A workout for your chest

The topic for today is a chest-workout. A wide and big chest gives an impressive outlook to bodybuilders. There are various exercises for the chest, but in this topic I’ll describe my own weekly chest training.

My training consists of the following exercises:

• Dumbbell Press, 2x12
• Dumbbell Fly, 1x12 1x10
• Incline Dumbbell Press, 2x12
• Incline Dumbbell Fly, 1x12 1x10
• Dips, 3x to failure
• Push Up, 3x to failure

Dumbbell Press

This exercise works the thickness of your chest. It is a variation on the well-known Bench Press. Instead of a barbell, you use two dumbbells. The advantage of using dumbbells is that you can bring them lower than a barbell, simply because there's no bar that hits your neck. So you can work a bigger part of the chest.

Lie down on a bench with one dumbbell in each hand (as shown in the picture below) and bring the weights up above your body till your arms are fully stretched. Inhale as you lower the weight, exhale as you raise the dumbbells.

 

The incline dumbbell press works the same, but you set the bench under an angle (smaller than 45°). This will work your lower chest.

Make one set of dumbbell presses with 12 repetitions and a second set with a higher weight of 10 repetitions. Then do the incline variant, 1x12 and 1x10 repetitions. This exercise also works the triceps and the front of your shoulders.

Dumbbell Fly's

This exercise works the width of your chest. Lie down on a bench with one dumbbell in each head, as shown in the picture below. Your elbows should point to the side. Lower the weights slowly beside your body, till your chest is fully stretched. Your elbows should stay in a fixed position. Bring the weight back to the starting position by making a hugging motion.

 

This exercise can also be done as the incline variant. You should make 2 sets of 12 repetitions of each. Breathe in as you lower the weights, breathe out as you bring the weights together. This exercise also works the front of your shoulders.

Chest Dips

Albeit the dip is a triceps exercise, it also works your lower chest. For this exercise you need a dip machine. Position yourself on the dip bars with your knees bent. Slowly come up by stretching your arms fully. Make slow movements, so you can make more repetitions. Do 3 sets to failure.

In most sport schools a weighted dip machine is available. With this machine you can use weights to make your dips more difficult.

Push Up

This old school exercise is an excellent one to finish your chest training. For instructions, see our "push up " article.

Do 3 sets to failure: Start with the close hands push up. Use a wider grip for the second set and yet another wider grip for the last set.

Unable to do push ups afterwards? Don't worry, it means you had a hard training and did your utmost.

Supersets

You can do supersets of dumbbell fly's and dumbbell presses to obtain more variation. For example: if you finished with dumbbell fly's, go on with dumbbell presses to failure. By doing this, you'll use all the muscle power within you.

Tue, 25 Dec 2007 | Posted in: Fitness | Posted by: Jeremy Walters

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