How To Build A Stronger Broader Chest

Nothing says masculine power like a muscular, built chest. Whether you’re pumping iron on the bench press or going for maximum reps on your push-ups, you can’t afford to miss chest day.

Chest exercises are essential to your overall strength and range of motion. Getting the right amount of exercise each week is crucial, and you’ve got options when it comes to hitting the weights and getting in your sets.

The goal of building a broad chest takes time; there’s no question about it. But if you want to see dramatic results, you’ve got to commit to a strict regimen of training, diet, and rest. It’s always worth it to go the extra mile, and once you’ve got a well-defined upper body, you’ll command far more attention.

Building a bigger chest takes two parts. First, you’ve got to have the right amount of weight. Once you’ve got that figured out, simply follow the number of sets and reps for each workout, and you’ll see results. Sometimes you’ve got to go heavy; other times, it’s best to go for volume. You’ll see your chest development accelerate faster with a variety of exercise types.

Keeping your chest muscles healthy is essential to age gracefully. After all, you’ll want to be able to push yourself up no matter how old you are. If you’ve skipped on your chest workouts for the past few years, don’t worry. You can still build a strong, dominant upper body no matter your age. To understand how the muscle groups in your chest work, you’ve got to know which muscles do the heavy lifting.

Let’s start with the most significant muscle of your chest group, the Pectoralis Major. This is the large, fan-shaped muscle that sits across the top of your chest, stretching from your clavicle to your sternum. This part of your chest helps move your upper limbs and reach above your shoulders. Underneath the Major, the Perotalis Minor starts at the top of your ribs and stabilizes your shoulder. The Serratus Anterior sits higher on your chest and consists of several narrow muscles. This is the muscle that allows you to extend your arms over 90 degrees. It also keeps your scapula against your ribcage. Finally, the subclavius is the smallest of the chest muscles. It sits right behind your clavicle and holds it firmly in place.
 

Why Hasn’t My Chest Gotten Bigger?

Almost every guy has had his struggles in the gym. You seem to push yourself harder and harder, only to find that all of the sets and reps aren’t getting you to your goals. Sure, muscle growth takes time, but if you feel like you’ve reached a plateau, you’re not alone.

One of the biggest culprits attributed to stagnation is your form. If your form is weak, you won’t be properly using your chest muscles, and you could end up hurting your ability to increase your strength. You may want to re-evaluate the weight you’re using and consider dropping a few pounds off the bar. Once you fix your form, you can move on to tackle the other issues that could be holding you back from progressing. Also, rest is just as important as your form. If you’re tired during your reps, you can give up on that last press. Sometimes it’s best to lower the bar and step away from the iron.

You could be struggling with your grip. If your grip is poor, your hands and arms will take most of the weight and prevent you from completing the full range of motion. How you handle the barbell will reflect how well you perform the exercise. If you’re bouncing the bar off of your chest, you could end up in the wrong position on the way back up. On top of that, it’s simply dangerous. You could injure your sternum, so it’s essential to slow down and keep calm throughout the entire rep.

If you have trouble with keeping your elbows in line during your sets, this is one thing that can prevent you from building a bigger chest. Keeping your elbows down to your side prevents you from injuring your shoulders and your back. Move your grip in on the bar and focus on completing the set with your arms tightly against your side. Push it up with great force and then lower it back down. You’re guaranteed to build muscle if you follow this procedure.

One factor that is often overlooked is the position of your feet. Take good care to keep your feet planted firmly on the floor, especially when you’re lowering the bar. One of the best chest tips, but often overlooked, keeping your feet firm throughout your sets makes each rep count.

Importance Of Warming Up Your Chest Muscles.

One of the most crucial parts of your workout and training is the warm-up. If you go straight for maximum power without getting loose, you’re at risk of tearing one or both of your pecs. When you start your daily exercise, take about ten minutes to loosen up your chest, arms, and shoulders. Do a few quick push-ups and make an effort to stretch out both your upper chest and lower back. Before you start your chest workout, bust out ten reps at a relatively light weight. This will send the blood to your muscles and prepare your body to put in some hard work. If you want to build a bigger chest, you’ve got to put in the work.
 

How Often To Work Your Chest For The Biggest Gains.

Ask any of the experts, and they’ll generally agree that working out your chest three non-consecutive days a week is the best range for maximum muscle growth. It’s easy to feel like you need to pump and press your chest muscles with reps every day, but rest is vital if you want your muscle group to develop properly. Hitting both your lower and higher chest at least twice a week in your workouts is recommended. It’s also essential to get the correct number of sets and reps into your training. Make sure you do at least two sets, push the weight all the way to the top, and then come back down to rest for just a fraction of a second. Engage the motion again and give it a few more reps to engage your pecs across your upper chest and your whole body.
 

How Much Weight To Lift To Build A Bogger Chest?

Whether you’re using a dumbbell, a barbell, or just the bench press, setting the correct weight is crucial when you want to build a bigger chest. As you progress through your chest workout, add on as much weight as you can handle. If you start getting too sore or you can’t finish the entire set, lower the weight back down just a bit and start again. Your pecs can handle more than you think, so it’s essential to push yourself past your limit.
 

Can I Get A Bigger Chest At Home?

If you’re trying to get a bigger chest at home and you’re wondering which weights you should use, consider picking up a kettlebell. There’s a world of exercise options that you can do with just one simple piece of workout equipment.

If you decide to go the route of calisthenics, push-ups can still help you increase your chest size. That being said, it will take a bit more time, and you won’t get the same results as you would with a set of heavy weights. Push-ups are great for strengthening your shoulder blades and are one of the best workouts for chest building. With all of the different push-up workout varieties, you can still build a significant amount of strength and take your body to the next level.

4 Biggest Mistakes People Make When Trying To Increase Chest Mass

Too Few Reps Per Set, To Much Weight

This is a common mistake made by a lot of men. It’s easy to walk in feeling like Superman, load the plates onto the barbell, and start lifting some heavy iron. While this will definitely increase your strength, you need maximum reps for your chest to begin to grow. If you want to see those pecs grow, take it down a notch and see how many reps you can get out of each set. Be sure to rest as you progress through your reps and your entire workout as well.
 

Going Too Fast – Not focusing on the negative

Slamming the bar high into the sky might work under pressure, but you should be focused on your exercise routine and slow it down a bit. Whether you’re on the incline bench or the dumbbell bench press, blasting through your sets and reps doesn’t help when you’re trying to build a solid muscle foundation. If you lose stability by going too fast, you could injure your shoulders, arms, or lower back. Make your workout count every time you hit the gym.
 

Too Much Bench Pressing

Have you ever seen the guys that go into the gym and spend three hours on the bench press? That’s all they seem to do! If you want to build a muscular chest, you’ve got to mix it up. Be sure to get in some incline dumbbell exercises along with the incline press for some intense chest training. Your pecs need a lot of attention to get to their most extensive, and you should include sets that hit your chest from a different position. Wait with a good amount of rest at the end of each set and pause to reflect on your workout.
 

Not Taking Advantage Of Different Angles

The incline bench is one of the best pieces of equipment you can include in your training. From the bottom of your chest to the top, working with weights on an incline will increase the size of your chest. Pushing up some reps while your hands point straight up is a great feeling and also helps build muscle in your lower arms, back, and shoulders. Lower it back down, and start all over again.

6 Best Exercises For A Massive Chest

Dips

One of the classic chest exercises, dips can be done anywhere you can find some leverage to push down. Complete at least five sets, rest for a bit, and then attempt to make the same motion again. Dips are also great for keeping your grip and your hands strong. Keep those fists shoulder-width apart. As you push yourself back up from the lowered position, embrace the burn in the middle of your chest–that’s your chest getting ready to grow. You’ve got to rest when pushing hard in between sets.
 

Dumbell Squeeze Press

This is a fantastic workout for building strength and increasing size. Your chest gets the full spectrum of the lift, and your arms get a boost as well. Start by laying down on the bench with the weights in your hands, shoulder-width apart. Next, allow your elbows to relax and lower the dumbbell. On the way up, as you’re pushing, twist the dumbbells inward and complete the rep. Take them down for a rest and repeat the process again. The dumbbell squeeze press will whip you into shape quickly.
 

Incline Barbell Press

As the star of chest day, the incline barbell press is one that can make your pecs pop right out of your shirt! Position yourself in the middle of the bench, keep your hands wider than shoulder-width, and lower the bar down to your shirt. From this position, press the bar back up and have a slight rest at the top. Complete at least two sets, rest, then move on to the next exercise. This workout is excellent; in fact, most professional bodybuilders love the barbell bench press.
 

Decline Push-Ups

After taking care of the incline, make sure you don’t forget about the decline position. Decline push-ups are a great way to build some volume on your pecs and add to your hands’ strength. Watch your time as you begin the push-up, go slow on the way down and really explode back up. You can do quite a few sets of these, as they don’t put too much strain on your arms or pecs. Try to include these in your workout at least once a week.
 

Cable Fly

Like the incline dumbbell, the cable fly can boost your ability to put on some extra mass. Great for multiple sets with high reps, this excellent exercise fits in well with any workout program. The cable fly gives you the ability to engage the groups you might have missed on a previous day. Spend some time to figure out exactly where you like the machine, and look at the same spot on the wall or floor while you complete your set. Position your arms wider than shoulder-width, place your body in the center of the machine, and give the cables a strong press for about 15 reps.
 

Decline Bench Press

The decline bench press is another fantastic option for the same muscle groups as the barbell bench press. Opposite of the incline bench, the decline press hits your lower back and provides a great chest workout. If you don’t have a bar, these work great with a dumbbell or two. Keep your arms shoulder-width apart and go for it. Hit at least four sets of the decline press when you’re doing your chest workout. If you can reach the point of a perfect pump, you’ll have a great day for the rest of the day. Your workouts will progress as time goes on, and you’ll start to notice a change within 28 days. Be sure to fit in your rest!
 

Importance Of Diet When Trying To Get A Bigger Chest

When you’re working out hard, there’s no time for junk food or alcohol. If you’re going to focus on completing your chest workout each day, you’ve got to keep up the discipline in the kitchen as well. Lower your sugar intake and keep a close eye on how your body is responding to your workouts. Over the course of the week, you may have a day or two, where you feel the temptation to grab a cheat meal. This is a wrong move–don’t let your workouts go to waste! With a bit of effort, adequate rest, and about 28 days’ worth of workouts, you’ll have a massive chest and a great body in no time at all.