Can you build a chest with just pushups?: Once you introduce a few variations to the Pushup, it can become even more challenging than your other loaded movements.
These variations can be used as a basis for a brutal chest workout. You can change how your chest is stimulated by changing your torso has angle with your upper arms or focusing on negative contractions or pauses.
You can challenge your pecs in multiple ways by combining these techniques into one workout.
Also, you can improve your pushup technique and have a better workout. You’ll also have a lot of fun.
Maximizing the Pushup is the key to getting the best out of your pushup training. This means you should do all the reps and work through your entire range of motion.
It would help if you kept several things in mind. Concentrate on these three. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
9 powerful pushup moves to build your chest bigger
- Standard Pushup
- Weighted Pushup
- Slow Tempo Pushup
- One-Arm Pushup
- Feet-Elevated Pike Pushup
- Staggered Pushup
- Pseudo Planche Push-Up
- Explosive Pushup
- Spiderman Pushup
1. Standard Pushup
A Pushup can be done anywhere and anytime, but you must know the why, how, what, and when.
This ONE exercise will help you burn calories, tone and build muscle, improve your fitness and function, and enhance your performance. This exercise is versatile and can unlock your full fitness potential.
NASM has released a 5-part series that will help you navigate and explore the different aspects of the Pushup.
We’ll start the series by examining the muscles involved in the Pushup, proper technique and Form.
Before you begin this series, you must familiarize yourself with the NASM CPT Course. For further clarification, you can consult the NASM website and blog.
The various types of pushups can achieve multiple goals, such as improving upper-body function and control as part of a rehabilitation plan or correctional exercise routine, enhancing muscle definition, and increasing endurance, strength and power for functional fitness and performance.
Fitness professionals and enthusiasts often overlook the Pushups because it’s so simple. But simple does not mean ineffective.
When performed correctly, the basic Pushup can form the basis of a complete-body workout routine. Pushups can be modified, regressed, or progressed in many ways, making them a staple exercise for anyone at any stage of their fitness journey. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
2. Weighted Pushup
Weighted Pushups are a great exercise to develop and strengthen the chest, shoulders and triceps. Weighted pushups are similar to regular ones, but the only difference is the external weight you put on yourself.
Weighted pushups can be done in several ways. The most common is to get into the pushup position and then have someone place weight plates at your mid-back.
You can also wear a vest that is weighted. This would make you press heavier weights, develop strength and build your muscles.
It takes time to work up to a ‘weighted pushup. Start with knee pushups to improve your bodyweight exercise performance.
You can progress to diamond pushups or classic pushups over time. The next step would be decline and plyometric press-ups.
When you can do 30 reps with no sweat and feel reasonably strong, start experimenting with heavier weights.
Focus on push exercises such as the chest dip, overhead press, and bench press. Combine these exercises with skull crushers and close-grip presses to develop your triceps.
You can do weighted pushups if you focus on small, consistent gains in strength.
Weighted pushups should be included in your workouts early, preferably the first or second. Start your push workout with several sets of weighted press-ups, then move on to exercises such as the bench, fly, or lateral raise.
You can do straight sets, using the same additional load from beginning to end. Or you can pyramid up each set.
Start with 10 lbs for the first set, and work up to 45 or 55 lbs in the fourth or fifth. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
Read Also: How to fix a gap between the chest?
3. Slow Tempo Pushup
Many clients who come to me for personal training think that faster training is better. Working out like The Flash will not make you superhuman if you only bobble your head at apples.
At the same time, your elbows are flung over your shoulders rather than doing actual pushups. Poor Form can cause unnecessary strain on tendons and ligaments when you exercise at high speeds.
First, I tell my clients to focus on good Form. The absolute Form Fit function is the acronym I created for “AF3”.
It is essential to master Form to improve fitness and, ultimately, function. Slowing down rep speed is one way to combat improper Form. We’ll continue with the pushup example.
As you may know, the Pushup is basically a traveling plank. This exercise works the entire body and does not only work on your pecs.
Please do me a favor and try an extremely slow, full-range-of-motion pushup. Begin in a plank position with your arms fully extended. Lower down slowly, touching the floor to your chest, and then push up to fully extended arms.
If you couldn’t complete the exercise, modify it. Consider modifying the exercise if you can’t complete the entire range of motion.
Try putting your knees down on the floor. You can use less body weight because your lever will be shorter.
Regression of an exercise is an essential step in progressing. It would help to not let your ego stop you from modifying. Making progress faster by perfecting the “easier versions” of an exercise is possible.
You can adjust the speed of your repetitions to improve body control. This example is 7 pushups spread over 2 minutes and 40 seconds. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
4. One-Arm Pushup
One-arm pushups are a staple of the Rocky movies. You might have even tried it out while watching. You could even do a pushup with one arm?
One-arm pushups are iconic. 100 pushups in a single set? Five one-arm pushups will make the crowd go wilder.
Men are inspired to emulate and replicate what they see in films. The one-arm pushup is a popular movie that has grown in popularity as both a flashy and a natural progression of the basic Pushup. The one-arm pushup is popular but has a bad reputation in serious fitness circles.
It’s not an insufficient exercise, but it does require a practitioner to be very knowledgeable and have a high level of em>body awareness/em>.
It doesn’t make it a bad workout, but it does mean that the person doing it has to know what they are doing and have a high body awareness.
Another factor in one-arm pushups is how wide you can straddle your legs. A wider straddle means less rotational forces to overcome, and a smaller straddle means more.
There’s an apparent limit to the width of your legs or feet. The one-arm Pushup with legs together is indeed a fetish. But at this stage, you are limited by the strength of your one arm, not how strong you can be.
In the video below, you can see my current Form. We’re not yet completely clean, but we are on our way. As I said earlier, it will take some time to remove the scapula depression.
Coaching gets a bad rap. Many well-known coaches and figures in the bodyweight and calisthenics industry have been reluctant to recommend the one-arm pushup as an option for improving the Pushup. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
5. Feet-Elevated Pike Pushup
The Foot Elevated Pike pushup is an excellent exercise for developing strong shoulders. This drill will help you build the strength needed for handstand pushups.
You will only need an object that elevates your feet. It could be anything from a chair or box to something between two inches and a foot high.
Place your hands on the floor and your feet on that object. Then, pike your hips. Reach your elbows back and bend them towards you.
Regain your starting position by pressing backward. The shoulders must be in front of your hands to get the elbows to bend in the correct direction. Keep the forearms parallel during the press to isolate your triceps.
You may dread pushing up because it can be difficult. The Pushup is a fundamental exercise that helps build strength and improves function.
They are popular with physical therapists because they can be done almost anywhere. There are also many different versions. You can modify pushups in many ways, including doing them on your hands or knees.
This alternative to the standard press-up can provide multiple benefits for joint and muscle aches. This exercise increases blood flow in the deltoids and triceps to help relieve muscle pain and promote faster recovery.
Regular engagement of these muscles will also improve flexibility, muscle tone and equilibrium. This reduces the strain on nearby joints. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
6. Staggered Pushup
Start with a pushup, hands wider than shoulder width apart. The legs should be straight behind you, about hip-width apart.
While moving the right arm forward a few inches, move the left hand a few inches to the side. The hands will be in an unbalanced position. Slowly lower your body to the ground and raise it back up.
Start by doing a pushup with your hands spread wider than shoulder-width apart. Legs should be parallel to each other and about hip-width apart. Place the left hand to the side as you move your right arm forward.
Pushups are one of the most effective exercises you can do with your body weight. It builds your chest, core and shoulders.
Lifters of any skill level can also do pushups. It’s easy to scale the difficulty and doesn’t require any equipment.
There are also several variations of pushups that can be used to improve strength, power and hypertrophy.
This article will teach you eight variations and how to and why they should be done. Learn how to incorporate these variations of pushups into your current training program.
You will also get answers to some pressing questions about pushups. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
Read Also: Can I build a chest with machines?
7. Pseudo Planche Push-Up
The pseudo-planche is a variation on the Pushup. This exercise, which involves various upper-body exercises, incorporates a position for the arms that encourages greater muscle involvement to maintain balance. It bridges the gap that exists between the planche and the Pushup.
The large muscle groups are the chest, shoulders and triceps. You can program it using various options.
The workout program is divided into muscle groups for muscle-focused splits. The first day could include chest, shoulders and triceps.
The following day, you could focus on the quads, hamstrings and glutes. It is best to incorporate the pseudo-planche-push-up into days focusing on the shoulders or core.
Core exercises can be incorporated into upper and lower splits . Upper body days are usually chest and arms.
Lower body days cover all muscles of the legs including glutes and quads. This exercise uses a lot of upper body muscles. We recommend programming it in upper body days.
The pseudo-planche-push-up is recommended to increase muscular endurance. Lower repetitions and greater intensity are also recommended if your fitness goal involves increasing strength.
Loading recommendations are not required for bodyweight exercises. You can adjust the number of reps and sets to suit your goal. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
8. Explosive Pushup
Pushups with a Plyo can help activate the fast-twitch fibers of your chest, shoulders and triceps. Fast-twitch fibers can help you gain strength and mass.
Fast-twitch fibers are essential for athletes to make explosive movements like those on a football field.
Include plyo-push-ups twice weekly in your exercise routine, with at least 48-hour rest intervals between sessions.
A studyTrustedSource, which examined the frequency of plyometric exercise, suggests that twice a week is probably the best for building strength and performance. Due to the high intensity of plyometrics, more is not always better.
Beginners should not attempt plyo pushups. To do them correctly and safely, you need to have a lot of upper body, core, and shoulder strength. If you do not have the necessary level of fitness and strength, you can cause yourself injury.
You can make plyo pushups easier by doing them on your knees. No equipment is required, but you might want to place a yoga mat beneath your knees. You can also try this exercise with a softer surface. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
9. Spiderman Pushup
The Spiderman pushup is a more advanced version of the standard Pushup. The name is derived from how it looks like Spiderman is moving in his environment.
As you lower yourself to the Pushup, drive your knee toward your elbow. But executing this exercise with proper Form is a full-body effort.
Work on your Form and progressions until you are as smooth and strong as a superhero.
Plank with feet together and spine neutral. Plank with your feet together, and maintain a neutral spine.
Begin your pushups by inhaling and bracing your core. Drive your elbows at a 45-degree angle to the body.
Exhale, and then reverse the movement. Place your right leg in the starting position. Push yourself up to the plank position.
A loss of the core brace is familiar with any pushup variation. An improper brace is characterized by hips that sag, hips that hike up and an unsynchronized upper and lower body.
Instead of looking like a pushup, it appears to be “the worm.” A brace loss can be seen in Spiderman pushups, where the entire body may turn towards the side of the leglift.
Conclusion:
Yes, you can build a bigger and stronger chest with just pushups, especially by using various pushup variations and progressively increasing the intensity.
While they may not provide the same muscle-building potential as heavy weightlifting exercises, pushups can effectively develop chest size and strength when performed consistently and adequately. [Can you build a chest with just pushups?]
1. Do pushups build a large chest alone?
Ans: Pushups build a more muscular and bigger chest, but only when performed correctly, with progression and variation. The rate of muscle development may be slower than with weighted exercises like bench presses. Pushups are still effective at developing your chest muscles if you do them with consistency and intensity.
2. How many pushups do I need to do to develop my chest?
Ans: Do 3-4 sets with 8-20 repetitions to increase muscle mass. This will depend on your level of strength. You can add weight to your pushups or use resistance bands or a weighted vest as you become stronger.
3. Which type of Pushup targets the chest the most?
Ans: Wide-grip, decline and diamond pushups are all variations of pushups that target the chest. Each variation targets different areas of the chest to ensure a balanced development.