In my decade-long experience as a fitness instructor, a significant number of male clients come in with the same problem—a saggy chest.
So, I usually put them on a bi-weekly routine of push-up workouts and advise them on the importance of proper nutrition and adequate sleep.
To help my readers as well, I decided to team up with a physical therapist to share some of these push-up workouts that have helped my clients go from man boobs to chiseled pecs.
Here is what has worked.
Quick Summary
- The incline, wide, pseudo planche, one-clap, and Hindu are some of the most effective chest exercises.
- A 10-minute warm-up before an exercise prepares the muscles, while a gentle stretch after a workout prevents injuries.
- The incline push-up is the easiest push-up that can be done by beginners and seniors looking to train their lower chest muscles.
How Can I Workout My Lower Chest at Home?
You can work out your lower chest at home with push-ups that target this area, such as the incline push-up, the wide, one-clap, standard pushup, the pseudo-planche, and Hindu press-ups.
None of these require any weights or special gym equipment.
While exercises such as bench and dumbbell presses are effective, these pushups are just as effective in toning your lower pecs.
That's because all you need to build strong and toned pecs is to create enough muscle tension to stimulate muscle hypertrophy (muscle growth) in your lower chest area.
And pushups can help you achieve that.
However, it takes more than just exercising to build muscle.
Nutrition is Key
Nutrition also plays a significant role in muscle building. The ideal nourishment here is a balanced diet filled with proteins.
The recommended dietary allowance of protein for muscle maintenance is at least 0.8 grams per kg of protein or more if you’re trying to build muscle [1].
Now, it might not be possible to accommodate this protein requirement in your meal.
That's why I recommend adding a protein powder to supplement the deficit for ultimate muscle growth.
You also need to get adequate sleep and hydrate enough. But that's a topic for another day.
Let's take a look at examples of lower chest exercises that will help you build strong pecs.
5 Best Push-Ups for the Lower Chest
Below are five lower chest exercises.
For each push-up, perform at least 1-3 sets, each about 8-15 repetitions.
1. Incline Push-Ups
Whereas the decline push-up focuses on the upper chest, the incline push-up puts more focus on the lower chest.
You only need a higher surface and your body weight to do incline push-ups.
Here’s how to do it:
- Get to a plank position and place your hands on an elevated surface shoulder width apart.
- Now, slowly drop your torso or trunk till your wrists are at chest level and pause for 1-2 seconds.
- Now push away from the surface until your elbows are extended.
Other more advanced variations of the incline push-up include:
- Push-ups on parallel bars or two parallel surfaces with a hole in between to lower your body even further.
- Incline push-up on an unstable surface.
2. The Wide Push-Up
The widening of your arms during the wide push-up puts more focus on the lower chest muscles.
It also works your shoulder and back muscles as well.
Here's how to do the wide push-up:
- Start by getting to a plank position and place your hands slightly wider than shoulder width.
- Now bend your elbows to lower your body towards the floor.
- Once the torso gets below your elbows, pause for 1-2 seconds.
- Straighten your elbows to lift up your body back to where you started, and repeat.
3. One-clap Push-Ups
The one-clap is perhaps the hardest push-up for the lower chest.
So if you're a beginner, you might want to sit this out until you achieve a higher fitness level.
But if you're experienced and have confidence in your push-up game, follow these steps:
- As usual, start in a plank position.
- Pull down your body like a standard push-up.
- Now, once your trunk reaches below your elbows, pause, then lift up with enough force for your trunk to push up and your hands to leave the floor and clap.
- Land softly on the ground and repeat.
4. Pseudo Planche
The pseudo planche is a tough push-up variant with great benefits to your lower chest region, core, and pushing power.
Essentially you support your entire body weight with your hands as your entire anatomy is suspended in the air behind you.
Here's how to do it:
- Lay down in a plank position with your legs fully extended behind you.
- Place your hands alongside your stomach and your palms facing backward or to the side.
- Bend your arms and lower your chest.
- Lift up while pushing your torso forward by moving your toes.
5. Hindu Push-Ups
The Hindu push-up can be traced back to Indian wrestlers and martial arts [2].
“Hindu Push-up is an excellent compound exercise that benefits the whole upper body by targeting your Pectoral, Deltoids, Triceps, Serratus anterior, subscapularis, hip, and spine flexor.”
- Harsh Chauhan, Chief Editor at alphamale.co
Besides working on the lower portion of the chest, the Hindu push-up also engages the entire body and improves your spine's flexibility.
Here's how to do it:
- Go down to a plank position and get into a downward-facing dog-pose position.
- Lower your back and move forward as if slipping under a bar. As you're moving forward, push your chest and upper region up.
- Get back to the starting position and repeat.
Useful Tips
Performing chest exercises correctly prevents the likelihood of an injury and is also the foundation of muscle activation.
Here are more tips for training the lower chest:
- Warm up for about 10 minutes before training, and do some gentle stretches after exercise.
- Always move in a controlled manner.
- Do enough sets and reps.
- Work the pec 2-3 times a week with a rest day or two in between training sessions.
FAQs
Do Diamond Push-Ups Work Lower Chest?
Yes, diamond push-ups work the lower chest. The push-up activates the pectoralis major, a significant muscle covering the chest bone. Exercising this muscle also builds up the pecs.
How Many Push-Ups Should I Do a Day?
You should do 50-100 push-ups a day to maintain an excellent upper-body physique. Start small with 20 and steadily graduate to higher reps as your fitness level improves while incorporating other pushup variations.
Combine Your Workouts with a Protein Supplement
Combining push-ups that target the lower chest with a high-protein diet can give you well-defined pecs.
But this requires a lot of hardwork and commitment as it might take long before you can see the results.
That’s why I recommend adding a protein powder to your training and diet.
We’ve tested these products extensively and have only included the top ones that have yielded the best testing data results.
References:
- https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/how-much-protein-do-you-need-to-build-muscle
- https://ejmas.com/jalt/jaltart_singh_0600.htm
About The Author
You May Also Like
