Physical activity is as important for women’s physical well-being as it is for their mental health. A review of 9 studies by Laubach has proved that women have 57-86% less lower-body strength and 35-79% less upper-body strength than men but an increased body fat in comparison. A higher body fat percentage results in lower functional tissue or lean mass, which increases the risk of obesity, reduced stamina, and posture problems.
To prevent such complications and for a balanced physical appearance, chest workouts are vital for women. Studies have even shown cardiovascular disease risk to be lower in normal-weight women. The WHO has constantly stressed regular physical activity in the form of movement and exercises to improve health. Exercising the chest muscles helps in the proper alignment of the body, improving the gait of the trainee. Strong chest muscles allow more strength for lifting, carrying, and other physical motions. Maintaining strong and flexible chest muscles also gives the person an athletic advantage for sports-related activities.
Here are some of the most recommended and effective chest workouts for women to help strengthen chest muscles.
Push-ups
The push-up is a dynamic closed kinetic chain exercise that targets the pectoralis major, minor, and triceps brachii muscles. Push-ups are a great way of strengthening and toning women’s shoulders, chest, and arms. In addition, they work on the whole body and simultaneously engage several muscles of the arms, chest, upper back, core, hips, and legs. Research has shown that, on average, women have 40-50% less upper body strength than men, which impacts their push-up rates. Despite the physical limitations, researchers have stated that regular push-ups can strengthen the lower back and core in addition to helping in the firmness of the chest in females.
There is no limit to the number of push-ups you can achieve on a daily basis. But 20-30 push-ups in females above 30 and 21-28 in those above 40 are considered an average score. Based on studies and research papers, the Harvard School of Public Health has concluded that doing 40 or more push-ups continuously lowers your risk levels by 96%, provided you are physically fit.
Chest press
A chest or bench press is a weight training exercise in which the trainee presses a weight upwards while lying on a weight training bench. Studies have shown that bench press can improve muscle mass and increase bone density, which can, in the long run, significantly decrease the risk of osteoporosis: a condition to which females are more prone than males owing to the menopause-induced hormonal changes in their body. Additionally, it can improve their upper body flexibility and mobility range and reduce the risk of injuries.
Previous studies have pointed out that a decline bench press activates the lower pectoralis major, increasing the perkinessness of breasts. A flat bench press improves arms and shoulder flexibility by activating the sternocostal pectoralis major. The incline bench press activates the upper pectoralis major that tones the upper body. Recent studies have shown that horizontal bench press produces similar electromyographic activities for the pectoralis major and the anterior deltoid. A 30-degree inclination activates the pectoralis majors, while 45 degrees inclinations help the anterior deltoid muscles.
Lying chest fly
Lying chest fly is a variation of the standard bench press that involves a flat bench and holding dumbbells with arms placed forward and thumbs wrapped around the handle. The trainee is required to draw their shoulders down and move the arms horizontally forward to exercise the pectoralis major muscles and help in adduction, depression, and rotation of the arms.
If medially or internally rotated, it activates the deltoid muscles in the shoulder in the ball and socket joints and improves flexibility of arm movement.
Plank shoulder taps
Plank shoulder taps are a form of modified planks. They help females improve their stability and work on increasing their core strength. Plank shoulder taps work on the rectus abdominis, the muscles that hold the internal organs in place and keep the body stable during movement.
In women especially, they are important for supporting the baby and the uterus during pregnancy. Because of this, they are important during pregnancy for decreasing the risk of diastasis recti, a condition causing the rectus abdominis to separate and resulting in the stomach bulging out for years after postpartum.
In addition to the rectus abdominis, plank shoulder taps work on the trapezius or neck muscles and help solve problems of neck and shoulder stiffness.
Hook Punches
Hook punches are a boxing exercise regimen performed by turning the core muscles ( muscles of the pelvic floor, superficial and deep abdominal muscles) and back and swinging the arm in a horizontal arc. Hook punches are important for employing bicep strength. Strong bicep strengths help in performing everyday tasks like carrying and lifting.
In addition, hook punches are regarded as the most destructive punch in boxing as they travel the shortest distance from launch to target and transfer the power generated from the base to the torso to the fist in less time. They chisel your arms, shoulders, and back and work as effective self-defense tactics.
Chest squeeze
For an effective session of chest squeeze, you need to stand upright with both arms out in front of you, lock your hands together and squeeze. Hold the contraction for 15-30 seconds, then relax. The ideal position of arms bending is required to be 90 degrees, but if required, you can change the angle of your hands to 45 degrees to work your lower pectorals.
Chest squeezes are important for building functional strength and hypertrophy in the chest, triceps, and shoulders. Especially in females, the resulting hypertrophy gives them a toned body, improving their stability and range of motion. Stronger pectorals, deltoids, and triceps build muscle tissue and strength and help in daily activities like handling heavy objects, pushing carts and strollers, and improving breathing.
It even reduces chest fat which is generally difficult to remove through a mere diet.
Resistance Band Arm
Resistance bands are elastic arms used to exercise all parts of the body. They can be used while raising both arms to the side, during squats, and even while sitting. This gives them an advantage over trainees with impaired motility. They are a great way of toning flabby arms and removing unwanted fat in the arms region. They even help ease shoulders and reduce neck and shoulder tension caused by prolonged desk work.
Resistance band arms target the biceps and triceps and, through regular exercise, improve the flexibility of the elbow joints. Studies have shown that they are preferable to dumbbells in the fly and reverse fly press exercises. In a study conducted on 29 men and women in a crossover design where resistance loadings with elastic bands and dumbbells were matched using 10-repetition maximum loadings, the use of resistance bands induced slightly lower muscle activity in the pectoralis major and deltoideus posterior but increased muscle activation levels in ancillary muscles.
Conclusion
Chest plays an important role in women’s body structure and social lives and is involved in various activities, from opening doors to engaging in self-defense activities. Chest workouts strengthen the pectoral muscles and naturally perk up the breasts. In addition, they help lose fat in unwanted areas of the upper body and provide improved posture with strength. And they are easier to track in comparison to other exercises. Care must be taken during pregnancy or in pre-existing systemic conditions to not over-exert the body for the safety of the trainee.
