Previously, developing your chest muscles entailed spending a significant portion of time doing bench presses at fitness centers. However, it’s no longer necessary to pay for a costly gym membership. Several chest workouts can be easily carried out in the comfort of your own home, requiring minimal equipment.
There are many different types of push-ups that can be undertaken at home to give your arms, chest and whole upper body a really effective workout for the muscle growth which you are looking for.
If you spend time carrying out the exercises show here, as part of your overall fitness and exercise routine, you will soon see the results you are looking for, with a more sculpted and defined chest area.
You can add these exercises to your current bench workout or other routines, to get the maximum results without taking up too much of your time. For all of these exercises, the aim is to perform the stated number of reps, then rest, then repeat twice over.
A Twisting Push-Up
Start off in a traditional push-up position on a mat, but then lower yourself down only on one side. You will need to twist, which will put your bodyweight onto one of your shoulders. Then push yourself up and do it again using the other side of your body. You have now completed two reps and the target is to achieve 20.
You may also use push-up bars. Here’s A Guide to the Best Push Up Bars in 2021.
Tricep Diamond
Put yourself into a traditional push-up form, but then place your hands under your chest area and create a diamond shape with your fingers and thumbs. Lower down until your chest is resting on your hands. Then push yourself back up, to work those triceps. Do this ten times.
Clapping Push-Up
Lower yourself into the regular push-up starting position. This time, lower down as you would normally but when you push back up, push hard enough to lift your body off the floor, clap your hands on your chest, and then move them back into the regular position as you land. Do this ten times.
It’s good to add a bit of variety into your exercise routine so once you have got used to doing these exercises then you can add in some extra ones to keep it interesting and to challenge your body from a different angle.
Elevated Push-Up
This push-up is slightly different but it’s a great one to be able to do as it works on your core and can also help with building up your upper body. Start out in the regular push-up pose, but put one of your hands up onto a higher level. It needs to be a stable surface like a table, to take your weight.
Hold in your core muscles and then lower your chest down by bending at the elbows, then push back up to the starting position. Do a number of reps before switching sides and doing the same number of reps again using the other hand.
You need to make sure you do an equal number on each hand to keep your muscle build-up even. While doing the reps, use your abs and glutes to stay balanced and increase strength further.
Knee Push-Ups
Get yourself into the regular push-up position. This time, as you lower yourself down, pull one of your knees in towards your corresponding elbow. Hold it as the bottom, then as you raise up, stretch your leg back out. Repeat this using your other knee. Make sure your core area is pulled in and engaged each time you repeat this movement.
Twist Push-Ups
Get into the push-up position but this time move your hands to sit in front of your shoulders. As you lower down towards the floor, twist your hips to move first to one side and then to the other. Then push back up to the starting position. Having your hands further forward works your body harder.
Arm Lift Push-Up
Again, go into a routine push-up start position but this time stretch one of your arms out to the side so you are pushing up on one arm only. Your body is forced to use your muscles to keep your top half stable. Repeat this with the other arm extended to make sure your workout is even.
Box Push-Up
Put both your hands on a stable box and then lower your body down as you would for a regular push-up. As you go to rise, push up hard off the box and land with your hands on the floor, one on each side of the box. Then lower down again, and push back up, this time with your hands landing back on the box. You need to pick a strong enough box and one that is the right size for you to achieve this safely.
