La chest press is a classic exercise of strengthening of the upper body, which works the pectorals, deltoids and triceps. The pectorals are heavily trained by men who often tend to overtrain this muscle district, to the detriment of the posterior back muscles and legs.
To get the best result and in safety, it is essential to perform the chest press correctly and with good technique.
This exercise wants to simulate the flat bench with the barbell; unlike the latter, the chest press recruit fewer muscle fibers, but more isolates the great pectoral.
Index
PECTORAL MUSCLE ANATOMY
The pectoralis major is a muscle found in the front of the chest up; it is divided into:
- Clavicular bundles
- Sternal bundles
- Abdominal bundles
While performing exercises that go to involve the pectoral muscles, it must be remembered that the muscle works as a whole, with greater or lesser emphasis on some muscle fibers.
The main purpose of the pectoralis major muscle is to adduction on the humerus, on the frontal and internal rotation of the humerus.
In addition, it also intervenes in the extension and flexion of the arm on the shoulder.
ADVICE BEFORE RUNNING
Before you start exercising on the machine, here are some tips for maintaining proper form:
- Keep the flat spine during exercise and do not arch your lower back
- The height of the seat must allow the knobs of the machine to reach thelow pectoral height
- Keep i neutral wrists without bending them in any direction
- Never push while bringing your shoulders forward after elbow extension
- Le shoulder blades must stand still while running
CHEST PRESS EXECUTION
- Position yourself seated on the saddle with your back and head well attached
- Grasp the handles and extend the arms without reaching full extension
- Slowly return to the starting position and repeat the exercise for the intended repetitions
COMMON ERRORS
- Curve your back especially in the lower back
- Lift the buttocks
- Extend your arms at the end of the movement
- Use too heavy or too light loads
The chest press, unlike the barbell bench, allows you to perform chest strengthening with greater confidence and with a more controlled movement, so the chances of injuries and errors are lower.
It is an excellent exercise, both for experienced athletes and for beginners and is particularly recommended for resuming chest workouts after injuries thanks to the possibility of varying the movements of the joint.
CHEST PRESS VARIANTS
The chest press has two main variations:
- Chest press inclined: allows you to concentrate the effort on the highest part of the pectorals; the seat in this variant is adjustable and it is necessary to make sure that the inclination of the arms with respect to the floor is between 30 and 45 degrees.
- Recumbent chest press: this variant places greater emphasis on the lower pectorals; it can be performed on a different machine or on the same one, but with a different handle and seat.
And you, how do you train your chest during your training sessions? Do you use the chest press? Let us know in the comments and remember to follow us on our Telegram channel
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