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Alternate Exercises

t-babe Posts: 441 Joined: 2003/02/20	2003/03/17, 05:55 PM Hey there. Looking for some advice on alternate chest exercises for my new programme. Although I have free weights in the house I don't have a bench (yet) or chin up bar. To be honest, I don't think I could do chin ups yet anyway so probably just as well. Anyway was looking for inspiration for different chest exercises that I wouldn't need a bench for. Tried doing some dumb-bell pullovers on my bed but felt that they were exercising my triceps more than my chest muscles, unless I wasn't doing them right :) Any ideas would be gratefully received. Cheers
kirby00 Posts: 238 Joined: 2002/11/05	2003/03/18, 12:24 PM What about push-ups? You can vary how far apart your hands are from each other, do them against a wall, the floor, the coffee table Ravenwolf mentioned. Just start off with a friend or a mirror nearby so you can make sure your body is remaining straight. Or, maybe you could supplement your home gym with resistance bands? -Krb
t-babe Posts: 441 Joined: 2003/02/20	2003/03/26, 05:03 PM Have had a look at the specific exercises for the chest in muscle targeting but most of these require a bench of some sort. Unfortunately I don't have anything that I could use as a replacement. Would love to invest in a bench but just don't have the spare cash just now. I'm going to try supplementing the chest exercises in my programme with bent over bar-bell rows, one arm dumb-bell rows, incline press-ups and normal press-ups. Can someone tell me the different muscles worked if i change the distance between my hands when doing press-ups. Never could remember this. Also I have a resistance band that I could use but just not sure which exercises to do to target my chest. Do these exercises sound ok as alternatives? Thanks for the time and the tips.
kirby00 Posts: 238 Joined: 2002/11/05	2003/03/27, 07:34 PM T-babe, rows are targeting your back, not your chest. Good exercises, just a different body part. Pushups (pressups?) with hands forming a triangle are more working triceps, shoulder width is working shoulders/chest and farther apart is mainly pecs. As for the resistance bands - I don't actually own any. You could probably look online for some exercises or post on here to see if any FT'ers use them. -Krb
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2003/03/28, 11:46 AM You can fasten your band to something at chest level and face away from it, then do presses forward, either alternating or together - this simulates cable crossovers or flyes (sort of). You can do most pressing movements lying on your back on the floor just fime - you will just not get the stretch at the bottom range of the movement - this is okay, you don't want to go to far below your shoulders anyhow. Investing in a swiss ball is inexpensive - about 20 bucks at target - and can give you al of the benefits of a bench, plus a great way to work on stability and abdominals. varying you push-ups with handwidth is good - also with your feet on something higher than your body, and with your hands up higher, try one hand on a phone book and the other on the floor, switch it up. try doing one-arm push-ups, starting by doing them standing up with your hand on the wall, gradually work to lower surfaces to challenge yourself. Possibilities are endless once you think outside the box! Good Luck! -------------- Challenge + Consistency = Results
Oilfan94 Posts: 3 Joined: 2003/03/27	2003/03/31, 03:34 PM Look around for a used bench. You could probably get one for less than $30. -------------- Mike
sarah2004 Posts: 1 Joined: 2004/06/23	2004/06/23, 04:19 PM hi ya all i'm looking for an ideas to get a flat stomach quickly:love:
lilbitfox Posts: 1 Joined: 2005/02/05	2005/02/06, 10:41 AM I do not have a pull up bar or any way to do pull ups at this time. Please give me an alternate exercise to work those muscule groups specifically geared to this exercise.