Ladies: Don’t Forget Your Chest Workout

Most women can’t help but miss their chests, yet many commonly overlook those muscles to focus on other areas like the buttocks and abdominals. The exclusion of a chest routine doesn’t lend itself to getting a fit and toned physique, and many women discover that those years of ignoring their pectorals can lead to issues later on in life.

Luckily, Fitscope happily shines a light on those underutilized muscle groups that everyone should focus on, including the pectorals. When completed regularly, a proper chest workout offers a plethora of benefits—especially for women. Keep reading to learn about the benefits women will receive from a proper chest workout routine.

Functional

Let’s be honest, women use their chest muscles a lot. From moms needing to carry baby carriers and squirming toddlers to every woman needing to bring in groceries or lifting the garage door, most women’s chests receive a workout nearly every single day—and a chest workout can make these tasks easier to complete by focusing on the muscles that make these tasks possible.

Many people confuse needing to lift as a strictly bicep dependent exercise. In reality, these movements heavily rely upon the chest muscles in addition to those in the arms due to the connection between these muscle groups. When wanting to increase lifting strength (or just making every day tasks a little bit easier), most find that focusing on their pectoral muscles provides them with the extra oomph they need to meet their goals.

By focusing on the chest muscles, women are better able to fulfill their day to day needs as well as giving them the strength they are looking for. Finally, no one can emphasize enough about the added benefit of serious toning that developing the pectorals provides, with many women finding they get their ideal physique simply by incorporating chest workouts.

Relieve Stress

While Fitscope’s past articles delve deep into the stress and anxiety relieving benefits of exercise as a whole, it’s worth repeating that exercising regularly has been proven to reduce stress and anxiety in multiple studies (click here for a breakdown of several studies). However, the stresses primarily being discussed in this section are those in the body.

The average chest holds a lot of stress, pressure and tension. While the average person uses their chest muscles every single day, many of these muscles are never fully extended or regularly exercised, causing these muscles to stiffen, tighten and breakdown while stress, pressure and tension build up. This can eventually lead to adverse health condition, including losing symmetry in the body (more on that in the next section).

By relieving this stress in the chest area, exercisers aren’t simply getting in their exercise, they’re also ensuring their muscles will last for years to come as well as preventing an assortment of health issues that can stem from an underdeveloped chest.

Better Posture and Balance

Everyone’s heard the importance of working out the abdominal muscles, with the abs commonly referred to as “the core;” however, the core muscles also include the pectoral muscles. The pectoral and abdominal muscles are closely interlinked, and make up the entire torso. When looking to get a more defined and stable core, it’s important not to overlook the chest to ensure proper posture and balance.

Posture is much more than how one stands, it also includes how they sit, walk, exercise, etc. Good posture requires people to keep their spine aligned, with the shoulder blades pushed back. While this is the prime position for a variety of activities, it’s frequently ignored or overlooked due to the body not naturally falling back into this position without adequate training. Instead, many people slouch, creating back problems that cause pain or deformities. By adequately working out the chest muscles, most people will fall into the habit of keeping better posture more often throughout the day, and especially when working out (trust when one says that proper posture and form are integral for safely and properly completing most exercises).

The other aspect of the body that chest workouts can help with is balance. Every single day, the body keeps itself in balance, allowing a full range of movement without people falling. However, just like posture, it takes time and plenty of working out to ensure one has the best balance possible. Those who don’t workout are more likely to fall and experience injury than those who regularly workout to stay in shape.

Add Size

We’re not going to make the claim that one can go up 4 cup sizes simply by working out the chest muscles; however, properly working these muscles out can lead to an increase in cup size as well as firming up breast tissue. Firmer, larger and perkier breasts? It’s definitely possible with the right exercise routine as long as it’s completed regularly. Look to properly complete exercises like tricep dips, push ups and chest presses to get the girls back to what they used to look like without needing to undergo painful and risky surgeries.

Burn Calories

Strength training is integral to women’s health, and it also burns a lot of calories. While many people believe cardio is the secret to losing weight (and don’t get us wrong, a proper cardio program can do wonders), strength training is right up there in importance as well due to the continued burning of calories after the workout ends.

When one completes a cardio workout, they’re burning a lot of calories as the circulation, respiratory and muscle systems work together to let the exerciser complete their movements at a faster pace. However, when the exercise ends, the fat burning stops shortly after as well (most experts agree that it ends after about 15 minutes).

With strength training, the muscles are thoroughly worked out during the workout. After the workout ends, the body must take time to repair the microtears in the muscle fibers exercise causes. This process needs energy, resulting in more calories being burned. Furthermore, those with more muscular physiques are more likely to burn calories in their every day lives, meaning that even while resting, they’re burning more calories than someone who doesn’t regularly workout.

Recommended Equipment and Exercises

Equipment

Dumbbells

Dumbbells are a staple for a very obvious reason; they work! Whether someone starts with 3 pounds or can tackle 20+ pounds, these hand-sized weights allow someone to workout wherever they are. One can find a set, including the handy changing sets that allow people to set the weight for what they need, for a reasonable price and a quality set can last for years.

Barbell

Barbells are a long post with weights on the end that are easily changed for higher weights. Some barbells are attached to a machine structure for safety while others are free-standing and can be stored anywhere. It’s up to the user to decide which structure is right for them, but either one will provide a proper chest workout.

Weight Machine

There are an assortment of weight machines available for those looking to get a proper chest workout; however, these machines take up a fair amount of space and can be costly. If one wants a weight machine, finding one that facilitates the user using the machine for multiple exercises is usually the best option.

Exercises

Push-Up

Push ups are considered a workout staple by many, and they’re easy to complete as well, giving an excellent chest workout. Here’s how to properly complete pushups:

• Start in a plank position with the hands slightly wider than the shoulders. This ensures shoulders, elbows and hands are all aligned with one another.
• Lower the body in a straight line. Do not let the chest or hips touch the floor. Keep the neck aligned with the spine to ensure no undue stress is placed on the body.
• Hold for 2 seconds and return to the starting position.
• Repeat.

Chest Fly

• Grab the dumbbells and complete this exercise for a powerful chest workout:
• Lie on the back (you may want to purchase an incline bench) with feet firmly on the floor. Ensure the head and back remain on the bench throughout the workout.
• Pick up the dumbbells.
• Lift arms above the head. Do not lock the joints. Palms should face one another.
• Lower the dumbbells until they’re in-line with the chest.
• Repeat.

Whether using your own bodyweight or dumbbells, your chest will get fit as quickly as possible without spending hours on a machine. By prioritizing the chest muscles, you’ll experience a plethora of health benefits that simply cannot be beat. Luckily, most exercises that target the chest are easily to complete while providing you with the benefits you need.

Want to vary your chest exercise routine and start working out as soon as possible? Fitscope offers online studio classes for dumbbells, bodyweight based strength training, HIIT workouts, ellipticals, rowing machines, air bikes and treadmills to allow people to vary their workouts while obtaining maximum benefits. Click here to learn more and receive a free one-week trial.