However, the bench press is NOT a great exercise for everyone. Let me explain:

Some people get really great results from the bench press. (Usually, guys with shorter arms do well with the bench press.)

But other people don’t see satisfying results from the bench press. For some guys (usually guys with longer arms), the bench press becomes more of a front-shoulder workout.

While about 99% of all guys focus exclusively on the bench press, many people will actually see results from…

AN “OLD-SCHOOL” CHEST EXERCISE

Before the bench press got so popular, many old-time bodybuilders built incredibly upper body strength with just one exercise.

The heavy weighted parallel bar dip.

WHY IS THE DIP SUCH AN EFFECTIVE CHEST EXERCISE?

First, it gives you a tremendous stretch at the bottom of the exercise and stretching the muscle like that can increase growth by about 10%.

Second, when you do dips you are moving your body up and down while your hands remain fixed. Why does this matter? Well, scientists have shown that the most effective exercises are the ones that involve moving your body up and down while your hands or feet remain still.

When you bench press, your body remains stationary and your hands move up and down. But when dipping, your hands remain fixed and your body moves up and down.

This forces you to concentrate more on balancing the weight of your body and therefore activates more muscle which results in more muscle growth.

RECOMMENDATIONS:

Start dips with your bodyweight only. When you get 12-15 reps, start increasing the resistance by tying some weight around your waist. Increase the weight slowly. Train hard and you can easily build up to the point where you are doing dips with 100 pounds tied to your waist.

When you can do that, you will have a rock-hard chest.

Train Smart, Train Hard, Go Full Force
Sam Martin
Full ForceTraining

Is it possible?

How about the old fashioned push-up!

Yes, in some ways pushups are even more effective than a bench press. A pushup is referred to as a closed-chain exercise, meaning you move your body through space, instead of using a bar.

In order to make all that happen, you need to engage your core muscles to stabilize your torso. This means you use about 75% of your own body weight during each rep, while targeting your chest, shoulders, triceps, and your core.
This movement works a lot more muscles than you would by bench press alone.

Pushups also can be done in many creative ways!!

• Vary the distance your hands are apart
  • The wider the hand position – outer chest
  • The closer the hand position – inner chest
• Do pushups in an incline or decline position
  • Use a bench – incline or decline position
  • Use a stability ball – more stabilization required
• Vary Technique of Pushup
  • Use one arm
  • Clap between reps
  • Use round dumbbells to force you to stabilize
• Advanced Techniques
  • Incline Pushup on using stability ball – full body weight and balance
  • Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball
  • Decline Pushup with feet on stability ball, hands holding dumbbells

So if you don’t have weights don’t fret….. Your own body weight with a little creativity will develop the chest you have always wanted.. Toned, Tight and Defined..

Train Smart, Train Hard, Go Full Force
Sam Martin
Full Force Training