Chest Exercises

[Nelson]

I am trying to bulk up a bit since I am pretty skinny and have a low amount of muscle in my upper body. I don't have a workout bench and I don't want to go to a gym. I have dumbells and that's pretty much it.

Besides pushups what exercises can I do to improve my chest muscle?

[RallyMcnally]

Here:

Dumbbell exercises for the chest:

Bodybuilding.com - Exercise Guides Database.

Bodyweight exercises for the chest:

Bodybuilding.com - Exercise Guides Database.

[Frans]

For me, the most effective chest exercises (with dumbbells) are decline benchpress and decline fly:
Dumbbell Decline Bench Press
Dumbbell Decline Fly

You can create your own bench if you don't want to buy one.

[Lonewolf]

Just go the gym and don't be such a sissy. The variety of machines, exercises, heavy weights and a dynamic social environment will do more for your pigeon chest than any amount of huffing and puffing at home with Barby weights. I have never seen anyone grow appreciably training at home only. If you have no clue, then do yourself a favour and buy the book "Encyclopedia of Bodybuilding" by Arnold.

[Iamsuperman]

Here's a weight training book I'd highly recommend:

Amazon.com: Getting Stronger: Weight Training for Men and Women (Revised Edition): Books: Bill Pearl,Richard Golueke

It's by Bill Pearl, he's won Mr. Universe and he's a vegetarian, very comprehensive book.

Hope I could help!

[Uplift]

Hey Nelson, if you are serious, walking lunges, chins, dips. Every third or fourth day. One workout chin with palms facing, next one palms away, keep alternating. Think of ways to increase the load/intensity as you get stronger. ie uphill/downhill or dumbell walking lunges. Use rope to hang dumbell plates around your waist during chins and dips. Workout: Walking lunges 2 sets x 1 minute each (increase hardness/intensity, not length of time as you get stronger) Chins and dips 2 sets 8 -12 reps, 2 seconds lifting, 4 seconds lowering. Alternate, chin, dip, chin, dip. You have to stick at it, eat enough and well, and work hard during your workout. Rest long enough between sets to stay strong, work each set close to honestly not being able to do many more (1-2) reps. There's tons of info on the exercises and their form on the net, and eating. Have a look and get your technique right and eating right. At first you may not be strong enough, so do what you can in the lunges. You will probably have to do negatives (lowering) in the chins and dips. Basically use some small steps, chairs, whatever to climb up, then lower yourself for a count of say six - eight seconds. When you can do sets of eight negatives, you will probably be capable of one to three normal reps, then finish the set (up to eight total) with negatives, until you can get eight normal reps, then stop the negatives. Focus on the muscles you are using. Use your imagination to rig up a chinning bar, and dip setup (you can dip between strong chairs). If you have some free time, practise handstands, walking on your hands. Good luck, where there's a will...

[JiriNovotny]

Nelson,

Ignore the others who say that you can't bulk up without going to the gym. Heck, you even do not need the dumbbells.

I bought these two books and I love them - the best thing that has happened to me. They are awesome and I am already getting results:

Amazon.com: The Miracle Seven: 7 Amazing Exercises That Slim, Sculpt, and Build the Body in 20 Minutes a Day: Books: John E. Peterson,Wendie Pett

Amazon.com: Pushing Yourself to Power: The Ultimate Guide to Total Body Transformation: Books: John Peterson

You can see some of the excercises (animated) here: Bronze Bow Publishing - Fitness Exercises (yup, that guy never went to the gym).

Best of luck to you. I believe that this is far superior than using machines, but that's just my opinion.

[Uplift]

Awesome sites JiriNovotny. Isometrics and mind muscle link exercises are deluxe, and the guy is honest, require mega effort, but imagine the all round results, the overall deluxe feeling of amazing well being. There you go Nelson, go for it!

[Conan Stevens]

DON'T TAKE ANY ADVICE FROM SOMEONE WHO DOESN'T HAVE THE BODY YOU WANT.

Benben's suggestion for example the guy won't even show his body, yet he is telling you how to workout? Yeah right. I want ot see that the guy knows what he is talking about before I take anyone's advice.

Lonewolf is a bit blunt but everything he says is true.

You cannot get any more than an athletic physique from home training to start with, you need to learn you need the environment of a gym, you need to talk to other people and watch the big guys, you need the modern equipment to make maximum gains.

Why sit around home doing handstands and pushups for 2 years to achieve a nice athletic body when going to a gym 3 times a week will do it the same for you in 6 months?

Once you get the muscle you want then you can go back to your home training to maintain.

315lbs with Abs so I DO know what I am talking about here.