How to Balance Chest Exercises
For as long as weight training has been around, so has a tendency to concentrate on the chest as the focal point of upper body training. This may be no surprise, considering how predominate the pectorals are in creating the overall upper body effect. However, though most people with even cursory knowledge of chest training have performed some push ups and bench presses, it is important to note that much of the chest is going untrained with these exercises. In order to achieve the best possible development, a balance must be struck.
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Instructions
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Balance Chest Exercises
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Do you push-up and bench presses. While they may not be the end all-be all of weight training, bench presses and push ups do form the centerpiece of any good chest training routine. They work to train the greatest percentage of the pectoral region and can thus be used to build the greatest amount of muscle mass in the shortest amount of time.
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Do the butterfly. Butterflies, or just "flies" for short, are an optimum way to work the inner chest. If your body fat is low enough and your chest muscles have been developed thoroughly enough, you'll see the benefits of flies in the center of the chest. It will be obvious in striations near the center of the chest and the outline of the muscle on the interior. Flies are nothing more than lying down on a weight bench with two dumbbells. You start with the dumbbells raised over your chest, touching each other. You then slowly bring the weights to either side of you until your arms are nearly lateral with your body (the Christ pose, but lying down). You then bring the dumbbells back up to touch again. Repeat for several repetitions and through a few sets for best results.
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Do Incline Presses For Upper Chest Development. It would be a rare gym indeed these days that did not include at least one bench for incline presses. Incline presses are about the same as regular bench presses, except for the angle of the bench. Rather than lying flat, these benches are set at a sharp incline, though stopping short of becoming a chair. From this position, you perform bench presses, and work the upper part of the chest much more thoroughly than you would be able to with traditional push ups or bench presses.
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Suck It InIf you've ever struggle with your weight, you may be used to the idea of sucking your belly in when you need to. If not, it's something that may take some practice, but the results are unbelievable. Make a habit of doing this for an hour or so throughout your day and you will begin to expand your rib cage, slowly but surely.
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Get some rest. When it comes to building muscle, whether it is is the chest or elsewhere, you do more harm than good by over-training. The body builds the muscle during periods of rest, no while you are working out in the gym. Remember this when you are tempted to go back and train your chest two days in a row. You may be slowing your progress, rather than speeding it.
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Tips & Warnings
Do not work a single muscle group two days in a row.
