5 Unique Chest Exercises To Build A Bigger Chest
If you’re looking to build bigger, more muscular chest muscles, you need to include a variety of chest exercises in your routine. Many people make the mistake of only doing a few basic exercises, and as a result, they don’t see the results they want.
This article will discuss seven unique chest exercises that you can add to your routine to help you achieve your goals.
The Complex Chest Muscles
The chest comprises three main muscles: the pectoralis major, the pectoralis minor, and the serratus anterior.
The pectoralis major is the largest muscle in the chest, and it extends from the collarbone to the shoulder joint. The pectoralis minor is a small muscle located underneath the pectoralis major. It attaches the ribs to the shoulder blade. The serratus anterior is a long, thin muscle that runs along the side of your chest and attaches your ribs to your shoulder blade.
These muscles work together to move your arm across your body (adduction), bring your arm forward and up (flexion), and rotate your arm inward (internal rotation).
Because the chest comprises three different muscles, each with its function, it only makes sense that mixing up the types of chest exercises you do would be most beneficial in building a bigger chest.
What Are The Benefits Of Chest Exercises?
Chest exercises are important because they help build strength and stability in the chest muscles. Strong chest muscles can help to prevent injuries, and they can also improve your posture. Additionally, chest exercises can help to tone the muscles in your chest and give you a more athletic appearance.
One of the main benefits of chest exercises is that they help build muscle size. When you exercise your chest muscles, you break down the muscle fibers. As your body repairs these broken-down muscle fibers, they become more prominent and more robust. This process is known as muscle hypertrophy.
What Are The Best Chest Exercises?
There are many different types of chest exercises that you can do, but some exercises are better than others for building muscle.
Let’s look at 5 of the best chest exercises for building a bigger, badder chest.
Exercise 1 – Push-Ups
When it comes to push-ups, the arms often get all the glory. However, it is an amazing (not to mention underrated) chest exercise.
Push-ups are a great chest exercise because they target all three chest muscles – the pectoralis major, the pectoralis minor, and the serratus anterior.
Time-under-tension is one of the keys that makes the push-up a great pectoral exercise.
Time under tension is the amount of time your muscles work during an exercise. To build muscle, you need to keep your muscles under tension for an extended period.
One of the best ways to do this is by using a slow and controlled motion. When you do push-ups, be sure to lower your body slowly and then press back up in a controlled manner.
In other words, go slow and make those chest muscles work extra hard.
Exercise 2 – Machine Pec Deck
The machine pec deck is a chest exercise that targets the pectoralis major. It also works the pectoralis minor to a lesser extent.
The machine pec deck is an excellent exercise for building chest muscle because it allows you to keep your muscles under tension for an extended period.
But the main reason I love the Pec Deck for building a bigger chest is that it’s an excellent option for isolated, one-arm movements.
Using just one arm at a time, slowly dragging the arm across the body forces the inside pec muscle to contract to hold the resistance steady.
Doing both arms simultaneously is a great workout, but you can’t cross over the body as much as with the isolated movements.
A bonus of the pec deck is that the seat is adjustable, so you can perform the pec exercise at varying arm angles to make sure the chest muscles get it from all angles.
Exercise 3 – Weight Plate Lifts
When it comes to chest exercises, weight plate lifts are a no-brainer.
All you need is a weight plate, and you have all you need to get a great chest workout.
Same as we have seen in the previous chest exercises, time under tension is critical here. Don’t go too fast and risk injury. Slower movements will force the chest muscles to work harder to keep the plate’s resistance moving upward.
If you pay attention to your chest contraction during this exercise, you will notice that different parts of your chest muscle engage as you move the plate up and down, making this a total pec workout.
Exercise 4 – Planks
When it comes down to it, planks are a full-body exercise, even though the body isn’t even moving. This includes the chest muscles.
If you look at a plank, it’s the same position at the top of a push-up. Coincidence? I think not.
In plank position, the chest must work extra hard, along with the rest of the body, to fight the force of gravity trying to pull the body down to Earth.
The plank exercise is one of the best workout exercises for pecs. This workout move hits all three heads of the pecs muscles — the upper, middle, and lower portions — making it one of the most effective chest exercises.
Plus, it’s relatively easy to perform and doesn’t require any special equipment. If you’re looking for a workout move that will give you killer pecs, look no further than the trusty plank exercise.
Exercise 5 – Incline Dumbbell Press
The incline dumbbell press is a popular chest exercise for several reasons.
First, it allows you to focus on your upper pecs, which are often a neglected area in terms of chest development.
Second, by using dumbbells instead of a barbell, you can better isolate your chest muscles and ensure that they are getting a good workout.
Finally, the incline dumbbell press also works other muscles in your shoulders and arms, making it a well-rounded exercise for overall upper body development.
A big part of the reason these are so effective at building a bigger chest is that the incline angle can be changed frequently, which helps to keep hitting the chest in various new angles for more of an overall workout.
Final Thoughts On The Best Chest Exercises
This list isn’t just about chest exercises for men. When it comes to working the chest women can benefit just as much from these exercises.
The chest muscles are an essential part of overall physical fitness. They help support the spine, and they work together with the shoulder and arm muscles to create a strong and stable foundation for the body.
A well-developed chest can make a big difference in how successful you are in the gym, and it can also help you achieve a better physique.
A strong chest can make you look bigger and more muscular, and it can also help improve your posture.
When your chest muscles are weak, your shoulders tend to round forward, making you look smaller and less confident.
Developing your chest muscles can also help prevent injuries in other areas of your body. For example, if your chest is weak, you’re more likely to experience shoulders or arms problems.
Stronger chest muscles can help to stabilize these joints and reduce the risk of injury.
You may not become of the top ten bodybuilders in the world with the best pecs, but these exercises will get you a little closer.
Overall, developing your chest muscles can profoundly impact your physical fitness. If you’re looking to take your fitness to the next level, incorporating some chest exercises into your routine is a great place to start.
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