BoxRec

What's the best way to build up chest muscles? Cheers.

Bench, push-up and a few alternative exercises.

I've read that if you want to concentrate purely on your chest muscles, substitute bench press for dumb-bell press as it focuses more on your chest. Also, make sure you do incline dumb-bell press as well to work the upper part of your chest. For shaping do dumb-bell fly.

All I have are dumb-bells at home, nothing more. I'm not a member of a gym there too expensive (and not really my thing) and without sounding thick I don't really understand all this gym/training jargon. What is a dumb-bell press, certainly no idea of an incline dumb-bell press? I used to do alot of rock climbing and still swim 3 times a week so my arms and shoulders are big for my size and I run alot so although skinny my legs are fine, and I do sit-ups alot so stomach's allgood (no 6 pack but flat and toned), but it seems no matter how often or how many press-ups I do I've still got a pidgeon chest. Cheers bythe way

yid14 wrote:All I have are dumb-bells at home, nothing more. I'm not a member of a gym there too expensive (and not really my thing) and without sounding thick I don't really understand all this gym/training jargon. What is a dumb-bell press, certainly no idea of an incline dumb-bell press? I used to do alot of rock climbing and still swim 3 times a week so my arms and shoulders are big for my size and I run alot so although skinny my legs are fine, and I do sit-ups alot so stomach's allgood (no 6 pack but flat and toned), but it seems no matter how often or how many press-ups I do I've still got a pidgeon chest. Cheers bythe way

Its all about diet, training intensity, and rest mate, to put muscle on you'll have to increse your calorie intake, youll have to train chest once a week but train it hard, then the key is recovery, increase your protein intake with protein shakes at a bare minimum straight after your weights session, surely dumbbell press you must have an idea of what it is?? the clue is in the name mate, if all youve got is dumbells and no bench? its not lookin good, without a bench pretty much all you can do is standard pressups, incline press ups,(feet elevated), and decline (hands elevated) you could try flys, lie on the floor wiith dumbell in each hand, arms straight out with thumbs facing up, bring your arms to the floor keeping your arms straight try not to bend elbows and then back up, like your flapping wings like a butterfly if that helps lol, keep the weight enough so you can do around 14 at most then increase weight with each set, google chest exercises if you get stuck mate, and make sure you rest dnt train chest more than once a week if you train right theres no need too,

Yid14, this should be right up your street mate considering what you have available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQAh7m4xsMo

Though I would really recommend getting a bench at some point if you're looking to gain some serious chest size. You can pick a decent one up for about £60 quid and they usually come with a guide on how to use it/workout plan.

P4P#1 wrote:

yid14 wrote:All I have are dumb-bells at home, nothing more. I'm not a member of a gym there too expensive (and not really my thing) and without sounding thick I don't really understand all this gym/training jargon. What is a dumb-bell press, certainly no idea of an incline dumb-bell press? I used to do alot of rock climbing and still swim 3 times a week so my arms and shoulders are big for my size and I run alot so although skinny my legs are fine, and I do sit-ups alot so stomach's allgood (no 6 pack but flat and toned), but it seems no matter how often or how many press-ups I do I've still got a pidgeon chest. Cheers bythe way

Its all about diet, training intensity, and rest mate, to put muscle on you'll have to increse your calorie intake, youll have to train chest once a week but train it hard, then the key is recovery, increase your protein intake with protein shakes at a bare minimum straight after your weights session, surely dumbbell press you must have an idea of what it is?? the clue is in the name mate, if all youve got is dumbells and no bench? its not lookin good, without a bench pretty much all you can do is standard pressups, incline press ups,(feet elevated), and decline (hands elevated) you could try flys, lie on the floor wiith dumbell in each hand, arms straight out with thumbs facing up, bring your arms to the floor keeping your arms straight try not to bend elbows and then back up, like your flapping wings like a butterfly if that helps lol, keep the weight enough so you can do around 14 at most then increase weight with each set, google chest exercises if you get stuck mate, and make sure you rest dnt train chest more than once a week if you train right theres no need too,

Cheers mate, don't want to get huge just abit more defined. Thanks for your help I'm not really sure about protein shakes either, I eat Chicken pasta, turkey pasta,tuna and rice and rice cakes and drinking lots of water everyday was hoping this would help, but after 2 weeks haven't noticed any weight gain and I'm eating a ridiculous amount 200 grammes of pasta twice aday maybe I was hoping for too much too soon.

black panther wrote:Yid14, this should be right up your street mate considering what you have available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQAh7m4xsMo

Though I would really recommend getting a bench at some point if you're looking to gain some serious chest size. You can pick a decent one up for about £60 quid and they usually come with a guide on how to use it/workout plan.

cheers mate looks good, I have no sound on my computer so didn't hear commentary if any, how many sets of that would I do? and is it everyother day? I live in a small flat and am off on my travels again soon so no point in a bench, I just want to get into good habits. Cheers for your help

yid14 wrote:

black panther wrote:Yid14, this should be right up your street mate considering what you have available:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nQAh7m4xsMo

Though I would really recommend getting a bench at some point if you're looking to gain some serious chest size. You can pick a decent one up for about £60 quid and they usually come with a guide on how to use it/workout plan.

cheers mate looks good, I have no sound on my computer so didn't hear commentary if any, how many sets of that would I do? and is it everyother day? I live in a small flat and am off on my travels again soon so no point in a bench, I just want to get into good habits. Cheers for your help

No worries mate. The guy in the video recommends 5-8 sets with one set being all three exercises. He is emphasising that form is very important and that you should do the exercises slowly and with control. If you can't do this, use a lighter weight. Perhaps you could do this workout once or twice a week, depending on how it affects you. You don't really need to do it more than that, especially if you are pushing yourself hard during it.