The Chest Workout

The Bench Press

The staple of any chest workout routine is the bench press. You can opt for using either dumbbells or a barbell, either choice is great. For the last 6 months or so I’ve used dumbbells as I find I can get a greater range of motion with them i.e. I can lower the weight further than I can with the barbell. Incline, Flat and Decline Bench Press There are 3 variations of the bench Press: Incline Bench Press Flat Bench Press Decline Bench Press * The inclined position will work the upper portion of your chest most * The flat bench press works your mid-overall chest * The declined position primarily works the bottom portion of your chest I feel my upper chest is lagging at the moment so I begin my chest routine with 2 sets of incline dumbbell bench presses. You should always prioritze your workouts. The Form The form you use for these exercises is the same for all 3. Lower the weight as far as it will go Push up with an explosive motion (1-2 seconds) If you are using dumbbells, they should touch at the top (your arms in an ‘A’ shape) Lower slowly (should take about 2 seconds to lower) Repeat Add Width To Your Chest As well as focusing on the top, middle and bottom of your pecs, you should stimulate the sides directly as well. This helps add width and thickness to your chest. Dumbbell flies are perfect for this! Dumbbell Flies My favorite chest exercise! Here’s the proper form to use when performing them: Keep your arms slightly bent at the elbows throughout the movement. Lower the weight a far down as possible. You should feel a real stretch right across your pecs at the bottom of the rep. Now push up again until your arms form an ‘A’ shape at the top. Sample Chest Building Workout For a 9 set workout, try: * Incline Bench Press x 2 sets * Flat Bench Press x 3 sets * Decline Bench Press x 2 sets * Flat Dumbbell Flies x 2 sets