{"id":67771,"date":"2017-06-22T09:26:56","date_gmt":"2017-06-22T09:26:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/\/\/uncategorized\/train-your-chest-without-machines"},"modified":"2022-04-08T12:05:03","modified_gmt":"2022-04-08T17:05:03","slug":"train-your-chest-without-machines","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/breakingmuscle.com\/train-your-chest-without-machines\/","title":{"rendered":"Train Your Chest Without Machines"},"content":{"rendered":"

When you hear the local gym bros talking about training, one question invariably comes up: How much ya bench? The chest has become synonymous with muscle building and the unofficial measure of strength<\/a><\/strong>. The bench press is a seemingly timeless staple of gymdom. It\u2019s stood the ages in almost all sports and modes of training. But is it a necessity? Does the absence of the bench press in your programming spell certain doom regarding your \u201cgains?\u201d<\/p>\n

Enter bodyweight training<\/strong>. Does that term scare you away? Does it instantly conjure up images of skinny, wiry types who lack the amount of muscle you want?<\/p>\n

Bodyweight training offers so many advantages and training your chest in this way is no exception. Total body awareness and manipulation, a sense of true strength<\/a>, as well as strength and stability transfer to other muscle groups, are just a few. The trick is to know how to program an effective and efficient routine to satisfy your own personal needs<\/strong>.<\/p>\n

Below are five simple, basic, but highly effective bodyweight chest builders sans the barbell<\/strong> or dumbbell. Plus, you\u2019ll find ways to intensify and challenge yourself to keep the gains coming.<\/p>\n

Plyo Push Up<\/h2>\n

Before you stop reading altogether hear me out. I know that the word plyo (short for plyometrics) may have you running for the hills and asking why it is mentioned in the same room as muscle building, but let me explain. Plyometrics is the act of manipulating the stretch-reflex reaction of a targeted muscle group to elicit more power and strength<\/strong> than you would normally generate through traditional resistance training.<\/p>\n

The eccentric, amortization, and concentric portions of the movements create an optimal environment to recruit more muscle fibers and stimulate more muscle growth. Take a look at a sprinter\u2019s legs. Sprinters possess some of the most muscular lower bodies of any sport because they are subjected to repeated bouts of plyometric exercise.<\/p>\n

Most lifters will think of clapping push ups and the like, but there are several other variations that can be even more challenging<\/strong>. Uneven hand placement, such as on a medicine ball with feet slightly elevated, going from a diamond hand position to a wide position for each rep, and going from an elevated step to the floor with each rep are just a few ways to spice up your plyo chest workout.<\/p>\n