My 3 Favorite Chest-Building Calisthenic Exercises
Supercharge Your Chest Workouts. No Gym Required.
With covid infections now reaching all-time highs worldwide, many fitness centers are all but certain to be hit with orders halting business. While the thought of losing that pre-pandemic bod you’ve been working hard to get back may haunt you, there is nothing to fear. No equipment? No problem. These three chest killers are sure to keep your gains on track.
1. The Explosive-Negative Pushup
The classic pushup is great, but this go-to can be much more. While in pushup position, slowly lower your chest until just before it touches the ground. From here, quickly pop or ‘explode’ upwards with as much force as possible.
The additional resistance on the downward movement will fatigue the muscle faster, giving you better results. With persistence, you will see this pay off in-full when you go back to standard pushups.
Tip: Slow and steady. Your chest should reach the ground in no shorter than 3 seconds.
2. The Archer Pushup
My personal favourite, The Archer, provides excellent isolation for each side of the chest. Again, In the pushup position, place your hands at a distance roughly double to what they normally would be (you can find the width that is most comfortable for you). Next, lower your chest to the ground by bending your left or right arm until your nose touches the ground. Repeat this movement on the opposite side.
Tip: For an added challenge, both The Archer and The Explosive-Negative Pushup can be done with your feet on an incline. Try it out!
3. The Chest Dip
I know, no equipment. However, the only requirement here is two equally sized (and stable!) platforms to hold your weight. Make sure to place your makeshift dip bars as close as possible to help center your mass and prevent any sliding.
This subtle but effective modification of a standard dip will maximize strain and break down your muscle fibres faster. In dip position with your arms straight, lean slightly forward and begin the downward motion. Allow your arms to flare out. When pressing up, do not let your elbows lockout. By doing this, you will be maximizing the time under tension. Also, the further back your feet are, the more pressure is put onto your chest.
Tip: Complete control is the most essential part of any bodyweight exercise. Only go within your comfortable range of motion. When lowering your body, resist the temptation to let your weight fall. A sudden drop is the fastest way to an ugly shoulder injury.
There you have it! Adding in even one of these exercises to your usual workout routine is a fun and effective way to switch things up. Remember, as soon as the reps start to get easy, there is always a way to kick the difficulty up a few notches. Try the inclined version of The Archer or The Explosive-Negative Pushups to challenge yourself even further. In the meantime, stay safe and happy holidays to you all!
Quick note: This is my first published work of any kind, so all feedback is more than welcome!
