the slack, the functioning of your neural pathways are improved and muscles can recruit more evenly.”

You don’t even need access to a gym for this particular workout because it uses weights you can keep at home. Need some guidance on what to buy? Have a browse through our list of the best dumbbells and best weight benches.

How To Do the Workout

All you need for this workout is a bench (or a stable equivalent to lie on) and a set of dumbbells. The workout is a circuit of five exercises. Complete four rounds with a maximum of 60 seconds’ rest time in between.

Focus on trying to control each movement. As you drive through the pushing phase of each exercise, exhale or inhale steadily and aim for maximum effort.

If you’re looking for an extra challenge, perform this workout as an AMRAP pyramid instead, starting with two reps of each exercise and increasing the rep count by two each round.

1 Alternating single-sided dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Future)

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Lie with your back supported on the bench, ensuring both feet stay planted on either side of the bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand over your shoulders, with your palms facing forwards. Keeping your core engaged, press both dumbbells upwards above your chest and extend your elbows so that your arms are straight. Pause at the top. Slowly lower one weight to your shoulder then press the weight back up to the starting position for one rep. Repeat on the other arm. Alternate arms with each rep.

Tip: Try a neutral grip (palms facing inwards) if you struggle with weak wrists or shoulders – this will help ensure the weights do not drift outwards. Challenge yourself by performing this exercise lying on a gym ball or Bosu.

2 Pull-over

(Image credit: Future)

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Lie with your entire back supported on the bench, ensuring both feet stay planted on either side of the bench. Create a gentle arch in your back, but keep your hips and lower body in contact with the bench, and engage your core. Holding one dumbbell in both hands over your chest, slightly bend your elbows and lower your arms behind your head until you feel a stretch through your chest and back. Pause. Pull the weight back over your head to return to the starting position.

3 Devil’s press

(Image credit: Future)

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Hinge forwards at the hips and grasp the dumbbells on the floor in front of you. Step or jump back into a plank and perform an explosive narrow press-up. Jump your legs forwards so that both feet land wide of the dumbbells with your heels planted. Drive through your heels to stand while holding the dumbbells between your legs (mimicking a sumo deadlift). Engage your core and glutes. Hinge forwards at your hips and swing the weights between your legs, then drive the weights upwards into an overhead position. Lock out your arms so they’re in a straight vertical line. Pause, then lower the weights to your sides to complete one rep. Practise with light hex weights and focus on form before progressing.

4 Svend press

(Image credit: Future)

Time 45sec Rest 15sec

Stand with the dumbbells pressed together at your chest and palms facing. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, engage your core, and inhale, filling your chest. Raise your elbows out to the sides and squeeze the weights together. As you exhale, press the weights outwards and extend your elbows so that the dumbbells are in front of you, parallel to the floor. Pause, then slowly bring the weights back to your chest to complete one rep. Avoid leaning back and keep your core tight.

5 Stagger-grip deficit press-up

(Image credit: Future)

Time 45sec Rest 1min 15sec

Start in a press-up position with your shoulders directly above your hands and your arms extended, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Engage your core and stagger your hands by moving one forwards and the other backwards. Lower your chest towards the floor without allowing your elbows to flare, pause, then press back up to your starting position for one rep.

Tip: Perform the movement on your knees to make this exercise easier or elevate your feet on a bench for a progression. Holding dumbbells raises your hands, so you can lower further than usual to increase your range of motion and make the move more challenging.

Pump Up Your Pecs With This Cable And Dumbbell Session

Joe Warner — Fri, 20 Aug 2021 10:13:22 +0000

Question: what’s the best way to build a big chest? Pile a load of weight plates on the bar and bench press until you’re blue in the face, right? Wrong. The best chest workouts add chest size and strength by hitting your pecs from multiple angles to spur as many muscle fibres as possible into action. The more fibres you fatigue when training, the greater the stimulus your body gets to rebuild these damaged fibres bigger and stronger. Try this six-move multi-angle workout to get serious pecs appeal.

It’s made up of three supersets. Do move 1A, sticking to the sets, reps and rest shown, then do move 1B. Then do moves 2A and 2B as a superset, and the same again for moves 3A and 3B, and you’ll work every part of your chest effectively.

If you only have dumbbells to hand, try this chest workout with dumbbells instead.

Superset 1

Warm up thoroughly, starting with some shoulder, elbow and wrist movements, followed by some light dumbbell presses and flyes, interspersed with more mobility work in the rest periods between warm-up sets. Gradually increase the weight of each warm-up set while reducing the reps until you’re ready for the first proper work set.

1A Incline dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It hits your upper chest, as well as your shoulders and triceps.

How Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Plant your feet and brace your core, then press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight. Slowly lower the weights under control.

1B Incline dumbbell bench flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It isolates your pec muscles so they must work harder to manage the weight.

How Lie on an incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand and your arms straight. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights to the sides until you feel a strong stretch across your chest. Use your pecs to raise them back to the start.

Superset 2

It can be tricky to get into position when decline pressing, so ask someone to pass you the weights once you’re in position and then stay to spot you. With move 2B, hold the hands-together bottom position for a one-count during each rep to force your chest to work hard to manage the weight, which will help build up the middle part of your chest.

2A Decline dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It will hit the hard-to-target lower part of your chest.

How Lie on a decline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Plant your feet and brace your core, then press the weights directly overhead until your arms are straight. Slowly lower the weights under complete control.

2B Standing cable cross-over

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It works the outer and inner parts of your pecs to build chest width and depth.

How Stand tall in the middle of a cable machine holding a D-handle in each hand. Keeping your chest up and a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands down in a smooth arc to meet in front of your body. Reverse the movement to the start, slowly and under control.

Superset 3

This final superset will hit your rapidly tiring muscles hard to coax the best possible growth response, but does so safely by recruiting other muscle groups to help with the load. In the first move your lats also get in on the act, and in the second your shoulders and triceps help out. Keep your form strict as you tire to work the target muscles harder.

3A Dumbbell pull-over

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 60sec

Why It works your chest in a unique way to tax those hard-to-hit muscle fibres.

How Lie on a flat bench, holding a dumbbell over your chest in both hands. Lower the weight down behind your head until you feel a good stretch in your lats. Raise the weight back over your head to return to the start.

3B Press-up

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 60sec

Why This allows you to finish the session hard by pushing your pecs to failure in the safest way possible.

How Get into the press-up position with your hands under your wrists and shoulders. Keeping your glutes and abs fully engaged, bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the ground. Pause for a one-count, then press back up to return to the start.

20-Minute Chest Workout For The Gym

Joe Warner — Fri, 30 Jul 2021 09:38:48 +0000

Building a bigger and broader chest is the primary goal for many gym-goers, which is why there’s always a queue for the bench press no matter what time you train. But the world’s most popular lift (by our reckoning anyway) isn’t actually the best chest exercise for maximising muscle development. For that you need to hit your pecs from different angles using the muscles’ full range of motion, plus some explosive moves, to work as many muscle fibres as possible. The result? They’ll grow back bigger and stronger – giving you impressive mass and the ability to lift more weight next time. That’s what this chest workout does.

How To Do This Workout

Do this six-move workout twice a week for four weeks, so you’ll do it a total of eight times. Try to leave at least two days between sessions.

The moves are paired into supersets, which is the most efficient way to work as many muscles fibres as possible and encourage new muscle growth. Do all the reps of 1A then go straight into 1B, only resting once all those reps are done. Repeat this for a total of three supersets. Then move on to 2A and 2B, following the same pattern, then the same again with 3A and 3B. For moves 1A, 1B, 2A and 2B, try to increase the weight slightly each week. For moves 3A and 3B your aim should be to increase the number of reps you perform each week, if you can manage it.

1A Dumbbell bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 8 Rest 0sec

Using dumbbells works each half of your chest independently and allows a greater range of motion so your muscles work hard to lift and control the weight.

1B Dumbbell flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Keep the weight light to ensure shoulder joint safety. Use a full range of motion to work the muscles fully and contract your pec muscles hard at the top.

2A Cable flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 8 Rest 0sec

Keep your chest upright and core braced throughout. Return the handles to the start slowly, after contracting your chest hard when your hands are together.

2B Cable crossover

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Bring your hands down in a wide arc and allow them to cross in front of your bellybutton. Pause in this position to maximise tension on your chest.

3A Clap press-up

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 8 Rest 0sec

Press yourself up as powerfully as possible to get the highest elevation on each rep. This move is tough but will help to fatigue the fast-twitch muscle fibres for more growth.

3B Press-up

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

After the explosive clap press-ups take your time with each standard press-up rep, lowering your chest to the ground slowly and under control, then pressing up smoothly.

The Best Home Chest Workout To Build Bigger Pecs With No Equipment

Nick Hutchings — Mon, 07 Dec 2020 05:59:12 +0000

If you want a bigger chest then you’ll have to perform chest workouts that feature the bench press, dumbbell flye and cable flye. As you may have noticed, they all require equipment found in a gym, but you may also have spotted the glaring omission from that list – the press-up.

The press-up is an effective chest exercise which also has seemingly endless variations, used to great effect in this bodyweight home chest workout, designed by strength and conditioning expert JC Santana. The press-up variations involved ensure that you hit the muscles in your chest and arms from all manner of different directions so every part of your upper body gets a thorough workout.

It’s a challenging session best suited to an experienced gym-goer, and it will be most effective if used as an add-on to a gym workout routine. If you find the routine below is beyond you, our press-up challenge will help you progressively improve your ability to perform the move. And if you’re looking to add muscle to your chest without a gym membership, you may want to browse our selection of the best dumbbells and follow this home chest workout with dumbbells.

Can you build chest muscle with your bodyweight?

That’s exactly what we asked Emily Servante, global trainer education manager at Ultimate Performance, in our guide to bodyweight workouts – and the answer is a resounding yes! But you need to know how to increase the difficulty beyond just doing more reps.

“You can increase the intensity by slowing down the tempo,” says Servante. “For example, if you perform a press-up with both feet on a chair, and slow the eccentric [lowering] portion of the movement to four seconds, doing six to 12 reps will feel more difficult. Next time, slow the eccentric portion of that movement to five seconds, then six seconds and so on. Trust me, your chest muscles will grow!”

How To Do This Home Chest Workout

Aim to do this workout once or twice a week, and slip it into your routine 48 hours away from any chest or upper-body workouts you do in the gym. Run through a round of each exercise without taking any rest – or with as little rest as possible – and then take a two-minute break before going into another round. Start with three rounds, and see if you can add more over time as you get stronger.

The Workout

Rotational press-up

Reps 20

Start in a press-up position and lower yourself to one side, twisting as you do so most of your weight is on one shoulder. Press up, then do the same on the other side. That’s two reps.

Shuffle press-up

Reps 20

Get in a press-up position with one hand ahead of your shoulder and one behind. Lower yourself to the floor and press up. That’s one rep. At the top of the move, jump or walk your hands into the opposite position, then do the next rep. Continue alternating.

Diamond press-up

Reps 10

For this triceps blaster, position your hands together under your chest so your index fingers and thumbs form a triangle, and lower yourself until your chest touches your hands. Press back up to the start.

Gorilla press-up

Reps 10

Start in a standard press-up position, lower yourself to the floor and then press up quickly, launching yourself off the floor. Slap your chest quickly before returning your hands to the start position.

One-leg press-up

Reps 10

Raise one leg, keeping your glutes tight, and do a press-up. Switch legs and repeat. That’s two reps. Now do the rest.

More Home Workout Chest Moves

After a few weeks of doing that workout, add variety by switching out some of the moves with these ones. Even if it’s just a slight variation on the move it’s always good to hit your muscles in different ways and from different angles to ensure maximum growth.

Offset press-up

(Image credit: Future)

Get in a press-up position with one hand elevated on a stable surface. Keeping your core engaged, bend your elbows to lower your chest, keeping your elbows close to your sides, then press back up to return to the start. At the end of the set, switch hands and do the same number of reps again. Brace your abs and squeeze your glutes to keep your entire torso stable to make the most of each rep. You can place your feet slightly further apart than in a normal press-up to make the move easier.

This technique tweak not only looks impressive, it also places greater emphasis on your triceps muscles to help you add arm size. Pressing your bodyweight up and down with one hand elevated shifts the emphasis more to your triceps and requires greater core control. It’s also slightly easier but far more satisfying to do than diamond press-ups. Always do the same number of reps each side for balanced size and strength improvements.

Spider-Man press-up

(Image credit: Future)

Start in a press-up position. Keeping your weight on your arms, bend your elbows to lower your chest. As you lower, draw one knee in towards your elbow. Pause at the bottom, then press back up and return your leg as you do, then repeat with your other knee. Alternate with each rep. Engage your core before each set by pulling in your bellybutton to tense your abs and deep core muscles. Being fully engaged will keep your body stable and let you draw your knee all the way in.

This tougher-than-it-looks move recruits not only the standard press-up muscles but also your entire core for a serious abs workout. Your upper and lower abs also need to be fully engaged to draw one knee up to your elbow and back again, and you’ll activate the deep stabilising muscles of your core to keep your whole body stable throughout each rep.

Divebomb press-up

(Image credit: Future)

Start with your body in a V-shape. Brace your core, then lower your head and chest towards your hands, moving your body forwards in an arc as your head nears the floor. Keep moving your torso forwards until your head is facing forwards and your chest is up. Raise your hips to return to the start position. Don’t obsess over rep numbers with this move: instead, focus on feeling the different muscles at work at each point of the rep to build a strong mind-to-muscle connection that will improve muscle activation.

During each rep, many different muscles are engaged and placed under tension. The down-and-forwards then up-and-backwards movement also makes your chest, shoulders, triceps and core work in different and more challenging ways from the standard press-up. Despite the aggressive-sounding name, the key to this exercise is maintaining a smooth movement path – the whole rep should be fluid and performed at an even tempo.

Corkscrew press-up

Start in a press-up position but with your hands in front of your shoulders. As you bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor, twist your hips to one side and then back the other way, keeping your core engaged throughout. Then press back to the start. Starting with your hands further forward works your shoulders harder, while adding a hip rotation with each rep recruits your core and lower abs muscles.

Archer press-up

Start in a normal press-up position but extend one arm out to the side. Return to the start. Repeat with your other arm. This variation tests those small but important stabilising muscles of the shoulder that must work hard to support your bodyweight as you lower then lift your torso repeatedly. It also works your core muscles, which are forced to maintain torso stability with each rep.

Dynamic box press-up

Place both hands on a box in the diamond press-up position. Lower your body and press as explosively as you can off the box, so your hands are able to land on the floor with the box placed between them. Immediately lower your body and press explosively up so that your hands land straight back on the box in the position that you started in. That counts as one rep. Watch your chin, though – people have been known to catch theirs on the box mid-rep. Not pretty.

The Chest Workout For Men Who Want Bigger Pecs

Joe Warner — Wed, 03 Oct 2018 06:20:20 +0000

What’s the quickest way to add size and strength to your chest? To work these muscles through a variety of angles, using different set and rep ranges. This six-move chest workout for men does all of those things, and more, to help you get bigger and stronger in the fastest time possible. Start with the two straight sets, then move on to the two supersets so you work your pecs – as well as your shoulders and triceps – hard.

How To Do This Chest Workout For Men

This is a six-move session made up of two straight sets then two supersets. Do all the reps of move 1, sticking to the sets, reps and rest shown, then do all the reps of 2. Then do moves 2A and 2B as a superset, and the same again for moves 3A and 3B, to work your chest hard.

Warm up thoroughly, starting with some shoulder, elbow and wrist movements, followed by some light dumbbell bench presses and dumbbell flyes, interspersed with more mobility work in the rest periods between warm-up sets. Gradually increase the weight of each warm-up set while reducing the reps until you’re fully ready to go.

1 Bench press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 5 Reps 8 Rest 60sec

Why The classic big lift for a bigger, stronger and wider chest.

How Lie flat on a bench holding a barbell with an overhand grip, hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Plant your heels on the floor, tense your glutes and core, then lower the bar to your chest and press it back up.

2 Cable cross-over

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 5 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It isolates the chest muscles and hits the inner and outer sections of the pecs.

How Stand tall in the middle of a cable machine, holding a D-handle in each hand attached to the high pulley. With a slight bend in your elbows, bring your hands down and in so they cross in front of your body. Pause for a second, then reverse the move to the start.

Superset 1

This superset is designed to work the upper, lower, inner and outer portions of your pec muscles from a different angle so you recruit and then fatigue fresher muscle fibres, allowing you to make greater gains in less time. Keep the weights sensible, especially for the incline dumbbell flyes – it’s smarter to go lighter with great form instead of flinging too-heavy weights around.

3A Incline dumbbell hammer press

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 30sec

Why The incline and this hand position work the chest in a different way for greater gains.

How Lie back on a incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand at shoulder height with palms facing. Press the weights up until your arms are straight, then lower them back to the start.

3B Incline dumbbell flye

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 4 Reps 12 Rest 60sec

Why It works your upper and outer pecs to build a broader chest.

How Lie back on an incline bench, holding a dumbbell in each hand with arms straight and palms facing. With your chest up and a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights out to the sides until you feel a good stretch across your chest, then raise them back to the start.

Superset 2

This final superset is designed to fully fatigue the chest muscles in a safe way so you end the session with a big chest pump and the maximum amount of muscle tissue damage, which will be rebuilt bigger and stronger.

4A Dumbbell pull-over

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 30sec

Why It works (and stretches) your chest in a unique way.

How Lie flat on a bench, holding a dumbbell above your chest in both hands with straight arms. Plant your feet on the floor, then, keeping your chest up and arms straight, lower the weight behind your head in an arc until you feel a good stretch in your lats. Raise it back to the start position, keeping your arms straight throughout.

4B Press-up

(Image credit: Glen Burrows)

Sets 3 Reps 15 Rest 60sec

Why A great move to really blitz your chest in a safe and strategic way.

How Start in a press-up position with your hands underneath your shoulders and feet together. Engage your abs and glutes, then bend your elbows to lower your chest towards the floor. Pause for a second at the bottom, then press back up to return to the start.

The NFL Combine Bench Press Test Is A Smart Way To Approach Your Chest Training

Joel Snape — Fri, 12 Jun 2015 08:00:35 +0000

Adding weight is fine up to a point, but – as any competitive powerlifter’s Instagram shows – it’s also a guaranteed route to pec tears, blown rotator cuffs and permanently ruined shoulders. For a better chest without the risk, look to American football players, who train to push a (relatively) low weight for high reps, which means they build functional muscle while staying battle-ready all year round.

The standard bench press weight at the NFL combine – where players go for max reps in one set – is 225lb/102kg, but most players are far heavier than that, so aim to bench your own bodyweight for reps. Tweak your technique, fine-tune your plan and get ready to build an upper body that’s pitch perfect.

Step 1: Set up properly

Taking your feet off the floor? Madness. “Tuck your feet a little behind your knees so you can push off the floor,” advises Chicago Bears offensive lineman Kyle Long. “Grip the bar a little outside shoulder width and tuck your elbows in.” This won’t just minimise your injury risk, it’ll mean you operate at maximum efficiency.

Step 2: Get a better back

“Bench pressing properly involves creating torque at the shoulders,” says combine coach Joe DeFranco. “So isometric strength in your shoulders will build a perfect launch pad.” You don’t even need any kit for DeFranco’s YWT drill – lie facedown, first with your arms in a Y, then in a W and finally in a T shape, thumbs pointing to the ceiling throughout. Hold each position for 10 seconds.

Step 3: Work your weaknesses

What’s failing first? “If it’s your triceps, add three sets of max dips to the end of your sessions,” suggests powerlifting guru Dave Tate. “If it’s your chest, do close-grip incline bench presses. Change your assistance exercises frequently – you don’t know what’s going to work.”

Step 4: Count down, not up

“Pick a number you’re trying to hit and work backwards from that,” says Tate. “If you think you’ve got 24 in you, go from there. Or count in sets of 10 down to one, then start again. It works even better if someone else counts for you.” Just remember, when your counting partner touches the bar, the set’s done.

Step 5: Just add volume

How do you add reps? By doing more reps. “Set a timer for 10 minutes and aim for a set number of reps every 30 seconds – say, five,” says strength coach Rob MacDonald. It’s a great way to get a lot of volume done in a short space of time.

The 5 best press-up variations

Coach Staff — Wed, 04 Mar 2015 09:22:47 +0000

Rocky was right. When it comes to Soviet super-science against good old-fashioned American grit, there can only be one winner. And that winner, of course, is the man who can do the most one-arm press-ups. They’re the best upper-body strength-builder that you can do without weights and a brutal test of core strength and co-ordination too. Ten in a row is the goal. Get to 20 and you’ll be ready to see off Ivan Drago.

Directions

Tackle each of the mini-workouts twice a week, tacking them on to your normal gym sessions – or doing them at home. Once you can do the sets and reps for mini-workout 1, move on to 2 and so on until you’re ready for the real thing.

1. One-arm press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Sets: 4 Reps: 10 each side

Stallone does the easy version – you should be more ambitious. The purest one-arm press-up looks a lot like the regular version: feet shoulder-width apart, torso parallel to the ground, chest to the deck. Wider feet and a twist in the hip makes it easier, but either way, touching your shoulder to your hand is the standard.

2. Perfect press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Sets: 10 Reps: 10

Forget the usual gym-bro version. Your new standard is hands shoulder-width apart, elbows glued to your sides, body straight and chest touching the floor at the bottom. Set a timer and do ten every minute, starting on the minute, until you’ve done 100.

3. Diamond press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Sets: 5 Reps: 10

These will build the strength and balance you need in your triceps for the full thing. Start with a close grip and arrange your thumbs and forefingers into a diamond. Lower until your chest touches your fingers. Yes, that deep.

4. Kettlebell press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Sets: 3 Reps: 10 each arm

This variation allows you to practise the one-arm version with just a hint of support (using a sofa is also acceptable). Grasp the kettlebell handle and use it to support yourself as little as possible for the required reps.

5. Incline one-arm press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Sets: 3 Reps:10 each arm

Nearly there: all that’s left is to ease into the full version by starting at an angle and working your way down. Start on a table, chair or bench and do your press-ups. Once they’re too easy, reduce your support height and go again.

5 Ways To Make Your Chest Workout Harder

Andre Jackson — Wed, 04 Feb 2015 10:17:48 +0000

A number of recent surveys have found that a big chest trumps abs, arms and shoulders as the biggest turn on for the fairer sex. But don’t get all excited and start pumping out endless sets on the barbell bench press, there are a number of less common chest workout moves you could be doing to really get those pecs popping.

1. Rope climb

This is likely to be the most surprising of the lot for many of you. But rope climbs place quite a serious demand on the chest muscles. Chest presses can often lead to tendinosis, so it’s a good idea to mix it up from doing push-pull movements, by incorporating a move that activates your pecs in a different way, by targeting the lower fibres of your pecs in a whole new way.

2. Work on your co-ordination, balance and flexibility with TRX

Whether you’re doing push-ups or presses, doing them with a TRX will force you to use far more balance and co-ordination to complete the move. TRX push-ups in particular require a unique loading pattern that will work your chest in a way that it isn’t use to, which is exactly what you want if you’re trying to grow your pecs. For more core involvement, try TRX atomic push-ups: slip your feet into the handles, perform a push-up, bring your knees to your chest, and get back into the start position. Repeat.

The best TRX workout for maximum balance and flexibility.

3. Swap dumbbell press for dumbbell crush press

This is a dumbbell press with a never-ending contraction. It targets your hard-to-hit inner pecs, which means more definition and a deeper cleavage. But it’s not just your physical form that will be more honed, it will also force you to concentrate throughout every rep, so when you do eventually head back to the bar, you’ll power through your old personal best with ease.

4. Switch to a wider grip on your bench press

Change up your barbell grip from the standard shoulder-width grip to a wider hand position, this will help to reduce triceps involvement which will force your pec muscles to produce more force as the triceps will be activated far less in the upward movement.

5. Use a Swiss ball

Don’t worry about appearances. The Swiss ball might look slightly awkward and a touch on the funny side, but it’ll be you that has the last laugh when your chest growth accelerates as a result of swapping the bench for the ball. Using a Swiss ball to perform dumbbell press will help you to avoid shoulder injuries and promote a greater range of movement, which will recruit more muscle fibres. Don’t go too heavy with the weights at first though, it requires a strong core to keep good balance on the Swiss ball with such heavy weights about your head, so start light and measure the amount of weight you can handle.

Pectoral Exercises To Build Up Your Chest

Sam Rider — Fri, 22 Aug 2014 06:49:16 +0000

Most men would like to add muscle to their chests, which explains why you can never get on the flat bench in your gym. But while the bench press allows you to move a lot of weight, this exercise alone won’t really build your chest beyond a certain level because it doesn’t hit all the muscle fibres. Press-ups won’t get the job done either. If you’ve been banging out endless press-ups every morning like Christian Bale’s Batman since you were young, your pecs are probably so efficient at this exercise that they’ve never felt under enough strain to need to grow bigger.

The solution is to target your pecs from multiple angles, using a combination of free weights and resistance machines to vary the way your muscles have to work and a mixture of tempos to force all the fibres in your chest to grow.

It’s equally important to work your muscles in a balanced way. All muscles will always be limited in terms of size and power if their antagonistic muscles – in this case, the ones in your upper and mid-back – are neglected. You have to match your pushing with equal parts pulling to keep your body well balanced and functional. That’s why this workout alternates the pressing exercises with pulling lifts.

It also kicks off with an explosive bodyweight press-up to activate all the fast-twitch muscle fibres that will help you with the rest of the lifts. And it finishes with a pec stretch to ensure you don’t seize up and find yourself hunched over in agony the next day. Do expect a bit of an ache though – this is DOMS (delayed onset muscle fatigue) and a surefire sign you’ve worked muscles that had previously had an easy ride.

Do this chest workout once or twice a week, increasing the weights or reps as you progress week by week for four weeks. Rest for one minute between sets and two minutes between exercises.

1 Plyometric press-up

(Image credit: unknown)

Sets 3 Reps 8-10

Get into a press-up position with your body a straight line from neck to ankles. Bend your elbows to lower your chest to the floor, then explosively push your torso upwards. Continue the movement all the way through, lift your palms off the floor, clap and then return them to the ground to catch your bodyweight on the way down.

2 Incline bench press

(Image credit: unknown)

Sets 3 Reps 10

Set the bench to 45° above horizontal. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the bar, brace your abs and then press the bar straight up in the air. Pause at the top, then lower the weight under control for two seconds as far as is comfortable.

3 Bent-over row

(Image credit: unknown)

Sets 3 Reps 10

Hold a bar with an overhand or underhand grip (vary it each set to target different muscles in your back and arms each time). Bend forwards, hingeing from the hips to keep your back straight. Pull the bar towards your sternum, pause, then lower to the start.

4 Decline bench press

(Image credit: unknown)

Sets 3 Reps 10

Set the bench to 30° below horizontal. Place your hands slightly wider than shoulder-width apart on the bar, brace your abs and then press the bar straight up in the air so that it’s directly above your lower chest. Pause at the top, then lower the weight under control for two seconds as far as is comfortable.

5 Lat pull-down

(Image credit: unknown)

Sets 3 Reps 10

Sit upright with your knees supported and take a wide, double shoulder-width grip on the bar. Retract your shoulder blades, then pull the bar down until it is just below your chin. At the bottom of the pull, squeeze your shoulder blades together, then slowly return to the start.

6 Cable crossover flye

(Image credit: unknown)

Sets 3 Reps 10

Stand in the middle of two cable stacks with the pulleys set at head height. Place your feet shoulder-width apart but with one foot slightly behind the other so that you have a strong base. Take a cable handle in each hand. Brace your core, keep looking ahead and pull each cable in towards the middle of your chest for a count of two, crossing your hands over each other slightly and squeezing your chest for a count of two. Then return the cables back under tension for a count of two.

7 Chest stretch

(Image credit: unknown)

Kneel on the floor beside a gym ball and rest your left arm on top of the ball. Place your right hand on the floor and lean down towards the floor so that you feel the stretch in your left pectoral muscle. Hold for ten to 20 seconds, then swap sides and repeat.

How To Get A Massive Chest And Back

Nick Hutchings — Tue, 27 Apr 2010 12:53:09 +0000

If you train regularly, chances are you've devoted days to chest and back workouts. It's also likely that your workout involved bench presses and bent-over rows. They're great exercises but if you want to challenge your muscles, you need to vary your routine, and that's exactly what the high-intensity session on the right will do.

"High-intensity training creates the right hormonal environment for muscle growth and fat loss," says top American strength coach Juan Carlos Santana, (ihpfit.com), who created this workout for us. According to Santana, the chest circuit will "put massive size on your chest and arms". The back exercises will balance out the work you do on your chest, giving you a powerful overall look. Do it instead of your usual chest and back routine for four weeks and you should notice an increase in strength when you go back to bench pressing.

Metabolic Chest Circuit

Do three rounds of the following circuit, taking no rest between exercises and minimal rest between rounds.

1 Press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 20 in 15 seconds

Start with your hands beneath your shoulders and your body straight from head to heels. Lower your body by bending your elbows, keeping them close to your sides. Then push back up to the start.

2 Split stance band flye

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 20 in 20 seconds

Secure a resistance band behind you and take a split stance with your arms out to the sides. Keeping your arms straight, pull them in to meet in the middle in front of your chest. Do ten reps with one foot forward then swap feet and complete the reps.

3 Split stance band press

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 20 in 20 seconds

Secure the band behind you and take a split stance with your fists by the side of your chest. Press the band forwards, bring your hands together at the top of the move. Do ten reps with one foot forward, then swap feet and complete the reps.

4 Jump press-up

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 10 in 10 seconds

Get into a press-up position with your hands one and a half times shoulder-width apart. Lower down slowly until your chest almost touches the ground. Push up explosively so your hands leave the floor. Absorb the impact then go straight into the next rep.

Back Matrix

Do three rounds of the following circuit, taking no rest between exercises and minimal rest between rounds.

1 Standing band row

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 20 in 15 seconds

Secure the band and stand with tension in it and your arms straight. Press your elbows back until the band handles are level with your chest.

2 Bent-over band row

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 20 in 10 seconds

Bend over at the hips with tension in the band and your arms out straight. Press your elbows back until the handles are level with your shoulders.

3 Band swim

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 20 in 25 seconds

With a handle in each hand, crunch your abs to bend forwards, bend your knees and swing your arms back. Straighten up in a fluid movement and raise your arms above your head.

4 Medicine ball raise

(Image credit: Unknown)

Reps 10 in 15 seconds

Start in a squat, holding a medicine ball between your legs. Straighten your legs and, in an explosive movement, raise the ball above your head.