Build a Chiseled Chest without a Bench Press

How to Build a Chiseled Chest without a Bench Press

Building a chiseled chest is very often one of the top goals of men who work out on a regular basis. If you have a gym membership, then you might naturally gravitate around the bench press setup areas. However, contrary to popular belief, you do not need to spend any time on a bench press station, in order to build a chiseled chest. In fact, you do not need a bench press at all, to sculpt a great looking chest. There are several simple chest exercises you can do at home, that do not involve a bench press machine.

Building a Chiseled Chest

When looking to build a chiseled chest, most people often make the mistake of just lifting plated barbells. The truth is, doing just bench press routines is not effective, because these exercises limit your ability to achieve size and strength in your pecs. The reason is that bench presses are considered pushing exercises; and pushing exercises are only half of the equation, when it comes to building a chiseled chest. To maximize your results, you need pushing and squeezing exercise routines.

One of the most effective, but also most underestimated pushing exercises is the pushup. There are several pushup exercises you can do, from incline pushups, to close grip pushups, to clap pushups. The squeezing exercises mostly involve performing dumbbell flys on the floor.

Pushups for Chest

Pushups are by far the best exercise routines when it comes to building a chiseled chest. If you are a beginner, start by doing the pushups on your knees. Once you build up enough strength and can do at least 20 pushups on your knees, you can move to a proper pushup form by raising your knees off the floor. To increase your chest results, perform the pushups in slow motion, rather than bouncing up and down quickly. This ensures that your chest muscles are pushed to their limit. The feeling is completely different. Do 60 seconds of slow motion pushups, then take a 10-second break and repeat again several times until failure.

Once you have mastered this routine, increase the level of difficulty by strapping on a backpack filled with books or rice bags. This will not only add more definitions to your chest muscles, but also your arms.

Dumbbell Flys for Chest

To perform the dumbbell flys, you will need a pair of dumbbells. You certainly don’t want to waste money on new sets of dumbbells. Used dumbbells are as effective as brand new ones, so search on Craigslist or eBay for a good deal.

Do the dumbbell flys on the floor (rather than on a bench), to ensure that you don’t drop your elbows lower than your shoulder level. Dropping your elbows too far down could hyperextend your shoulders, causing injury.

Just like the pushup exercise described above, the key to fast great looking chest result, is to perform the dumbbell flys very slowly. Lie down on your back and bend your knees, feet flat on the floor. Keep your arms straight but do not lock them (meaning, do not extend your arms completely). Flex your abs when you lift the dumbbells. Breathe when you squeeze on your way up, and resist gravity on your way down. Do this routine for 60 seconds; then take a 10 second break and repeat again until failure.

Further Considerations for your Chest Exercises

Whether you are using a bench press or not, for your chest routines, always keep in mind that proper form is the key to great results, and the surest way to avoid injuries. Good Luck!

About the author: Kodjo is a fitness enthusiast and owner of a home based fitness and healthy lifestyle blog. His wish is to contribute as much as possible, to the fight against obesity in America. He recently developed a four-week home workout program to help people exercise in the comfort of their home. Kodjo has a strong following base on Twitter at @Kodjoworkout.