RESISTANCE BANDS CHEST WORKOUT WITH JAMES GRAGE
Learn how to train your chest anywhere without sacrificing gains with these muscle building tips using only resistance bands. Follow along as Resistance Bands Training Expert, James Grage thoroughly explains the original free weight exercise and the resistance band equivalent, giving you the freedom to take your workouts wherever you want. First, let's highlight the main area of the chest we'll be working on.
- Pectoralis major
The pectoralis major muscle is comprised of a clavicular and a sternocostal head. Contracting the pectoralis major results in pulling on the humerus to create vertical, lateral and rotational motions of the arm. Even though the pec is divided into two parts, there are actually six separate sets of muscle fibers within the pectoralis muscle. This is important because these sets of fibers allow portions of the muscle to be moved independently by the nervous system.
CHEST EXERCISE: INCLINE PRESS
Whether you are using a barbell or using dumbbells, we all know that if we want to do an incline press we have to get on an inclined bench.So WHY is that? ANSWER: Our plane of resistanceOur plane of resistance is vertical due to gravity. So in order to train the top of our chest or do upper chest, we have to go ahead and tilt up to get the proper angle. Now, with resistance bands, one of the cool things is you can duplicate the same exercise without any of the gym equipment and train just as effectively. Instead of relying on gravity for your resistance, you create resistance with the bands by using them on any plane. This allows you to get off the bench, get on your feet, and train like an athlete!
^FREE WEIGHT VS RESISTANCE BAND INCLINE PRESS
To properly perform this exercise with resistance bands, create a nice stable base for yourself with your feet, stabilize your core and make sure to have tension at the beginning of the range of motion. One tip when it comes to training chest is to focus on squeezing towards the middle as you press.
CHEST BUILDING BENEFITS USING RESISTANCE BANDS
Because many people don't fully appreciate how to properly use resistance bands, they may ask themselves if resistance band training really works. And according to many fitness experts and scientific studies alike, for chest workouts and any other type of functional exercise, resistance bands are an extremely effective tool. Here’s why:
- Mechanical Tension: Go Heavy and GROW
Like barbells, dumbbells, or any other type of weight, the key to muscle growth is tension AKA resistance. Resistance bands were created to provide your muscles with resistance in a given movement. Therefore, resistance bands trigger hypertrophy just as weights do.
- Linear Variable Resistance: Have More Control
Resistance bands have linear variable resistance. This means you can increase the weight in an exercise by simply minimizing slack in the band (you’ll see just what we mean in the chest exercises to follow). Unlike weights, there’s no one fixed level of resistance with bands. Because of this, it’s easier to make small adjustments in an exercise to control your output, and ultimately, to maximize the value of every set.
- Time Under Tension: Maximize Results
You may think the greater (or heavier) the force, the more mechanical tension – which is true but only to a certain extent. To trigger hypertrophy, we must consider our X-Factor of Time Under Tension (TUT), in other words, how long you are holding that particular load or force. With linear variable resistance, resistance bands allow you to customize the mechanical tension of an exercise on the fly. This allows more control over the quality and speed of the movement. You can increase your chest’s time under tension by slowing down your eccentric, isometric, and concentric movements. In turn, this maximizes hypertrophy and enables your muscles to grow more quickly.
- Convenience: Workout Anytime, Anywhere
Plain and simple: Resistance bands are convenient. They’re lightweight, low-profile, and can be thrown in a backpack or suitcase for easy transportation wherever life takes you. You’ve got no excuse to skip a resistance band workout. For this reason alone, resistance bands lend themselves to great results.
This is a simple, do-anywhere exercise to get a killer chest workout without weights. But this exercise is just the tip of the iceberg in ultimate chest training. Check out our TA2 BUILD for a comprehensive 90-day workout program with full access to exact sets, reps and detailed videos to a ton of more exercises. GET STARTED TODAY!
