1. Choose the Proper Exercises
Dumbbell and machine fly exercises are designed to help people stay fit, active and healthy. They do not, however, help people build bulk in the pectoral muscles. Compound exercises, such as barbell bench press variations (decline, flat, incline), dumbbell chest press variations and push-ups will develop a bigger chest.
2. Use a Wide Grip
You've chosen the right exercises. Now, it's important to understand grip. A close grip causes the arms to bend at sharper angles, which forces the triceps to work hard to straighten the arms. A wider grip limits the bend of the arm, which makes the pectoral muscles do most of the work. The only possible drawback of a wide grip is that it places more stress on the shoulders. Use lighter weights and complete higher repetitions when you begin using a wide grip on the bench press variations and push-ups.
3. Increase Speed
The body has slow- and fast-twitch muscles. The slow-twitch muscles are used when performing endurance work. They do not grow big. The fast-twitch muscles help movements when you need extra strength and/or speed. Fast-twitch muscles help you get a bigger chest with strength training. Perform the concentric (coming up) portion of chest/bench presses as fast as possible. The faster the bar moves, the more quick-twitch muscles are recruited.
Sometimes it is the thought that counts. When you increase your weight and lower your repetitions to fewer than six, the bar simply will not move quickly. The important aspect to remember is the spirit of speed. While the bar may not be moving quickly, you are trying to move the weight as fast as possible. A quality tool to help measure bar speed is a Tendo unit.
4. Avoid Overtraining
Too many individuals work the chest and biceps as often as possible and neglect the rest of the body (legs), which leads to overtraining the chest and biceps while undertraining the legs. Overtraining can break down muscle tissue, hinder performance and lead to serious injury. Overtraining is commonly referred to when an individual works a body part nearly every day. Often rest, not more exercise, may be the best option.
Here are a few tests to find out if you are overtraining. If your typing or texting ability falls apart, it is a sign that the nervous system is tired and overtrained. Diminishing results (getting worse) is a sign of overtraining. Depression, anxiety, fits of anger and fatigue without otherwise cause are all signs of overtraining.
Taking a few days rest every 6 to 12 weeks is mandatory. Rest will help the muscles recover and grow. Do not work a muscle group more than three times a week and never 2 days in a row.
Dumbbell and machine fly exercises are designed to help people stay fit, active and healthy. They do not, however, help people build bulk in the pectoral muscles. Compound exercises, such as barbell bench press variations (decline, flat, incline), dumbbell chest press variations and push-ups will develop a bigger chest.
2. Use a Wide Grip
You've chosen the right exercises. Now, it's important to understand grip. A close grip causes the arms to bend at sharper angles, which forces the triceps to work hard to straighten the arms. A wider grip limits the bend of the arm, which makes the pectoral muscles do most of the work. The only possible drawback of a wide grip is that it places more stress on the shoulders. Use lighter weights and complete higher repetitions when you begin using a wide grip on the bench press variations and push-ups.
3. Increase Speed
The body has slow- and fast-twitch muscles. The slow-twitch muscles are used when performing endurance work. They do not grow big. The fast-twitch muscles help movements when you need extra strength and/or speed. Fast-twitch muscles help you get a bigger chest with strength training. Perform the concentric (coming up) portion of chest/bench presses as fast as possible. The faster the bar moves, the more quick-twitch muscles are recruited.
Sometimes it is the thought that counts. When you increase your weight and lower your repetitions to fewer than six, the bar simply will not move quickly. The important aspect to remember is the spirit of speed. While the bar may not be moving quickly, you are trying to move the weight as fast as possible. A quality tool to help measure bar speed is a Tendo unit.
4. Avoid Overtraining
Too many individuals work the chest and biceps as often as possible and neglect the rest of the body (legs), which leads to overtraining the chest and biceps while undertraining the legs. Overtraining can break down muscle tissue, hinder performance and lead to serious injury. Overtraining is commonly referred to when an individual works a body part nearly every day. Often rest, not more exercise, may be the best option.
Here are a few tests to find out if you are overtraining. If your typing or texting ability falls apart, it is a sign that the nervous system is tired and overtrained. Diminishing results (getting worse) is a sign of overtraining. Depression, anxiety, fits of anger and fatigue without otherwise cause are all signs of overtraining.
Taking a few days rest every 6 to 12 weeks is mandatory. Rest will help the muscles recover and grow. Do not work a muscle group more than three times a week and never 2 days in a row.
