Try This Bench Press-Free Beginner Chest Workout for Big Time Gains
FOR GYM NEWBIES eager to take on their first international chest day, the classic barbell bench press can be an enticing temptation. Yes, it's the first exercise most people think about when they think about chest training—but that doesn't mean that it's the best one to start out with when you're a beginner just learning how to lift weights. You might wind up with problems down the line.
Hold off on bench presses if you're just getting a hang of this strength training thing—for now, at least. There are better options for a true beginner’s chest workout, according to Men's Health fitness director Ebenezer Samuel, C.S.C.S. A perfect starting point for chest-day newbies would be a broad but concise workout that doesn’t involve simply decamping at the barbell bench press station and struggling through reps—but rather one that hits your entire chest from all areas.
3 Mistakes Beginners Make on Chest Day
Samuel says the beginner trainees often make three key rookie mistakes when they train their chest:
Many new lifters don’t change exercise angles enough (i.e., working from one position during presses).
You’re not engaging your glutes or core.
Not enough focus is placed on the muscle contraction (squeezing the chest) during reps.
The Beginner's Chest Day Workout
This three-move routine will help beginners learn how to lift better without resorting to mindless barbell bench press reps. Once you go through a month-long cycle doing this session two to three times a week (along with some dedicated back work, too), you'll be ready to progress to bigger and better things.
Incline Dumbbell Press
4 sets of 10 reps
Normally, you might expect to begin with an old standard like the flat bench press, even if you're eschewing the barbell. You're using dumbbells to help build stronger shoulder stability early on in your lifting career, which will set the stage for hitting that big bench press later on.
You're working on the incline bench, though to switch up your pressing angle. Samuel recommends aiming for a 60 degree angle relative to your torso. While you’re obviously still working on moving weight, you also need to be aware of securing your glutes to the bench and keeping your abs tight during each rep.
As you press, also focus on squeezing your blades together and don't allow your elbows to flare. This should help build strength while reducing unnecessary shoulder stress.
Kneeling Single-Arm Cable Fly
3 sets of 10 to 12 reps
One often-forgotten factor in early strength training is that your focus shouldn't always be on weight for weight's sake; your workouts should instead be designed to target the ways your muscles actually work. In this case, shoulder adduction—or moving your arm inward across your body—is the main function of your pec muscles.
Don't forget to keep your abs and glutes tense while performing this exercise, too. Engaging both muscles throughout the movement prevents the weight from twisting you as you keep your shoulders and hips square. There's no need to rest much between sets, but take each rep slowly this is about feeling the contraction and building a mind muscle connection with your chest—which is key to making strength and size gains.
Three-Part Pushup Drop Set
2 to 3 sets of as many reps as possible
This sequence of pushups gives us a chance to expose your body to three different upper arm angles relative to our torso. First, work at the incline angle with your feet elevated on a box. That's going to be the toughest hardest angle. Once you break form, shift to a standard pushup—a flat-bench simulator in which both hands and feet on ground—and rep out again. Then elevate your hands for a decline pushup for the easiest angle to finish out the set.
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