 Home |
CHEST EXERCISES
Exercises
Flat Bench press
Flat bench press with dumbbells
Flat bench dumbbell flyes
Incline bench press
Incline dumbbell press
Parallel bar dips
Decline dumbbell bench press
Incline dumbbell flyes
Dumbbell pullover
Flat Bench Press
The bench press is one of the more popular weight lifting exercises among weight lifters. If I had a dime every time someone has
asked me “how much can you bench?”.......
The bench press can be a fantastic weight lifting exercise if it is performed properly. What you want to concentrate on is the
muscle being worked and not on the weight being used.I’ve seen too many weight lifters using incorrect form using too much weight,
relying on the deltoids as opposed to the pecs. This leads to an over development of the deltoids and underdevelopment of the chest area.
This is not what you want, what you want is to perform the bench press the correct way in order to build full pectoral muscles.
Weight lifting exercise position
1. Lie back on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor and back pressed firmly against the padding.
2. Take a tight grip of the barbell (overhand) with your thumbs roughly 3 feet (90cm) apart. Make sure that your grip is balanced
between both sides of your body.Once your grip is set, press your shoulders down and back into the bench. This will push up your
pectoral girdle and allow for a much better stimulation.
3. Lift the bar from the rack.
Execution
1.Take the barbell from the rack and lock your elbows at the top position. Lower the barbell to the nipple area of the chest, slowly
and under control, keeping your elbows away and outward from the trunk of your body.
2. As the weight lowers, be sure not to bounce the weight - very important - do not bounce the weight from the chest. Lightly
touch the chest and push the weight back up in a controlled fashion. Beginners may find that the weight starts to fall forward or
backward or that the weight is rising unevenly because one arm is stronger than the other. Don’t worry too much about this and
concentrate on the movement itself. After a couple of weeks you will develop a groove and this movement will be second nature.
Click here to see the flat bench press illustration
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
This variation of the barbell bench press is an excellent weight lifting exercise for pecs. If you find you are going stale on the bench
press, try using dumbbells, you’ll be surprised at the results.
1. While seated on the edge of a flat bench, grasp two dumbbells in an overhand grip.
2. Rest the dumbbells in an upright position on the edge of your knees. Carefully lie on the flat bench bringing the dumbbells to the
sides of your torso at chest level. Make sure to bring the dumbbells up simultaneously. Feet should be planted firmly on the floor.
3. Slowly adjust the dumbbells with your arms fully extended at right angles to the floor. Press the weight up to the locked position.
The dumbbells should be held directly over your chest area, slightly touching each other with palms facing forward.
Execution
1. Slowly bend your arms and lower both dumbbells in a slow, controlled fashion to your chest. The dumbbells should be at the
sides of your chest.
2. Slowly press the weight back up from the sides of your chest to the starting position. Do not bounce the weight from the chest.
Keep you elbows out and away from the trunk of your body.
3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Flat Bench Dumbbell Press illustration
Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly
Dumbbell flyes are an excellent isolation exercise for the chest.
Weight lifting exercise position
1. While seated on the edge of a flat bench, grasp two dumbbells in an overhand grip.
2. Rest the dumbbells in an upright position on the edge of your knees.
3. Carefully lie on the flat bench, bringing the dumbbells to the sides of your torso at chest level. Make sure to bring the dumbbells
up simultaneously. Feet should be planted firmly on the floor.
4. Slowly adjust the dumbbells with your arms fully extended at right angles to the floor. Press the weight up to the locked position.
The dumbbells should be held directly over your chest area, slightly touching each other with palms facing inward.
5. Elbows must remain flexed throughout the entire movement.
Execution
1. Slowly lower your arms out to the side of your body with your arms at right angles. The dumbbells should be slowly lowered in
an arc like motion toward the floor until your chest is comfortably stretched.
2. At the bottom position of the exercise your hands should be parallel the trunk of your body. Raise and repeat. The elbows should
be slightly bent throughout the whole movement and should not be altered from start to finish (imagine your arms wrapping around a
large tree).
3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled
Click here to see the Flat Bench Dumbbell Fly illustration
Incline Bench Press
This is an excellent weight lifting exercise for the upper pecs. But if the exercise is done incorrectly, the only muscles that will be
developed are the front deltoids. A great upper chest weight lifting exercise.
Weight lifting exercise position
1. Lie back on an incline bench (35 to 45 degrees) with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Your back should be pressed firmly
against the padding.
2. Grip the barbell with your thumbs roughly 3 feet (90 cm) apart. Make sure that the grip is balanced between both sides of your
body. Lift the bar from the rack.
Execution
1. Take the barbell from the rack and lock your elbows at the top position. Keeping the arms away from the body, lower the barbell
to the upper chest area slowly and controlled.
2. Lightly touch the upper chest area and push the weight back up in a controlled manner to the starting position. Try and keep
your eyes on the barbell at all times as this will help out with balancing the weight and movement.
3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Incline Bench Press illustration
Incline Dumbbell Press
A variation of the inclince barbell press is the incline dumbbell press. This is a great exercise to do if your lagging on the incline press
or looking for something new to try:
Weight lifting exercise position
1. While seated in an incline bench, grasp two dumbbells in an overhand grip.
2. Rest the dumbbells in an upright position on the edge of your knees.
3. Carefully lie on the incline bench, bringing the dumbbells to the sides of your torso at chest level. Make sure to bring the
dumbbells up simultaneously. Feet should be planted firmly on the floor.
4. Slowly adjust the dumbbells with your arms fully extended at right angles to the floor. Press the weight up to the locked position.
The dumbbells should be held directly over your chest area, slightly touching each other with palms facing forward.
Execution
1. Slowly bend you arms and lower both dumbbells in a slow, controlled fashion to your chest. The dumbbells should be at the
sides of your chest.
2. Lower the dumbbells to a position where you feel a comfortable stretch.
3. Slowly press the weight back up from the sides of your chest to the starting position. Do not bounce the weight from the chest.
Keep you elbows out and away from the trunk of your body.
4. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Incline Dumbbell Press illustration
Parallel Bar Dips
Weight lifting exercise position
1. Support your body at straight arm’s length.
2. Keep your back straight, torso straight, knees flexed, and feet behind you.
Execution
1. Lower your body to a point where you feel a comfortable stretch.
2. Slowly push your torso upward back to the starting position.
3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Parallel Bar Dips illustration
Decline Dumbbell Press
Weight lifting exercise position
1. Grab a pair of dumbbells and position yourself on the decline bench (This will take some practice so start light). While on the
decline bench, grasp two dumbbells in an overhand grip.
2. Rest the dumbbells in an upright position on the edge of your knees.
3. Carefully lie on the flat bench, bringing the dumbbells to the sides of your torso at chest level. Make sure to bring the dumbbells
up simultaneously. Feet should be planted firmly on the floor.
4. Slowly adjust the dumbbells with your arms fully extended at right angles to the floor. Press the weight up to the locked position.
The dumbbells should be held directly over your chest area, slightly touching each other with palms facing forward.
Execution
1. Slowly bend you arms and lower both dumbbells in a slow, controlled fashion to your chest. The dumbbells should be at the
sides of your chest.
2. Slowly press the weight back up from the sides of your chest to the starting position. Do not bounce the weight from the chest.
Keep you elbows out and away from the trunk of your body.
3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Decline Dumbbell Press illustration
Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Weight lifting exercose position
1. While seated on the edge of an incline bench, grasp two dumbbells in an overhand grip.
1. Rest the dumbbells in an upright position on the edge of your knees.
2. Carefully lie on the incline bench, bringing the dumbbells to the sides of your torso at chest level. Make sure to bring the
dumbbells up simultaneously. Feet should be planted firmly on the floor.
3. Slowly adjust the dumbbells with your arms fully extended at right angles to the floor. Press the weight up to the locked position.
The dumbbells should be held directly over your chest area, slightly touching each other with palms facing inward.
4. Elbows must remain flexed throughout the entire movement.
Execution
1. Slowly lower your arms out to the side of your body with your arms at right angles. The dumbbells should be slowly lowered in
an arc like motion toward the floor until your chest is comfortably stretched.
2. At the bottom position of the exercise your hands should be parallel the trunk of your body. Raise and repeat. The elbows should
be slightly bent throughout the whole movement and should not be altered from start to finish (imagine your arms wrapping around a
large tree).
3. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Incline Dumbbell Flyes illustration
Dumbbell Pullover
Position for the dumbbell pullover
1. Lie down on a bench with your shoulders near the end of the bench. Your head should be off the bench. Now, you can either
reach to the floor for a dumbbell and pull it up, have someone hand you the dumbbell or you can start with the dumbbell on your chest.
Personally, I start with a dumbbell on my chest.
2. Grasp the dumbbell (as in the picture) and press the weight up.Your arms should have a slight bend to them at the starting position.
Execution of the dumbbell pullover
1. Slowly lower the dumbbell so to stretch your arms as they reach the floor. Remember, all muscles should be totally stretched as
the weight approaches the floor. The back should have a maximum arch when the weight is lowered to this position. The dumbbell will
actually be behind your head in this position.
2. Slowly raise the dumbbell back to it’s starting position.
Click here to see the Dumbbell Pullover illustration
Cable Cross Overs
Position
1. Grab one handle with your left hand and than move over and grab the other handle with your right hand.
2. Stand in the centre and slightly bend your body forward.
Execution
1. Bend your arms slightly at the elbow and bring your hands together in front of your chest or hips. Whatever feels more
comfortable.
2. Try to concentrate the action on the chest area.
3. Once you get to the bottom of the movement, it is very important for you to squeeze the handles together and hold for a
half second.
4. Keep the movement fluent, slow, and controlled.
Click here to see the Cable Cross Overs illustration |
