Exercises to Flatten Chest

Exercises to Flatten Chest
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Chest fat is unlike abdominal fat in that it does not raise your risk for unwanted diseases. The bad news is, chest fat can still make you feel self-conscious. When you are trying to flatten the chest, you need to set your sights on toning exercises and overall weight loss. Before you engage in any type of new workout routine, make sure to consult your doctor.

Arm Ergometry

An arm ergometer is operated from a seated position, and it is like a bicycle for your upper body. When you use this machine, your arms and chest do the work, which not only burns calories, but also contributes to toning. This type of cardio is low-impact, and you have the option of increasing the resistance by making a quick adjustment on the machine.

Swimming

Swimming is a form of cardio that burns calories and tones muscles in the chest, shoulders, legs and core. The water acts as resistance as you pull your arms through it. The freestyle and breaststroke are especially beneficial when it comes to getting a flatter chest.

Elliptical Training

Elliptical training is a full-body form of cardio performed in similar fashion to cross-country skiing. As you push the upright poles forward, you work your chest muscles, which in turn helps you shed pounds and tone your chest. The machine comes equipped with a resistance adjustment to make your workouts more intense.

Burpee

A burpee is a chest exercise that doubles as a cardio exercise. As an added bonus, it works your legs, shoulders, triceps and abs. To begin, stand with your feet about shoulder width apart and arms hanging at your sides. Quickly lower yourself into a squat, place your hands on the floor and kick your legs backward. As soon as your feet touch down, perform a pushup. Make sure you keep your back straight and abs tight when you do this. Once you rise back up, hop to your feet, to the starting position, then repeat.

Pullovers

Pullovers work the chest with the aid of a barbell and weight bench. To begin, lie face up on the bench and hold the bar straight above you with a shoulder-width grip and elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower the bar down behind your head in an arcing motion toward the ground. Once you feel a good stretch in your chest, move the bar back to the starting point and repeat. For a variation, use a single dumbbell and hold it by the inside of one weighted end.

Around-the-Worlds

Around-the-worlds cause the chest muscles to contract throughout the entire movement. These require a weight bench and a set of dumbbells. To start out, lie face up on the bench and hold the weights directly behind your head with your elbows slightly bent and palms facing up. Your arms should be slightly higher than parallel to the floor at this point. Steadily move the weights away from your body, then back toward your body in a circular fashion. Stop when your hands are right above your thighs and hold for a second. Slowly move the weights back to the starting point and repeat. Keep your palms facing up throughout the entire movement.

References

Article reviewed by OmahaTyppo Last updated on: Apr 2, 2011

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