Awesome Chest Exercises Without Equipment

Building a strong, functional, aesthetically pleasing chest is a common goal for many individuals looking to get fit. Men often want big, thick pecs, while women are after a leaner and “uplifted “look. However, tight time commitments and lack of access to equipment can often derail these plans. Now for the good news: you can develop a seriously powerful and sculpted chest without any weights or machines.

Body weight training has been around for a long time and is a proven method to construct a strong, functional physique, particularly regarding the upper body. For a beginner, bodyweight exercises offer a simple yet effective workout choice to begin building a fit and powerful body without having to use unfamiliar equipment or learn complicated movements.

This body weight chest workout for beginners centers around three exercises: push-ups, dips, and Burpees. Push-ups are a foundational exercise that specifically targets the chest but also work most of the other upper body muscles. Dips work the triceps primarily but also involve the chest to a lesser degree. Burpee’s add an anaerobic component to fire up fat metabolism for a sculpted look.

Training Plan:

 Week 1-3

     Day                          Exercise                           Sets            Reps                              Rest          

     1                               Knee Push-up                    3               12-15                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                              Burpees                                  3               12-15                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                              Dips                                        3               10-15                             1-2 minutes between sets

                                     (use chair, table, or countertop)

    2                               Regular Push-up                3                10-15                            1-2 minutes between sets

    2                              Wide Grip Push-up            3                10-15                            1-2 minutes between sets

    2                               Dips                                        2                 10-12                           1-2 minutes between sets

 

Week 4-6

     Day                          Exercise                           Sets            Reps                              Rest          

     1                               Regular Push-up              3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                               Incline Push-up                3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                               Burpees                               3               10-15                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                              Diamond Push-up             2               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     2                              Decline Push-up               3               10-12                            1-2 minutes between sets

    2                               Wide Grip Push-up           4               10-12                            1-2 minutes between sets

    2                               Dips                                        3               10-12                            1-2 minutes between sets

 

   Week 7-9

     Day                         Exercise                           Sets            Reps                              Rest          

     1                             Weighted Push-up         3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                             Clap Push-up                     3                10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                            Incline Push-up                3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                            Dips                                       2               10-15                             1-2 minutes between sets

    2                             Box Push-up                      3                10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

    2                             Diamond Push-up           4                10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

    2                             Burpees                              3                10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

Week 10-12

     Day                         Exercise                           Sets            Reps                              Rest          

     1                            Single Leg Push-up          3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                             Weighted Push-up           3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                             Decline Push-up               3               10-12                             1-2 minutes between sets

     1                             Burpees                                2               10-15                             1-2 minutes between sets

     2                           Single Arm Push-up           3               10-12                              1-2 minutes between sets

     2                           Box Push-up                         3                10-12                              1-2 minutes between sets

     2                          Diamond Push-up               4                10-12                              1-2 minutes between sets

The training plan starts with basic moves and is designed to gradually increase in volume and intensity by increasing the degree of difficulty. Remember to use proper technique; if the exercise is too difficult, stick with a simpler one until you are strong enough to advance. Bodyweight training can add mass to your chest just as well as free weights and provides the added benefits of improving core strength and coordination. Bodyweight exercises for your chest will challenge you and return results beyond what you thought you could achieve without going to the gym.