Chest Workout

Chest Workout

Today’s workout will be focusing on the chest muscles – and others! Follow this routine to strengthen, tone, and shape not only your pectoralis major muscles, but also your deltoids, triceps, and biceps.

Here’s what you’ll need:

Bench

Two sets of dumbbells at varying weights

Medicine ball

Begin with a dumbbell bench press. When it comes to picking your dumbbells, aim for an amount that will allow you to do more reps at a lower weight, rather than fewer reps at a heavier weight. Lie back on a flat bench with your knees bent and begin with the dumbbells extended above you. Bring them down to touch your chest, pause for a brief second, then extend. Repeat for 10 reps. It’s important to keep your elbows close to your sides, instead of sticking out. Also, be sure to flex your legs and core to really engage all muscles.

Next, do a set of pushups! This is one of the best total body workouts but will also definitely target your chest muscles. Start with 15 pushups; if you need to do modified pushups on your knees, that’s fine too.

For the next exercise in this chest workout, we’re going to do chest flys. Lie back down on your bench, and hold the dumbbells extended above you, but this time with your wrists turned in facing each other. Your elbows should be bent a bit, not locked out. Bring the dumbbells down to each side, then bring them back together to meet at the top. Do 10 reps of this motion.

Next, lay down on the ground, chest up, and grab a medicine ball for some medicine ball throws! Begin with knees bent and medicine ball at your chest. Keeping your legs and core engaged, throw the medicine ball upwards, catch it with straight arms, and then lower the ball back to your chest. To get the most out of this exercise, continue until failure. That means to continue doing reps until you can’t do any more, or until your form starts to become compromised because your muscles are so fatigued.

Next, we’re going to do an exercise nicknamed “three-way shoulders” -- but don’t let the name fool you, it’ll tone your chest too! Grab two dumbbells of a little lesser weight than what you used for the bench press and chest fly. Stand up with your back straight, knees slightly bent. Begin with the weights in front of you, palms turned in. Raise the dumbbells forward and together to shoulder height, then return down. Repeat 8 times.

Now, on to part two of the three-way shoulders! Begin with the weights at your sides, palms turned in. Raise the dumbbells out to the sides to shoulder height, then return down. Repeat 8 times.

Now for the last segment! Bend and hinge over at the hips a bit, and bring the weights together down in front of you to begin, wrists facing each other. Raise the dumbbells out to the sides to shoulder height, then return down together. Repeat 8 times. This three-way shoulder exercise targets your shoulders, back muscles, and chest.

Now you’re done with the first round of this chest workout exercise! Repeat this circuit at least three times through, or four times if you really want to feel the burn. 

As with any workout, it takes time to build muscle, especially when targeting a specific muscle group. So if you really want to see a difference in your chest area, it’s important to do this workout at least once a week to get real results. Be sure to balance out the other workouts you do throughout the week -- focus on lower body one day, arms another, and of course core and cardio!