The chest is one of the most important muscle groups in your body for both males and females.
A high level of strength in this area is necessary to do many activities, including running, push-ups, sit-ups, pull-ups, and more. The lack of a proper chest workout can lead to numerous health issues such as poor posture or even back pain. Luckily there are several exercises that you can complete without any equipment at home! Here are eight great indoor chest exercises that will help you build up your upper body strength with minimal effort!
Table of Contents
Regular push-ups
Push-ups are probably the most known chest exercises. You can do them at home or in a gym, but it is essential to be on an elevated surface (for example, the bed) if you want to start this exercise.*
Regular push-ups start with your hands and feet on the floor in a straight line. Your arms should be shoulder-width apart, and your legs should also form a perfectly straight line with them (it can be helpful to keep your knees slightly bent).
At this point, you need to lower yourself by bending your elbows until they’re at 90-degree angles. Make sure to keep your back straight and let it fall towards the floor instead of curving to avoid injury. When you push yourself up, make sure that your elbows are at 90-degree angles as well.
Incline push-ups
Incline push-ups are one of the best exercises to do if you want more definition in your chest.
To do them, you need a bench or any object flat enough for your feet to touch the ground. You can also elevate it by putting some books underneath if required.
- – Lean forward and put your hands on the elevated surface at about shoulder-width distance apart.
- – Have your legs straight behind you with only toes touching the floor (you can also have your legs bent if you want).
- – Now, bend at the elbows and lower yourself down. Keep in mind that the closer your hands are together, the more difficult this exercise will be on your chest muscles. So keep them wider apart for more accessible results, or narrow it up a bit if you feel like pushing yourself!
Decline push-ups
– Place your hands on a wall shoulder-width apart and extend your legs behind you so that only your feet are touching the ground. Keep a straight line from head to knees. Lower yourself as close as possible towards the floor, keeping chest muscles tight, then push up until arms are extended again. Be sure not to drop or lock elbows at the top of the push-up.
Decline push-ups are a great chest workout. They are a great chest workout because they work both the pectoral muscles as well as your triceps.
Plyometric push-ups
This is the most popular of all chest exercises. It’s effortless, but it’s also very effective at working your chest muscles. All you need to do this exercise are two sturdy chairs or a bench and an optional mat which will protect your hands if they slip when doing these kinds of push-ups.
Start with your back is facing the bench or chair, and your hands are firmly gripping the edges. Your feet should be close to but not touching the bench or chair.
Then bend at your elbows so that you push yourself up off of it, forcing all of the weight on your chest muscles instead of with help from other powers like in regular push-ups. This is when you want to make sure that your back stays straight.
Then, in a fluid motion, jump both of your feet towards the bench or chair and land them on top right next to where your hands were before bending at the elbows again and pushing yourself up off of it by using only chest muscles. Repeat this motion quickly and as many times as you can.
*Laying face down with your feet on a step or bench, hold yourself up by pushing against it with your hands.*
With this exercise, all the force is placed onto the chest muscles instead of other secondary muscles like traditional push-ups.
Time under tension push-ups
Time under tension push-ups is a great way to increase chest strength and development. If you have shoulder issues, then these are the perfect alternative, as they keep your body in alignment with your shoulders at all times. You can do them on an incline bench or even by putting two chairs together. Ensure that when doing this exercise that you use a full range of motion. By going all the way down and touching your chest, as well as pushing up to full arm extension, you can push through those extra dense chest muscles for maximum results!
Look at these demonstrations to get a complete understanding of the exercise!
Regular chest press
The regular chest press is a great exercise to do at home. If you have a bench, this is the perfect one for you. You can either use dumbbells or put your palms on each side of an elevated surface and push yourself up from it.
Follow these steps to do this exercise:
- – Hold the dumbbells in your hands with palms facing forward.
- – Lie on a flat bench, extending your arms above you and holding onto the weights. Keep them at shoulder-width apart for better stability.
- – Press up until both arms are fully extended but not locked out.
- – Slowly lower back down to starting position.
- – Repeat.
Incline chest press
*Incline chest press – set up on a bench with your feet firmly planted on the floor. Place your feet slightly wider than shoulder-width apart to give yourself stability, and place both hands behind you, holding onto the top of the bench. Slowly lower down until your elbows are 90 degrees (remember not to lockout) before pressing back up.
– set the bench at a 45-degree angle with your feet placed firmly on the floor and hold onto either side of it for stability. Lower down slowly until you feel a stretch in your chest before pressing yourself back up to starting position.
The incline chest press is a great chest workout that works your pectoral muscles’ upper and lower sections
Decline chest press.
The decline chest press is a great exercise that works your pectoral muscles’ lower and upper parts. It can be performed on either an adjustable bench or lying at the end of a flat one. If you want to make things harder, try serving this with dumbbells in hand, as it will work those small stabilizing muscles in your chest too.
To Sum Up
After reading this post, you have no excuse for not working out. There are plenty of chest exercises that you can do at home to tone up, build muscle and boost your overall fitness level. Working out at home is great because it saves time and money on gas or finding a health club with open hours that fit into your schedule.
Related: 10 Exercises to Instantly Improve Shoulders’ Shape and Fitness
