Strength and flexibility exercises will make your chest muscles stronger, firmer and more flexible. Also, burning more calories than you consume reduces body fat so your muscles are more visible. Therefore, you should perform full-body exercises to help you burn more calories in less time than when doing isolated exercises, according to fitness professional Rodney Corn, co-founder of PTA Global.
Push-ups
Push-ups and their variations are the best exercises you can do to firm up your chest, because they require no equipment and strengthen many muscles at once. You can do push-ups on or off your knees, with a stability ball, with different hand positions and with different speeds, according to Juan Carlos Santana, director of the Institute of Human Performance.
Stand Cable Chest Fly
To perform cable flies, to help firm your chest muscles, set the handles of a cable column machine to as high as your shoulders. Face away from the machine, and grab a handle in each hand. Stand with one leg in front of you, and pull both arms together toward the center of your body. Hold the position for one second, and slowly open your arms wide until your shoulder blades squeeze together. Keep your body stable throughout the exercise. Perform 10 to 15 reps for three sets. Increase the weight if you can perform the recommended range easily. If not, decrease the weight.
Standing Doorway Chest Stretch
Stand between a doorway with one leg in front of the other. Bend your arms at 90 degrees, and place your forearms on the doorjamb. Shift your weight to your front foot to increase the stretch in your chest. Hold the stretch for five to six deep breaths. Switch legs and do another set of stretching.
Expert Insight
Too many pushing exercises can cause your chest muscles to get too tight, reducing your ability to extend and move your shoulders and arms in their full range of motion, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Athletic Body in Balance." Perform pulling exercises, such as you rows or pull-ups, to balance your upper body better between sets of chest exercises.
References
- "IDEA Fitness Journal"; Creative Total-Body Workouts; Rodney Corn; February 2010
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
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