How can men have strong chest muscles?

1. Fully activate the shoulder joint

Chest exercises put a lot of stress on the shoulder joint, so be sure to move your shoulder joint in all directions during your warm-up. It is enough to use a barbell for the first set, which can slowly get your body into the role and prepare it for lifting heavy weights. Don't rush into lifting the first effective weight, as this will give your body a surprise attack.

2. Focus on Incline Push

To develop a balanced and beautiful chest, you must pay attention to upper chest exercises. Because the upper part of the pectoralis major is naturally weaker than the thick and powerful middle and lower parts. Many practitioners have disproportionate chest muscle development. The only way to correct this deviation is to put the incline press in the first place.

3. Bench press is still the main exercise

The bench press is an effective way to enlarge and thicken the pectoral muscles as well as other parts of the upper body. Some people are obsessed with fancy exercises and "advanced" equipment, thinking that the bench press is too basic or outdated. The result is that the development of the chest muscles lags behind other parts of the body. actually. The bench press is still the most effective chest exercise, so be sure to include it in your plan.

4. Don’t do the “bridge” on the bench press

Raising your waist and hips when doing the bench press will turn the flat bench press into a decline press. In this way, only the lower part of the pectoral muscles will be stimulated, while the upper part will not be trained. Although I lifted more weight, the effect was not good. It is best to bend your knees and lift your feet, with your back fully pressed against the bench, so that all your chest muscles can be involved. It may be a little strange at first, but you will soon see the effects.

5. Don’t do decline presses

The main purpose of the decline press is to satisfy your sense of accomplishment. Because the posture and angle of the decline press shorten the path of motion, you lift heavier. Too much decline training will cause the already strong lower pectoral muscles to develop disproportionately, creating an unsightly "slope."

6. Increase the range of motion

Doing a "half-range" bench press is a mistake. It is impossible to stimulate all muscles if the bar is not lowered to the bottom, and it also increases the risk of injury.

7. Descend slowly and in control

Muscle growth not only relies on overcoming resistance in the upward movement, but also comes to a large extent from the muscles' retreating work, that is, the process of lowering the barbell. A slow, controlled descent will allow you to lift heavier weights because the bar will be easier to balance with control. Deviations from your line on a fast descent will cause you to lose power while you make adjustments.

8. Avoid a wide grip

If the grip is too wide, the shoulder muscles will bear a large part of the resistance, and the chest muscles will not be fully exercised. A wide grip can also shorten the range of motion and cause injury to the shoulder joint. The ideal grip is slightly wider than shoulder width.

9. Hold the bar tightly

Use your chest muscles fully by holding the bar firmly. Holding the barbell loosely will not transfer force to the barbell well, which is not conducive to muscle development.

10. Use free weights

No matter how advanced the equipment is designed, the effect is difficult to compare with traditional free weights. The reason is that the machine is pre-balanced and the movement starts at a low point, which makes the entire lifting process easier. The advantage of free weights is that you must maintain correct posture, balance, control, coordination, and concentration throughout the entire movement, rather than a simple pushing or pulling straight line movement. Therefore, using equipment alone cannot achieve the same results as barbells and dumbbells.