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We all have those body areas that we are self-conscious about and would do anything to tone them up. They could be your midsection, arms, butt, or chest. For many, the arms and chest top the list. Almost everyone hates flabby arms and desires to flaunt a toned and chiseled chest. It is possible to achieve this if you work with a good chest and arm workout. Worthy to remember is that there are hundreds, perhaps thousands of chest and arm workout plans that promise quick and easy results. So how do you determine the best chest and arms workout plan?
Most people will go for a highly praised workout plan online or one designed by known celebrities and fitness gurus. Does that mean that is the best way to determine a good chest and arm workout plan for you? Before you settle on a regime you think is appropriate for you, spare a minute or two to go through the summary below.
In this article, we will be shedding light and educating you on how you determine what is a good chest and arm workout plan. We will also provide answers to some of the most commonly asked questions, including how to get a bigger chest and pecs at home.
When considering a chest and arms workout plan, most of us may be tempted to look for a regime involving equipment. There is an assumption that the best chest and arm exercises involve using machines and equipment. As mentioned earlier, this is but a notion.
You do not necessarily have to break your back in the gym to get rid of your flabby arms and tone your chest. You can also work out at home and still attain this goal. Here are the only aspects that matter when it comes to determining the most suitable chest and arms workout plan:
The best chest and arms workout plan will target various muscle groups and not just one. Targeting only one muscle group may not put to work the other muscles that work alongside them. As such, there may be delayed results (15).
That said, the best chest and arms workout plan will target both of these muscles. Sometimes, such a regime may also target your shoulders and triceps, as these are the other muscles that work alongside your targeted muscle groups.
Read More: How Can I Tone My Arms Without Gaining Muscle? Top Arm Workouts To Help Get Rid Of Flabby Arms
Whether or not the exercises added in such a regime require equipment, the bottom-line is that they have to suit your fitness level. This is where most people go wrong when choosing a chest and arm exercise routine.
Most of us forget to evaluate our fitness levels and merely go with the flow of the trending regime. Remember that you may be a beginner and that the fitness guru may be providing an online workout plan for people at the advanced level.
Note that doing such exercises will not quicken your results. Instead, you are more likely to sustain injuries and pain because you are biting off more than you can chew. Additionally, you may be new to the fitness world and may not know the proper form for doing the suggested exercises.
Have you ever heard of the saying that abs are built in the kitchen? The same theory applies to your toned arms and chest. Exercising alone will not help you lose chest fat and tone this area. You also have to focus on proper dieting to quicken the rate of how fast you shed your chest and arm fat.
The best diet plan to match your chest and arms workout plan must focus on healthy dietary practices such as (12):
The exercises in this list are not new, and neither are the exercises which you have not tried before, if indeed you are a workout fanatic. You might be familiar with most or all of these workouts. The only difference could perhaps lie in the intensity and form.
Most of us often do the correct exercises to tone our chests and arms but they are done in the wrong form. By following this pattern you will end up getting constant injuries and pains instead of your expected muscular and bigger chest.
The following training plan has comprehensively detailed how you are to perform each exercise. Follow the plan to the letter, and in no time, you will have a toned chest and some sleeve-busting biceps and triceps. Below are the exercises in this training plan:
Benefit: These curls are the key to helping you build those sleeve-busting biceps.
Equipment: For this exercise, you will need a pair of comfortable dumbbells.
How to:
Reps: Between 8 and 12
Sets: Either 2 or 3
Caution: Using heavyweights may result in injury to your bicep muscles and tendons, causing bicep pain. Try resting or icing the affected area (16). If the pain persists and symptoms worsen, swelling increases, and you feel pain moving the arm, seek immediate medical assistance.
Benefit: These are the exercises you need if you want to get rid of your flabby arms, best known as the “bat wings.” Getting rid of the flabbiness in your arms will give you well-toned arms and triceps.
Equipment: You will need a pair of comfortable dumbbells.
How to:
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Caution: For effective results, you need to tighten your abs and maintain a neutral and balanced arch in your back. Also, remember to keep your wrists rigid and make smooth and controlled movements (11).
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Benefit: The standard push-up is one of the best chest exercises to do to lose chest fat and tone this region.
Equipment: All you need is the floor where you will perform this exercise. It makes it a good chest and arm workout with no equipment involved.
How to:
Reps: 10
Sets: 3
Caution: If you have not done any push-ups, let alone a perfect one, you may sustain various injuries. This may result from performing the exercise in the wrong form. To help you master doing a push-up correctly, take note of the following (6):
Benefit: The lateral raise with dumbbells targets your shoulders and help you work on getting bigger shoulders. The exercise can also improve your postural alignment if done correctly and in balance (9).
Equipment: You will need a pair of dumbbells.
How to:
Reps: 10 to 15
Sets: 2 to 3
Caution: Always keep your shoulders down when you are lifting your arms. Similarly, use comfortable weights to avoid straining and damaging your shoulder muscles and tendons.
Benefit: The bench press works all your chest muscles but is vital for building your pecs (10). You can, therefore, add them to your regime if you want to work out pecs and get a chiseled chest.
Equipment: You will need a barbell to perform this exercise.
How to:
Reps: 8 to 12
Sets: 2
Caution: Although the bar is attached to a stack of weights, it does not entirely rule out the possibilities of sustaining injuries. You can still injure yourself if you lift heavyweights. Try to start with more manageable weights and then add weight slowly as you progress (8).
Benefit: The Incline Dumbbell Chest Fly is one of the best upper chest exercises to do in the gym to get that chiseled chest. It works all your chest muscles (5).
Equipment: A pair of dumbbells
How to:
Reps: 8 to 12
Sets: 3
Caution: Always rest your back on the incline bench to avoid damaging your back. Similarly, use comfortable weights to make the exercise less strenuous.
Read More: How To Get Rid Of Chest Fat-The Most Effective Fat Burning Exercises
Benefit: The incline push-up is one of the best bodyweight chest workout exercises that requires no equipment. These chest workouts can be done at home and help you tone your chest area.
Equipment: A secure chair, bench, or desk.
How to:
Reps: 8 to 12
Sets: 3
Caution: Keep your back straight, and body parallel to the floor throughout this exercise. Be also cautious of your hand placement to help in working out the targeted muscle groups.
Benefits: The bent-forward cable crossovers are an excellent exercise that helps strengthen your chest muscles and build muscle mass (4).
Equipment: The cable crossover machine.
How to:
Reps: 10 to 12
Sets: 3
Caution: It is recommended that you do this exercise slowly and with caution. The faster you perform this exercise, the more likely you will lose your form and sustain injuries. Similarly, if you have never done this exercise before, perform it in the presence of a fitness instructor. They will guide you on correctly doing it, the best reps, and the best weights to use.
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The success in your chest and arm workout plan will not come from sticking to this plan alone. As mentioned earlier, your diet plan also plays a crucial role in toning your chest and arms. You need to pay attention to what you are eating as much as you are paying attention to your exercises.
Here are some dietary practices that can fuel your workouts and help you reap the most from them:
Most of these foods are high in protein content. Protein plays a crucial role in muscle development (2). Some of these foods include eggs, chicken, Greek yogurt, salmon, tuna, soybeans, and whey protein powder.
Carbohydrates are your body’s primary source of energy. You will need to consume them to acquire energy for your workouts. Focus on complex carbs, which increase your satiety. They also have numerous health benefits, including high vitamins, mineral, and fiber content (14). Complex carbs include foods like whole-wheat toast and whole-grain pasta.
Some people work out on an empty stomach, while some choose to eat before their workouts. If you decide to have a pre-workout meal, select one with fluids, low fiber, low fat, and moderate carbs and protein (13). After your workouts, you can enjoy some eggs or protein shakes.
Fruits and vegetables contain essential vitamins, fiber, minerals, and antioxidants. Such fiber can increase your satiety and limit your calorie intake. Consuming fewer calories will make your body burn more chest fat, further toning this area. Again, remember that each fruit and vegetable contains calories. Your focus should be on consuming fruits and vegetables with low calories.
Most of these chest and arm workouts will leave you sweating and dehydrated. Remember to drink water before, during, and after your exercise. You can try flavoring your water with mint or citrus fruits like lemons to increase your water intake.
If you want to lose chest and arm fat, you must consume calories within your daily requirements. Anything above this limit leads to a calorie surplus that may compromise your workout results.
A good chest and arm workout is not that which is popular or designed by a famous fitness guru. Instead, it targets the right muscle groups, details how to perform the exercises correctly, and has a suitable diet plan.
The training plan discussed in this piece can help you reach your chest and arm toning goals. It contains some of the best chest and arm exercises, including the bench press, lateral raise, regular push-up, incline push-up, bent-forward cable crossovers, and incline dumbbell chest fly. Talk to your instructor before adding any of these exercises to your workout plan.
This article is intended for general informational purposes only and does not address individual circumstances. It is not a substitute for professional advice or help and should not be relied on for decision-making. Any action you take upon the information presented in this article is strictly at your own risk and responsibility!