Women and men alike have pectoral muscles in the chest. Making these muscles tighter will have a positive effect on self-esteem in both genders. For women, this will give the breasts a perkier, more lifted appearance. Men on the other hand, can walk around proudly at the beach displaying a nice unclad upper body. A workout to achieve a tighter chest has specific variables. The key to success revolves around your discipline levels and patience.
Stretching
During a chest workout, you activate multiple joints and muscles in the upper body. If this connective tissue is tight and cold when you start lifting, you run the risk of injury. You are better served spending a few minutes doing dynamic stretches. These are performed in a steady motion which acclimates your body to functional movement. This will not only decrease your injury risk, but it will also give you the ability to move with more efficiency during your workout. Perform stretches like alternating toe touches, arm crossovers, arm circles, shoulder shrugs and shoulder rotations.
Exercise Selection
The pecs are considered major muscles in the upper body because of their large size. The best way to target them is by doing exercises with your body in different angles. This insures that you achieve maximal muscle fiber recruitment and favorable results. Perform exercises like incline bench presses, flat bench presses, decline bench presses and flys.
Free Weights
You have the option of using free weights or machines for your exercises. Both help build strength, but free weights are a better option for overall muscle fiber recruitment. Use dumbbells and barbells for all of your exercises.
Technique
Using proper technique will be the deciding factor in whether or not you build a tighter chest. The most important rule is never use momentum to move the weights. This not only takes work away from your muscles, but it also increases your chances for injury. For dumbbell bench presses, lie face-up on a flat bench while holding the weights an inch apart above your body with your arms fully extended and palms facing your thighs. Keeping your abs tight and back pressed to the bench, lower the dumbbells down to your sides by bending your elbows. Once you feel a good stretch in your chest, push the dumbbells back up in a steady motion and repeat.
Weight Used
Using an adequate resistance is necessary to make your pectoral muscles tighter. Aim for a weight that will allow you to do 10 to 12 reps for four or five sets. If you find it easier, train with a spotter. Have her stand next to you and assist you with getting in your last few repetitions.
Resting the Chest
Although you want a tighter chest, you need to be patient. Working the same muscle groups on consecutive days can lead to overtraining. In the worst of cases, you can strain your pecs and be sidelined for several weeks. Avoid this by taking two days off between workouts. Also make sure to get enough sleep. This will further boost your recovery and give you plenty of energy for your workouts.
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