How to Build Male Chest Muscle Without Weights
A chest muscle has two main components: the pectoralis major lies above the rib cage and the pectoralis minor sits underneath the pectoralis major. The secret to building big, lean chest muscle is to activate the entire muscle group and complete exercises through the full range of movement. It is not necessary to use weights to obtain a full, wide chest; body-weight resistance training is all that's needed. Variations of the basic military-style push-up can help you achieve stronger, bigger chest muscles.
Instructions
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Lie face down with your palms on the floor and shoulder-width apart to perform basic military-style push-ups. Push yourself up until your arms are locked at shoulder-width apart. Make sure there is a straight line from your head to your ankles, and keep your trunk fixed and strong. Slowly lower yourself until your chest is close to the floor, then push your body back up, exhaling as you do so.
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Perform wide push-ups by doing a basic military-style push-up with your arms wider than shoulder-width apart. This will isolate the chest muscles and place more emphasis on the outer chest.
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Perform diamond push-ups by doing a basic push-up while creating a diamond between your index fingers and thumbs. This close grip places more emphasis on your inner chest area and triceps.
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Perform decline push-ups by placing your feet on a stationary object so your head is lower than your feet. Use a chair or a table -- anything will suffice, but the steeper the angle, the greater the difficulty. This adds extra weight and places more stress on the upper chest muscle.
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Perform incline push-ups by placing your hands on a stationary object above the floor level to place more emphasis on the lower chest muscle.
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Tips & Warnings
Select the number of repetitions and sets based on your level of strength and fitness.
Add a weighted vest to increase difficulty.
References
Resources
- Photo Credit body-builder's body image by NiDerLander from Fotolia.com
