Effective chest exercises for men and women
Developing a well-defined chest is the number one fitness goal of many people attending a gym or health club – particularly men. A strong upper body looks great, and thus the area often receives intense focus during exercise routines. 

When it comes to designing a workout plan to meet your health and fitness goals, it’s important to include chest exercises in your regime – even for women. Consider incorporating the following chest exercises into your upper body workout to achieve the chiselled, toned chest you desire:

• High pulley cable flies
• Flat dumbbell flies
• Incline dumbbell flies
• Flat dumbbell press

While men need to place greater emphasis on the chest area in order to develop a defined upper body, women also benefit from low-intensity chest exercises, which improve the posture and lift the bust.

Certainly, a perfectly-sculptured upper body – or a perkier bust – is aesthetically appealing. But did you know that chest exercises offer significant health and fitness benefits too?

What are the health benefits of chest exercises?
Nowadays, many of us spend hours in front of our computers. Health and fitness experts explain that this impacts negatively on our bodies, because working on a keyboard every day tends to make our muscles shorter.

Shorter muscles can result in chest tightness, which in turn leads to a weakening of the back muscles. And, when one considers how much we use our back and chest muscles (for any activity that involves pushing, pulling, lifting or carrying), it becomes clear how important it is to keep our upper bodies in great shape.

Virgin Active’s personal trainers and fitness advisors have devised a range of chest exercises aimed at promoting upper body strength and improving posture. Whether you wish to tone your chest or build a powerful upper body, these chest workouts are guaranteed to help you achieve visible results.

Important chest exercise tips
When working out at a gym, health club or at home, remember to focus on all areas of your body, and not just your chest. While intense upper body workouts help you to achieve a fantastically defined chest, it can mean that other body parts are neglected! Thus, be sure to embark upon a well-rounded fitness programme that targets the whole body.

Other important chest exercise tips:

• Don’t bench-press more weight than you can handle, or you could tear your pectorals major (pecs).
   
• When bench-pressing weights, always use a spotter.
   
• When working your chest, work your back during the same session.
   
• When lifting dumbbells, bend your knees and let your legs take the strain of the heavy lifting.
   
• Keep your head relaxed whilst bench-pressing, and don’t lift or twist it whilst completing the exercise.

Visit your favourite Virgin Active Health Club today, and chat to a personal trainer about devising a chest workout plan that meets your fitness goals.