ActiveWorkoutsHow I grow my pecs with an exercise Arnold Schwarzenegger said helped him build his enormous chest musclesThis is an exercise I would never leave out from my push workouts; all you need is a pair of dumbbells and a weight benchWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
ActiveWorkoutsHow I grow my pecs with an exercise Arnold Schwarzenegger said helped him build his enormous chest musclesThis is an exercise I would never leave out from my push workouts; all you need is a pair of dumbbells and a weight benchWhen you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
This is an exercise I would never leave out from my push workouts; all you need is a pair of dumbbells and a weight bench
When you purchase through links on our site, we may earn an affiliate commission.Here’s how it works.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Arnold Schwarzenegger looked terrific in the 70s; this is an indisputable fact. Even now, 50 years later, we keep going back and analysing how he trained so that we can better understand how to build muscle efficiently (I sure do).
His pecs were particularly ginormous, and according to Arnie himself, there was one exercise he preferred doing to make them look so broad. It’s the same pecs exercise I simply can’t stop doing myself (although my chest is not nearly as big as his).
Before we go any further, it’s worth noting that Arnie was a professional bodybuilder and worked out intensely almost every day. For example, theArnold Schwarzenegger Blueprint to Massworkout plan involves doing countless reps of heavy exercises that include his famousArnold press, as well as the pecs exercise we’ll discuss today. Don’t expect breastplate-like pecs or aback as big as Arnie’safter one workout.
According to Arnie, the dumbbell pecs fly is thebest pecs exerciseto build a massive chest. But not just any old pecs fly, but abrutallylow pecs fly that opens up the chest and stretches the muscles to make them wider. At least, this is what Arnie and his contemporaries thought. And looking at the Golden era bodybuilders of the 70s, they were probably not wrong…
Want to know howSylvester Stallone built his huge armsfor Rambo 2? He used the help of two-time Mr Olympia winner Franco Columbu.
Arnold Schwarzenegger Pecs Fly: How to grow your chest like a pro
From an equipment point of view, Arnie’s pecs fly isn’t all that different from your everyday dumbbell fly. All you need is a decentweight benchand a pair of heavy enoughdumbbells(you can useadjustable dumbbellsif you’re working out at home).
Some might prefermulti gymsand cable machines in the gym to do this exercise; whatever floats your boat. If you’re working out at home, you can perform standard pecs flys usingresistance bandswhile laying on the floor, although you won’t be able to open your chest up quite the same degree as Arnie does in the video above. Nevertheless, pecs flys are still worth doing however you can.
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After adjusting the plates (I used theCore Fitness Adjustable Dumbbell, so it was easy), Islowlylowered the weights to see how far down I could go. After a couple of slow reps, I started busting out proper, deep pecs flys and, boy, oh boy, my pecs were on fire.
Be careful, though: you’ll need to stretch before the workout to be able to open your chest up to that degree. Not to mention, using heavier weights and performing this exercise without the correct form can also compromise your shoulders; a proper warm-up is crucial.
(Image credit: Getty Images)
(Image credit: Getty Images)
Grow big pecs with compound exercises
A surefire way to enlarge your pecs is to docompound exercisessuch as the bench press or push-ups. (Here’show to do bench pressandhow to do push-ups). Compound exercises work a range of muscles while allowing you to build strength and muscle mass quicker.
The bench press is one of the most essential exercises to grow the pecs. Admittedly, you will need abarbelland somebumper platesto perform it in your home gym, but if you can’t be bothered to store them in your living room, you can always visit a gym or do it there or use dumbbells instead of those at home.
There are many variations, and it’s recommended not to do only that standard flat bench barbell bench press all the time; mixing up your workout routine with a narrow grip and incline press presses will help stimulate your muscles more, which leads to quicker muscle growth. Try thisbench press trickfor even more stimulation.
Push-ups are a low-cost alternative to the bench press, andaccording to science, it builds pecs just as well as the bench press. Again, you would like to make sure you don’t just do the basics version and include different push-up varieties in your workouts (here are a fewpush-up variations).
This feature is part of T3’sGet Fit 2022campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.
This feature is part of T3’sGet Fit 2022campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.
This feature is part of T3’sGet Fit 2022campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.
This feature is part of T3’sGet Fit 2022campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.
This feature is part of T3’sGet Fit 2022campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.
This feature is part of T3’sGet Fit 2022campaign. We’ll be bringing you a wealth of guides, features, deals and news to help you get healthy, fit and ready for anything the new year can throw at you. Whether you’re a newcomer to fitness or someone with a passion for it, we’ll bring you all the best workouts, diet advice and gear to set you on the right track.
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