Workout 19: Chest
Chest Exercises
1. Flat Bench Press
Caution: In order to protect yourself, it is best to have a spotter help you.
- Start by lying back on a flat bench. Use an overhand grip that is wider than your shoulder-width to lift the bar from the rack. Hold it directly above you with your arms fully extended.
- Inhale and begin lowering the bar toward your chest until your elbow creates a 90° angle.
- After a brief pause, push the bar back to the starting position as you exhale. Focus on using your chest muscles to push up the bar.
- Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in the contracted position at the top of the motion. Hold for a second and then slowly begin lowering the bar.
2. Incline Bench Press
- Lie back on an incline bench. Make sure the bench is adjusted to between 15 and 30 degrees on an incline. Anything higher than 30 degrees mainly works the anterior deltoids (shoulders). Your grip should be where your elbows make a 90-degree angle.
- Using a shoulder-width grip, wrap your fingers around the bar with your palms facing away from you. Lift the bar up from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked.
- As you breathe in, come down slowly until the bar is an inch away from your chest. You want the bar to be in line with your upper chest the whole time. Your arms should be at a 45-degree angle and tucked into your sides.
- Hold this position for one count at the bottom of this movement and, with one big exhale, push the bar back up to your starting position. Lock your arms, hold, and come down slowly.
3. Decline Bench Press
Caution: In order to protect yourself, it is best to have a spotter help you.
- Start by securing your legs under the brace at the bottom of the decline bench and lie down.
- Using an overhand medium-width grip, lift the bar from the rack and hold it straight over your chest with your arms full extended. Your arms should be perpendicular to the ground.
- As you inhale, lower the bar toward your chest until your elbows reach a 90° angle.
- Pause for a second, then use your chest muscles to push the bar back up to the starting position as you exhale. Lock your arms and squeeze your chest in at the contracted position. Hold for a second and then start to lower the bar down slowly.
4. High To Low Cable Fly
- Move the pulleys to the highest position and select the same resistance for each D-handle.
- Stand between both pulleys with your arms extended out to your sides. Grasp both handles with an overhand grip while keeping your feet aligned with the pulleys.
- Remaining upright and keeping a slight bend in your elbows, pull your arms close together in front of your body.
- After a pause at the peak contraction, return your arms back to the starting position.
5. Low To High Cable Fly
- Place the pulleys at the lowest position and select the same resistance level for each one.
- Stand between both pulleys with your arms extended out to your sides. Grasp both handles with an underhand grip so that your palms are facing forward and move one foot forward.
- Start with your hands below your waist and your arms fully extended.
- Keep a slight bend in your elbows as you raise your arms upward and towards the middle of your torso. Make sure that you are flexing your chest. Your hands should end up being directly in front of your chest.
6. Push-up
- Position yourself face-down on the ground and place your hands shoulder width apart. Keeping your back as straight as possible, push your body off the ground, through your hands.
- Inhale as you lower yourself downward, until your chest nearly touches the ground.
- Exhale and press your upper body back up to the starting position while squeezing your chest, arms, and abdominal muscles.