Best Push Up Variations for Building Chest Muscles and Strength

Understanding the Best Push Ups for Building Chest Muscles

Push ups are one of the most effective bodyweight exercises for developing chest and upper body strength. When performed with proper form, they activate muscles in the chest, shoulders, triceps and core. However, not all push ups are equally as beneficial for the chest area.

How Push Ups Work Chest Muscles

Standard push ups largely utilize the pectoral muscles in the chest along with supporting shoulder and arm muscles. When lowering into a push up, the pectorals stretch under tension. Then as you press back up, these muscles contract and shorten to push against resistance, which expands and strengthens chest muscles over time.

Best Push Up Variations for Chest

While standard push ups effectively work the chest, the following variations put greater focus on pectoral development:

Wide Grip Push Ups

By widening your hand placement beyond shoulder width, more emphasis is placed on the pectoral muscles during the movement. For greater recruitment of chest fibers, ensure your arms remain at 45 degrees throughout motion.

Decline Push Ups

Elevating your feet higher than your head shifts tension during push ups to recruit more muscle fibers in the lower chest. You can do these with feet on a box, bench or using a decline rack.

Diamond Push Ups

Bringing hands very close together into a diamond shape during push ups forces pecs to work harder to control motion. Be sure not to collapse elbows inward so you maintain proper poise.

Resistance Band Push Ups

Adding resistance bands to a standard push up provides greater time under tension for increased chest muscle activation. This challenges muscles to grow stronger over time.

Proper Push Up Form for Chest Development

To fully stimulate pectoral growth, focus on proper push up form:

Back Straight & Core Engaged

Maintain a straight, rigid spine from neck through hips with abdominals braced to protect the lower back and enable full chest recruitment.

Head Neutral

Keep head in line with spine, neither dropped or lifted. Look a few inches forward of hands to maintain proper alignment.

Chest Loaded

Focus on keeping chest open and shoulders down as you lower to load weight appropriately across pectorals.

Elbows Close

Avoid letting elbows flare out sideways and keep upper arms close to ribcage to isolate chest muscles.

Full Range of Motion

Descend until chest lightly touches floor then press back up to starting position with arms straight to complete full movement.

Include Push Ups in Chest Workouts

To transform your chest, incorporate a variety of push up techniques into your regular upper body workouts after warming up properly. Useful tips include:

Set Goals for Reps/Sets

Establish specific rep and set goals based on your current fitness level and track progress over time. Appropriate beginner goals may be 3 sets x 8-10 reps while advanced lifters aim for 4-5 sets x 15-20 reps.

Allow Proper Rest

Provide muscles adequate recovery time between sets. This enables you to complete all reps with proper form and prevent injury. Start with 60-90 seconds rest as needed.

Modify Effectiveness

Make push ups more challenging by elevating feet or adding resistance bands. Or easier by shifting knees to the ground or adjusting incline height. Meet muscles where theyre at!

Combine With Resistance Training

For best chest development, balance push up workouts with pressing exercises using dumbbells, barbell bench presses or machines 1-2x per week for greater overload.

Scale Push Up Difficulty for Beginners

Those newer to strength training can start with easier versions of push ups and gradually work toward advanced techniques. Useful tips to progress include:

Incline Push Ups

Elevate hands on stable surface to decrease resistance. Start higher and progress lower over time as muscles strengthen.

Wall Push Ups

Face wall and stand a little farther back each week while maintaining good form through full range of motion until able to do standard floor push ups.

Assisted Push Ups

Have a partner provide moderate assistance from behind or use a machine that provides variable counterbalance to complete more reps until building adequate independent strength.

Eccentric Push Ups

From knees, take 3-5 seconds to lower down with control then push back up normally. This teaches technique before adding full push up.

Prevent Push Up Injuries

While very beneficial, push ups do carry some risk of overuse injuries. The following tips help make them more shoulder and wrist friendly:

Warm Up First

Always warm up shoulders properly before diving into push ups, including range of motion and dislocations to lubricate joints.

Externally Rotate

Actively externally rotating arms during push ups by screwing elbow pits and hands outward reduces shoulder impingement risk.

Widen Your Base

Using a wider hand position with index fingers aligned outside of shoulders accommodates more elbow flare for at risk individuals.

Monitor Wrist Pain

If wrists feel strained, shift some weight load into fingers by rooting them firmly into the floor or wearing wrist wraps for added support.

Listen to warning signs from your muscles and joints and ease up as needed to prevent undesirable issues. Some soreness is OK but sharp pain is not.

Disclaimer: This article is for informational purposes only and does not constitute medical advice. Always consult with a healthcare professional before starting any new treatment regimen.