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Get a Stronger Chest at Home with These No-Equipment Workouts

Looking to build muscle in your chest without any equipment? It can be hard to build a strong chest with just your bodyweight, but there are plenty of exercises you can do at home. Keep reading to learn more about the best chest workouts at home without any equipment and which exercises are ideal to get you started building your chest muscles.



  • The push up (and what you can do better)



One of our favorite exercises for strengthening your chest (and several other muscles) is push ups. Yes, you may be bored by them, but that doesn't mean they aren't effective. It's important to emphasize proper form on every exercise you do to not only protect your joints and prevent injury, but also ensure you get maximum benefits from each rep. Here are five ways to avoid poor form while doing push ups: 1. Make sure your body is aligned correctly (plank position). To do so, align your shoulders over hands and keep abs in tight and straight back. 2. Avoid sagging or arching your lower back. 3. Don't let your elbows drop below shoulder level. 4. Keep your head in line with your spine throughout the movement (don't let it bob up and down). 5. Engage your core and glutes.


  • Incline push ups



Push ups are just another variation of resistance training that can be done using your own body weight. There are many variations of push ups you can do to target different muscle groups, and they’re often easier to perform on an incline surface than when performed standing flat on the ground. Incline push ups target your chest, triceps and anterior deltoids. Start by positioning yourself in front of a sturdy step or platform that is about 12 inches high or so. Once you get in position, keep your legs straight and place both hands palm down on either side of you—about six inches from each edge of your body—so that you are also supported by them. Your arms should be bent at a 90 degree angle while holding onto whatever supports you. Lower yourself until your elbows reach 90 degrees and then push back up again until your arms are fully extended above you. Repeat as many times as possible for one set before taking a break for 30 seconds to one minute, depending on how much time you have available to workout. Perform two sets per session three times per week for best results.


  • Decline push ups



A decline push up is similar to a regular push up, but instead of your feet being on the ground like in a normal push up, you’ll be doing them on an elevated surface. This targets your upper chest and doesn’t use as much weight when compared to standard bench press variations. To do it: Place your hands on an exercise ball or step (that will raise you roughly four to six inches above where you would normally be if you were doing standard push ups). Get into push up position and lower yourself down until your chest touches that elevated surface. Return back to start and repeat for desired reps.


  • Hand release push ups



Push ups are about as ubiquitous an exercise as you can find, but if you're looking for a way to spice things up, try adding hand release push ups to your routine. This variation is easier than standard push ups due to its emphasis on upper body strength rather than total body strength, and it also works better for people who have wrist issues or whose shoulders ache after doing traditional push ups. To perform hand release pushups, hold yourself in plank position (i.e., hands directly beneath your shoulders) and do normal pushups while lifting one of your hands off of your mat or floor each time before bringing it back down. Aim for 20 to 30 reps in three sets with 60 seconds rest between sets.


  • Isometric pause contractions



Push your chest up against an immovable force, like a wall or another person, and hold it there for 5 seconds. Slowly release. That’s one rep. Do 10 to 15 reps twice per day if you can. You can also do these while watching TV or sitting in front of your computer screen. For best results, perform them every other day during recovery weeks of your training program. The isometric pause technique allows you to recruit more muscle fibers than traditional static contractions because it activates both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers simultaneously—and that means more strength gains in less time! Isometric pause contractions are also safer on your joints than traditional bench presses because they involve no barbell pressing motion (which places extreme stress on joints).

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