For men who are even moderately overweight, excess fat in the chest can be a common and embarrassing problem. Unfortunately, targeted weight loss is impossible, according to Yale Scientific and other health experts. This means you can't perform certain exercises to lose weight in your chest but not in other areas of your body. The solution, instead, is to regularly perform strength-training exercises that target the pectoral muscles to make gains in muscular mass, density, strength and definition. Meanwhile, you can perform cardiovascular exercise and eat a calorie-conscious diet to burn overall body fat, flatten your chest and reveal the muscles you develop.
Barbell
Weight plates
Dumbbells
Weight bench with incline adjustment
Talk to your doctor before starting a strength-training program.
Perform the dumbbell bench press. Lie on your back on a weight bench with dumbbells in both hands. Hold the dumbbells at shoulder width with your palms facing away from your body and your elbows bent 90 degrees. Exhale while contracting your chest and pushing the dumbbells up. Pause for a moment once your arms are locked, then inhale as you slowly return the dumbbells to the starting position.
Do the barbell incline bench press. Lie on your back on an incline weight bench and grip the barbell just wider than shoulder width. Raise the bar from the rack and hold it directly above your chest, locking your arms. Inhale while slowly lowering the bar to your chest. Pause briefly, then exhale while contracting your chest muscles to push the bar back up to the starting position.
Perform the barbell decline bench press. Lie on your back on a decline weight bench and grip the bar slightly wider than shoulder width. Lift the bar off the rack and hold it above your chest, arms locked and perpendicular to the ground. Inhale while slowly lowering the bar until it touches the bottom of your chest. Pause briefly, then exhale as you raise the bar straight up until your arms are locked.
Complete three to five sets of eight to 10 reps for each exercise. Perform all three exercises consecutively to form a complete chest workout session. Repeat this session at least two to three times per week. Take only short breaks in between sets and exercises to keep your heart rate elevated and maximize the calorie-burning potential of your workout.
Do at least 150 minutes of moderate cardiovascular exercise per week, or 75 minutes of intense cardio. This will help you burn calories and work toward a daily caloric deficit, which is necessary for steady weight loss. Good cardio activities include running, jogging, cycling, rowing, swimming, ellipticals and stairclimbers.
Consume 200 to 400 fewer calories than you normally do each day to increase your daily caloric deficit. Ensure that each meal contains protein, unsaturated fat, complex carbs, vitamins and minerals. Avoid processed and packaged foods.
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Writer Bio
Kevin Richards has been a writer and editor since 2009, specializing in fitness, health and nutrition, as well as technology, finance and legal issues. He earned a Bachelor of Arts from the University of Michigan.