How to pump up your pectoral muscles with push-ups. Is it possible to pump up your pectoral muscles with push-ups? Anatomy of the pectoral muscles
How can a man attract the admiring glances of women? How can a girl make others jealous of her high bust? Sport will help both of them! Namely, development exercises pectoral muscles. A few months of regular training - and athletic shape is guaranteed.
Anatomy lessons
The chest muscles are one of the most large muscles body. There are several of them, but for bodybuilders, two of them are of greatest interest: the pectoralis major and minor muscles. The pectoralis major muscle is shaped like a fan and is “woven” into shoulder muscles, she is a worker, participates in many movements. The pectoralis minor muscle is located under the major muscle and is more of a stabilizing muscle and works less frequently.
Also, the pectoral muscles are conventionally divided into 3 levels: upper, middle and lower. And if the middle one is used under any load, then the upper and lower levels can only be pumped special exercises for the chest.
Is it possible to pump up the pectoral muscles at home?
“Pumping up your chest” at home is quite difficult: for this you will need parallel bars, rings, dumbbells and a barbell. You can use bars and horizontal bars in the courtyards, but in winter this is problematic.
If you still decide to seriously engage in training to develop the pectoral muscles, you should at least buy dumbbells (the best ones are collapsible: their weight can be reduced or increased as necessary). Also, if possible, purchase a barbell and plates of different weights for it. The horizontal bar can be strengthened between door jambs or in a narrow corridor.
NOTE Until you have purchased the necessary equipment, you can replace it with improvised means: dumbbells - bottles of different sizes filled with water, a barbell - a mop stick with the same bottles of sand attached to it. You can also use a good old weight (remember if your father’s equipment is in the garage), but with caution, since the weight is dangerous.
The effectiveness of training depends on its intensity and correctness. The optimal number of classes for a beginner is no more than 2–3 per week. During this time, the muscles have time to recover. With such a program, the first results will be noticeable within a month or two.
When working out at home, remember that if you train incorrectly with heavy dumbbells, there is a danger of damaging the joints and ligaments of your hands, and training with a barbell without an instructor or backup increases the risk of injury.
Home workout program
It must be remembered that before starting a lesson, a warm-up is required (working out the joints, warming up the muscles: running, jumping rope, etc.), and then a cool-down (stretching).
To warm up the chest muscles, shoulder turns, “mill”, rowing movements, and light dumbbell swings are suitable.
The workout consists of 2-4 sets of each exercise, taking from 2 to 5 minutes. Rest between sets should be at least 50 seconds.
Between workouts, it is necessary to take breaks sufficient for muscle recovery (2-3 days).
Exercises to develop the pectoral muscles
One of the basic exercises for “pumping up” is push-ups. But without other training they are ineffective. Horizontal bar, rings, barbell and dumbbells - here best friends relief pectoral muscles.
Push ups
Take an emphasis lying on straight arms. As you inhale, lower your body as low as possible (almost touching the floor with your chest), and then, as you exhale, return to initial position. Perform 2–4 approaches starting with 15 repetitions, gradually increasing their number. The exercise can be complicated: perform push-ups on your fists, on one hand, push-ups with clapping, push-ups with a fitball, etc.
Exercises on the horizontal bar
Straight pull-ups. Hang on the bar, hands with palms facing away from you, wide grip. As you inhale, lift your body, as you exhale, lower it. Perform the exercise smoothly, without jerking, 2-3 sets with the maximum number of repetitions (it’s better to start with 10).
Reverse pull-ups. Grasp the bar with a medium grip, palms facing away from you. Rise to the highest point (horizontal bar at chest level) and lower yourself smoothly, without “throwing” your body down. Then rise again and repeat. 2 sets of 10–15 repetitions.
Ring exercises
To develop the pectoral muscles, you can do ring push-ups. Take the starting position: emphasis on the rings with straight arms. Then gradually lower yourself until the bend angle at the elbows is 90 degrees. Torso and rib cage remain in vertical position. Then you need to rise, straightening your arms and pressing on the rings. The push-up is considered completed only if you were able to fix the body at the extreme points. Perform 2-3 approaches 4-6 times.
Exercises with dumbbells
Dumbbell Bench Press. On a straight bench, place your hands with dumbbells on the sides of your head parallel to the floor (dumbbells parallel to your arms). Slowly raise them as you inhale, bringing them together above the body in straight arms, and lower them as you exhale. Perform 3-4 sets of 10 repetitions.
Dumbbell cheats. Lying on a bench at an angle of 30 degrees (head up), place the dumbbells perpendicular to your arms. Raise your arms with dumbbells 10 times per approach. Perform 3-4 approaches.
Barbell exercises
Bench press. The correct starting position is the head, shoulders and buttocks pressed against the bench. Feet are wider than shoulder-width apart and resting on the floor. On a count of 1–2, raise the barbell above your chest, on a count of 3, fix the position, and on a count of 4–6, lower it. The elbows should not be straight and the bar should not touch the chest. Perform 3-4 approaches 3-5 times.
Useful tips
- In order for the result to be noticeable faster and the relief to appear better, you can dry out a little: consume more protein, eliminate unhealthy and sweet foods (you can read more).
- To maintain a fast metabolism and effective fat burning, you should eat often - 5-6 times a day, but in small portions.
- You need to calculate your daily norm water consumption and stick to it (formula for men: weight * 35, for women: weight * 31).
- You should not train only one muscle group, forgetting about developing the rest. Walk, run, and train other muscles while your pecs rest after your workout. This will allow you to maintain body harmony.
If you want and try, you can pump up your pectoral muscles at home. But you need to remember that in the gym, especially under the supervision of an experienced instructor, training will be safer and, most likely, more effective. The gyms of the Gold’s Gym fitness club network have all the necessary equipment for effectively pumping the pectoral muscles. Specialist instructors will compose individual program workouts that are right for you. Practice with us!
And again I am glad to meet you on the pages of my blog. It's summer outside, the weather is beautiful, and I'm sure that most of you have gone to your dachas and resorts. In general, get away from the hot asphalt and the bustle of the city. And I completely agree with you in such impulses. However, in this way, gyms and all Sports Equipment. But I’m sure I want to train! I want to pump up my chest, arms, shoulders... But you know, there is a way out!
I propose to talk about how to pump yourself up with push-ups so that in the future your workouts are not interrupted due to distances, lack of necessary equipment, reluctance to visit the gym, etc.
Not only are push-ups extremely convenient because they can be performed literally anywhere you find a flat, smooth surface, but believe me, they are also very beneficial for the body. With push-ups you support sports uniform, increase endurance, strengthen joints, respiratory system and much more, not to mention increasing muscle mass and giving definition to your torso.
But since we, along with health, are primarily interested in muscles, their volume and shape, let's dwell on this. So, I propose to clearly consider which muscles are pumped up during such training.
In the illustration, numbers 1, 2 and 3 indicate different beams. By doing push-ups, you work all segments of the delta. Number 4 is the triceps, which, together with number 5 - the chest muscles, takes on the main load when performing the training. But our conversation would be incomplete without mentioning the biceps brachii and serratus anterior muscles (ribs).
There are many nuances and options for performing push-ups, focusing either on the top of the chest, then on the bottom, or even on the biceps. It also works your back and hips, as you have to make an effort to stay straight and not bend. By the way, this is one of the important conditions for the correct execution of exercises, as well as smoothness and correct breathing.
Cool video course " Street Bodybuilding Workout "will only help you, thanks to which you can build a relief muscular body in short time.
How to do push-ups correctly
Surely many are wondering: is it possible to pump up the chest with just push-ups in the same way as in the gym. My answer is: push-ups are essentially the same as a barbell chest press. I will show you a series of exercises aimed specifically at chest group muscles. Therefore, if for some reason the gym is not available to you, then before we move on to training, join our conversation.
Here you will learn how to pump up at home, doing, in fact, one single exercise.
1. Firstly, your back should be straight.
2. Secondly, the speed of push-ups should be as slow as possible, the movements should be smooth. When someone demonstrates a convulsion-like technique by doing 100 or more push-ups incredibly hard and quickly, turn away. Believe me, he will not do even 20% of the amount he claims correctly.
3. Thirdly, depending on which muscle group you focus on, a certain type of push-up follows. Visually, the differences are insignificant, but functionally, rest assured, the difference is noticeable. It is tangible, because during the training you will feel exactly those muscles that receive the main load. This means that we are pumping them up.
An important point is your training schedule. Since push-ups are a strength exercise, naturally the body needs to be given rest. Therefore, three classes a week will be enough.
I hope we understand the technique, so let's take a look different kinds push-ups aimed at one or another muscle group in the upper part of your body. In fact, there are many of them, and we will not dwell on them all. I suggest limiting your workouts to the chest, triceps and biceps muscles. Do you agree? Well then, let's get started.
Let's start with . Do you know how a barbell is used to pump its various sections? That's right, on incline bench. It's the same story with push-ups: if you're working on top part muscles, then we do push-ups with our legs on a chair or any other chair that comes along. If your goal is the bottom, then you need to do push-ups the other way around, from a chair.
To properly stretch your chest muscles, try doing push-ups, for example, on dumbbells. If you don't have them at hand, you can even use books. The main thing is that, while performing the exercise, you feel the muscles stretching. This type of training is essentially basic for the chest muscle group.
Despite the fact that and are actively involved in absolutely all types of this training, it is still necessary to perform exercises focused specifically on it. The most effective here are push-ups. narrow grip. Place your palms on top of each other and try this. So how? Did you manage to get up? Work!
To do this, we will also need dumbbells. Of course, it is possible without them, however, to complicate the process, I would recommend doing this training with them. So, hands shoulder-width apart, as in a regular push-up, with the only difference being that the backs of your wrists are pointing in the same direction as your gaze.
As you can see, push-ups are essentially a universal workout for your torso. If you are already a fairly strong and experienced athlete, then you can safely add load using extra weight. There are many options, but it seems to me that it will be most convenient for you to use weights from a barbell - just put them on your back and forward. But first, quickly return home, as we still have many interesting activities ahead of us.
Training program
To achieve the desired result as quickly as possible, try to add some kind of system to your training. I offer you my option, lasting 20 weeks. However, the program physical activity is an individual matter, and you can approach its preparation yourself. The main thing is that you do not get hung up on any one exercise, but alternate them periodically. IN otherwise You won't be able to gain weight.
So, the push-up program for 20 weeks (clickable):
Perform any exercises correctly, otherwise you risk not only not getting the expected effect, but also injuring yourself. Between approaches, take a break of 90–120 seconds, no more. If you approach your training thoroughly, without being lazy, the result will pleasantly surprise even you.
Play sports, take care of your health, have patience and perseverance, and this world will bend under you. See you.
Lord of the entire site and fitness trainer | more details >>
Genus. 1984 Trained since 1999 Trained since 2007. Candidate of Masters in powerlifting. Champion of Russia and South Russia according to AWPC. Champion of the Krasnodar region according to IPF. 1st category weightlifting. 2-time winner of the Krasnodar Territory championship in t/a. Author of more than 700 articles on fitness and amateur athletics. Author and co-author of 5 books.
Place in : out of competition ()
Date of: 2014-12-14 Views: 26 815 Grade: 5.0
This article will be of interest primarily to those who train at home and who have absolutely no training equipment. Of course, training without dumbbells, barbells and horizontal bars is less effective. But there are people who cannot afford to buy enough equipment for full-fledged training. I already wrote about that. Now I’ll tell you about the pectoral muscles. Naturally, we will pump up our chest with push-ups. I'll give you 5 types of push-ups and then tell you how to best combine them throughout the week. So let's get started. Effective chest push-ups
These are classic push-ups. But a wide grip does not mean the wider the better. Sufficient width - 2 widths of your shoulders. In the end, how hard your chest will work depends not on the width of your arms, but on how far you spread your elbows to the sides. This type of push-up evenly trains the entire pectoral muscle. It is very important to ensure that your legs and back are extended in one line. That is, there is no need to lift or lower the pelvis. 
There are two options. A simpler one is when you only place your hands on the stands. More difficult - when you put both arms and legs on stands. For the second option, stands 10–20 cm are quite enough. And for the first option, the higher, the easier. Why is this being done? I think you've already guessed it. The supports allow you to go lower, which means you can stretch your chest more. In other words, the efficiency of such an exercise will be higher. After all, the greater the difference between stretching and contracting a muscle, the harder the muscle works. 
If you only lift your pelvis up, then it’s easier. If you raise your legs, then it’s more difficult. But the footrest should be quite high (minimum 50 cm), and the pelvis should not be lowered (legs and back extended in one line). What is the essence of such an exercise? The bottom line is that in this position you will work your upper chest more. It's all about the angle between the back and the arms. And the angle of the back depends on the height of the pelvis. The higher your pelvis is, the more your upper chest will work. 
You don't need to place your hands too narrow. It’s quite enough – a little narrower than shoulder width. Press your elbows to your sides. These push-ups work the triceps and chest. Naturally, if your goal is the chest, then it is better to do such push-ups either after basic push-ups, or separately. Because if you do them at the beginning, your triceps will become clogged. And then you won’t be able to train your chest properly because your triceps will fail before your chest. 
Here the triceps work more than the chest. But it’s the upper part of the chest that gets involved well. Therefore, it is better to do this exercise also after basic push-ups, or separately from all others. For a more or less developed man, doing push-ups in this way is not difficult. Therefore, you can put something heavy on your hips. What - think for yourself. The footrest should be either the same height as the armrest, or even a little higher. How to combine these push-ups
So, I have given you 5 types of push-ups. Of course, it is unnecessary to do all 5 push-ups every day. For good growth your babies need to adhere to a certain system. And now I will give you this system: Monday:- (4x10-20)
- (3-4x10-20)
- Push-ups from stands (3-4x10-20)
- Push-ups with legs/pelvis up (3-4x10-20)
- (4x10-20)
There is a widespread belief that training certain muscle groups is impossible without specific sports equipment, which is found exclusively in specialized establishments such as a fitness center.
However, all this fully applies to professional athletes who work on special programs with heavy weights. But if you just want to have a beautiful, toned, harmoniously developed body or cannot, for one reason or another, train in the gym, training at home is a good solution to achieve a visible effect.
The pectoral muscles are divided into 3 groups - major, minor and serratus anterior. In addition, there is a classification by departments. According to it, there are 3 of them in total - upper, middle and lower. And if the average is worked out in almost any exercise, then others must be trained with emphasis, otherwise there will be no results. Standing apart is the so-called inner part breasts It also requires special training.
Note that exercises for working out the pectoral muscles help reduce the volume of adipose tissue due to the high energy consumption during their implementation, which has a beneficial effect on the entire body as a whole.
Home workouts
Many people are desperate for free time. Someone has a difficult schedule or work itself. There are those who, due to their character, cannot bring themselves to be in a large group of strangers. Perhaps your budget does not allow you to spend money on a gym. In all these cases, deal better at home. Yes, the effect of training will not appear quickly. Yes, it is impossible to develop muscle definition to the level inherent in bodybuilders at home. But it’s still better to be fit, athletic build than nothing at all, isn't it?
Below we will describe in detail the process of how to pump up the pectoral muscles at home, but first I would like to remind you that you must have motivation, otherwise you will not be able to achieve serious success.
Training mode
First let's deal with this important issue like a training schedule. The most important rule is that you cannot train every day. This way you will only exhaust yourself, because during training the muscles are heavily loaded, and this inevitably leads to microtraumas. By exercising daily, you will not give your muscles rest (and they grow just during it), microtraumas will accumulate and one day turn into a full-fledged injury.
It is likely that after your first workout you will experience painful sensations. It is important not to practice until they disappear. So it's better to train twice a week. For beginners, it is advisable to perform 1 or 2 exercises in 2 or 3 approaches, then this number (meaning both exercises and approaches) should be increased.
Classic push-ups
Great alternative basic exercise bench press Also this exercise loads the pectoral muscles, arms, shoulder girdle and partially - the lats and abs.
With due persistence and regular classes It is possible to pump up your chest at home with push-ups alone, although it will take a lot of time.
Narrow push-ups
The technique is similar to classic push-ups, but during this exercise the palms are not shoulder-width apart, but next to each other - so that thumbs touched. When lowering to the lower position, you need to touch your chest with your palms, then pause for 1 second, and only then return to the starting position (IP). The exercise is aimed mainly at training the inner chest.
Push-ups on stools
To perform this exercise, you will need 2 strong, stable stools, preferably with a hard, non-slip top. They are placed at the width of your shoulders, and then you take the IP like a regular push-up, the only difference being that your palms are on the stools and your feet are on the headboard (or anywhere else; the main thing is that your feet should be located above the shoulder line). Hands should be placed slightly wider than shoulders.
You need to go as low as possible, and the optimal number of approaches is 3 or 4, with 10-12 repetitions. Over time, we may feel that the exercise has become too simple, but the number of repetitions and/or reps should not be increased. Better use weights; in particular, a backpack filled to capacity with books is perfect for this purpose.
Forward Bend Push-Ups
It is the same as the exercise described above, only performed without stools. The legs should again be above the shoulder line, they should be placed on some level and stable piece of furniture. Because of this position of the legs, the main load falls not on the middle, but on the top part chest muscles. In addition, the triceps and deltoid muscles are actively involved in the work.
Dumbbell floor press
If you don't have dumbbells, you should definitely get them, as this exercise is a great way to work your chest muscles. If we talk about the gym, then there it is performed on a bench; at home you will train on the floor.
Starting position: take dumbbells and lie on the floor, legs should be bent at the knees. Then stretch your arms upward with the dumbbells held in them and smoothly lower them to the sides until your elbows touch the floor (as you inhale). Next, wait 1-2 seconds. and return to IP (as you exhale). It is important to follow 2 rules: keep your elbows apart so that the pectoral muscles are fully loaded, and when lowering your arms, you must not allow your elbows to hit the floor.
Complex
Also suitable for pumping up the pectoral muscles at home are exercises such as lying hands with dumbbells, pullovers and reverse push-ups. If finances allow, buy a folding athletic bench. It will not take up much space when stored, but will greatly increase the efficiency of the dumbbell press.
Program for pumping the pectoral muscles at home
- Wide grip push-ups 3 sets of 30 reps
- Close grip push-ups 3 sets of 20 reps
- Dumbbell floor press 3 sets of 15 reps
- Lying dumbbell curls 3 sets of 15 reps
- Pullover 3 sets of 20 reps
In pumping up the pectoral muscles, as in other workouts, you must adhere to certain rules in order to get the desired result. How to properly pump up your breasts at home to get gorgeous relief?
Men, oddly enough, are always interested in how they look in the eyes of others. For many, the standard of male beauty is “pumped up” handsome men, like the famous Arnie or Alexander Nevsky, who easily flex their muscles and conquer women's hearts. Unfortunately, Schwarzenegger's textured body is the result of long and professional training. However, it is possible to pump up the pectoral muscles to a pleasing shape at home!
What you need to know before starting training
So, how to pump up your pectoral muscles at home? In order not to harm your health and not discourage you from exercising for a long time exercise, remember a few simple rules.
- Before you start studying, look in the refrigerator. Poor nutrition can ruin all your efforts, and you will need to eat right to subcutaneous fat did not interfere with muscle growth.
- Training should be done regularly.
- While paying attention to the pectoral muscles, do not forget about others muscle groups. Inflated upper or Bottom part breasts will not look aesthetically pleasing with thin legs.
- You will have to gradually increase the load - only its systematic progression ensures muscle growth and strength potential.
- Choose for home workouts sports equipment, the characteristics of which are easily adjustable.
If you are the happy owner of a large living space and can afford to purchase professional sports equipment for training, then the problem of home strength gymnastics simplified significantly. However, most city apartments do not have space for home gym, and you will have to solve the problem of pumping muscles using what is at hand.
Anyone who decides to do bodybuilding at home needs to purchase:
- A collapsible pair of dumbbells;
- Collapsible bars (preferably in a set with wall bars);
- Adjustable bench.
Collapsible dumbbells are the main equipment for training, which allows you to adjust the weight of the load from 5 to 25 (max. – 45) kg. Training with dumbbells is a good replacement for exercises on parallel bars or an adjustable bench. The main exercise with dumbbells is the bench press and bench fly.
Bars are great for home training of a large muscle group, including the chest, abs and arms.
You will need an adjustable bench to change the load during training - by changing the angle of its inclination, you can change the levels of load on the chest muscles. Instead of a bench, a strong construction board is also suitable, which should be placed at one end on the corner of the bed or chair.
A set of exercises for home training
A large load in the initial period of training is undesirable and even dangerous, and subsequently you should warm up the muscles before each session to protect them from tearing. For this there are a number simple exercises Find out by watching video tutorials.
- Regular push-ups. Take a “lying down” position, arms slightly wider than shoulders, body straight, legs closed, toes resting on the floor. Perform 20-25 push-ups in one approach. Repetition – 3 sets. When doing push-ups, follow a simple rule: bend your arms slowly and straighten them sharply.
- Push-ups in the “legs above head” position. A good emphasis is required to perform this exercise. The body is straight, the position of the arms and legs is as in the first exercise. Perform 10-20 push-ups 4 times.
- Push-ups with stretching. Feet - on the sofa, hands resting on two chairs, body - between the chairs, back straight. Slowly bend your arms (until your body sag deeply) and sharply straighten while exhaling. The exercise is performed in 4 sets, the number of push-ups is differentiated and depends on physical fitness. A guideline can be mild muscle pain, which should not be feared - the muscles are stretching, preparing for further growth.
Basic set of exercises with equipment>
- Dumbbell bench press;
- Dips (preferably with additional weight);
- Dumbbell fly;
- Dumbbell pullover (the movement is performed by supporting a dumbbell with inside top pancake with two palms of crossed arms).
Option 1. Dumbbell bench press – 3-4 sets of 6-12 times; push-ups on uneven bars (can be replaced with push-ups on chairs) – 3-4 sets of 6-12 times; Dumbbell lift – 3 sets of 10-12 reps; pullover – 3 sets of 10-15 reps.
Option 2. Dumbbell bench press – 3-4 sets of 10-12 times; push-ups on uneven bars (or push-ups on chairs) – 3-4 sets of 10-12 times; Dumbbell lift – 3 sets of 10-12 reps. In the future, add exercises with a barbell.
Exercises to pump up the upper pectoral muscles
The top of the pectoral muscles is the most problem area when pumping, and pumping up this area without special equipment is almost impossible. However, there is an exercise that, even at home, gives excellent results - push-ups in the “legs above head” position.
If you gradually increase the complexity of the load, your breasts will quickly become sculpted. A complication will be short pauses at the bottom of the push-up, as well as push-ups with the help of additional objects - for example, books. Place two equal-height stacks of books on the floor at a distance wider than your shoulders. Slowly push up, resting your hands on the stacks, trying to touch your chest to the floor. The number of approaches is 3-4, the number of push-ups is 15-20 times.
An “explosive” push-up will also help pump up the upper pectoral muscles - when extending your arms, you need to lift your hands off the floor and clap your palms.
The most difficult exercise in this segment it is considered “ explosive push-up with an inclination”, combining the technique of the two previous exercises.
An example of pumping up the lower part of the pectoral muscles is exercises on collapsible parallel bars. You need to practice on the uneven bars at least 2-3 times a week, and a complication for this exercise is considered to be stopping at the bottom of the push-up for a few seconds. Perform the exercise 3-4 times (12-15 times each).
How to pump up your pectoral muscles at home to get quick results
We would like to warn you that heavy loads in the first phase of training do not contribute to the rapid growth of muscle mass. Rather, on the contrary, they can lead to injuries and ligament ruptures. To avoid this, you need time, regularity and gradual increase loads With this approach, the muscles will quickly gain strength and mass.
Get started strength exercises with weighted dumbbells or a barbell only at the stage of intensive training. And be sure to warm up your muscles before each workout!
The acquired beautiful breast contour should be maintained daily exercise for push-ups and pull-ups. This will help consolidate the resulting effect and keep your figure in excellent shape. physical fitness for a long time.
You can see instructions for pumping up your pectoral muscles at home in this video lesson.
