Should females do chest exercises?: Women, in particular, tend to skip chest exercises. Women often think that because they have breasts, they don’t have to train their chest muscles.
It’s not true. This is not true. A muscular chest can help you maintain good posture and improve your workouts. Women should also do chest exercises.
A dumbbell set is used to build chest and arm muscles in this 25-minute home chest workout. The strict set format will help us reach muscle fatigue. We’ll also add pushups in between each strength exercise.
The chest comprises the serratus anterior, pec major and pec minor. Young breaks down the pecs.
This fan-shaped chest muscle is the largest. It spans your chest. This muscle is responsible for the humerus’s internal rotation, adduction and flexion. The shoulder is responsible for flexion, adduction and internal rotation of the humerus (arm at the glenohumeral joint).
This muscle is more minor and triangular in shape. It has many functions, including moving the shoulder blades and ribs. [Should females do chest exercises?]
7 best exercises for females to grow their chest
- Pushups
- Dumbbell Chest Press
- Incline Dumbbell Press
- Flat Bench Press
- Decline Bench Press
- Chest Fly
- Smith Machine Chest Press
1. Pushups
The pushup is a challenging exercise. When it comes to bodyweight exercises, the move is a classic. The days when women could only do knee-based regressive pushups or full pushups are over.
While the rhetoric may have changed, it’s not easy to do a full pushup. Kristi Buick, WHAT’s Junior Fitness Editor, enlisted some help.
I can squat to the moon and back, but my crunch is perfect. The only exercise I can’t master is the pushup.
The pushup. As I had little else to do after lockdown 2, I challenged myself: I would perform as many pushups as possible daily.
He says, ‘They’re OK to start the upper-body, but very quickly they stop being effective.’ That explains quite a bit. He explains that the most challenging part of this move is maintaining complete body alignment while on your feet. [Should females do chest exercises?]
2. Dumbbell Chest Press
The dumbbell chest press is an exercise that I tend to neglect. So, I was unprepared when my editor challenged me to do 100 reps daily for a week.
The chest press is an excellent exercise that targets not only the chest muscles, also known as pectorals or “pecs,” but many other upper body muscles.
The chest press is an exercise that recruits several muscle groups at once. This exercise is excellent for increasing strength and muscle growth, especially when considering progressive overload – the constant increase in weight or reps.
But how do you do a dumbbell chest press? Grab two of the best adjustable dumbbells and lay back on a bench. Hold dumbbells in both hands, palms up.
Keep your feet on the ground. Keep the dumbbells above your chest when you perform this exercise. It is a chest, not a facial press. [Should females do chest exercises?]
Read Also: Can you build a chest with just pushups?
3. Incline Dumbbell Press
Many programs prescribe the incline bench press without fully appreciating its versatility and value. The incline dumbbell press is not just an upper-pec exercise. It can also improve stability, deltoid and pec development and functional balance.
This dumbbell version of the incline bench press will give you new strengths and skills. It requires more stability to move and implement unilaterally rather than a Barbell. Even though you will be lifting less, you can still build more upper-body strength and muscle potential.
The incline dumbbell press is an effective tool to help develop a balanced physique. This exercise also improves the stability of your shoulders.
You can also use them to correct unilateral inequalities that develop when you do barbell or machine exercises.
You can use any dumbbell bench press to help you build muscle, as long as the weight is heavy enough for a sufficient number of repetitions. The incline dumbbell press will help you target specific areas of your chest to achieve more growth.
The pectoralis is a fan-shaped, broad muscle with attachments that allow you to target your upper, middle and lower pecs. You can focus on specific areas by choosing different levels of incline. [Should females do chest exercises?]
4. Flat Bench Press
This last feature is crucial because some adjustable benches can have a gap of up to 2 inches between the seat and backrest.
It may be uncomfortable to use the bench as it is when it’s flat. The TITAN Series adjustable benches eliminate the gap by extending the back pad.
This adjustable bench is an excellent buy for anyone who needs it. It’s under $500 and comes with free shipping.
There is no decline option, and the bench doesn’t meet International Powerlifting Federation standards (except the height).
The best bench is the Flybird Adjustable Bench. It’s made of sturdy steel and can hold up to 600 pounds. Also folds for easy storage. The bench was easy to set up straight out of the package when we tested it. It is lightweight, folds compactly and has an attached handle.
The seat of the bench is made from plush foam and covered with durable synthetic leather. This makes it very comfortable and easy to clean.
The bench can be used on hardwood floors because the feet are covered with non-slip material. The backrest has six positions. And the seat is adjustable in four different ways. [Should females do chest exercises?]
Read Also: How to fix a gap between the chest?
5. Decline Bench Press
The decline bench press will strengthen your lower chest muscles. This is a variation on the flat press.
The bench is set at a 15 to 30-degree decline in a decline press. This angle puts your upper body at a downward slope, activating your lower pectoral muscle as you push the weights away.
Including a declining bench press as part of your chest routine can help define your pecs. This article will cover the pros and cons of the decline bench presses and safety tips.
You can do the decline bench press with dumbbells or a barbell. It’s important to understand that each weight works your muscles differently.
You can lift more weight with a barbell. You don’t have to stabilize your muscles to keep the weight equal. Barbell bench presses are more effective than dumbbell bench pressings in terms of triceps activity.
The dumbbell bench press is more effective than the barbell bench press in terms of pecs and biceps. [Should females do chest exercises?]
6. Chest Fly
The chest fly, known as the butterfly exercise, targets the pectoral (pec) muscles. This exercise mimics the motion of flapping wings or hugging a branch and focuses on stretching and contracting chest muscles. Here are some tips on how to safely incorporate chest flies into your workout:
You will need some equipment to effectively perform the chest fly to target pectoral muscles. Ideal equipment includes dumbbells or weights that can be held in the hand, a mat or bench (or cable machines with adjustable handles), and a cable machine. Dumbbells are a simple method that allows for in-home training and portability.
Cable machines, on the other hand, offer constant tension through the entire range of motion. This promotes muscle engagement throughout.
Cable machines have handles that can be adjusted for height and angle, so you can do variations like incline or decline flies. If necessary, the chest fly can also be done with body weight. This will result in less strength gain.
The dumbbell chest fly is one of many variations. This classic bodybuilding staple has been used to build chest strength and size for many years. [Should females do chest exercises?
7. Smith Machine Chest Press
The Smith machine was created by Jack LaLanne, a fitness pioneer and media personality from the United States.
He wanted to provide a safer alternative to traditional barbell exercises. Rudy Smith, a Tanny’s Gym executive, picked it up and explained the manufacturer and the reason behind the name Smith Machine.
Since then, different manufacturers have created their own versions of the Smith machine. Even spin-offs and variations of Smith machines exist.
The most notable variant is the *3D Smith Machine (a Jones Machine), which allows for a horizontal path. 3D Smith Machines are not my favorite, but I’ll save that for another post.
The increased safety that a Smith machine provides is one of its main advantages. The vertical track helps to keep the barbell in place and reduces the risk of injury due to the barbell falling or slipping.
The Smith machine can be used to perform a wide range of exercises. It is usually associated with barbell exercises such as squats or bench presses.
Even in a fully equipped gym, I prefer a Smith machine to perform Standing Military Presses, Smith Hack Squats, Smith Barbell Leg Lunges, and Standing Calf Raise. [Should females do chest exercises?]
Conclusion:
Yes, females should absolutely do chest exercises. They help strengthen the pectoral muscles, improve posture, enhance upper body strength, and create a toned, balanced appearance. Chest exercises won’t make women bulky but will contribute to overall fitness and muscle definition. [Should females do chest exercises?]
Should females do chest exercises? FAQ
1. Can women benefit from chest exercises?
Ans: Chest exercises benefit women by strengthening the pectoral muscle, improving posture and increasing upper body strength. These exercises also tone and shape your chest, improving overall fitness and aesthetics.
2. Will chest exercises make women bulky?
Ans: It’s a myth to think that doing chest exercises can make you bulky. It is difficult for women to develop large, bulky muscles because they have lower testosterone levels. Toning and defining the chest muscles will not add bulk.
3. Can chest exercises help lift breasts?
Ans: Although chest exercises don’t directly lift breasts, strengthening the pectoral muscles underneath can give a firmer, more lifted look by improving posture and muscle toning.