Excess weight in men can often bring about pseudogynecomastia, more commonly known as man boobs. The added weight causes fat deposits to accumulate within the chest, giving the appearance of breasts. This shouldn't be confused with gynecomastia, which is a medical condition characterized by the development of male breast tissue. If you develop pseudogynecomastia as a result of weight gain, a workout regimen that includes a combination of aerobic exercise and strength training can improve the appearance of your chest.
Step 1
Participate in aerobic activities that increase both heart rate and respiration rate, such as biking, running, swimming, dancing, rowing, hiking and taking part in a competitive sport, on a daily basis. All aerobic exercises burn calories, which can prompt weight loss. And since pseudogynecomastia is often a result of fat, you can minimize these deposits by losing weight.
Step 2
Build up your pectoral muscles with push-ups to help eliminate man boobs. Keep in mind, however, you will still need to drop the excess weight. Push-ups build muscle under the fat. Without losing weight, you may not see an improvement in your chest.
Step 3
Target your pectorals with the bench press. The bench press strengthens and tones the pectoralis major, which is the largest set of muscles in your chest. Lie back on the weight bench and remove the barbell from the rack overhead. Slowly lower the weight until it's just above your chest and then push it upward to complete one rep. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps every other day.
Step 4
Develop your upper pectorals with the inclined fly exercise. The inclined fly is another weight-bearing exercise that builds the pectoral muscles, but those located along your upper chest. Lie back at a 45-degree angle with a weight in either hand. Keeping your arms outstretched, draw the weights together in front of you. Like the bench press, do three sets of eight to 12 reps every other day.
Step 5
Perform the seated chest press. This is basically the upright version of a bench press. Instead of pushing the weights upward, a machine allows you to push the weights forward. A weight machine is necessary to perform this exercise. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps every other day.
Tips and Warnings
- Consider making dietary changes to also encourage weight loss and subsequently reduce pseudogynecomastia. This can include reducing your caloric intake, limiting portion sizes and choosing healthier foods to create the caloric deficit needed to drop excess pounds. If you don't have a weight bench available for the bench press, you can strengthen and tone the pectorals by performing a chest press with dumbbells. With this exercise, lie on the floor, holding a dumbbell in each hand. Slowly press dumbbells upward until your arms are fully extended, and then draw them back down so your upper arms are parallel with the floor. Do three sets of eight to 12 reps every other day.
Things You'll Need
- Weight bench
- Weights
- Weight machine
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