A Chest Workout to Improve Posture, Build Upper-Body Strength

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Did you know that your chest muscles are essential in everyday life? They play a vital role in many activities including pushing a heavy door open, lifting grocery bags and even getting up from a chair. The chest muscles also contribute to maintaining good posture and supporting your shoulder joints. When you reach for something on a high shelf or carry objects close to your body, you are activating your chest muscles.

The chest muscles are worked through various exercises that involve pushing and pressing movements. The pectoralis major, the larger of the two chest muscles, is responsible for movements such as pushing, lifting and rotating the arm. Exercises like pushups, chest presses and chest flys specifically target this muscle group. The pectoralis minor, located underneath the pectoralis major, assists in stabilizing the shoulder blade and is engaged during exercises like pushups and dips. By incorporating these exercises into your routine, you can effectively work the chest muscles, leading to increased strength and improved functional fitness.

Chest workout

Perform each of these exercises for 10-12 reps, and repeat the circuit 3 times through.

Hug a tree

Hold a dumbbell in each hand and bring your arms out to your sides at shoulder height, parallel to the floor. Relax the shoulders down, and then pull the arms toward the front of you as if you’re hugging a tree. Keep the elbows level with your arms — don’t let them dip down — and be conscious of the shoulders starting to raise up. If this happens, it means the weight is too heavy or you’re too fatigued, so you can either perform less reps or decrease the weights. Repeat 10 times.

Knee pushup

Come onto your hands and knees. Place your shoulders over your wrists and your hips over your knees. Walk your hands forward about a foot and bring your shoulders forward so that they stay over your wrists. Pull your navel in toward your spine and bend your elbows out to the side to lower down into a pushup. Press down through the palms of the hands to come back up to your starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Reverse fly

Hold a dumbbell in each hand with feet shoulder width apart and a slight bend in the knees. Hinge at your waist, leaning forward to a 45-degree angle, and let your arms reach down toward the floor. Squeeze your shoulder blades together, pulling the dumbbells out to the sides as high as your shoulders. Return to the starting position. Repeat 10 times.

Shoulder tap on knees

Come into a plank position on your knees with your shoulders over your wrists. Spread your fingers wide. Pull your naval in toward your spine and shift your weight to your left hand as you lift your right hand up and tap your left shoulder. Then place the right hand down and switch to the other side, repeating for 10 times on each side.

Serve the platter

Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your arms at your sides. Bend your elbows at a 90-degree angle so that the weights are out in front of you. Reach the arms straight forward, as if you’re serving a platter, and then pull them back in toward you. Keep the palms facing up the entire time. Repeat 10 times.

Punches

Standing with your feet as wide or a little wider than your shoulders. Softly bend your knees and reach your glutes back into a half squat position. With the weight in your heels, pull your abs in. Bring your hands into fists at your chest. Alternate punches forward, first extending the right arm out in front of you, then the left. Relax the shoulders and punch at shoulder height for 10 reps on each side.

V-lift

Hold the weights down by the thighs, keeping them vertical. Bring the arms up on a diagonal and out as wide and as high as the shoulders. Lower the weights down. Repeat 10 times.

Squeeze press

Start with your feet shoulder-width apart. Hold one dumbbell in both hands, cupping each end so that your palms are facing each other. Extend your arms straight out in front you. Squeeze your hands together as if you are trying to crush the weight and hold for 5 seconds. Release and then squeeze again. Do this for 10 reps.

Dumbbell crossover

Stand with your feet hip-distance apart. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with palms facing away from your body. Starting with your right hand, raise your arm up and across your body, engaging your core and keeping your arm straight. Slowly return back to the starting position. Perform with the left arm. Continue alternating, repeating for 10 repetitions on each side.