Most men exercise their chest and abdominal muscles for bigger size and more definition. However, exercising excessively in these muscles groups can cause poor posture and weakness in other parts of your body, according to fitness professional Anthony Carey, author of "Pain-Free Program." When these muscles get overtrained, they become shortened and tight, causing your spine to round forward and weakening the back and stabilizing muscles in your spine and hips.
Push-Ups
Push-ups not only strengthen your chest and abdominal muscles, but they also help you maintain strong posture in your hips and spine. Put your hands on the ground about shoulder-width apart with your feet slightly apart and your heels up. Lower your body until your chest and hips almost touch the ground. Exhale and push yourself back up. Do not stick your neck forward or arch your lower back. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Standing Cable Chest Fly
This exercise requires you to brace your abdominal muscles as you move your shoulders and arms. It also strengthens your pelvic and leg stability. Set the height of the handles of the cable-column machine to shoulder height. Face away from the machine and grab each handle with a hand. Stand with one leg in front of the other. Exhale and pull your arms together in front of your chest with your arms slightly bent. Gradually open your arms to the sides until your shoulder blades pull together. Perform three sets of 10 to 12 reps.
Standing Chest Stretch
Stand in a doorway with one leg in front of the other. Place your forearms and hands against either side of the door with your arms bent at 90 degrees. Shift your weight forward to your front foot. Your shoulder blades should pull in together without much effort. Stretch your chest for about six deep breaths. Switch leg positions and repeat the stretch.
Expert Insight
Perform back and pulling exercises consecutively with pushing exercises to balance your upper body. For example, perform one set of push-ups followed by a set of pull-ups with no rest between exercises. Rest for 30 seconds and repeat the pattern. This method, called a superset, increase muscle-growth stimulus and burns more calories than exercising one set at a time, according to physical therapist Gray Cook, author of "Athletic Body in Balance."
References
- "Pain-Free Program"; Anthony Carey; 2005
- "Essence of Program Design"; Juan Carlos Santana; 2004
- "Athletic Body in Balance"; Gray Cook; 2003
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