Imagine having huge arms, godly back, legs that every fitness enthusiasts desires and abs, but NO chest even the thought of this creeps me out. As this heading says “Strong centerpiece of a fit physique” we all can agree chest is that center piece. This calisthenics chest workout routine will surely help you achieve your goal of having good strong pecs.
If you are a person who likes to lift weights than internet is fully loaded with different types of chest workout like bench press, Cable Cross-over, etc but when you love the idea of body weight exercise, and having total control over your body then there isn’t much information to go around. Remember if you’re someone who want to build quick than sorry to say but calisthenics isn’t for you it takes time, and lot of dedication.
My chest journey started with lot’s of mistake, and too much of information to comprehend as I started to progress I did learnt on my own.
You’ll be shocked as I was when I first heard that you can have a strong pectoral muscles also know as chest without bench pressing again, still shocked but it’s true.
Let’s get started…With our calisthenics chest workout
We all know that chest is divided into three parts
- Upper Chest
- Lower Chest
- Inner chest
This workout consist of various exercises that will be targeting each part of your chest. For example, incline push ups will be targeting your upper chest muscles.
Warm up
If your’re thinking you don’t need a warm-up, think again…
Because whenever you do a warm up exercise your blood vessels dilates, thus ensuring that your muscles are supplied with oxygen and by slowly raising your heart rate you minimize the level of stress on your heart that will come with the workout. It also raises the temperature of your muscle for efficiency and flexibility.
As it’s calisthenics chest workout we’ll be doing body-weight warm up exercise and what’s better than the good old push-ups. We all can agree that body weight exercise is good for a healthy life.
Before push ups start with dynamic stretching like jumping jacks (I love jumping jacks, as they hit every major muscle group, and elevates your heart rate), arm circle, etc.
For warm up we’ll be doing push ups from anywhere between 30 to 50 repetition.
Now, that we’re all pumped up let’s go crush this calisthenics chest workout.
Parallel Bar Dips
- Garb a parallel bars, make sure they are shoulder width apart.
- Bring yourself down by bending your arms, while leaning a bit forward.
- Make sure your shoulder go below elbow level.
- Lift your body back straight up, and repeat.
Do around 10 to 14 reps
One of the great benefits about parallel bar dips is that you will be training pectoral muscles and triceps muscle at the same time. In calisthenics you can target multiple muscle at the same time and which in turn requires lot more energy making it better for losing weight and defining muscle.
If parallel bar dips is hard for you try doing negative repetition or use resistance bands.
Straight Bar Dips
Its a variation of chest dips exercise.
- Grab a straight bar with shoulder width gap and jump.
- Your waist should be at the same level as bar.
- lock your elbows, and Lower yourself till your lower chest is in line with the bar or touches the bar, lean a bit forward.
- Lift yourself back up, and repeat.
Do around 6 to 10 repetitions
In this exercise you will be engaging chest, triceps and shoulder muscle simultaneously.
If it’s hard for you do the negative repetitions or resistance band support.
Decline Push Ups
- You will need a box, a bench or a chair to elevate your foot.
- Place your hands in a push up position and your foot on the elevated surface.
- Tighten your core and lower your chest by bending your elbows, and keep your back, and neck straight.
- Return to push up position by pushing on to floor, and repeat
Do around 12 to 16 repetition
In this you will be targeting upper chest muscle and shoulder muscle together. Doing this consistently will help you develop overall upper-body strength.
If this exercise is too easy for you, choose higher surface and if it’s hard for you choose a lower surface.
Incline Push Ups
- In this push up variation your upper body will be elevated.
- Choose a surface with height of 1 or 2 foot.
- Place you hand on elevated surface in push up position.
- Make sure your upper body and lower body is in straight line.
- Bring your chest closer to the surface and remember keep your body straight.
- Push yourself away from the surface until your arms are fully extended, and repeat.
Do around 12 to 16 repetition.
It primarily target your chest muscle but you will be engaging your core too. In this it takes some pressure off your arms and shoulder to give you a strong chest workout.
If it’s hard for you choose a high elevated surface, and as you progress gradually decrease the height of the surface.
Diamond Push Ups
- Touch your thumb and forefinger of both hand together forming a triangle like shape.
- Lower your chest while keeping your core engaged, and back straight.
- Lower your chest till it’s in line with your bending elbow.
- Bring your body back to starting position by pushing on to floor, and fully extending your arms, and repeat.
Do around 10 to 14 repetitions.
The main muscles that are worked during this exercise is pectoral major meaning chest, Deltoids meaning shoulder, and triceps.
If this exercise is hard for try doing it with support of your knee.
Wide Push Ups
- Keep your hand a bit wider than shoulder width.
- Lower your chest by bending the elbow out.
- Keep your core tight, and back straight.
- Lift yourself up till your arms are fully extended.
Do around 15 to 20 repetition as they are easy compared to other push ups variations.
The 2016 study also found that the wide grip resulted in roughly 20% more activation of the biceps brachii than the standard Push-Up. So if you’re looking to pump up your biceps, Wide-Grip Push-Ups can do the trick, But it also engages chest muscles.
Slow Ring Dips (Optional)
If you have access to gymnastic rings do this exercise and if you don’t you can avoid it.
- Grab both rings and jump, make sure your waist and rings are on the same level.
- Lower your chest by bending your elbows, and keep lowering till your shoulder is below elbow level.
- Bring your body back by fully extending your arms, and repeat.
Do around 6 to 8 repetition.
Lowering your chest slowly will put extra pressure on your chest, and it will be worth it, so do try that.
Ring dip target chest, triceps, and shoulder muscle like any other dips, But unlike straight bar or parallel bar you require great deal of upper body strength and stability.
If it’s hard for you, do progression exercise like a negative ring dips.
Push Up hold
Make sure to do this exercise at the very end of your workout, and you will hate it but in long run it’s worth it.
- It’s same like push-ups, but with few changes.
- Lower your chest, elbow bending out.
- Hold your body when your shoulder and elbow both are in straight line.
Do it for as long as you can or do it for 30 seconds but 3 sets.
With this your calisthenics chest workout ends.
Conclusion
Doing this calisthenics chest workout will surely help you achieve your chest goal but with calisthenics it takes time it’s one of the drawbacks of calisthenics but you will develop some serious body strength, and do things that no normal person can like Dragon flag, Human flag, Muscle up, etc.
I hope that you will start following this calisthenics workout routine and get stronger, and do keep in mind that this calisthenics chest workout will help you but you need to have a healthy diet. Let me know in the comment section if you liked this calisthenics chest workout routine.
This is a beginner routine soon I will come up with intermediate or advance calisthenics chest workout routine which would be brutal for you but also rewarding in the long run.