Chest Press

The chest press is an important exercise in weight training. The chest muscles or pecs are the top show muscles for men and women. In weightlifting competitions, good chest muscles are necessary for heavy lifting. Using the chest press, the pectoral muscles, shoulders and triceps are developed. It's highly versatile in nature, so you can use dumbbells, exercise balls, resistance tubes, or a chest press machine too.

Chest Press Exercise Using Dumbbells

• Lie on the floor or a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Your feet should be flat on the floor.
• Position the dumbbells at your shoulders. Keep a small gap between your elbows and the sides of your chest, and face the palms forward.
• Push the weights upward, slowly. Do not lock your elbows with sudden force.
• The weights should meet above the chest in an arc. Lift the weights in a controlled, smooth manner.
• Do not raise the head or shoulders off the bench or floor. Lower weights slowly to starting position.
• Start with 3 sets of 10 lifts with a low weight. Don't twist or contort your chest to lift heavy weights.
• Breathe out when lifting and breathe in as you lower them.
• Initially use a trainer while lifting dumbbells, so they show you the proper technique.

Chest Press Machine

This machine helps the user to do presses without a spotter, and also they need not fear losing control of the weight and dropping it on themselves. Serious weightlifters use the machine for heavy duty lifting, as you can lift a very large weight amount.
Steps to use the chest press machine are the following.

• Sit on the machine, feet firmly on the floor. Try a test weight at first.
• Grasp the handles and push the bars outward, in one fluid motion. Do not lock out or stiffen your muscles.
• Keep your head steady. Breathe out while pushing outward, breathe in while pulling back to original position.
• Try 3 sets of 10, rest for a few minutes in between sets.
• Slowly increase weights as your strength increases.
• Keep your back straight and firmly pressed against the seat when using the machine.

Using a machine to chest press is slightly inferior in weight training as compared to using free weights (like dumbbells). When you lift with a dumbbell, you use stabilizer muscles to control the weight, which you do not use in the machine. For best results, do a combination of machine and free weight chest presses.

Chest Press vs Bench Press

The actual difference between the two is a point of confusion and debate for many. A bench press uses a barbell. Raise the bar over your chest and slowly lower it to touch your chest lightly, then press back up to the top. A spotter is often used in bench pressing, as with very heavy weights, the lifter needs help when resting.

Both are chest building exercises and both work the pectoral major. But by using a bench press, your hands stay the same distance from each other, so you develop a thicker, fuller chest with that motion. With a chest press, you bring the dumbbells close to each other when you push out and then spread them out when you bring them to rest. This sort of motion encourages a wider chest development. Again, a good combination of both chest and bench press exercises is required for good chest training.

Dos and Don'ts of Chest Training

• Don't over-train your chest
• Don't use machines too often
• Remember to train the back and triceps areas too
• Don't overuse the bench press
• Use proper technique and form
• Breathe out while lifting and breathe in while lowering
• Don't skip warm ups
• Don't work through the pain
• Wear shoes as they prevent slipping
• Rest, avoid exercising the same muscles two days in a row

Chest press is a good chest muscle workout. Remember to eat and sleep well while training. Work with a trainer when you are starting out, as trainers show you the proper methods and techniques, so you avoid injury.