How to Get a Bigger Chest Fast (JUST DO THIS!)

ATHLEAN-X™

13 Oct 202202:33

Summary

TLDRThis video script offers expert tips for maximizing chest engagement in bench press and other chest exercises. It emphasizes the importance of proper form, including lowering to the bottom of the bench, exaggerating sternum height, and pressing through specific fingers to initiate chest contraction. The advice extends to crossovers and push-ups, with a focus on keeping the chest prominent and shoulders back for optimal muscle activation. The script concludes with a suggestion to try linked chest workouts for further development.

Takeaways

🏋️‍♂️ To maximize chest engagement in bench press, lower yourself to the bottom of the bench and lift your rib cage high to get the shoulders back and chest prominent.
🤔 When pressing, focus on pressing through the index and thumb fingers to initiate the movement with the chest instead of the shoulders to prevent shoulder dominance.
🤲 Emphasize the adduction at the shoulder by using the two fingers closest to the dumbbell to ensure the chest initiates the contraction in exercises like crossovers.
👐 For chest exercises, maintain a staggered stance and square up your chest to keep it prominent and the shoulders back for better muscle engagement.
🤸‍♂️ In push-ups, avoid hollowing the back and letting the shoulders come forward; instead, press the sternum towards the floor and keep the shoulders back.
🤞 Initiate the push-up by pressing through the inside of the hand with the index and thumb fingers to ensure chest activation and shoulder stability.
🔗 The importance of hand positioning is underscored as it dictates whether the chest or shoulders take the lead in the movement.
📐 A proper stance and hand positioning are crucial for chest exercises to ensure the chest, not the shoulders, is doing the work.
🔄 The script suggests that the described technique can be applied to various chest exercises, including the bench press, crossovers, and push-ups.
🔗 The transcript mentions linking to specific chest workouts for further application of the discussed techniques.
👋 The hand release push-up is introduced as a method to practice proper chest engagement and positioning before performing regular push-ups.

Q & A

What is the main focus of the video script?
-The main focus of the video script is to teach viewers how to properly engage their chest muscles during bench press, push-ups, and other chest exercises by emphasizing specific techniques.
What are the two key actions suggested for engaging the chest more effectively during exercises?
-The two key actions are getting down to the bottom of the bench and exaggerating the height of the sternum to get the shoulders back and the chest prominent.
Why is it important to press through the index and thumb fingers during chest exercises?
-Pressing through the index and thumb fingers initiates the movement at the shoulder's adduction, ensuring that the chest muscle starts the contraction instead of the shoulders, which helps to engage the chest more effectively.
How does the script suggest modifying the grip or hand position during chest exercises?
-The script suggests focusing on pressing through the two fingers closest to the dumbbell or the inside of the hand during exercises to initiate the chest contraction and keep the shoulders in the correct position.
What is the purpose of exaggerating the height of the sternum during chest exercises?
-Exaggerating the height of the sternum helps to retract the shoulders and bring the chest forward, allowing the chest muscles to be more prominent and engaged during the exercise.
How should one position their body during a crossover or similar chest exercise according to the script?
-The script suggests taking a staggered stance, squaring up the chest, and ensuring the sternum is prominent with the shoulders staying back to effectively engage the chest muscles.
What is the recommended hand position for initiating the movement during push-ups as per the script?
-The script recommends placing the hands in a way that allows pressing through the index and thumb fingers, creating a slight twist on the body and ensuring the chest is in front with the shoulders behind.
Why is it important to avoid 'hollowing out' during push-ups according to the script?
-Hollowing out during push-ups can cause the shoulders to come out in front of the chest, leading to an ineffective exercise where the chest muscles are not properly engaged.
How can the script's advice be applied to a chest workout routine?
-The script advises applying the technique of pressing through specific fingers and maintaining proper body positioning to any chest workout routine, and it provides links to specific chest workout plans for further guidance.
What are the potential benefits of following the script's advice on chest exercises?
-Following the script's advice can lead to more effective chest muscle engagement, better exercise form, and potentially improved strength and muscle growth in the chest area.
Are there any specific chest workouts mentioned in the script that viewers can try?
-Yes, the script mentions a '100 Chest Workout' and a 'Perfect Chest Workout' that viewers can try to apply the discussed techniques.

Outlines

00:00

🏋️‍♂️ Maximizing Chest Engagement in Press Exercises

This paragraph focuses on techniques to effectively engage the chest muscles during bench press and other chest exercises. The speaker emphasizes the importance of starting with the sternum down and lifting the rib cage to get the shoulders back and chest prominent. This positioning helps to ensure the chest does the work instead of the shoulders. The advice includes pressing through the index and thumb fingers to initiate the movement with the chest, rather than the shoulders. The speaker also discusses how to apply these principles to exercises like the crossover and push-ups, suggesting a staggered stance and a focus on hand positioning to keep the shoulders back and the chest doing the work. The paragraph concludes with a mention of chest workout links for further practice.

Mindmap

Keywords

💡Bench Press

Bench Press is a fundamental strength training exercise that targets the chest muscles, specifically the pectoralis major. It involves lying on a flat bench and pushing a loaded barbell or dumbbells upwards from the chest. In the video's context, the focus is on modifying the technique to engage the chest more effectively by emphasizing the movement from the bottom of the bench and pressing through specific fingers.

💡Chest

The chest refers to the pectoral muscles, which are a major muscle group in the upper body. The script emphasizes the importance of engaging the chest during exercises like the bench press to ensure that the muscle group is doing the majority of the work, rather than the shoulders or other muscles.

💡Sternal Elevation

Sternal Elevation is the act of lifting the sternum or rib cage upwards during an exercise, which helps to retract the shoulders and bring the chest forward. This technique is mentioned in the script as a way to activate the chest muscles more effectively during pressing movements.

💡Shoulder Retraction

Shoulder Retraction is the action of pulling the shoulders back, which helps to stabilize the shoulder blades and engage the chest muscles. The script describes this as a crucial step in performing chest exercises correctly, ensuring that the chest is prominent and the shoulders are not taking over the movement.

💡Adduction

Adduction in the context of the script refers to the movement of the arms towards the body's midline, which is important for initiating the chest contraction during exercises like the bench press. The script suggests pressing through the index and thumb to start the adduction at the shoulder, ensuring the chest is doing the work.

💡Crossover

A Crossover is a variation of the chest fly exercise, typically performed with cables, where the arms cross over the body at the top of the movement. The script mentions the crossover as an exercise where the technique of pressing through specific fingers can be applied to emphasize chest activation.

💡Push-Up

Push-Up is a common bodyweight exercise that targets the chest, shoulders, and triceps. The script discusses the importance of proper form in push-ups, such as keeping the sternum towards the floor and pressing through the inner part of the hand to ensure the chest is doing the work.

💡Staggered Stance

A Staggered Stance is a positioning technique where the feet are placed at different distances from the body, often used in exercises like the crossover to provide a better angle for muscle activation. The script describes using a staggered stance to square up the chest and initiate the movement through the correct fingers.

💡Hand Release Push-Up

The Hand Release Push-Up is a variation of the traditional push-up that involves lifting the hands off the ground momentarily to emphasize the chest's role in the movement. The script uses this as an example of how to get into the correct position with the sternum towards the floor and shoulders back.

💡Initiation of Movement

Initiation of Movement refers to the starting point of an exercise, where the muscle group being targeted begins the contraction. The script stresses the importance of initiating the movement with the chest muscles, rather than the shoulders, to ensure the chest is doing the primary work.

💡Chest Workout

A Chest Workout is a routine specifically designed to train the pectoral muscles. The script mentions linking to a '100 Chest Workout' and a 'Perfect Chest Workout,' indicating that the techniques discussed can be applied to these routines for effective chest muscle development.

Highlights

To maximize chest engagement in bench press, perform a full range of motion by getting down to the bottom of the bench.

Exaggerate the height of your sternum to get shoulders back and chest prominent for better chest activation.

Press through the index and thumb fingers to initiate chest contraction instead of equally through the hands.

This technique ensures the chest initiates the movement, not the shoulders, for more effective chest workouts.

For chest exercises like crossovers, maintain a staggered stance and square up your chest to engage properly.

Initiate the movement through the index and thumb fingers for a slight twist, keeping the chest in front and shoulders behind.

Focus on hand positioning to ensure the chest does the work, not the shoulders, during chest exercises.

In push-ups, avoid hollowing the back and let the shoulders come back to engage the chest properly.

Press through the inside of the hand during push-ups to keep the shoulders back and engage the chest.

Apply these techniques to various chest exercises to enhance chest muscle activation and workout effectiveness.

For a comprehensive chest workout, consider the 100 chest workout or the perfect chest workout provided in the link.

The importance of hand positioning and movement initiation is underscored for effective chest workouts.

Ensure the chest is prominent and shoulders are back for optimal chest engagement in all chest exercises.

Avoid letting the front deltoid dominate the movement by focusing on chest initiation.

Use the provided tips to enhance your chest workouts and achieve better muscle activation.

The transcript provides practical applications for improving chest workouts through specific hand and body positioning.

Learn how to properly engage the chest during exercises to prevent shoulder dominance and maximize workout results.