Pecs of steal, who wouldn’t want them? But the real question is how exactly you go about getting a bigger chest. Our GymPaws® Fit Guy – Stuart Reardon certainly seems to have accomplished this goal!  So what is the best chest workout for mass?

First let’s start with the basics.

Walk into any gym or fitness center and most likely everyone would know what a Chest Press is, or what you’re referring to when you say “pecs.”   You’d be surprised however, how many people don’t really understand the Anatomy of the Chest.

The pectoralis major spans the front of the rib cage and spans from near the shoulder joint to the insertion point at the breastbone.  The pectoralis minor is located under the pec major muscles.  Think of a stack of popsicle sticks held between your finger.  This is where the shoulder joint would be.  Fan them out and that’s basically how the pec muscles fan across the front of the chest.

The best chest workout for mass starts with the basics.  The holy grail of all chest exercises…

Barbell Bench Press

Used in any powerlifting competitions, the barbell bench press has been a staple of any chest workout.  There are a ton of variations of the flat barbell bench press and most are defined by grip.  For example if you want to hit triceps more, you’d choose a close grip where as a middle or wide grip will be most efficient for getting the max out of your bench press.

To begin, get yourself situated laying flat on a standard bench.  Keep your feet on the floor.  The dorks you see with their feet up on the bench are doing themselves a disserice.  You need your feet to drive the push up as well as to provide stability.  Always keep your head flat on the bench as well looking straight up at the weight.

Let’s Build Some Mass!

With your best workout gloves on, grab the bar with your elbows stable and tucked into your sides.  They will naturally fall at about a 45 degree position at the bottom of your rep. Now begin to lower the weight slowly towards mid to lower pec, right around your nips!

Now feel the power!  Don’t just go thru the motions.  With explosive force push the weight up from your chest.  Don’t lock your elbows completely… ever!  As soon as your elbow is locked, basic physics come into play.  The weight of the barbell is driven straight through your arms just like two pillars holding it up.  This isn’t the goal.  The goal of this or any of the best chest workout for mass is to actually WORK the chest… not just try to look cool in the weight room. Start with a weight you can manage well and maintain proper form.  Adding more weight to an exercise you haven’t mastered is only going to cause injury.

There are a ton of variations of the barbell bench press, however contrary to popular belief they all work the chest muscles relatively the same.  I know some of your are pounding your chest in disagreement right now but it’s true!   For example a decline chest press is not hitting your “lower chest.”  Why, because there is no lower chest!  You may feel like it’s hits your chest in a different position but physiologically your entire chest muscles are contracting and pushing the force.   You may feel a bit stronger on a decline press but that’s simply because your range of motion is shorter which tends to eliminate weakness at the bottom of the motion.

Tweet