Archive for January, 2012


SECRETS TO A BIG CHEST  15 Minute Chest Workout

Do you sometimes find yourself a bit short on time and on CHEST DAY of all days? No worries, I’ve got a 15-minute workout for every body part, and this one is for chest.

The first two exercises and the last two are super sets, which are two exercises for the same body part done back to back with no rest in between. For instance, on your first set you might do the smith machine flat bench press for 12 reps, then immediately pick up two dumbbells for 8 reps of the neutral grip flat bench press.

Rest 60-90 seconds between compound sets (by the way, this general guideline applies to most compound sets).

Start: Take two dumbbells, lie on a flat bench and turn your wrists so they face each other, hands at each side of your torso.
Move: Press the dumbbells upward, allowing them to naturally move toward each other at the top (without touching or under control at the very least). Then reverse the move back to the start, getting a good pectoral stretch at the bottom.

Start: Position yourself on a bench so the bar lines up with the middle of your chest. Now get up and load some plates on, lie back on the bench and grasp the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip.
Move: Keep your elbows pointing outward as you press the bar straight up. Pause at the top, then lower the bar until it’s slightly above your chest. If you reach failure without a spotter, simply rack the bar on the nearest hook rest.

Start: Position the handles of the machine so they line up with your mid to upper chest, sit back in the seat and grasp the handles with an overhand grip. 
Move: Press the handles straight out in front of you until your arms are fully extended but not locked, then slowly bring your hands back toward your chest without letting the weights touch the stack.

Start: This exercise is similar in execution to the flat bench flye, except that here your body works harder to keep you stabilised (personal note here; destabilising you’re core is only effective if you can still handle weight that takes your muscles to failure safely. Grab two dumbbells and lie back on a ball so that you face the ceiling with the ball supporting your chest girdle. Extend the dumbbells out above your body, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows throughout to protect them from hyperextension and to keep the tension on the pecs.
Move: Without altering the angle in your elbows, bring the dumbbells up in an arc toward each other, stopping just short of touching over your chest. Lower them back along the same path to the start. To get more upper-chest emphasis, lower your hips toward the floor and perform  in the same manner.

Start: This one will really work your shoulder stabilisers and improve your strength, balance and muscular coordination. Make sure the ball is fairly secure (place it in a ring rest if you can find one), and with your hands on the ball and feet on the ground, get into push-up position.
Move: Keeping your body straight as a plank, lower your chest to the ball by bending your elbows (let them point outward as you descend). Once you reach the bottom, press yourself back up to the start, don’t play bouncy bouncy it’s not big and it’s not clever.