The pectoral muscles are important whether you are male or female. Remember the old adage: “You must, you must, you must increase your bust!” Men often place more emphasis on how their chest and arms look. Women seem to avoid these exercises for fear of looking more like an Amazon than a top-model.
There’s something to be said for the Amazonian look and here’s why. There’s a myth that chest exercises will increase bust size in women. It won’t. Chest exercises can firm up the breast and chest. Chest exercises tone the muscles, improving their efficiency and helping to burn extra calories (because muscles increase calorie burn.)
Your breasts will not become over-endowed due to chest exercises. Keeping your arms and your chest toned will help you look great, make daily tasks easier, reduce chances for injury while playing sports or other activities. Toning and building lean muscle mass will help increase fitness and caloric burn. The following are a series of exercises that help build and tone muscle in the pectorals, biceps and triceps.
· Push-ups – No we’re not talking hit the ground and give me twenty. Though if you can do that, it’s a great way to build strength in the upper arms and chest. For those just getting started, start on the floor on your hands and knees. You want to place your hands slightly wider than your shoulder width apart. Lower your chest towards the floor slowly then push yourself back up. Keep your back straight. Repeat this for a set of 10.
· Flys – You’ll need dumb bells or weights for your hands for this exercise. Lay with your back flat against the floor and keep your feet firmly on the ground. With the weights in your hands, extend your arms up to towards the ceiling with palms facing in. Slowly lower your arms to the sides and then return to the upper starting position. Repeat this for a set of 10.
· Straight-Arm Pullovers – Lie on your back. Hold one dumbbell in both of your hands, extend your arms over your head and then pull the dumbbell forward slowly, stopping the motion over your chest. Then returning to over your head again. Repeat this for a set of 10.
· Hammer Curls – Standing up, feet shoulder width apart, keep your palms faced into your body and then slowly curl your hands up to your shoulders. Concentrate on squeezing your biceps (upper arms) as you bring the weights up, then slowly relax your arms and lower the weights. Repeat this for a set of 10.
· Overhead Extension – Still standing, this exercise is similar to straight-arm pullovers. Standing with your feet together, bend your knees slightly. Holding one or two weights in your hands, over your head. Keep your elbows close to your head and lower the weight slowly behind your head. Return to the starting position. Have a care and perform this exercise slowly and deliberately squeezing your triceps. Repeat this for a set of 10.
· Wide Curls – Similar to the hammer curls, but rather than pulling your palms facing you, you want your palms facing forward and hands angled slightly outwards. As your curl your hands upwards, squeeze your biceps again at the top of the motion. Repeat this for a set of 10.
· Triceps Dips – Put your hands on the edge of your chair and bring your hips off the edge. Keep your feet flat on the floor. You can bend your knees or keep them straight depending on the level of difficulty you are looking for. Slowly lower your body weight down until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle, and then push yourself back up to starting motion. Repeat this for a set of 10.