How to Build a Big Chest: The Ultimate Guide
In this guide, we will give you a clear overview of the strategies and exercises that will assist you in building a bigger chest. No matter whether you are a beginner or an advanced lifter, the tips and techniques mentioned in this post will surely serve your best interests.
Let's get started.
Understanding Chest Anatomy
Before getting started with your chest training, it’s wise to understand the anatomy of the chest. The chest or the pectoral muscles have two main parts namely:-
Pectoralis Major-
This part is the larger fan-shaped muscle making up most of the chest.
Pectoralis Minor-
This is a smaller muscle located underneath the pectoralis major.
If you want to build a chest that looks well-balanced and dense, it's crucial to develop both parts.
Effective Chest Exercises
Here we present before you a list of exercises that will allow you to develop your chest to its maximum potential:-
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell bench press is undoubtedly the granddaddy of all the chest exercises. Being a compound movement, it not only targets your chest but also engages the triceps and shoulders in its execution.
How to Perform
Lie flat on the bench and grip the bar slightly wider than your shoulder width. Unrack the bar maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Inhale and lower the bar until it touches your lower chest. Press back up and exhale making sure to not lock out your arms. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Pro Tip
While performing the bench press, you must keep your feet flat on the floor. You must also maintain a slight arch in your lower back for more stability.
Incline Barbell/Dumbbell Bench Press
This exercise allows you to target the upper part of your chest as well as the clavicular head. Training assists in facilitating overall chest development.
How to Perform
Set an incline bench to a 30-45 degree angle. Lift the barbell/dumbbell maintaining a slight bend in your elbows. Now, lower the weight until the barbell/dumbbell is in line with your upper chest. Push the weight back up and exhale making sure to not lock out your elbows at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Pro Tip
Never make the mistake of overdoing the incline angle. If you perform this exercise at an angle greater than 60 degrees, then you will be targeting more shoulders than chest.
Parallel Bar Dips
Parallel bar dips are an excellent upper-body pushing exercise that primarily targets the lower part of your chest.
How to Perform
Start by holding yourself at arm’s length above the bar. Then inhale and start lowering yourself until your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Press back up to the starting position and exhale. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Pro Tip
You must slightly bend your upper body forward in order to engage more chest.
Push-ups
Push-ups are certainly versatile chest exercises that can be done anywhere with no training equipment. To perform them all you need is just your bodyweight.
How to Perform
Place your hand slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Inhale and start lowering your body until your chest touches the floor. Push yourself back to the starting position and exhale. Repeat for the desired number of repetitions.
Pro Tip
To increase the intensity of this exercise, you can elevate your foot placement.
Dumbbell Flys
Dumbbell fly is an isolation exercise for the chest muscles. This exercise provides the pectorals a deep stretch contributing towards their development.
How to Perform
Lie flat on a bench holding a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms above your chest. Now lower your arms in an arc until you feel a deep stretch in your pectorals. Now bring your arms back together, contracting your chest.
Pro Tip
Don't lock your elbows while performing this exercise. Also, use a controlled motion for muscle activation.
Cable Crossovers
Cable crossover is another great exercise for isolating the pectorals. This exercise provides constant tension on your pectorals throughout the movement.
How to Perform
Stand at a cable crossover station holding the handles with arms keeping your chest outstretched. Now bring them together in front of your chest feeling a deep contraction in your chest. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Pro Tip
To hit different areas of the chest, you can adjust the height of the pulley accordingly.
A Sample Chest Workout Routine
In order to build an impressive chest, you would have to rely on a well-structured chest-focused workout routine. You can get started with the following:-
Warm-up- Dynamic stretches and light cardio
Barbell Bench Press- 3 sets of 8-12 reps
Incline Barbell/Dumbbell Bench Press- 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Dumbbell Flys- 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Cable Crossovers- 3 sets of 10-12 reps
Parallel Bar Dips/Push-ups- 2 sets to failure
Cooldown- Stretching and foam rolling
Nutrition and Recovery
If you want to build a massive chest, only relying on training won't suffice. You would also have to pay attention to nutrition and recovery.
Protein Intake-
To facilitate muscle building keep your daily protein intake to around 0.8-1.0 grams of protein per pound of your bodyweight.
Balanced Diet-
Consume a diet that has all the essential macronutrients and micronutrients.
Stay Hydrated-
Drink adequate amounts of water every day to optimize performance and recovery.
Rest-
Make sure to give your pectorals periods of recovery by allowing them at least 48 hours of rest.
Don't Make These Mistakes
Now let's have a look at the mistakes which you should avoid at all costs:-
Poor Technique and Form- If your exercising technique and form are poor, you are never going to get the results you're training for. Make sure to perform each exercise in your workout routine with perfect form and technique.
Overtraining
Overtraining is a sure-shot way to induce fatigue and it can also contribute towards injury. Hence, you must rely on a well-structured workout plan that has provisions for adequate rest.
Not Training Other Muscle Groups
You must not make the mistake of ignoring other muscle groups just for the sake of building a big chest. Thus, following a workout routine that aims to develop each muscle group is of utmost importance.
Tracking Progress
Tracking your training progress is a great way to keep you motivated in your fitness journey. Here are a few ways in which you can do the same:-
Taking Photos
Taking photos every few weeks of your physique will give you a clear idea about your muscle growth.
Workout Log
You must keep a workout log to record the number of sets and reps you are performing along with the amount of weight you are lifting on each exercise. This will enable you to track improvements on your lifts.
Measuring Your Chest
Use tape to measure your chest tracking changes in your chest size.
Wrapping Up
Building a massive chest is not just a one-day affair. It would require you to follow an effective workout routine and nutrition plan along with making provisions for rest and recovery.
The tips and techniques mentioned in this post are going to serve you pretty well in that matter. So start your journey of building a chest of your dreams right now.
A well-developed back complements a big and muscular chest. To learn more about optimal back development, check out our article on Ultimate Guide to Build a Wide and Thick Back.
Stay tuned for our upcoming posts on workout techniques and nutrition.
Ciao!
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