The Elite Physique

3 Chest Training Myths BUSTED

Interesting Chest Training Myths to Avoid…

woman showing chest training myths and exercises

If you have been working out for any amount of time, you may have encountered some chest training myths stirring in the gym.  You know, that guy that walks up to you after doing some chest presses and tells you that women’s shouldn’t bench press, and his reason is about as flaky as he his.

I’ve noticed that women who want to improve overall muscle development tend to focus on getting in shape by putting focus on their legs, abs, or arms.  Rarely do I hear figure competitors mention that they want to improve their chest muscle.

A strong and well-developed chest can help improve other aspects of your training.  In addition, a proper chest workout program can enhance your figure posing on stage.  When you hit the side poses, the judges will be looking for some chest development.

Figure contests are growing and the competitors entering are also increasing.  Along with the rise in athletes hitting the gym, the chest training myths begin to grow and spread like wildfire.  I’ve heard some crazy stuff such as:

  • Women shouldn’t train chest because it will make their boobs smaller
  • Ladies shouldn’t work chest because it will make their boobs bigger
  • Females shouldn’t train chest because it will a make their chest too wide

These are CRAZY, they don’t make any sense, and sadly, many women are listening to them and neglecting this critical muscle group!   These sorry chest training myths start either by people exchanging wrong information on forums or the person guiding you simply doesn’t know any better.  Let’s clear the clutter so you have the facts and can finally get in shape, look great, and WOW the judges.

MYTH: Training The Chest Will Cause A Woman’s Boobs To Become Smaller.

FACT: Chest training will build the pectorial muscle.  Weight training won’t make your boobs smaller.  Breast tissue is composed of fat tissue.  Fat loss, however, can make your boobs lose their fullness.

David Frankovic at bodybuilding.com states, “popular fallacy is the theory that a woman should not perform any chest exercises, as this would “shrink her breasts”.  A woman’s breasts are an area of fat deposit just like anywhere else on her body. The breasts will shrink as body fat levels of the entire body are reduced.”

Weight training develops muscle tissue.  Muscle is solid and dense.  Therefore, by adding strength training to your chest program you will build the underlying chest muscle, adding more shape to your upper body.  A well-built chest ties in nicely with wide lats with a v-taper and good shoulders, creating those eye-popping and sexy curves seen on figure competitors.  Take note that THIS is what the judges are looking for.

Quite frankly, the only way you will lose your beast size is to lose body fat.  It has nothing at all to do with bench pressing.

MYTH: Training The Chest Will Cause A Woman’s Boobs To Become Bigger.

FACT:  I think we pretty much covered the overall breast size details in the above myth and fact, but here we go…  Bench pressing will not make your boobs double in size.  Working your chest builds the core muscle beneath the breast’s fatty tissue.   Muscle is solid, fat is soft.  The two are not interchangeable.

By working your chest you can build the foundation, overall shape, and some stunning cleavage that will get you noticed.  For most women, it’s the little something extra needed for overall physique enhancement, and of course that little extra perk!

MYTH:  Working The Chest Will Make It Too Wide.

FACT:  The chest is one muscle and contracts as one.  You can angle the tension to different regions to some degree using an incline, flat or decline press, but you can’t make the chest muscle wider.  You can build your chest muscle, but you can’t change its genetic shape.

Such chest training myths may have come about by watching men’s transformations.  Men can build muscle much faster and lose fat a lot quicker than us women.  When we see a man’s before and after pics, it can appear that the chest got wider, but all they did was increase the size of their chest greatly and developed his back and shoulders as well, giving the appearance that he increased his chest width.  Your upper body width is determined by your back, or lat width.

Your chest if a very basic muscle and it needs attention and development for the total package.  A good chest training program can create gorgeous shape and sexy cleavage that looks great in the little black dress or on stage with other competitors and in front of the judging panel.

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Don’t be a victim of chest training myths or any other training myths.  If you found this information helpful get more.  Join over 73,000 other women who are changing their bodies.  Get my FREE Contest Prep Crash Course and start changing your physique this week.  Click the link below…

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My name is Karen Sessions and I am a life-time natural female bodybuilder, multi-certified fitness instructor, author, specialist in performance nutrition, and a success coach. I've been in the fitness industry since 1988! I teach people Just Like You how to transform their bodies, get in shape, build muscle, lose fat and compete in Bodybuilding, Physique, and Figure Competitions. When you have the CORRECT information you can have total confidence and turn your dreams into reality... and I can help transform YOUR body. I have helped THOUSANDS of clients reach their goals and I can help you, too. Be sure to grab my free gift above so you can start moving toward your goal.

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