THE BEST CHEST WORKOUTS FOR A BIGGER MASS!
The Chest is a very important body part that one should workout on, especially for men. It gives you a psychological impact of feeling more manly and capable of everything. In this article, you will be learning the best chest workouts for bigger mass on those pecs. So grab your pen and paper and make sure to take down these awesome tips for a sculpted chest.
Does your chest look like a chopping board? No muscles, no bulge, no definition, nothing at all? Have you been trying those push-ups but gain nothing still? You might be thinking now on how rough life seems, but stop right there. You might just be doing it all wrong or working on something that is not meant for you. In this article, I have listed a lot of chest exercises that you can incorporate on your chest workout routine. Plus, I have also added my top favorite chest workout routines that you can use everyday.
A Chest Mystery
Hold your horses for a minute, because before going down to know the best chest workouts for mass on those chest of yours, first you need to know the secrets when building those pecs. Yes, there are secrets.
Certain workouts do not work for everyone such as the cliche saying goes “Everyone is unique”, which is actually true. So, you have to know first what you are going to bring to the table to make sure you will do your workouts perfectly. Factors such as your skill level, intensity and volume and the position of how you will be working out is very important in defining your workout routine.
Skill level, this is defined by the frequency of when your workout. Do you consider yourself a beginner? Advanced? or a workout guru? To know this is very important because this will tell you what exercises you should try on first. Intensity and Volume is the severity of your drive to workout. This goes along with your skill level, if you are still a starter, then lower down the number of sets and repetitions and eventually progress as your body adapts to the workout in time. Position, is actually a variation for particular exercises. With this, you get to increase the intensity of each workout depending, again, on your skill level. Thus, determining your skill level is the secret to know were should you start and slowly boost up.
Importance of Chest Exercises
Although the chest has two parts, the Pectoralis Major and Pectoralis Minor, does not mean that they work separate ways. Any chest exercise you will do will work out the entire area but there are certain exercises that stimulates them apart.
Since your chest includes one of the largest muscles of the upper body, so it directly means that you use them all day long. The chest muscles are responsible for the different movements of your arms such as crossing the arms on your body, swaying them up and down or side to side and as well as other movements like flexion, adduction, and rotation. Most chest exercises will involve these different movements, which is one of the reasons why there are many variations of chest exercises. All are done to challenge different muscles of the chest, and other related parts such as the arms and core muscles, and in different ways.
It is important to keep them strong because the chest plays a major part in our everyday activities. Such as, pushing a door open, washing the dishes, showering our hair, reaching for something that is too high for us, playing on the monkey bars and a lot more.
Though the chest is made up of a single mass of muscle it still should be worked out as if it has three parts. The upper, middle and lower part of the chest are challenged best when using different variations of chest exercises. Just always remember when stimulating these parts, you execute them varying on the position. To focus your workout on the upper chest, use a 45 degree inclined bench. For the middle part of the chest, utilize a flat bench. For the lower part of the chest, use a 45 degree declined bench.
Chest Exercises for bigger Mass
Barbell Bench Press
How to do it:
- Lie down with your back flat on the bench.
- Position the barbell above your chest and extend your arms at shoulder-width, holding it with an overhand grip.
- Slowly lower down the barbell, while bending your elbows, until it almost reaches your chest. Inhale as you do this movement and hold the position for about a second or two.
- Do not let the barbell bounce from your chest. Control it by contracting your chest and using your arms’ strength.
- Then, push it back to the starting position. Exhale as you do this movement.
- Focus on working out your chest rather than your arms. Make sure that there is a stimulation in your chest area.
- Upon performing this chest exercise, it would be best if you ask help from someone to serve as your spotter. Especially for beginners, do not hesitate to ask for help because it is for your own safety.
Push-up
How to do it:
- Lie on the floor with your face and chest facing down.
- Position both arms beneath your chest at shoulder-width apart. Press your body up by extending your arms at its fullest point and exhale as you do this move. This is your starting position.
- Slowly lower down your body while bending your elbows at the same time. Do not let your chest touch the floor. Make sure to leave an inch of space between.
- Push back-up to the starting position and repeat all over.
- While doing your push-ups ensure that your back is straight and your hips don’t sag down.
Cable Crossover
How to do it:
- Set the resistance of the pulley depending on your skill and strength level.
- Position yourself at the middle of both pulley and hold one pulley at each hand.
- Step one foot 2 ft. forward just in line of your rear foot. Slightly bend your upper body forward then pull both pulleys in front of you.
- As you pull the pulleys forward, maintain slightly bent elbows and keep your hands an inch closer to each other.
- With a slight bend at your elbows, extend your arms wide at the sides in an arc motion until you feel a stretch on your chest. Inhale as you do this movement.
- Return your arms back to the starting position as you breathe out.
- Always contract your core to keep yourself balanced; your chest and shoulder joint should be the ones doing all the workout.
Dumbbell Bench Press
How to do it:
- Lie down with your back facing the flat bench.
- Hold one dumbbell at each of your hand with your palms facing each other.
- Position the dumbbells above your chest as you extend your arms, to its fullest extent, with your hands shoulder-width apart. Rotate your hands letting your elbows face outward and your palms facing the direction where your feet are. This is your starting position.
- Lower down the weights on your sides until your elbows are paralleled to your shoulders or underarms creating a 90 degree angle. Inhale when you do this move.
- Breathe out as you bring the dumbbells back to the starting position. Make sure to contract your chest and arms while doing the movement.
Dumbbell Flyes
How to do it:
- This particular chest exercise is closely alike to your dumbbell bench press.
- Lie down at a flat bench with each of your hand holding one dumbbell.
- Place the dumbbells right above your chest and extend your arms, but this time, slightly bend your elbows. Your palms should be facing each other and your elbows should point outwards. This is your starting position.
- Breathe in as you bring down the dumbbells at your sides in a wide arc motion. Contract your chest and your arms as you hold the position for about two seconds.
- Breathe out as you bring back up the dumbbells to your starting position.
- Your elbows should maintain the bent position all throughout the exercise.
Variations:
- To target your upper chest, use an inclined bench at a 30-45 degree angle.
- To target your lower chest, use a declined bench at a 30-45 degree angle.
Dumbbell Pullover
How to do it:
- Make sure to place the dumbbell to a position where you can comfortably reach or ask someone to hand it to you.
- Lie down with your back straight on the bench as if forming a plus sign.
- The portion of your shoulders should be the only part lying on the bench.
- From your torso all the way to the hips should also be off the bench. Your torso should be parallel to the floor; keep hips sagged down slightly below the bench.
- Your head should be off of the bench also.
- Your feet should be flat on the floor, all throughout the exercise, supporting your whole weight.
- Grab the dumbbell gripping it with both hands towards your chest at arms-length. This is your starting position.
- Your palms should be supporting the underside of the plate that is found nearer to the ceiling.
- You have to make sure that the dumbbell your using is of high quality to prevent it from falling down your face or breaking apart.
- Keeping your arms extended all the way, pull the dumbbell downwards in an arc motion bringing all the weight behind your head until you feel a stretch in your chest area. Breathe in as you do this movement.
- Upon reaching the maximum point, bring the dumbbell forward pulling it back to the starting position. You can just retrack the motion you did when you brought down the dumbbell behind. Breathe out as you do this.
- Repeat to the number of desired repetitions.
Variations:
- To target your upper chest, use an inclined bench at a 30-45 degree angle.
- To target your lower chest, use a declined bench at a 30-45 degree angle.
Barbell Pullover
The steps on how to do this is identical to that of a Dumbbell pullover. What sets these two apart is the equipment involve. For this chest exercise, you are now going to use a Barbell.
- Lie down on a flat bench.
- Extend your arms and hold the barbell above your chest with a slight bend in your arms. This will be your starting position.
- While keeping your arms in the bent position, lower the barbell slowly behind your head in an arc motion while breathing in until you feel a stretch on the chest.
- At that point, carry the weight back up to the starting position. Retrace the arc motion you did when you lowered the barbell. Exhale as you perform this movement.
- Hold the weight on the initial position for a second and repeat the motion for the desired number of repetitions.
Variations:
- To target your upper chest, use an inclined bench at a 30-45 degree angle.
- To target your lower chest, use a declined bench at a 30-45 degree angle.
The Chest Workout Routine
Now that you have learned different variations of chest exercises, you can now use any of them to make your own workout program for your chest. Observe your body and find out which exercises does your muscles respond greatly. But for now, I have gathered my top favorite and best chest workouts for bigger mass on your chest area. This kick-ass routines will surely crank up those pecs and give you the mass and shape you have been longing for.
Best Chest Workouts for a Bigger Mass:
Month 1
For the next 4 weeks, start off with this chest workout routine. For the first two weeks, perform this chest workout routine once a day, four days a week. For the remaining two weeks, increase your routine by adding 4 repetitions in each exercise. This time, perform the modified workout once a day, five days a week. Remember to have a one minute interval in between sets for recovery and preparation.
Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Barbell Bench Press 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Dumbbell Flyes 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Push-ups 3 sets of 10 reps
Month 2
You are now going to progress your workout by changing the variations of the Month 1 Routine and adding chest exercises. The flow will now be: for the first two weeks do it once a day, four days a week. Then, the remaining weeks will now be twice a day for five days a week plus the 4 added repetitions for each exercise. Remember to have a one minute interval in between sets for recovery and preparation.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Incline Dumbbell Flyes 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Cable Crossover 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Barbell Pullover 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Push-ups 3 sets of 10 reps
Month 3
For the first two weeks, perform the routine once a day for five days a week. In the remaining weeks, it will now be done twice a day for five days a week plus the 4 added repetitions for each exercise. Do not forget to have the one minute rest for recovery and preparation in between sets.
Decline Dumbbell Bench Press 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Decline Dumbbell Flyes 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Incline Barbell Bench Press 3 sets of 10 reps
Cable Crossover 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Barbell Pullover 3 sets of 6-8 reps
Push-ups 3 sets of 10 reps
It’s your turn!
This will be the last stop for your workout routine, what is left after this 30-day program is for you to be consistent on working out. Return back to Month 1 and so on and so forth, but instead of doing the prescribed sets and repetitions, you can now perform them to your fullest potential by increasing the sets and repetitions. Do not forget to insert a quick warm-up right before every workout routine. You can modify some of the workouts to which you think suits your skill level or body type better. Nevertheless, these tips will give you the bigger mass you have always wanted. Try it and see the results for yourself.