6 Best Chest Workouts for Building Muscle
A bigger strong chest is one of the defining parts of a man that improves their physical posture. A bigger and well-developed chest makes a man look more attractive and reflects a different level of confidence in them. Even when you join a gym, trainers give more focus to developing a bigger and stronger chest. However, developing a better chest is not that easier, you need to do proper chest workout for it. As per Dr. Felix 2017 study, 24% women agreed that the chest is the most attractive body part of men, followed 13% considering area around stomach “abs”. A proper chest exercise can help you achieve better chess which can make your physique look attractive.
Why are chest muscles is important for men?
Here are some other importance of strong chest muscles:
- It supports the spine function.
- They provide an added strength to the shoulders.
- They improves lung functionality.
- It improves the breathing quality.
Which chest workout can help build strong chest?
When you join the gym there will be different exercises guided by the trainer and there will be some exercises that will help build-up your chest.
Here are the 6 best chest workouts for building muscles:
1. Flat bench press
Flat bench press is one of the important exercises to start with when you are focusing on chest workout. This exercise focuses on the sternocostal fibers (middle) of the chest, making it stronger. The equipment required here are dumbbells or barbell and flat bench.
How to perform it?
- Lie on the bench on your back and your feet on the floor. Hold the barbell with your hands and lift the rack weight straight in the vertical direction.
- The weight must be put vertically above the chest level.
- When you put the weight downwards, ensure that your elbows are at a 45-degree angle and the barbell is very close to or touching your chest.
- Repeat it for 8 to 10 times and you can do 3 sets of this exercise.
While doing this exercise, make sure that you have proper weight control to avoid strain and the neck is kept in a neutral position.
2. Incline dumbbell bench press
Incline dumbbell bench can be done after flat bench press exercise. This chest exercise is for entire area of chest, however, it puts more pressure on the (clavicular head) of the pecs. This helps to develop a strength for the chest muscles and improve its size. The equipment required here are dumbbells or barbells and an inclined bench.
How to perform it?
- Lie on the inclined bench, feet flat on the floor, and grasp the barbell.
- Move the weight in the upper direction above the collarbone.
- Afterward, move the weight in a downward direction slowly till it touches the chest.
- Repeat it for 8 to 10 times and complete around 3 sets.
3. Decline bench press
Decline bench press can be done after completing the incline bench press exercise. Although this exercise is for the whole chest it focuses more on the lower area of the chest. It gives a better shape for the chest than above the stomach part.
How to perform it?
- Lie on the declined bench, feet flat on the floor, and grasp the barbell.
- Move the weight straight upward.
- Slowly move the weight in a downward direction close to the chest.
- Repeat it for 8 to 10 times and take around 3 sets.
4. Cable or Machine flyes
Cable flyes are either done on the cable wires directly or machine that has cables wrapped in it. This exercise focuses on widening the chest area and bringing strength to it. The equipment required here is a cable machine.
How to perform it?
- Face your back to the cable machine and hold the ends of the cable machine.
- Pull both the ends of the cables from both sides till it meets both hands.
- Then slowly move the hands return to the starting position.
- Repeat it for 8 to 10 times and do 2 sets of this exercise.
5. Dumbbell Fly
Dumbbell fly is one of the free weight chest workout which improves the muscles around the chest. This exercise would just need two dumbbells and a spacious area around you.
How to perform it?
- Hold a dumbbell in both the hands and put the hand in the 90-degree angle horizontally straight.
- Move both hands horizontally as if you are flying with your hands as wings.
- Repeat this for around 10 to 12 times and complete 2 set of this exercise.
6. Push Up
Push is one of the important chest exercise that is well-known for giving high-end results of improving the chest. This exercise is one the traditional type of exercise which has been done since many years.
How to perform it?
- Touch your palms of the hand and tip of the feet to the ground with an inclined position of your body.
- Bend the elbows to 45 degrees and move in a downward direction.
- Repeat the upward and downward for 8 to 10 repetitions and around 3 sets.
Which diet can be helpful in improving the chest?
If you want to improve to get better results of chest workout then you have to get a proper diet for it. Based on the research at Stanford University School of Medicine and other researchers, we mention here few diets for improving body health.
Here is the list of diet:
1. Protein-rich diet
Your diet must have a sufficient amount of protein to get bet workout results. Eggs, Yogurt, Lentils, Milk, etc. are some food that have a very good amount of protein.
2. Carbs rich diet
Carbohydrates (Carbs) are essential to get better chest and overall body improvement after workout. Oats, Quinoa, brown rice, milk, bananas, apples, etc. are some food items with better carbs.
Apart from these, it is also important to have a sufficient amount of water intake daily, along with proper sleep that can help the body boost muscles. A proper follow of chest exercise can help to improve the chest better. You can also consider the option of proper supplements for the chest and overall body with suggestion from experts. A better chest helps a man to have a very attractive physical structure along with getting a better body.