Welcome back to the second part of our chest training series. The previous blog showed you how to train your upper, middle, and lower chest muscles for maximum growth and strength. We also explained the function and anatomy of each part of the chest, as well as the best exercises, sets, reps, and tips for each one. If you haven’t read the first blog yet, we highly recommend you do so before reading this one.
In this blog, we will show you how to train your inner and outer chest muscles, which are the parts of the pectoralis minor, the smaller and deeper muscle that lies underneath the pectoralis major and helps with shoulder movement. By training the inner and outer chest muscles, you can add more detail, definition, and shape to your chest, making it look more complete and impressive.
We will also show you some chest workouts for women who want to tone and shape their chest muscles rather than build mass and strength. While the chest exercises and workouts that we have shown you so far are suitable for both men and women, some women may prefer to focus more on toning and shaping their chest muscles, rather than building mass and strength. If that is your goal, you can still use the same exercises but with some modifications that we will explain.
Finally, we will give you some more tips and tricks for chest workouts that you can use to improve your performance and avoid injuries. These are some general guidelines that apply to any chest workout, regardless of the part of the chest that you are training or the goal that you have. By following these tips and tricks, you can make your chest workouts more effective, efficient, and enjoyable.
Let’s dive into the second part of our chest training series and learn how to train your inner and outer chest muscles, chest workouts for women, and more tips and tricks for chest workouts!
Outer Chest Workout
The outer chest muscles are best stimulated by exercises that involve spreading the chest muscles apart, such as wide-grip bench presses, dumbbell pullovers, and chest fly machines. The outer chest muscles are responsible for moving the arms away from the body, so you want to mimic this motion with your exercises.
Here is a sample outer chest workout that you can do once or twice a week:
- Wide-Grip Bench Press: 3 sets of 6-10 reps
- Dumbbell Pullovers: 3 sets of 10-15 reps
- Chest Fly Machine: 3 sets of 12-20 reps
To perform an outer chest workout with the wide-grip bench press, you need to lie down on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grab the barbell with a wide grip, about 1.5 times your shoulder-width, and unrack it. Lower the bar to your upper chest, keeping your elbows flared out. Press the bar back up to the starting position, squeezing your chest muscles at the top. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an outer chest workout with the dumbbell pullovers, you need to lie down on a flat bench with your feet flat on the floor. Grab a dumbbell with both hands and hold it over your chest, with your arms straight and your palms facing each other. Lower the dumbbell behind your head, keeping your arms in a fixed position. Bring the dumbbell back over your chest, feeling a stretch in your chest. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
To perform an outer chest workout with the chest fly machine, you need to sit on the machine with your back against the pad and your feet flat on the floor. Grab the handles with your palms facing down and bring them together in front of your chest, keeping your arms slightly bent. Return to the starting position, feeling a stretch in your chest. Repeat for the desired number of reps.
Tips and Tricks for Chest Workouts
To get the most out of your chest workouts, here are some tips and tricks that you can follow:
- Warm up properly before your chest workouts, doing some light cardio and dynamic stretches to increase blood flow and mobility.
- Use a full range of motion for your chest exercises, going as low and as high as you can without compromising your form or safety.
- Vary your chest exercises, angles, grips, and equipment every few weeks to avoid plateaus and boredom.
- Use progressive overload, increasing the weight, reps, sets, or intensity of your chest exercises over time to challenge your muscles and stimulate growth.
- Rest adequately between your chest workouts, giving your chest muscles at least 48 hours to recover and grow.
- Eat a balanced diet rich in protein, carbs, and healthy fats to provide your chest muscles with the nutrients they need to repair and grow.
- Drink plenty of water, staying hydrated throughout the day and especially during your chest workouts, to prevent dehydration and cramps.
Chest Workouts for Women
While the chest exercises and workouts we have shown you so far are suitable for both men and women, some chest workouts for women may focus more on toning and shaping their chest muscles rather than building mass and strength. If that is your goal, you can still use the same exercises but with some modifications:
- Use lighter weights and higher reps (15-25) to create more muscular endurance and definition.
- Use more isolation exercises (such as flyes and cross-overs) and less compound exercises (such as presses and dips) to target the chest muscles more specifically.
- Use more machines and cables and less free weights and bars to have more control and stability over your movements and reduce the risk of injury.
Machines and cables also allow you to adjust the resistance and the angle of the exercise to suit your preferences and goals. For example, you can use the cable cross-overs to target the inner chest muscles by bringing your hands together in front of your chest, or you can target the outer chest muscles by bringing your hands apart to your sides. You can also use the chest fly machine to perform the same motion as the dumbbell flies but with more constant tension and less stress on your shoulders.
Conclusion
We hope you enjoyed reading this blog and learned how to train your inner and outer chest muscles, chest workouts for women , and more tips and tricks for chest workouts. By following the chest exercises and workouts that we have shown you, you can target the inner and outer chest muscles and add more detail, definition, and shape to your chest. You can also modify the chest exercises and workouts to suit your preferences and goals, whether you want to tone and shape your chest muscles or build mass and strength. You can also use the tips and tricks that we have shared with you to optimize your chest workouts and get the best results possible.
This is the end of our chest training series. We hope you found it useful and interesting.
