Best Chest Workout

It is important to understand how muscle fiber type and arrangement influence muscular size and density. Fast twitch muscle fibers are thick and dense, and are most prone to growth under the right conditions. Generally, fast twitch muscle fibers are used for quick, explosive contraction and are most beneficial in sports such as Olympic weight lifting, power lifting and sprinting. Full and total development of a massive, powerful chest requires the best chest workout routine that targets fast twitch muscle fibers for optimal mass and size development.

While it is essential to provide adequate stress to fast twitch muscle fibers to achieve maximum size and growth, the chest muscle group as a whole must be targeted for full development. Fast twitch muscle fibers fatigue much more rapidly than slow twitch muscle fibers and each muscle fiber type must be trained differently to take advantage of their respective growth potential.

The following discussion will approach one variation of the best chest workout for size utilizing the above stated principles relating to muscle fiber type and arrangement.

Ideally, the best chest workout for mass should consist of two compound movements that focus on the pectoral muscles as the primary target accompanied by two isolation exercises to specifically stress the chest muscles directly.

Best Compound Movements for Chest

• Barbell or Dumbbell Bench Press
• Barbell or Dumbbell Incline Bench Press
• Barbell or Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
• Parallel Bar Dip

Best Isolation Movements for Chest

• Dumbbell Bench Flye
• Dumbbell Incline Bench Flye
• Cable Cross Over
• Dumbbell Pullover

Best Chest Workout for Mass

The best chest workout focuses on targeting the large, growth prone fast twitch muscle fibers. The goal is to execute compound chest exercises as explosively as possible while maintaining good form. The objective is not to move huge amounts of weight, although the weight selection should be enough to make three to five rapid repetitions moderately challenging. By explosively contracting the chest muscles, the fast twitch fibers are being stressed and, under progressive overload, will adapt by becoming thicker and larger. Because fast twitch fibers fatigue more quickly, it is not necessary to attempt to perform any more than five to six reps per set. Ideally, five sets of three to five explosive repetitions should be performed with about one minute of rest between the sets. This is performed with two compound exercises for a total of six to ten sets.

If the above stated exercises are performed appropriately, the fast twitch muscle fibers should be adequately fatigued. By following up the explosive sets with slow, continuous tension isolation exercises, blood is allowed to shuttle nutrients into the muscle to allow for rapid recovery. Also, the fatigued fast twitch fibers will undergo additional secondary stress, which will prime them for growth. A physiological phenomenon occurs that results in capillary growth, muscle fiber growth and mitochondrial growth and efficiency; all which lead to muscle growth and development.