How To Get A Wider Chest

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Who doesn't want bigger pecs? To strengthen your chest muscles and make them pop, focus on doing chest-enhancing exercises, using the right workout techniques, and eating a healthy muscle-building diet. Follow along after the jump to learn how to get bigger chest muscles in no time at all.

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Do push ups . This often-neglected exercise focuses on building up your shoulder and upper chest muscles.^[1] Lie face-down on the floor and start with your hands about shoulder-width apart, with your legs stretched behind you. Push your body up from the floor with your hands until your elbows are straight, then lower yourself until your arms reach a 90 degree bend.^[2]
- Do 3 sets of 15 push-ups, or as many as you can before growing fatigued. Add more reps as you gain strength.
- Push ups also work your triceps and shoulders (deltoids).
- Try this variation: elevate your legs by placing your feet on a block or step before doing the exercise. This puts emphasis on your shoulders and upper chest.
2
Get into bench pressing. This is the most popular chest building exercise of all time, and for good reason.^[3] Load a barbell with weights appropriate for your strength level. Remember, it's always better to start too light and adjust than to risk injury by starting too heavy. Lie on a bench with your feet flat on the floor. Lower the barbell down to chest until you reach about 1" from your chest, then lift it straight above your chest.^[4]
- To build muscle mass and hypertrophy it is best to do between 8-12 reps of 1-3 sets.
- You can also do incline bench presses by using an inclined bench. This is the same as bench pressing, only it focuses more on your upper pectoral muscles. Decline bench presses focus more on your lower pectoral muscles. Most people don't perform this exercise but it is essential in obtaining a full and rounded chest.
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3

Do bar dips. Stand in front of a wide-grip parallel bar. Pull the bar down and slowly raise it back up. This can be a strenuous exercise that gives you some trouble in the beginning. But it's one of the best pec workout movements you can do to build lots of chest muscle fast.^[5]
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Focus on the pecs separately. Lie down in the push up position and push up. Hold for 3 seconds, then transfer all your weight to your right hand and foot. Stick your left hand and foot up in the air as if you are doing a sideways jumping jack. Hold for 3 seconds. Repeat with your left hand and foot. Again, hold for 3 seconds.

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1
Don't overwork your muscles. Many people make the mistake of lifting weights every single day, thinking that the more they work out, the bigger their muscles will get. This is actually detrimental to muscle growth; your muscles get bigger on the rest days in between workouts, when the tissues repair themselves. To make sure you're not overworking your muscles, follow these tips:
- Work out your chest muscles no more than once or twice per week. On the days when you aren't working out your chest, work other muscle groups, like your legs, arms, and back.^[6]
- Don't work out for longer than 30 minutes in a session. You'll risk damaging your muscles, and you might have to sit out for a while instead of working on building strength and mass.
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Work out as hard as you can. When you do work out, you need to go all in. Challenge yourself to lift as much weight as you can without risking muscle, tendon, ligament, or joint damage. To find out how much weight you should be lifting, try doing reps with different weights. You should be able to do 8 - 10 reps without having to put the weights down, but you should be sweating and panting by the end of the set.
- If you can't do more than 5 or so reps without stopping, you're lifting too much weight. Scale back. As you get stronger, you can start lifting more weight. ^[7]
- If you can do 10 reps without feeling a burn, add more weight. You need to challenge yourself if you want to get bigger.
3
Use the right form. Have a personal trainer or instructor show you how to do your exercises using the right form. You should generally start with your arms fully extended, and use your muscles, not momentum, to complete each motion.
- Using the wrong form can cause muscle, tendon, joint, and ligament damage, so make sure you know what you're doing.
- If you can't complete a motion with a particular weight, it might be too heavy for you. For example, if you can't straighten your arms while you're bench pressing, ease off on the weight.
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1
Don't eat too many calories. People often believe that to get big muscles, you need to eat a lot of calories. You do need to be eating enough calories to give you energy through training, but not so many that your body has to work on burning fat instead of building muscle. Being lean helps the muscles you're working so hard to build look more visible.
- Stay away from empty carbohydrates like pasta, white bread, cakes, cookies, and other baked goods. Choose whole grains.
- Don't eat too many foods that are processed or fried, and limit fast food and snacks.
2
Eat plenty of protein. Protein is a building block for muscle, and you're going to need a lot of it if you want a big chest. You can get your protein from a multitude of sources - not just meat. Consider these options:
- Lean meats like chicken, fish, lean beef, and pork.
- Eggs and full-fat dairy.^[8]
- Nuts and beans.
- Kale, spinach, and other vegetables that have protein.
- Tofu and soy
3
Consider taking supplements. Many people who are working on building muscles take creatine, a powdered amino acid that is mixed with water and ingested three or more times daily. It is considered safe to consume by the FDA, since it's composed of the same protein that our bodies produce naturally to build muscle.
- You may also consider taking a protein shake supplement it is one of the most beneficial supplements to gaining muscle and leading an overall healthy life.
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Sample Exercises and Routines

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Question

How long does it take to get a bigger chest?

Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

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Your pectoral muscles can enlarge in size in a matter of 4 to 8 weeks, if you do the right workout and eat right. Remember however, other factors will affect your overall muscle development, such as genetics, hormones and lifestyle. Follow this workout to see results.
Question

How do I gain mass in my chest quickly?

Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

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Do push ups, the bench press and pec flyes, working out to failure on each exercise. Do this twice a week, with a least two days rest between workouts, for 8 weeks. If you don't consume enough calories, drink a protein supplement before and after your workout. Get your BMI below 24, so the chest muscles won't be hidden by fat if that is an issue for you.
Question

What foods should I eat to get a bigger chest?

Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer
Question

What kind of push ups work your chest?

Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer
Question

What workouts make your chest bigger?

Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer
Question

What is the best way to get pecs?

Michele Dolan is a BCRPA certified Personal Trainer in British Columbia. She has been a personal trainer and fitness instructor since 2002.

Certified Fitness Trainer

Expert Answer
Question

I only do push-ups. Does this help my for chest & hand muscles?

Push-ups target your chest, your triceps, your shoulders, your back, and if done correctly a bit of your core as well. If you would like to build your chest up, a program that includes weight-loaded exercises along with body weight exercises will work better than just body weight exercises (i.e. push-ups). If you would like your push-ups to incorporate some hand work, doing the push-ups on your finger tips will accomplish that.
Question

Should I do push ups every day?

Yes, you may do push ups every day.
Question

Is it unhealthy to work out every day?

It depends on the workout, Most people would suggest you only workout three to four days a week, Yet, some others suggest six days a week and one day off (rest day). If you are only doing low amounts with high reps, the six days a week would work perfect, But try not to overdo one part of your body, try to even it out.
Question

How can I increase my chest using only diet?

That won't be possible. A special diet will not add muscle to a specific area of the body.

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Don't stop working out just because you don't see results in a week. Over time change will come.
Listen to music while working out!
Always warm up before doing exercise.
Consistency is the key! Be sure to have a proper diet without skipping meals.
Don't doubt yourself, work hard!
While working out, you have to remember that you have to get other vitamins as well. So pack up on fruits, vegetables, and grains(very little). Try to get sugar from only fruits.
Don't eat too many calories, but keep in mind to not starve yourself either.
Concentrate on the motion. If you're not feeling the muscle tense (shake), you're not doing it correctly or the weight is too low. Also remember to take your time with the motion. Slow and steady reps is more beneficial to your body than fast, shaky reps.
Do swimming. It's great for upper body strength.
Make sure to get a healthy amount of sleep when exercising or physically exerting yourself. It is important that you rest your muscles in order to grow.
Make sure to do all the exercises with proper form. Once you do that you can add weight to your routines.
Vegetarians do not have to lack protein. Soy products (usually contain the most protein of all) are sold in grocery stores and food markets.
Leave at least 100 hours between working the same muscle group, preferably until ALL soreness is gone.
Get .5 to 1 gram (0.035 oz) of protein per pound of body weight. Get your protein from meat, chicken, milk, beans, pulses, fish (e.g. tuna which is high in protein), and eggs as they are cheap and a good source of protein.

Don't over exercise yourself, it can cause serious injury.
Though dips are good for your pecs they are hard on your shoulders. Use caution when doing dips to avoid shoulder injuries.
Don't start with too much weight. Always start small, otherwise you might risk injury.
Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program.

Things You'll Need

Weights and exercise equipment
Local gym (optional)
Trainer/physical instructor

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Article SummaryX

To get bigger pectoral muscles, start by doing exercises that target your chest, such as push-ups or bar-dips. For another great chest workout, try bench pressing to build up muscle mass. When you do these exercises, work your muscles as hard as you can, then rest for a few days in between to let them recover. You should also focus on a healthy diet that includes plenty of protein but not too many empty calories. For tips on which supplements can help you gain muscle, read on!

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