How to pump up your upper pectoral muscles
Not everyone can get their pectoral muscles in shape.
The reasons are hidden:
- in antisymmetrical development;
- in an unskilled approach to the selection and implementation of exercises;
- in the genetic characteristics of the body structure.
The chest is formed by 3 zones: upper, middle and lower.
The first is less developed. Beginners, not knowing the peculiarities of the structure of the pectoral muscles, begin their “career” with popular exercises: bench press, dumbbell flyes, push-ups.
The effect of physical activity on this section should be emphasized by performing exercises at an angle, with the head raised. When training on a bench, the back should be raised by 30-60°. The height of the corner proportionally increases the degree of load.
Exercises on the uneven bars to build up the upper chest area are performed in a horizontal position so that the legs rest on the pipes. When the torso lowers below the projectile, from this position to the horizontal, push-ups specifically work the chest muscles.
Is it possible to pump up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar?
To learn to feel your muscles, you need to start practicing the barbell press.
Pumping the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar is effective provided that the basic rules of training and building muscle mass are followed. When working out on the bars, it is important to take into account that the pectoral muscles can only be pumped up in combination with other physical exercises.
Pull-ups work the muscles of the arms and back. If your main goal is to become the owner of a sculpted chest, you cannot limit yourself to one horizontal bar. To learn to “feel” your body and achieve sculpted muscles, it is recommended to start by doing the following exercises:
- bench press;
- dumbbell flyes in a lying position;
- push ups.
To achieve your goals in the shortest possible time, you need to familiarize yourself with technical recommendations and tips for working on the horizontal bar.
Features of training for women and men
When developing programs for sports, women need to take into account the characteristics of their body and the specifics of muscle growth. The body is prone to storing fat. It is more difficult for them to increase muscle mass. This fact cannot be ruled out even among professional athletes.
The bulk of adipose tissue is located below the waist. The leg power of young women is 27% weaker than that of men. The shoulder girdle is inferior in endurance by 40-70%. The spine is longer, the limbs are shorter. The heart is smaller than a man's, so it contracts more often.
It takes the female body much more time to restore performance and well-being after heavy physical exertion, while men tolerate it much more easily.
The number of muscle fibers in the chest muscles is inferior to that of the opposite sex.
It is more difficult for girls to achieve an increase in muscle mass in this area, even with intense strength training. The difference between the training program for the fairer sex is the technique of performing the exercises, the rhythm and number of repetitions for a specific muscle group.
Female muscles are composed of smooth muscles. It is characterized by:
- weak ability to increase;
- endurance;
- minimal damage.
Taking these features into account, the size of the load and the number of repetitions in the approaches are calculated. Girls need to perform exercises, increasing the number of repetitions by 30% from those performed by men, using a light load.
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Chest pull-ups
The exact distribution of the load when exercising on the horizontal bar directly depends on your hand grip. When pumping the upper pectoral muscles, use a wide direct grip, or a mixed one, in combination with placing the head behind the horizontal bar. The choice depends on the level of training. Start with 2 sets of 5 pull-ups. The quantity is increased weekly by 5%.
In exercises on the horizontal bar there are phases:
- positive - the body is lifted;
- negative - the body is released;
There are 2 techniques: “focus on strength”, “focus on mass”.
Power emphasis technique:
- the body is raised slowly, lowered quickly, the duration of the rise is 3 seconds, the descent is 1 second;
- every 3 sessions, increase the number of repetitions by 3;
- during the lifting phase, it is important to maintain tension in the muscles;
- rest is gradually reduced to 2 minutes.
“Emphasis on mass” requires compliance with the following rules:
- the body rises quickly (1 sec.), descent slowly (3 sec.);
- the body is tense in a negative phase;
- the number of repetitions and approaches is not increased;
- rest - 3 minutes;
- The energy balance after exercise is replenished with good nutrition.
When performing pull-ups on the pectoral muscles, you must practice the following: the positive phase is done while exhaling, the negative phase while inhaling, breathing throughout the entire exercise without holding air in the lungs.
Holding your breath during physical activity provokes oxygen starvation of the body, which leads to a decrease in results. Lack of air does not allow you to perform the exercise in the desired amount and reduces the number of ascents and descents. Symptoms of improper breathing manifest themselves in the form of dizziness, loss of strength, and weakness.
How to pump up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar quickly and correctly?
How to pump up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar? Any young, confident guy, or middle-aged man, dreams of beautiful and sculpted pectoral muscles. For many, pumping up the pectoral muscles turns into torture, because the time and effort spent do not give the expected result, but only tire them physically and mentally.
How to pump up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar? There are several simple exercises. There are many ways to quickly and effectively pump up your pectoral muscles using expensive exercise equipment. Many people naively assume that there is no more effective way to pump up the pectoral muscles than long daily exercises using special programs. In fact, it is enough to have only the most ordinary horizontal bar and ordinary dumbbells. Cheap and effective. The horizontal bar will help any athlete comprehensively pump up all the muscles that are located above the waist, and dumbbells will emphasize their relief. The simulator pumps up only certain muscles to the detriment of other groups; with the help of a horizontal bar, on the contrary, the maximum number of muscles is tensed. Many novice athletes do not know how to pump up their pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar. You can perform many exercises for all muscle groups, focusing on certain ones, the pectoral muscles, for example. In any case, not only the pectoral muscles will be pumped, but also the back muscles, abs, shoulders and arms.
The horizontal bar is designed to allow you to pull yourself up on it, so most of the exercises performed on the horizontal bar are still modified forms of the most common pull-up. Only a number of details are corrected, for example, changing the distance between the hands and the type of grip. Even with a slight increase in distance when performing an exercise, the load on some muscles significantly decreases and increases several times on others, body weight is redistributed. How to technically correctly pump up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar?
The simplest and most effective method to pump up the pectoral muscles is pull-ups on the bar. It would seem that nothing is simpler, but there are a number of details that are important to observe when performing this exercise. Firstly, you need to do pull-ups on the bar regularly to achieve results, preferably every day. Secondly, the exercise must be performed smoothly, slowly, without sudden jerks or swaying of the body, this will increase the effectiveness of the exercise many times over. We place our hands shoulder-width apart, and our palms should be turned toward ourselves. Exhale when lowering the body, and inhale when raising it. It is better not to interrupt your breathing, otherwise your heart rhythm will be disrupted and, as a result, you will perform fewer pull-ups.
Another exercise for the pectoral muscles, performed on the horizontal bar, is a pull-up with your head behind the bar. Hands shoulder-width apart, normal grip. Every time you do a pull-up, you need to move your head behind the horizontal bar. Breathing should be even, and exercises should be performed smoothly, without jerking. In addition to the horizontal bar, dumbbells are often used. Exercises for the pectoral muscles with dumbbells are very effective. All you need is 2 dumbbells and a bench. You can pump up your pectoral muscles with the help of the most common push-ups. All these exercises can be done at home.
Many videos are devoted to how to pump up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar at home. The number of approaches for each athlete is strictly individual, on average, it is better to do 2-3 approaches, a beginner athlete can do only 2 approaches, a more experienced one - 5 or more. If signs of discomfort appear, it is better to abandon the next approach and rest. It is also worth remembering that muscle recovery requires a certain time; usually, after a hard, multi-hour workout, you rest for at least 1 day, or even more, depending on the quality of the workout itself.
By following these simple rules, you will save yourself from questions about how to properly pump up your pectoral muscles at home.
Push-ups for the pectoral muscles at home
Training is carried out at least 2-3 times a week.
Perform a set of exercises:
- Push-up. You will need 8 books with a thickness of at least 500 sheets. At a distance of 70 cm, in parallel, books are arranged in a tower of 4 pieces. Focusing on the books, they begin to do push-ups. Movements are slow. The lowering of the body lasts 7-8 seconds. Perform 15 times in 4 approaches.
- The second exercise involves fixing the position. Place your hands on the floor and begin push-ups. When the body is half close to the floor, make a delay for 2-3 seconds, then bring the push-up to the end and fix the body again for 2-3 seconds. Perform 10 times in 4 approaches.
- Incline push-ups perform as usual, only the feet are raised above the level of the head, the toes are rested on the sofa or bench. Perform 10 repetitions in 3 sets.
- Push off the floor and clap your palms after fully lifting your body. It is better to perform at the end of the complex. Until the body is adapted, you can simply lift yourself off the floor and gradually introduce clapping. Do 2 approaches until fully laid out.
Pectoral push-ups
Exercise to strengthen the upper pectoral muscles:
- rest your hands on the edge of the bench, position your arms wider than your shoulders, straight at the elbows;
- legs rest on the floor, keep the body level;
- we spread our elbows to the side, bend our arms, lower our chest to the bench;
- Raise your torso until your elbow joints are fully straightened.
When doing push-ups, do not lie with your chest on the bench, but lightly touch it . The downward movement is accompanied by exhalation, the ascent is carried out while inhaling. Gradually increase the number of repetitions and approaches.
The scheme is as follows:
- 1 week - 5 approaches: 20-20-15-10-5;
- 2 - 5 approaches: 25-25-20-15-10;
- 3 - 5 approaches: 30-30-25-25-20;
- 4 - 5 approaches: 40-35-25-25-15;
- 5 - 5 approaches: 45-45-30-30-25.
Pumping up the pectoral muscles on the horizontal bar correctly
With the help of a horizontal bar, you can train the muscles of the chest, back, neck, arms, triceps and biceps. For beginner athletes, you will need a reserve of patience and endurance. The variety of exercises with which we pump the pectoral muscles is ensured by changing the distance between the hands, as well as various options for gripping the bar. With a forward grip, the palms should be directed away from the body, in the case of a reverse grip, towards the body, and with a neutral grip, the palms should face each other. There are wide, medium and narrow grips. The width of the grip affects the intensity of work of the back muscles: the wider the grip, the more the back muscles are involved; with a narrower grip, most of the load falls on the chest muscles.
Pectoral dips
Exercise technique:
- start from the top position. The body is slightly leaned forward, the legs are bent at the knees;
- inhaling, smoothly lower the body as low as possible, pause for a second;
- As you exhale, lift up. The elbow joints, when the body has reached the top point, are bent.
Perform 10 repetitions, 3 sets. Rest between sets 1-2 minutes. When doing push-ups, it is important to monitor the position of your elbows. The width of the bars is set to be 10-15 cm greater than the width of the shoulders, this ensures the load on the chest muscles.
Exercises on the horizontal bar for the pectoral muscles
For men and women there are no fundamental differences in performing exercises. Having studied the basic base, you can begin to practice.
Medium/regular grip
Medium grip on the horizontal bar
The algorithm for performing the exercise is as follows:
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you.
- As you exhale, you need to bend your elbows and raise your head so that your chin is above the bar of the horizontal bar.
- As you inhale, the person returns to the starting position, relaxing his arms.
- During the first workout, the optimal number of repetitions is 3-5 times.
To avoid injury, it is important to perform the exercise smoothly and without jerking. The effect will be more noticeable depending on how much higher the athlete rises and lower.
Reverse grip
Reverse grip
For working the sternum muscles, the reverse grip is considered not the most effective, but it works well on the latissimus dorsi and biceps muscles of the arms. While performing the reverse grip exercise, it is recommended to try to tense your chest muscles.
Technique:
- Hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms and fingers pointing towards the person.
- The legs are bent at the knees; for convenience, the ankles can be crossed.
- You need to rise while exhaling, and lower while inhaling.
- You need to rise as high as possible and descend as well.
Pull-ups using a reverse grip are the simplest version of the exercise, so the number of repetitions should be greater than the previous version of pull-ups.
Parallel grip
Parallel grip pull-ups
Pull-ups using a parallel grip are used as an auxiliary exercise to work the deltoids and biceps, lower part of the latissimus dorsi and chest muscles.
The sequence of performing pull-ups with a parallel grip:
- Get into the starting position, the distance between the hands should be minimal, and the person should not experience discomfort.
- When pulling up to the bar, you need to touch it not with your chin, but with your chest.
- The downward movement should be slightly shortened.
During the exercise, the greatest load falls on the biceps.
Exercises on the horizontal bars
Working on the bars allows you to reduce weight, maintain the condition of the spine, strengthens the chest muscles, arm ligaments and joints . The projectile is complex. The technique of “negative repetitions” has been created for beginners. It is based on an allegedly already performed pull-up.
The person performing the exercise stands on a chair and fixes the position on the bar: arms are bent at the elbows, chin is raised above the bar (as if doing a pull-up). The chair is removed and the torso is slowly lowered on its own, arms are extended. The first week, perform 4-5 approaches, each with 3 repetitions.
When regular pull-ups become feasible, move on to more complex training:
- close grip with chest touching the bar;
- Pull-ups by the head with a wide grip. At the same time, keep your back straight, movements are smooth;
- lifting the body with a reverse grip, fingertips pointing at the trainee;
- hanging with legs raised, knees bent (increases height, straightens posture);
- lifting straight legs with flexion of the hips (pumps the abs).
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How to pump up your chest on the horizontal bar
Published
The pectoral muscles are one of the most capricious, especially in women. It is not so easy to give them elasticity and relief, however, it is quite possible to do. To achieve this price, some people go to expensive gyms where they “torment” the iron, while others stay at home. We offer the most democratic and at the same time effective option to make your breasts sculpted and beautiful. Get dressed, today's training, to the envy of your neighbors, will take place on the street, right in the yard. Feel free to go to the area with the horizontal bars. Surely there is no one near her. These sports equipment today remain unnoticed, although completely in vain.
A simple metal bar will make it possible to perform a huge range of various exercises. On the horizontal bars you can train various muscle groups in both men and women - we wrote about effective exercises in articles about biceps, shoulders - back, abs. Moreover, it is absolutely free and at a convenient time. It is important that you do not need any newfangled devices or expensive equipment; it is enough to have simple sportswear.
In order to enlarge and give a pumped-up appearance to your chest muscles, you need to be patient and willing to work on your body. Without this basic luggage, you cannot achieve your cherished goal on the horizontal bar.
The main exercise that is performed on the bar, it’s not trivial, is pull-ups. Even if you didn’t succeed in physical education lessons, it’s time to catch up.
It would seem that what could be unusual about pulling up? At first glance, everything in the technique of its execution is linear and understandable, but in fact, a wide variety of types of this basic turnstile exercise has been invented. The distance at which your hands are placed, whether you grab the bar of the horizontal bar with a straight or reverse grip, will determine which muscle you are working. So how should you tighten yourself to make your breasts pumped up and beautiful? Let's look for the answer together.
The horizontal bar helps the athlete work out a wide range of muscles. During pull-ups, you work your back, arms, as well as your biceps and triceps. But we are interested in the chest muscles - they are also actively involved.
Anyone who is just starting to get acquainted with such an apparatus as a horizontal bar will have to gather all their will into a fist, which will help to achieve an excellent result, they need to mobilize their entire reserve of endurance and work patiently.
The variety of types of exercises with which we work the chest muscles is ensured by the fact that the width of the placement of the hands varies, and the types of grip on the horizontal bar also vary.
If you hold your palms in such a way that the back of your hand “looks” at you, then it is an overhand grip or a pronated one. If everything is the other way around, the fingers on the hands are directed towards the face, then this is a reverse grip or, also called, supinated. Less commonly used by athletes is a parallel or neutral grip, when the palms are directed towards each other.
There is one more division when performing pull-ups. There are three types of stylus grip, depending on the distance between the hands: narrow, medium and wide. The force with which your back muscles will act depends on how you perform the exercise. For example, with a wide grip, they are worked deeper, and if you use a narrow grip, the chest muscles will also be involved.
So, how to pump up your chest muscles?
You can work on the horizontal bar for a long time every day, but your chest will not change its shape. As we already warned, they are very capricious. Only those who will do everything technically and accurately can work out this muscle group. In particular, on the horizontal bar you need to pull up your body gradually and also carefully lower it smoothly.
Jerking, jerking, swinging on the crossbar is a sign of amateurism and the presence of free time, because in this situation it will be wasted.
But we want to achieve high results, so we will do everything exactly the opposite. Mentally keep a count while pulling up
; if you pull up by three counts, then lower yourself in the same way - this is another golden rule.
All runners are very careful about their breathing. Beginning turnstile runners can learn from them. Inhalations and exhalations must be controlled
. Draw air into your lungs when you relax your muscles, exhale when your body is tense, when we strive to lift our body up. Almost 20% of the success of your classes is clearly structured breathing. The air should not pass through the mouth, but through the nose.
One more rule. The lower the pull-up speed, the greater the result
. Don’t chase speed like teenagers, quality is important to us. Pull-ups on the horizontal bar should occur at a minimum speed in order to achieve maximum results.
Experienced athletes advise doing odd number of pull-ups. It is advisable to do 3-4 sets, but here everyone decides for themselves, based on the capabilities and level of preparation of the body.
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Exercises with dumbbells for the pectoral muscles
Training with dumbbells in exercises for the upper pectoral muscles pumps up small stabilizer muscles:
- starting position: lying on a bench, take dumbbells in your hands so that your shoulders are located at a right angle to your body;
Exercises with dumbbells strengthen the upper pectoral muscles - inhale, hands drop to the chest. Pause 1-2 seconds;
- As you exhale, bring your arms back to their original position. Pause 1-2 sec.
Exercises for the upper part of the pectoral muscles in an inclined position, the head is located above the pelvis - the upper part is pumped, below - the middle section is worked.
Performed as follows:
- lie on a bench, dumbbells are located at chest level, elbows look to the sides, bent 90°;
- inhale, lift the dumbbells vertically upward. At the highest point there is a pause, and the movements are directed to the starting position;
Dumbbell flyes:
- starting position: lying on a bench, arms straightened at the elbows;
- while inhaling, the dumbbells are moved apart;
- exhale, return to the starting position.
The trajectory of the divorce and return of the hands should be the same. Dumbbells do not fall below shoulder level. Exercises are performed in 3 sets of 12 times.
Pull-ups on the horizontal bar for the pectoral muscles
Once you have provided yourself with the necessary base, you can begin exercises on the horizontal bar. The first thing you need to know about the technique of doing pull-ups is what grip to use.
Basic grip types:
- regular or upper (palms should face outward);
- reverse or lower (palms pointing inward);
- parallel, also neutral (palms facing each other).
Types of grip according to palm placement
The types are also distributed according to grip width:
- wide (palms wider than shoulders);
- medium (palms at shoulder level);
- narrow (palms narrower than shoulders).
Types of grip relative to shoulder width
If the horizontal bar is something still unknown in practice for you and you are unable to pull yourself up, then ask for help from another person who will help you rise above the bar and control your descent.
Video: What grip to use for pull-ups
Regular/medium grip
- We place our hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing outward.
- As you exhale, bend your elbows and rise so that your chin is above the bar.
- We relax our hands, lowering ourselves, and take a breath.
- When you first train, try to do 3-5 pull-ups. Our goal for the future is 3 sets of 15 pull-ups.
Remember that lifting the body should be done smoothly , without jerking or swaying. The higher you go and the lower you go, the more noticeable the effect will be.
Video: How to do pull-ups with a medium grip
Video of pumping chest with a medium grip:
Reverse grip
The reverse grip is not the most effective practice for working the pectoral muscles, but it has a significant impact on the biceps and latissimus dorsi muscles. In order for this type of grip to pump up the pectoralis major and minor muscles, when doing pull-ups, try to focus on and tense your chest.
- Hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms facing you.
- Legs bent at the knees, ankles can be crossed.
- We go up - exhale, we go down - inhale.
- We try to go up as far as possible and go down as low as possible.
Reverse-grip pull-ups are an easier variation than regular-grip pull-ups, so try to do more attempts during your sets.
Video: reverse grip pull-ups
Parallel grip
The parallel grip pull-up is used as an auxiliary exercise to work the muscles of the chest, lower latissimus back, deltoids and biceps.
- When taking the starting position, place your palms as narrowly as possible, but without causing discomfort.
- When performing pull-ups, touch the bar not with your chin, but with your chest.
- The downward movement must be shortened.
- The exercise is carried out using the strength of the biceps.
Video: Technique for performing parallel grip pull-ups
Wide grip
The main difference between the wide grip technique is that it can be performed by touching the bar with the back of your head rather than your chin. With this exercise, the latissimus dorsi muscles are mainly loaded, but since our goal is to pump up the pectoral muscles, we strive to touch the bar with the chest. Wide-grip pull-ups combined with the bench press give excellent results in building chest muscle mass. We perform the exercises with proper breathing, slowly, controlling the descent.
- Place your palms wider than shoulder-width apart.
- Take a deep breath and tense your back and chest muscles.
- As you exhale, pull your chest toward the bar.
- Elbows should remain in approximately the same place.
- Exhale and slowly lower yourself down.
Video: Technique for wide-grip chest pull-ups
Narrow grip
Since our goal is to pump up the chest, let’s pay special attention to the narrow grip, which is the most difficult, but it is the one that has the most active effect on the muscles of the arms and chest . Moreover, you can further increase the load on the pectoral muscles if you tilt your body forward and abduct your legs when doing pull-ups. This exercise is performed with both a regular and reverse grip.
- Grab the bar with your hands so that the distance between them is 10–20 cm.
- Tighten your chest and arm muscles.
- Exhaling, pull yourself up so that the upper part of the pectoralis major muscle touches the bar.
- Hold your body in this position for a second, then slowly lower down while inhaling.
Exercises with a barbell for the pectoral muscles
The priority exercise for developing the upper pectoral muscles is the bench press:
- initial position: the bench is fixed at an angle of 45°, the barbell is raised up, the grip on the bar is 10-15 cm wider than the shoulders, the legs are resting on the floor, the shoulder blades are brought together, the back is arched;
- inhale. Lower the projectile, touching the upper point of the chest;
- exhale . Press up (return to starting position).
Deadlift, the exercise works up to 75% of the muscles:
- stand close to the barbell, feet are parallel to each other, shoulder-width apart;
- squat, with a straight grip (10-15 cm wider than the shoulders) take the projectile. The shoulders are parallel to the bar, the arms are vertical to the floor;
- take a deep breath and begin to pull upward as you exhale;
- having raised it, straighten just above the knees, bringing the shoulder blades as close as possible;
- the bar is released downwards with the shoulder blades retracted and the lower back bent;
- As soon as the projectile has dropped below the knees, they do a squat and touch the floor with the pancakes.
Important! keep your lower back in a curved position, make movements only smoothly, do not jerk the barbell sharply.
Pull to the chin. Performed with a narrow grip, arms bent at the elbows. Inhale, lift the barbell to the chin, and spread your elbows to the sides. The position is fixed for 2-3 seconds. As you exhale, lower the projectile.
Training the lower chest - targeted exercises
Hold yourself with a straight grip, with your fists facing each other.
Horizontal bar press
- Climb the bar using an inversion climb or other method.
- Lean forward slightly.
- Lower yourself until your chest touches the bar.
- Return to the starting position.
- Grab the bar with an overhand grip.
- Your hands should be slightly wider than your shoulders.
- Forcefully push yourself over the horizontal bar to the level of your lower back.
source
Voluminous wide breasts are the dream of most men. The best way to develop the thoracic region is considered to be the bench press. But not everyone has the opportunity to go to the gym. In such a situation, home exercises with your own body weight and small weights will come to the rescue.
It is difficult to imagine a sports equipment that would be more accessible than a horizontal bar. The crossbar can be found in any gym and fitness center, and what can we say if this apparatus is always installed in the playgrounds in the yard. This accessibility of the horizontal bar is compensated by a special requirement - it will be difficult to do at least one pull-up without basic physical training. Let's consider exercises that, if available, will help to effectively work the pectoral muscles or, more simply put, pump up the chest.
You can increase muscle mass through training and proper nutrition, which contains the optimal amount of protein. Regular exercise allows muscle fibers to get used to gradually increasing loads, which will contribute to their growth. To pump up your pectoral muscles in a short time, it is additionally recommended to use weights that cause muscle stress.
For men and women there are no fundamental differences in performing exercises. Having studied the basic base, you can begin to practice.
The algorithm for performing the exercise is as follows:
- Place your hands shoulder-width apart, palms facing away from you.
- As you exhale, you need to bend your elbows and raise your head so that your chin is above the bar of the horizontal bar.
- As you inhale, the person returns to the starting position, relaxing his arms.
- During the first workout, the optimal number of repetitions is 3-5 times.
To avoid injury, it is important to perform the exercise smoothly and without jerking. The effect will be more noticeable depending on how much higher the athlete rises and lower.
Reverse grip
For working the sternum muscles, the reverse grip is considered not the most effective, but it works well on the latissimus dorsi and biceps muscles of the arms. While performing the reverse grip exercise, it is recommended to try to tense your chest muscles.
- Hands are slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, palms and fingers pointing towards the person.
- The legs are bent at the knees; for convenience, the ankles can be crossed.
- You need to rise while exhaling, and lower while inhaling.
- You need to rise as high as possible and descend as well.
Parallel grip
Pull-ups using a parallel grip are used as an auxiliary exercise to work the deltoids and biceps, lower part of the latissimus dorsi and chest muscles.
The sequence of performing pull-ups with a parallel grip:
- Get into the starting position, the distance between the hands should be minimal, and the person should not experience discomfort.
- When pulling up to the bar, you need to touch it not with your chin, but with your chest.
- The downward movement should be slightly shortened.
During the exercise, the greatest load falls on the biceps.
Wide grip
The main difference between a wide grip is that during the exercise you need to touch the bar not with your chin, but with the back of your head. This variation is difficult to perform, but effectively works the pectoral muscles and latissimus dorsi.
During training, it is important to continuously monitor your breathing, controlling your descent.
Read more: The most effective exercises for losing weight at home
Algorithm for performing the exercise:
- Hands are spread apart at a distance wider than shoulders.
- Taking a deep breath, the person tenses the muscles of his back and chest.
source
source
You can increase muscle mass through training and proper nutrition, which contains the optimal amount of protein.
Regular exercise allows muscle fibers to get used to gradually increasing loads, which will contribute to their growth.
To pump up your pectoral muscles in a short time, it is additionally recommended to use weights that cause muscle stress.
Hi all! Interested in the bottom of your pecs? This is right, this is very right! This means that you are no longer a beginner in bodybuilding, because you are already starting to pay attention to the subtleties.
After achieving noticeable results in bodybuilding, many athletes think about pumping up certain muscle groups. Breasts occupy a special place among them.
I would like to immediately note that for women, breast training should not be something very serious. The question of lower breasts should not worry girls at all. Women's breasts do not have the muscle structure that men have. In other words, women have little muscle in their chest, and therefore there is nothing special to train. But we will consider this issue separately someday.
In general, men work on relief and bulge, and women work on elasticity and fit. So, this article will look at the most effective exercises for the lower pectoral muscles.
Before we look into this issue, let’s briefly look at the structure of the pectoral muscle and, as usual, let’s dive a little into the anatomy. Not prevent!
So, our chest consists of the pectoralis major and minor muscles. The small one is located inside, and bodybuilders are interested in the large one, located on the surface. It is usually divided into upper, middle and lower bundles. To work out each zone more intensively, it is necessary to perform exercises at different inclinations.
The most important rule for novice bodybuilders is that you shouldn’t try to pump up all these bundles at once, performing an incredible number of varied loads.
You can begin to work out the lower part of the chest only after gaining noticeable muscle mass throughout the chest. Therefore, the answer is clear - you need to pump up your lower breasts, this will give this part a more impressive look, but only after achieving significant experience in training.
You can work on the lower chest both at home and in the gym, as well as combine them. First, let's look at the first option.
PUSHUPS. The most accessible exercise that works many muscle groups. It is especially suitable for girls, as it requires minimal skills and its implementation is not too difficult.
To work the lower chest, you need to keep your head higher than your feet. To do this, you can use book stands, increasing their height over time. Place two stacks of books on the floor. Get into the starting position with your feet 15 cm apart, hands on books, palms inward.
You need to move down very slowly and as low as possible. Perform the training very carefully, as books can slip and you can easily injure yourself. You can also use special sports supports as a support; in this case, you can also attach weights.
PUSH-UPS FROM THE BENCH. Place your hands on the bench with your palms facing inward. Feet apart, back straight. Lower yourself down until your chest touches the bench. You can use a backpack on your back as a weighting device.
PUSH-UPS. One of the most effective exercises for the lower chest. There are several nuances on how to move the load from your hands to the area you need. When doing push-ups, your torso should be slightly tilted forward and your elbows should be pulled out to the sides, not down.
As you move up, you don't need to straighten your arms all the way. Do the exercise at a measured pace. Over time, you can use weights on your legs.
Read more: Exercises with a weight of 16, 24, 32 kg at home for beginners and experienced ones for the back
Push-ups on the horizontal bar. This load requires experience and skills in push-ups on the horizontal bar. If you are just starting to get acquainted with this equipment, it is better to use a low horizontal bar, approximately at the same level as your head. If you are already a professional, then a regular one will do.
Execution: Place your hands on the horizontal bar at a distance of approximately 25 cm from each other with an overhand grip. You need to forcefully press upward, jumping, and straighten your arms completely. In this case, the lower part of the body should rest against the crossbar. Then you should bend forward slightly and slowly move down, spreading your elbows to the sides. Go as low as possible and repeat.
Having studied effective trainings performed at home, let’s move on to those available in the gym. Now we will look at exercises that are performed exclusively on an incline bench.
These exercises, with the head down, work great on the lower chest, but put a lot of stress on the blood vessels. Therefore, people with high blood pressure and over 30 should avoid them. The lower you lower the bench, the more the lower chest muscles are worked.
INCLINE BAR PRESS. Cannot serve as an isolation exercise for the lower chest, so use it as a base exercise. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip at a distance equal to shoulder width. As you exhale, lift it up, while inhaling, lower it down, pressing it to the bottom of your chest. Perform 7-9 times in 4 approaches.
INCLINE DUMBBELL PRESS. Thanks to the ability to spread your arms to a greater amplitude than when working with a barbell, it is more effective and aimed at working specifically the lower beams. Lie down on a bench, holding the equipment with an overhand grip.
Lower the dumbbells to the bottom of your pecs, spreading your elbows to the sides. Maintain a slow rhythm and watch your breathing - you need to squeeze as you exhale. Perform 10-15 repetitions in 3-4 sets.
INCLINED DUMBBELL FLIES. Take the dumbbells in your hands and spread them out to the sides as wide as possible. This ensures not only pumping of the lower chest muscles, but also stretches this area well. Repeat the exercise 12-15 times in 3-4 approaches.
HANDS IN A CROSSOVER STANDING. The main nuance of training for pumping up the lower chest is the position of the arms when crossing - they should be at the bottom. When crossing your arms, you need to hold for a couple of seconds. Focus not on heavy working weight, but on more repetitions. There should be at least 20-25 of them in 3-4 approaches.
Training on simulators
Gyms are equipped with many exercise machines for pumping the muscles of the upper chest.
The butterfly exercise machine is made in the form of a bench with a backrest and is equipped with two handles that are driven by the force of the hands (dumbbells).
Suitable for beginners and advanced athletes. The load is regulated by weights. They are added as you gain skills or establish the angle of the seat.
The exercises involve bringing and spreading your arms to the side. Exercising on the machine strengthens all pectoral muscles, including those that are difficult to train.
The butterfly has many modifications, but the principle of their operation and mechanism are the same.
The crossover is effective in performing exercises for the upper pectoral muscles. It has a metal frame in the form of an arched stand, to which two cables with weights are attached to the sides. The athlete positions himself between the bases, holds the handles of the cables, or one cable, in his palms and swings his arms. Manufacturers have provided the possibility of making it heavier by adding weight.
A tool for improving chest muscles is the Hammer simulator . It is similar in structure to a butterfly. It differs in that the hands move not in different directions, but up and down. The ends of the levers are equipped with weight blocks, so the athlete has the ability to adjust the load.
The simulator allows you to work with one hand or both at once.
A set of exercises to build chest muscle mass for men
A set of exercises performed in the specified sequence will allow you to work out the upper chest area:
- start with an exercise on a bench at an angle of 20 - 45 degrees . Use dumbbells, which lie on a bench, with your arms slightly bent at the elbows, and spread to the sides. Perform 30 repetitions, 3-4 sets. Rest between repetitions 10-30 s.;
- continue with the barbell press . The back of the bench is set at an angle of at least 20 degrees. They work with partial amplitude only in the upper part, without bringing the barbell to the chest. 20 repetitions of at least 3 approaches with a break of 10-30 seconds are enough;
- then proceed to narrow push-ups. The hands stand as close to each other as possible so that the thumbs touch. Lowering the body to the floor, the position is fixed for 2-3 seconds, this gives maximum load on the upper chest. Perform 20 repetitions, at least 3-4 approaches;
- Finish with a forward push-up . The legs are positioned higher than the rest of the body, with the elbows pointing in different directions. Number of repetitions - 20, repetitions 3-4.
The complex refers to a series of intense workouts, during which the muscles will receive micro-tears, but subsequently heal. You shouldn't exercise every day. A one-day break allows muscle tissue to recover, stretch and grow. The body should not get used to stress. It is necessary to constantly increase the number of repetitions and approaches, and add weight to sports equipment.
Features of performing exercises for women:
- Women's muscles respond to serious loads; there is no point in using light weights. If the choice is made in favor of increasing the number of exercises, instead of increasing the weight of the equipment, it is impossible to achieve muscle growth;
- muscle mass increases if the athlete adheres to a high-calorie diet. Heavy training on a regular diet or in combination with a fat-burning diet will help you get your physical shape in order, but will not ensure muscle development;
- a set of exercises for the fairer sex involves performing 8-10 repetitions in 2-3 approaches. Rest in sets for 2-3 minutes.
Chest training program on the horizontal bar
We will work every day or three days to one, where one is rest. If you work on weekends, then every third day should be accompanied by intensive training. As mentioned earlier: the horizontal bar is not the best way to pump up the pectoral muscle, but it will help develop it comprehensively. Therefore, exercises to the maximum are perfect for overall tone.
It is recommended to do chest exercises on the horizontal bar in this order:
- Reverse grip pull-ups (10 times).
- Press from the horizontal bar (7-10 times).
- Close grip pull-ups (10 times).
- Pull-ups behind the head with a wide grip (7-10 times).
- Pull-ups with a narrow reverse grip (10 times).
Exit to two is an excellent exercise on the horizontal bar not only for the chest, but for the whole body. However, it is difficult, and not every athlete can master it. Plus, you may be physically fit but lack technique, making it difficult to perform. If you can do this exercise, then end each workout with the maximum number of repetitions.
- You need to rest for about 90 seconds between sets. You can change this amount depending on your results and personal feeling of exertion, but only slightly.
- It will be enough to complete two circles.
Read more: Incline bench press, correct technique, working muscles and video
If you don't get the burning sensation in your chest from just one pull-up bar, do a couple more sets of chest push-ups. The pace of training should be measured. You must work technically, not conveniently. Don't try to make your work easier, you're not chasing quantity. Don't forget to breathe, as if you hold your breath for a long time, your muscles will quickly become unusable due to lack of oxygen, which will stop your workout.
Optimal training schedule for women
The training algorithm for athletes of all genders includes 5 mandatory stages:
- Cardio warm-up . 10-15 minutes of exercise on an exercise bike, treadmill or elliptical machine of your choice. The load calculation depends on the average heart rate. The number of beats per minute is no more than 70-80% of the established figure of 200;
- warm-up for joints. It includes 5-7 exercises at the discretion of the trainee (turning the body to the sides, twisting the torso, bending forward, backward);
- repetition of exercises from the main part, using light weights not exceeding 30-50% of the working weight. These three stages are necessary to warm up the muscles and prepare for hard work;
- performing basic exercises using weights;
- hitch . Stretch the muscles and devote 10-15 minutes to exercise on an exercise bike or ellipse.
It is recommended to be physically active every day.
If the athlete is not busy pumping muscles, simple aerobic activity should be present on this day:
- swimming in a pool or open water;
- recreational cycling;
- jogging in the fresh air;
- walking at a sporty pace.
For those whose daily activities are associated with a sedentary lifestyle, it is better to gradually join the training process and devote no more than 2 times a week to exercise with iron, and devote another 2 days to aerobic exercise.
The schedule is as follows:
- Monday and Thursday - workload in the gym;
- Tuesday, Friday - aerobic exercise;
- Wednesday, Saturday, Sunday - rest.
The minimum time interval that a beginning athlete should devote to physical activity is 20 minutes. in a day. Increase to 60 min. necessary with experience. Warm-up does not count. For beginners, it is better to start with home exercises, devoting 10 minutes to training every day.
How to increase the effectiveness of classes
Exercising with the same weight is unacceptable; it must be increased at the same time, increasing the number of repetitions and approaches. Lack of weights will lead to stagnation and cessation of muscle growth as the body adapts to the load.
A sharp increase is not advisable, as this provokes injuries. Progress is possible if the weight per repetition on the last set was on the verge of muscle failure. Professionals advise adhering to the “two for two” rule proposed by Thomas Beachle.
The rule indicates the need to increase the load and complexity of the exercises if the athlete has reached a level at which he can do 2 more repetitions and does this over the course of two workouts.
Since ancient times, inflated breasts have represented a symbol of courage and heroism. Performing exercises for the upper pectoral muscles is not the last place in the training process of every athlete. Training this part of the body involves a huge expenditure of calories, which is useful for burning fat deposits.