Women, let’s be honest here who likes to workout their chest? I know I dread it! Exercising, in general, isn’t always the most fun experience. But exercising is one way of keeping our body in it’s healthiest shape. So we shouldn’t neglect any muscle group, including our chest.
We always see men focusing on their chest muscles, while women tend to avoid this certain muscle group. Sometimes women think that just because we have breasts, means we should not have to work out our pectoral muscles regularly. However, that is not the case at all. It is one of those muscles that can really make a big difference in your overall health. Exercising your chest muscles regularly is actually proven to improve certain aspects of your life. So if you’re guilty of neglecting your chest during your workouts. *raises hand* Then it’s time to get to show those chest muscles some extra love!
3 Reasons Women Should Exercise Their Chest
1. Improve Your Posture
According to Fitness Magazine, our shoulders and back muscles receive a lot of attention when it comes to improving your posture. But our chest actually is one of the largest muscles in our upper body and plays a huge role in improving our posture. Your chest helps maintain posture and upright stability that in time improves your posture.
2. Your Breast Can Become Perkier
I know a lot of women I’ve exercised with have thought that working-out your chest will make your breasts shrink in size. But in reality, that is not the case. By exercising your two main chest muscles, it can actually lift the breast to make them appear perkier. Just because you are adding muscle below the breast tissue, does not mean your breast size will change.
3. You’ll Breathe Easier
Not only does working out your chest help with posture, but it can also help you breathe easier as well. When your posture is fixed, it opens your chest for you to be able to take deep breaths. And good quality breaths at that. Every time you breathe in, the pec minor stretches and it allows your ribcage to expand and allow airflow in.
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Exercising every part of your body has its benefits, so it’s important to never neglect a single muscle group. Whether you workout 3 times a week or 5, focusing on your body as a whole can truly improve your overall health and even reduce your risk of illnesses such as breast cancer.
3 Effective Chest Exercises
Push-ups
Whether you perform them on your knees or in a plank position, Chatzopoulos says that push-ups are an effective way to work out your chest. To pull it off, set yourself up for success:
- Lay face down on the floor with your hands flat and directly outside of your chest.
- Tighten up and engage your glutes and core as you press your body off the floor.
- Slowly lower back down for one rep. Repeat.
Dumbbell Chest Press
A bit of extra weight can take an okay workout to a super-effective one. One place to begin is with a dumbbell, as recommended by Chatzopoulos.
- Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lay down on your back.
- Press your dumbbells toward the ceiling, keeping them in line with your chest.
- When the dumbbells are pressed above your chest, make sure that the flat sides of the dumbbells are pressed together, with your palms facing away from your face.
- Slowly lower the dumbbells until they come down to chest level.
- Press them back up to the starting position. Repeat.
Chest Fly
Another go-to? Lobert likes this workout since you can vary the weight as you improve over time.
- Lay on your back with dumbbells in each hand.
- Start with your arms fully extended, with palms facing toward each other.
- Slowly let your arms fall out, with your elbows slightly bent in the shape of a T.
- Return to start. Repeat.
Your pectorals are important aesthetically and physically and shouldn’t be neglected. Work more chest exercises into your weekly strength training routines for an added boost in strength and confidence.