How many times have you arrived at the gym on Monday only to find that nearly every workstation is occupied by men attempting to bulk up their pecs? We’re willing to guess a lot of the time. It doesn’t have to be that way, though.
Just because it’s chest day doesn’t mean you have to sit on a bench for the duration of your workout.
While the bench press is the most common chest exercise, it does have certain disadvantages. Using a bench, for example, can put undue strain on the delts. This can put a strain on the deltoid muscle, causing pain in people who have had a shoulder injury.
There are various exercises that can be done without a bench if you want to build your chest muscles without putting too much strain on your shoulders, or if you’re just tired of waiting for the bench station to clear out on a busy day at the gym. The greatest part is that we’re willing to bet that none of these routines are performed in the gym’s busiest areas, so you’ll be able to complete your workout faster and more efficiently.
You’ll notice larger, fuller, and more developed pecs once you start integrating these chest workouts into your monthly workout program. You won’t have to wait for the man who’s customizing his playlist to come off the bench to perform them.
Without using a bench, perform the four chest exercises below to strengthen your pectoral muscles from all angles.
1. Crossover of Cables
The versatility of cable crossovers allows you to pound the chest muscles from a multitude of angles. Place the wires high to concentrate on upper chest development or towards the ground to concentrate on lower chest growth. The end of the movement distinguishes a crossover from a regular fly. To activate the inner pectoral area of the chest, bring the arms together in an “X” configuration at the end of each rep for the cable crossover.
2. Pressing on the Floor
If your bench press has reached a stalemate, the floor press is a surefire method to bust through it. Simply lie down on the floor with your back to the floor and crawl underneath the bar to do the pressing movement like a traditional bench press. The only difference is that this time the exercise will terminate when the triceps touch the floor. If the lockout section of the press is a weak place, the floor press will help greatly.
3. Dip
Dips are a simple but effective appetizer. Locate the nearest dip station and hold the equipment with both hands slightly apart, as if doing a triceps dip. To fully engage the chest muscles, focus on leaning your torso downwards rather than upright. When executing this pec-targeted exercise, all parts of the pec will be engaged.
4. PushUp
The pushup, perhaps the most fundamental bodyweight exercise, is a typical marker for general fitness among soldiers and schoolchildren alike. To hit different parts of the chest, execute the pushup on a medicine ball or elevate your legs by placing your feet on steps. Begin with arms slightly wider than shoulder-width and work your way down until your triceps are parallel to the ground.