Bodybuilding

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3 Best Exercises for Chest Mass

A powerful, dense, muscular chest is high on the list of most body builders, both pro}} and amateur. Unfortunately, there is so much bad info out there when it comes to properly working the pecs}} that chests like I just described are becoming rare these days.

The big key to building the chest you want is to select exercises that maximally activate the pectoral motor units. The first movement that springs to mind for most body builders when they think of chest exercises is the barbell bench press. But the bench press is not a great pec builder unless you happen to have the optimal leverage for it. On top of that, most people do the bench press incorrectly. If you put together bad leverages and bad technique it's no wonder you feel the bench more in your delts and triceps than in your chest!

Let's take a look at three of my favorite chest building exercises. It is important to keep in mind that if these are done with bad technique you are short-changing your muscle gains and may be setting yourself up for injury. To prevent this from happening make sure to get some technique tips from an expert so that you can build the chest you want without getting hurt.

Paused Barbell Bench Press
I realize I just got finished saying that the flat bench press is not the best chest building exercise, however there are particular variations that do hit the chest rather well, assuming you perform them properly. The paused barbell bench press is one such variation. By pausing the bar at the chest for one to ten seconds before pressing it back to lockout you eliminate the stretch reflex and lose any stored elastic energy you created during the eccentric. This will make pressing the weight back up much more difficult, but it will also require your pecs to create a huge amount of force in order to launch the weight from your chest back to the starting position.

Standing Cable Crossovers
While different versions of the bench press are good, to really isolate on the pecs you need to work on the flying motion. This can be done with a variety of exercises, but I really prefer the cable crossover here because of the consistent tension the pulley gives you throughout the entire range of motion. The key here is to concentrate on getting a good stretch at the start and continuing to keep constant tension on the pecs throughout the entire movement. This is a fantastic concluding exercise to any chest session.

45-degree Incline DB Bench Press
One of the typical complaints of bodybuilders is not just their overall chest size, but their upper chest size especially. Incline chest exercises are a great solution to this because they emphasize the clavicular portion of the pectorals, which gives the appearance of a more full chest, without giving you a saggy looking chest. The use of dumbbells is a good addition here as they will allow you to get a deeper stretch in the bottom of the exercise. This deep stretch stimulates a lot of underused motor units in the upper pectorals which can spur new muscle growth.

Keep in mind that while these exercises are great for building a muscular chest, they must be done with the proper technique in order to get the most benefit.

About the Author

See video and get tips on flat DB bench press and more of the best exercises to build chest strength

Bodybuilding Chest Workout: Combating The Rum And Maple!

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It all feels good, but, for me, exercising some muscle groups is a lot more enjoyable than others. I do not enjoy leg exercises! Worst for me are the calves. Running has always been a form of torture to me, so I guess it makes sense that the parts that were never developed would be the least enjoyable to work on.

In case it isn’t already obvious, I am no dedicated bodybuilder. My enthusiasm comes and goes at more or less regular intervals. I am not competitive. However, that doesn’t mean that I cannot thoroughly enjoy my time at the gym and luxuriate in the feeling of getting those tired, flagging, muscles working again and opening up the old arteries. Even if it means that I never progress beyond the beginner bodybuilding workout stage. The joy is not in the competition; it’s in the moment.

As I was saying, I enjoy some more than others, and I probably enjoy the bodybuilding chest workout the most. The feeling of those chest exercises gets my blood rushing and the heart feeling really good. They get my vote for the routines I enjoy the most. And more than any other, the bodybuilding chest workout gets those lungs opened up and feeling strong, instead of winded and gagging.

Some of the other routines leave me feeling punished and even resentful (dumb, I know), but the reward is in getting to do the others! The bodybuilding chest workout isn’t the only one I enjoy – don’t get that idea! I’m not fixating on bodybuilding chest workouts to the exclusion of anything else. Some workouts may not be firm favourites to look forward to, but while I’m doing them, I enjoy them. Others I really look forward to, then while I’m doing them, I wonder why!

As mentioned before, it’s all good.

Back To The Bodybuilding Chest Workout

Obviously one alternates, but bench press is one of my favourites in any bodybuilding chest workout. On the bench, the wide grip, the narrow grip and the decline bench press. And, of course, dumbbell flyes on a flat bench, an inclined and a declined bench.

Can’t escape the crossover cables in a bodybuilding chest workout, the high crossover cables for the lower pecs and inner pecs, and the low crossover cables for those difficult inner pecs. Nice change after the pushing and squeezing to be pulling for a change! The first few feel like a comparative holiday, until the pecs start objecting.

Then back to pressing in the seated chest presses.

Perhaps the bodybuilding chest workout isn’t all fun after all – but that exhilarating feeling of complete free flow afterwards is SO worth any discomfort!