Many women skip the bench press and push-ups at the gym for fear that targeting their chest (pectoral) muscles will reduce their bust size or create too much definition in the area.
However, the right chest exercises, coupled with the appropriate weight and training volume and frequency can help to improve your strength and may even lift your bust.
These exercises won’t change your cup size in any way, though.
Avoid imbalances
Importantly, skipping chest day can create muscle imbalances in your upper body, which increases your injury risk.
You also need strong pecs to perform everyday functional movements, like pushing open doors. Your pecs (the big pectoralis major and smaller minor) are also essential for optimal and efficient shoulder function, as well as upper body stability and proper posture.
Improved posture also has numerous other benefits, like improved breathing and helping to alleviate lower back pain.
Upper body benefits
Chest exercises typically incorporate the triceps at the back of the arms, offering additional strength and aesthetic benefits for this area of the body that many women struggle with.
And the same benefit applies to your front (anterior) shoulder muscles, which you activate during various pressing chest exercises.
Here are 3 effective chest exercises to include in your programme:
- Push-ups
- Dumbbell presses
- Cable or dumbbell flyes
Author: Pedro van Gaalen
When he’s not writing about sport or health and fitness, Pedro is probably out training for his next marathon or ultra-marathon. He’s worked as a fitness professional and as a marketing and comms expert. He now combines his passions in his role as managing editor at Fitness magazine.
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