Description

The bench press is one of the most popular and most effective exercises you can do for your upper body. Considering its popularity, we’ve provided an entire chapter - a blueprint if you will - profiling the bench press technique in great detail. This valuable information is available FREE and exclusively to the visitors of this site. You can request your copy of “Jacked Tactics” on the right hand side of this very screen. Enjoy!

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1. Lie with back on bench and feet secure on the ground.
2. Using the bar markers, line up the appropriate arm width. Hand placement should be wide enough so your wrist is in line with your elbow on the descent of the movement.
3. Inhale and lower the bar down to the midline of the chest until your arms come to a 90 degree angle. Going below 90 degrees is not recommended for beginners due to the stress that it places on the shoulder joint. Advanced trainees can lower the bar right down to the chest area.
4. Exhale, and drive the barbell up towards the ceiling by extending the arms as far as possible without locking out the elbow joint. Stopping before elbow lock-out keeps the resistance on the pectoral muscles thus, resulting in a more effective training stimulus.
5. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.

Utilizing a grip with the elbows parallel to the shoulders is ideal for maximum pectoral development. Unfortunately, this method is more stressful on the shoulder joints.

Description

This is a rather advanced exercise designed to develop explosive power. I use this particular movement to work on hand-speed for martial arts however, it’s a very beneficial for a variety of sports. For example, lineman in football who have to explosively drive past their opponent and rush the quarterback. Prior to performing this exercise, you should reach a minimum fitness requirement of being able to bench press your own bodyweight for 8-to-10 repetitions.

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1. Set up two of the steps used in the aerobic step classes and position them approx. 4-to-6 feet apartment (depending on how long your arms are)
2. Get yourself in a typical push up position, only with your hands on the steps rather than the floor
3. Push yourself off the steps and land with your hands on the floor. Keep your back straight.
4. Exhale and in an explosive fashion, drive yourself upwards and position your hands back on the steps.
5. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed

Note: The key to this exercise, and plyometric exercises in general, is transition between the exercise phases in a quick/explosive fashion.

Variations

You can increase the difficulty of the movement by making the steps higher. By the same token, you can make the movement easier by decreasing the height of the steps.

Description

Back to the basics! The pushup exercise, although simplistic, is one of the fundamental movements for upper body development. Commonly performed in gym classes and training camps throughout the world, the pushup exercise has become somewhat of a staple exercise amongst the fitness community. Since push ups are classed as a compound movement and can be done anywhere, performing them in attempt to target the chest, triceps, anterior deltoids and the entire core region becomes a practical alternative for those who, for whatever reason, can’t make it to the gym. All factors considered, the convenience of not needing equipment in combination with the progressions available to accommodate a variety of skill levels, make the pushups exercise a must for almost every training program.

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How To Do Push Up

1. While in a prone position, position feet together and arms slightly below shoulder level with palms in contact with the ground. The arms should be wide enough so that the wrist lines up with the elbow.
2. Exhale and while contracting your core muscles to prevent the back from bending, extend arms and drive your body up off the ground. The only points of ground contact should be the palms and toes.
3. Inhale and at a controlled speed, allow arms to flex and lower your body back towards the ground until arms reach a 90 degree angle.
4. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.

Variations

Placing additional resistance on the upper back region is an effective way to increase the difficulty of the pushup exercise. However, it should be noted that if the resistance is placed too far below shoulder level, low back pain & injury may result.

Performing the pushup exercise with your feet placed atop an exercise ball will increase the need for stability and therefore, additional muscles will be recruited to assist.

Performing the pushup exercise with your knees in contact with the ground decreases both the amount of stability and exerted force needed to complete each repetition. This method is best for beginners.

Placing the feet in an elevated position mimics the mechanics of an incline press and draws more recruitment from the upper region of the pectorals.

Performing the regular push up motion with one hand placed atop a medicine ball will recruit additional muscles to compensate for the uneven surface, decreased stability and the single-arm loading pattern.

Performing the pushup exercise with your arms tucked further into the sides and with both hands placed atop a medicine ball will draw additional recruitment from the triceps. This version also increases the need for stability, which in turn, triggers additional recruitment from the muscles within the core.

Performing the pushup exercise in a quick and explosive motion that causes the hands to temporarily lose contact with the ground is classified as the plyometric version. This method is useful for the development of power and speed.

By flipping over a BOSU trainer, you’ll find a flat but unstable surface that can also be incorporated into certain exercises. Push ups are one of these exercises. When push ups are performed using a BOSU trainer, the need for stabilization is increased.

Description

The purpose of performing incline dumbbell presses is to target the upper region of the chest. Incline dumbbell presses are actually one of the best chest building exercises that you can do. Ideally, you want to set the bench to a 30 degree angle. If the bench is angled too high, an increased reliance will be placed upon the front portion of the shoulder with less recruitment from the upper chest - which is the area you’re trying to target. Incline dumbbell presses are very similar to performing a barbell press except working with free weights gives you more freedom in regards to the range of motion. Since each arm is independently responsible for its own workload, more stabilizing muscles are recruited for assistance. This increased need for stabilization will develop functional strength, which can easily be carried over to athletics and daily activities.

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Execution

1. Grasp an appropriately weighted dumbbell with each hand, sit on a bench with an incline of 30 degrees and rest dumbbells on the top of each thigh.
2. Kick each dumbbell upwards with the thighs and lean back on the bench. You should be in a position with the arms at a 90 degree angle with palms facing away from you. (most likely towards the mirror).
3. Exhale and drive arms up to an extended position. The extended position should have the sides of the dumbbells touching each other.
4. Inhale and lower the weights down at a controlled speed. Beginners should never bring the weights lower than 90 degrees due to the added stress placed on the under-developed tendons and ligaments around the shoulder joint.
5. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.

Variations

Performing incline dumbbell presses using an exercise ball instead of a bench will increase the need for stabilization which will increase the difficulty of the movement. Click here for step by step instructions on how to perform this variation.

The chest fly exercise is an excellent way to strengthen and develop the chest region. However, there’s all sorts of different ways to perform the movement. You can use dumbbells, which increases the stability demands while allowing the shoulders to be internally rotated throughout the exercise - a technique that has been shown to deliver a favourable line of pull to the chest muscles. On the downside, during the upward / finishing phase of a dumbbell fly, the chest is alleviated from the resistance. However, when performing cable flies - which is discussed here - you’ll be able to keep continuous resistance on the chest throughout all phases of the movement.

Execution

1. Position an incline bench between the cable crossover apparatus. Slide the cables to the bottom.
2. Grasp an attachment handle in each hand and lie back on the bench.
3. Draw the hands up towards each other and mentally prepare to begin the exercise.
4. Inhale and while maintaining only a slight bend at the elbows, allow the arms to drift apart until a stretch is felt within the pectorals.
   Note: the elbows should be positioned towards the ground throughout the decent.
5. Exhale and in an arcing motion, draw the hands back up towards each other.
   Tip: envision that you are wrapping your arms around a thick tree branch.
6. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.

Description

Overall, the dips exercise trains the front of the shoulder, the chest and the triceps. However, the muscle recruitment depends on the technique used to perform the repetitions. If the trainee leans forward while performing the dips exercise, maximal activation occurs at the chest. If you were to maintain an upright posture while performing the dips exercise, maximal recruitment is drawn from the triceps. It is important to note that if you’re performing parallel bar dips with an upright posture (the triceps version), then the range of motion should be limited to reduce the risk of sustaining a shoulder injury.

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Execution

1. Grasp the bars with each hand and support yourself with your arms extended.
2. Inhale and if targeting the chest, tuck the chin down, bend the elbows and lower your body down until the arms reach a 90 degree angle while leaning slightly forward. A stretch should be felt within the chest and shoulder region.
3. Inhale and if targeting the triceps, keep the chin up and bend at the elbows while maintaining an upright body position. The arms should not bend beyond a 50-60 degree angle. Bending the arm too much and going down too low will place unnecessary stress on the shoulder joint.
4. Exhale, extend the arms and drive the body back up to starting position.
5. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed.

Variations

When performing the dips exercise using the parallel bar, you can attach a barbell to your weight belt (using a chain) and by doing so, you can increase the resistance, thus - the difficulty of the exercise.

Description

This is a great plyometric exercise for the chest. Plyometrics are a great way to improve your power output. Recall that power is the combination of speed and strength. I use this particular exercise to work on hand speed and punching power for Thai boxing but the functionality of the movement can be easily transferred over to many different sports. Keep in mind that when performing this exercise, you’ll have to select a weight that is much less than what you would typically use when performing a regular pressing movement.

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1. Select a weight that is approx. 25-50% of what you would normally use for a regular chest press movement
2. Set up the bench and lie down in a supine (chest up) position
3. Grasp the bar using a grip that allows for wrist-to-elbow alignment
4. Unclasp the bar and lower the bar down until the arms are at a 90 degree angle
5. Exhale and in an expolsive fashion, throw the bar upwards as high as you can
6. Catch the bar, inhale, and lower back down to the 90 degree position
7. Repeat until the desired number of repetitions are completed

The cable crossover exercise is an effective movement to help define the pectorals. Classified as an isolation movement, the cable crossover exercise is most effectively performed following compound (multi joint) movements or as the first exercise in a pre-exhaustion superset. A pre-exhaustion superset would have you perform the cable crossover exercise to isolate and pre-exhaust the chest, then move into a compound exercise such as a pushup or chest press to draw recruitment from the triceps in order to complete additional repetitions. Beginners may find the cable crossover exercise difficult to properly execute so while you’re learning the movement, make sure you use light weights to reduce the chance of sustaining an injury.

Execution

1. Grasp handle with an overhand grip and stand in the centre of the cable column with arms extended. Feet should be either in a shoulder-width stance or positioned with one in front of the other.
2. Slightly bend arms and lean forward at the waist while ensuring your back stays straight.
3. Exhale and in a downward arc motion, draw the arms across the body to a position where the hands make contact. For an optimal contraction, hand position should resemble a V and pinkie fingers should be touching. Hold position for 1-2 seconds.
4. Inhale and allow arms to drift back until a stretch is once again felt across the chest.
5. Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.

Variations

Shifting the cable column downwards and performing the cable crossover exercise at an upward arc will alter the muscle recruitment within the chest.

Dumbbell flies are a great movement to sculpt the chest. You can perform dumbbell flies from a variety of angles - each of which will target a different region of the chest. I recommend that you review our chest training article for more information on which angle targets which region of the chest and also, for some great tips regarding how to effectively incorporate dumbbell flies into supersets.

It’s unfortunate that dumbbell flies - being as effective as they are - commonly get performed incorrectly. People tend to make the mistake of allowing their shoulders to drift into an externally rotated position. When this happens, it changes the line of pull of the chest and also places unnecessary stress on the elbow joints. To keep it simple, just remember that when you’re performing dumbbell flies, your elbows should always be facing the ground.

Execution

1. Grasp appropriately weighted dumbbells in each hand, sit on the bench and rest the dumbbells on your thighs.
2. Kick your thighs upwards to create momentum to assist with moving the weights up to a position that has the arms just short of full extension. While arms are extended to support the weights, turn elbows so they are facing to the sides. Make sure that the shoulders do not externally rotate.
3. Inhale and while keeping a slight bend at the elbows, lower the weights down slowly until arms are perpendicular to the floor.
4. Exhale and extend arms back up to starting position. Use mental imagery to envision wrapping your arms around a large tree trunk. When performed correctly, you’ll be making a half circular motion with your arms.
5. Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.

Variations

Performing dumbbell flies using an incline bench will place more emphasis on the upper region of the chest.

Description

The chest fly machine is great for both beginners and advanced trainees alike. The pre-determined movement path allows the primary focus to be on feeling the muscle contraction rather than focusing on complex motor movements. This is great for beginners. As for advanced trainees, although the complexity of the motor movements involved with free weight exercises is not so much of an issue, experienced trainees may opt to perform the machine version also.

The major advantage of using the chest fly machine as opposed to dumbbell flies is that the machine version provides resistance throughout the entire repetition, while the resistance during the dumbbell version is not as consistent. To further elaborate on this, consider a trainee performing an chest fly exercise using dumbbells. As the arms are spread apart and the dumbbells are lowered, the stress on the chest increases. However, during the upward phase of the movement in which the arms are being drawn together, a point is reached in which the chest is alleviated from the stress.

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Execution

1. Adjust the machine to the proper settings and sit in an upright position.
2. Reach back, grasp the handles using a neutral hand grip with elbows slightly bent and pointed behind you.
3. Exhale and while maintaining only a slight bend at the elbows, draw the hands towards each other. Briefly hold position.
4. Inhale and slowly allow the arms to return back to a position in which a light stretch is felt across the chest.
5. Repeat until desired number of repetitions are completed.