Learn Lower Chest Push Ups To Set Your Pecs On Fire

The chest muscles, scientifically referred to as the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, are responsible for the shape, size, and definition of the chest. The pectoralis major is a large fan-shaped muscle that covers the front of the chest, while the pectoralis minor is a smaller triangular muscle located beneath the pectoralis major. These muscles play a crucial role in various arm movements, including flexion, rotation, and bringing the arm toward the body’s midline.

When it comes to developing a strong and well-defined chest, it is essential to target all areas of the chest, including the upper, lower, and middle portions. To effectively develop the lower chest muscles and achieve a balanced and sculpted chest, it is important to incorporate exercises that specifically target this area. By focusing on the lower chest, you can enhance the strength, size, and definition of this specific muscle group.

In this discussion, we will specifically focus on what lower chest push ups are, how to do them, their benefits and the muscles worked.

What Are Lower Chest Push Ups

A lower chest push-up is a special type of exercise that focuses on working out the lower part of your chest muscles. When you do this exercise, you position your body in a way that puts more weight on your lower chest muscles, making them work harder.

While doing lower chest push-up you place your hands on a raised surface, like a bench or step, to target the lower part of your chest. It’s a good option for beginners, people with limited mobility, or those recovering from an injury because it reduces the amount of weight on your upper body, making the exercise easier.

Compared to regular push-ups, lower chest push-ups require slightly less strength and stability because your body is in a slightly different position. By doing lower chest push-ups, you engage different muscles such as the large chest muscles (pectoralis major), the front part of your shoulder muscles (anterior deltoids), the muscles at the back of your upper arm (triceps), and the muscles along your sides (serratus anterior). These muscles are important for upper body strength and can help you develop a more defined chest.

How To Perform Lower Chest Push Ups

Here are some simple steps for doing lower chest push-ups:

1. Place your hands on an elevated surface, like a bench or step, with your fingers facing forward. Your hands should be slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Keep your feet on the ground and make sure your body is in a straight line from your head to your heels.
2. Engage your core muscles and lower your chest toward the elevated surface by bending your elbows. Keep your elbows close to your body as you lower yourself down. Pause briefly when you’re at the bottom of the movement.
3. Push yourself back up to the starting position by straightening your arms. Remember to keep your body in a straight line throughout the movement. Avoid letting your hips sag or raising your buttocks too high.

It’s important to maintain proper form to prevent injuries and get the most out of the exercise. Start with three sets of 10-15 repetitions, and as you get stronger, you can increase the number of repetitions or sets. You can also adjust the difficulty by using a lower or higher elevated surface.

Benefits Of Lower Chest Push Ups

Lower chest push-ups offer several benefits for your body. They are an excellent exercise for improving muscle strength and endurance. Some of the benefits of lower chest push ups are:

1. Improve Muscular Endurance and Strength: It enhance muscular endurance in the upper body and strengthen both muscles and bones.
2. Boost in Explosiveness: Progressing from regular push-ups to more advanced variations like plyometric push-ups can improve explosiveness and power.
3. Increase Muscle Fiber Activation: This require more balance, leading to the engagement of additional muscle fibers.
4. Full-Body Workout and Calorie Burn: It provide a powerful full-body workout that can help burn more calories and contribute to a leaner physique.
5. Metabolism Boost and Fat Burning: As lower chest push-ups involve moving the entire body, they can improve metabolism, aid in fat burning, and contribute to a leaner appearance.
6. Enhance Cardiovascular System: Push-ups, including lower chest variations, can benefit the cardiovascular system by making the heart work harder during exercise.
7. Testosterone Production: It can potentially increase testosterone production in men, providing additional benefits for male fitness.
8. No Special Equipment Needed: Push-ups can be performed without any special equipment, making them suitable for home gym setups. All you need is proper technique and determination.

So, incorporating lower chest push-ups into your fitness routine can offer numerous benefits, including targeted chest development, upper body strength improvement, improved muscle balance, core activation, convenience, and functional strength enhancement.

Muscles Worked

During lower chest push-ups, the following muscles are primarily targeted:

Primary Muscles Targeted in Lower Chest Push-Ups:

1. Pectoralis Major: The pectoralis major, which is the main muscle of the chest, is the primary muscle targeted during lower chest push-ups.
2. Triceps: The triceps muscles, located on the back of the upper arms, are also heavily engaged during lower chest push-ups.
3. Serratus Anterior: The serratus anterior, a muscle located on the side of the chest, is activated to stabilize the shoulder blades during the exercise.
4. Anterior Deltoids: The anterior deltoids, the muscles at the front of the shoulders, are involved in providing support and stability to the upper body during lower chest push-ups.

Secondary Muscles Targeted in Lower Chest Push-Ups:

1. Abdominals: The abdominal muscles, including the rectus abdominis and obliques, are activated to maintain core stability during the exercise.
2. Glutes: The gluteal muscles, located in the buttocks, help stabilize the hips and maintain proper body alignment during lower chest push-ups.
3. Quadriceps: The quadriceps muscles, located in the front of the thighs, are engaged to maintain leg stability and support the body during the exercise.
4. Obliques: The oblique muscles, located on the sides of the abdomen, are involved in providing additional core stability during lower chest push-ups.
5. Rhomboids: The rhomboid muscles, located between the shoulder blades, help retract and stabilize the shoulder blades during the exercise

Lower chest push-ups are a great exercise for working and strengthening the lower chest muscles and other muscles in the upper body. When you do lower chest push-ups, you engage and strengthen the lower part of your chest, along with other important muscles in your upper body.

Alternatives And Variations Of Lower Chest Push Ups

If you want to develop your lower chest muscles, here are some of the chest exercises that can help:

Incline Push Up

The incline push-up is a versatile exercise that targets the lower chest muscles.

Equipment: You’ll need a flat workout bench, jump box, or step platform.

Steps:

1. Stand in front of the bench and place your hands shoulder-width apart on the edge of the bench.
2. Extend your legs backward until your body forms a straight line from your feet to your head. Keep your weight on the balls of your feet.
3. Slowly bend your arms, lowering your chest towards the bench while keeping your elbows and arms close to your body.
4. Push your body away from the bench by extending your arms, maintaining a slight bend in your elbows.
5. Perform 8 to 12 reps for one set.

Decline Dumbbell Press

Another exercise for targeting the lower chest is the decline dumbbell press. Although it mentions using dumbbells, you can also use a barbell for this exercise if you prefer. Using a barbell allows for heavier weights with fewer repetitions, but using dumbbells provides a wider range of motion, which can be beneficial for focusing on the lower chest muscles.

Equipment: You’ll need two dumbbells or a barbell and a decline bench.

Steps:

1. Set the decline bench at a 45-degree angle and lie down on it. Hold one dumbbell in each hand (or grip the barbell with both hands), resting them on your thighs. Keep your back flat on the bench.
2. Raise the dumbbells (or the barbell) over your chest, extending your arms towards the ceiling. Your palms should be facing inward.
3. Position the dumbbells or barbell shoulder-width apart and rotate your wrists so that your palms are facing away from you.
4. Start by bending your arms to create a 90-degree angle at the elbows. The dumbbells (or barbell) should be at the outer edges of your chest.
5. Inhale.
6. On the exhale, use your chest muscles to push the dumbbells (or barbell) up. Squeeze at the top of the lift and hold for 1-2 seconds.
7. Slowly lower the dumbbells (or barbell) back to the starting position.
8. Perform 8-12 reps for one set. Take breaks between sets.

Decline Dumbbell Bench Press With External Rotation

Another variation of the exercise is the decline dumbbell bench press with external rotation. This exercise adds an extra element to target the lower chest muscles effectively. If you’re trying this exercise for the first time, it’s recommended to start with lighter weights until you feel comfortable with the movement.

Equipment: You’ll need two dumbbells or a barbell and a decline bench.

Steps:

1. Lie down on the decline bench and hold one dumbbell in each hand (or grip the barbell with both hands), resting them on your thighs. Keep your palms facing inward.
2. Raise the dumbbells (or the barbell) over your chest, extending your arms towards the ceiling, while maintaining the hand position.
3. Lower the dumbbells back to the starting position, but this time, keep your palms facing inward without rotating them. The dumbbells should be parallel to your body.
4. Perform 8-12 reps for one set. Take breaks between sets.

Takeaway

Lower chest push-ups are a type of exercise that target and strengthen the lower part of your chest muscles. By using an elevated surface, like a bench or step, you can make your lower chest muscles work harder. These push-ups engage various muscles in your upper body, including the pectoralis major, triceps, serratus anterior, and anterior deltoids.

Performing lower chest push-ups offers benefits such as improved muscular endurance and strength, enhanced explosiveness, increased muscle fiber activation, full-body workout and calorie burn, metabolism boost and fat burning, cardiovascular system improvement, and potential testosterone production increase in men.

Other exercises to develop lower chest muscles include incline push-ups, decline dumbbell press, and decline dumbbell bench press with external rotation. These exercises can be done with proper form and technique to target and strengthen your lower chest muscles effectively.

Remember to start with appropriate weights and gradually increase intensity as you become more comfortable. Incorporating lower chest exercises into your fitness routine can help you achieve a well-defined and strong chest.