Getting a big chest is the goal of many fitness gurus or weightlifters. A big chest makes you appear larger and stronger. There are no secrets to get a big chest. You just need to put the time and dedication to your training and the gains will come. It is however, important to make sure you are doing the most correct exercises with the correct form. Learning some of the movements can take time, you should always start with a weight that you know you can handle so you can practice the movement. The fundamental exercise for the chest is the bench press. The bench press is one of the most popular lifts at the gym, and is commonly used as a measure of overall strength. This article is going to cover some of the basics that should be considered for any chest routine.
Barbell Bench Variants
There are a few different ways to Bench press using a bar bell. The most popular and most commonly used is the flat bench. A flat bench is what you will see in most gyms. There is also the decline and incline benches. Each of these has their benefits. The differences are that the different angles cause different parts of the chest to get worked. Also in incline bench press the shoulders get worked more than when flat. All of these movements important, but the main stay of any routine should probably be the flat bench
Dumbbell Exercises
Dumbbells are great for isolating the chest and really feeling your workout. Typically your dumbbell bench numbers will be lower that your barbell numbers. This is because of all of the extra muscles required to stabilize the weight in place. If you are switching from barbell to dumbbell, it will take a few workouts to get used to getting the weights in place. Some of my favorite exercises are the flat dumbbell bench and decline flies. Decline flies are a great way to end an exhausting chest workout.
Bodyweight Exercises
Another one of my favorite exercises for chest is dips. Using parallel bars is the best way to do dips; if you are using a machine then it is trying to isolate your triceps. When performing dips, the more you lean forward the more the chest is worked. Learning to dip properly and adding weight is a sure way to add mass to your chest. Some gyms will have a weight belt for you to use to strap weight plates around your waist, but if you are just starting you can hold the 5-25lb dumbbells between your feet fairly easy. If you are limited on exercise equipment, push up variants is also an excellent chest exercise. Trying mixing up how many sets and reps you do, as well as adding weight to your pushups.
Cable Chest Exercises
