So you want a chest like Superman? Building muscle mass is the answer to getting that great body you’ve always dreamed of. Don’t fret if you’ve always been the skinny boy at the back of your class - if you have the determination, fortitude and discipline, you also can build chest muscles worthy of a superhero.
If you have already commenced training, you will have to raise your calorie intake daily. You should consume 3,000 up to 6,000 calories per day - yes, that sounds like a lot of calories but the goal here is to put on as much weight quickly so you can convert this into big, hard muscles when you start to hit the gym. Do not use this as a license to pig it out on burgers and desserts everyday of the week. Your nutritional diet should consist of of protein rich and low fat food like chicken, lean meat and fish.
For those that are looking to building muscle mass, the calories of their nutritional plan should have a ratio of about 50% carbohydrates, 30% protein and 20% fat. It would be helpful to know that a gram of fat is equivalent to nine calories while a gram of protein and carbohydrates are both equivalent to four calories. You only have a small window of excess calorie indulgence to have so use it well.
Once you have your food plan down, it’s time to focus on getting the most out of your chest program. Begin with a thorough stretching and moderate warm up drills to increase your body’s temperature and improve your session for the workout day you have planned. You will also notice that swimmers possess a wide and well-defined chest area so incorporate swimming into your training program as often as you can.
One program you can employ if you are a beginner is doing 12 repetitions of 3 sets of bench press using a 40 lb weight load, dumbbell flyes and dumbbell pullover using 10 and 20 lb weight loads respectively. After a few weeks, include 30 lbs of inclined bench press as well as 20 lbs of declined bench press of 12 reps and 3 sets as well. Observe the progress of your strength and endurance because you will have to use higher weights steadily while lowering your present reps per set if your aim is to beef up the chest muscles.
Keep in mind that as with any workout program, vary the weights and exercises every few weeks so your body will keep on challenging itself to perform its best. Hitting your chest area with diverse angles is excellent training so always incorporate flat, incline and decline movements into your routine. Flyes isolate the pecs more than most exercises so ensure that you go back to this when you modify your drills periodically.
Even if your aim is to build chest muscles, take care that you don’t over train them and neglect the other muscle groups. History has never had a superhero with a barrel chest atop bony legs at least I think that is the case. It will do you well to set aside two to three days out of your workout schedule to work on the other parts of your body.
Focus on building muscle mass, consume the right kinds of food and execute the exercises in the approved and exact form - you will soon have a strong chest so wide you have to enter doors sideways. And last of all, don’t forget to enjoy yourself - working out is always a rewarding experience for those who stay the course. Work hard and get results before you know it.
