Chest Exercise

When we are speaking of the chest muscles we are referring to the pectoral muscle. The pectoral muscle is located on the upper anterior chest wall in the male anatomy and beneath the breast in the female anatomy. This chest muscle is very noticeable on the body builder or athlete. The pectoral muscle lies on the top of the external oblique muscle but only at the distal end of the pectoral muscle. The action of the pectoral muscle is that it adducts and medially rotates the humerus or the long bone that is located in the arm. So it basically allows you to move and rotate the arm. There are many chest exercises that will make the pectoral muscle very tone and muscular.

Most people tend to exercise the chest muscles when they exercise the abdominal muscles because they are so close together. Before starting any exercise regime it is important to seek the advice of your physician because you want to make sure that you are physically capable of performing the exercises without obtaining an injury. An injury can not only delay your resumption of the exercises but it could totally prevent from exercising again. It is important that you do the exercises properly because you can also get injured from incorrect positioning and range of motion.

There are many exercises that target the chest muscles and they are very easily performed. It is important to add a healthy low fat, low carbohydrate diet with your exercise program. No matter what you do just remember that it does take time to build strong muscles and to start noticing a difference in the way your body looks but you should start feeling healthier is a shorter time frame. Always replenish the fluids that you loose with perspiration during exercising by drinking eight glasses or more of water a day. When your stomach is rumbling some people think their body is telling them that they are hungry but your body is really telling you that you need water.

1. Chest Press: The Chest press exercise will require that you have a pair of barbells the weight preference will up to you. Get into starting position by lying with your back flat on a weight bench. Place your feet flat on the floor with your legs bent. If the weight bench is lower to the ground you can keep your legs closer together but if it is higher up you will need to keep your legs farther apart for balance and stability. Contract your chest muscles and raise the barbells straight up over your chest until your elbows lock. Then lower the barbells back down to just over your chest with your elbows bent. That is considered one set and you will need to repeat them about ten to fifteen times or as tolerated.

2. Modified Pushups: Modified pushups are performed correctly by lying flat on the gym mat facing downward. Get up on the palm or your hands with your knees bent and your feet up in the air. Contract the abs and pectoral muscles and lower your upper body down to the floor or until your elbows is at a ninety degree angle. Then raise up until your arms are straight that is consider one set which you will need to repeat ten to fifteen times or as tolerated.

3. Incline Chest Fly: This exercise is performed by lying flat on the bench which should be placed at a small incline. Your knees should be bent and your legs should be spread apart for balance and stability. Grasp the dumbbells and raise the straight up into the air above your chest until your elbows are locked. Then lower the barbells back down to just up above your chest with your elbows are bent. This is one set and you will need to repeat the chest exercise about ten to fifteen times or as tolerated.