Chest exercises are often associated with large equipment like bench presses or dumbbells . However, if you only have access to bumper plates or want to diversify your workout, don't worry! Bumper plates can be an effective way to maximally train your chest muscles without requiring a lot of equipment. This exercise is also perfect for those looking for a more creative way to train your chest muscles while maintaining a high intensity.
This article will provide some tips for chest exercises using bumper plates, which you can do at home or at the gym. Check out some techniques and tips to maximize your chest workout results!
Benefits of Training Using Bumper Plates
Bumper plates aren't just a weightlifting accessory. One of their advantages is their versatility, allowing them to be used for both strength and endurance training. Furthermore, bumper plates are safer because they're made of impact-absorbing materials, allowing you to comfortably perform a variety of exercises without worrying about damaging equipment or floor surfaces.
For beginners, bumper plates offer a safe way to train the body without excessive stress. For more experienced athletes, they allow for a more dynamic and varied exploration of various movements, including chest exercises.
Push-Ups with Bumper Plates
Push-ups are a basic exercise that can significantly impact your chest muscles. However, by adding bumper plates, you can increase the intensity and variety of this movement.
How to Do It:
- Place two bumper plates on the floor, slightly wider than your shoulders.
- The body position is like a regular push-up, with the hands on the bumper plates.
- Do a push-up slowly, lowering your chest until it almost touches the floor, then push your body back to the starting position.
- Make sure your back is straight and your core is engaged throughout the movement.
By using bumper plates, your push-up range of motion will be slightly deeper, which means your chest muscles will have to work harder to lift your body back to the starting position.
Plate Pinch Press
This exercise doesn't require a bench or barbell; bumper plates are enough to maximally work the chest muscles. The plate pinch press targets the middle and inner chest muscles, which are often difficult to reach with other exercises.
How to Do It:
- Hold one or two bumper plates between your palms, with your hands firmly gripping the edges of the plate.
- Stand or sit in an upright position, then push the bumper plates forward while keeping your hands close together and straight.
- Once the bumper plates reach a position in front of your chest, slowly return them to the starting position.
This exercise may seem simple, but holding the plate in this position while maintaining pressure on your chest requires significant strength. Focus on contracting your chest muscles for maximum results.
Floor Press with Bumper Plates
If you don't have access to a bench press, don't worry. You can still do floor presses using bumper plates. This exercise works similarly to the bench press, but is performed on the floor, making it more gentle on the shoulder joints.
How to Do It:
- Lie on the floor with bumper plates in both hands.
- Place your feet on the floor with your knees bent, while your upper back and head remain on the floor.
- Start by holding the bumper plates above your chest, then slowly lower them until your elbows touch the floor.
- Push back to the starting position.
The advantage of the floor press is that it limits the range of motion of the elbows, thereby reducing stress on the shoulders while still providing strong stimulation to the chest and triceps muscles.
Bumper Plate Squeeze Press
This exercise is similar to the plate pinch press, but is performed lying down and focuses more on contracting the chest muscles. The bumper plate squeeze press can be an effective exercise variation that can improve chest strength and stability in the supporting muscles.
How to Do It:
- Lie on your back on the floor or a flat bench.
- Hold two bumper plates together between your palms, with the bumper plates positioned in front of your chest.
- Push the plates up by pressing your palms together, while ensuring the pressure remains on the chest muscles.
- Lower back down slowly, keeping your chest muscles contracted.
This movement is very effective because it forces the chest muscles to work hard to withstand the pressure, both when pressing the plates up and when lowering them.
Overhead Plate Press
Although the overhead press is typically known as a shoulder exercise, it also significantly targets the upper chest muscles, especially when performed correctly and with focus. The overhead plate press uses bumper plates and is ideal for anyone looking to strengthen their upper chest and shoulders simultaneously.
How to Do It:
- Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, holding one or two bumper plates in front of your chest.
- Press the plate slowly onto your head, using a steady, controlled motion.
- Once it reaches its highest position, lower the bumper plate back to its starting position.
Make sure your back is straight and your core is engaged throughout this movement, so that your chest and shoulder muscles are working optimally.
Chest Fly Variation with Bumper Plates
Chest flyes are typically performed using dumbbells or cables. However, bumper plates can also be used for this exercise. Chest flyes target the chest muscles from different angles, resulting in more balanced and symmetrical results.
How to Do It:
- Lie on the floor with one bumper plate in each hand.
- Stretch your arms out to the sides, then lift the bumper plates simultaneously until both hands meet above your chest.
- Lower slowly, making sure to keep your chest muscles engaged throughout the movement.
This exercise not only builds strength, but also flexibility of the chest muscles.
Superset Training with SVRG Bumper Plates
If you're looking for a more challenging workout, try supersets. Supersets involve performing two or more exercises consecutively without rest in between. Combine exercises like push-ups with bumper plates and plate pinch presses to increase intensity and burn more calories in less time.
Chest training doesn't always require heavy equipment or fancy machines. With bumper plates , you can perform a variety of effective exercises to build chest muscles, increase strength, and enhance stability. The key is to ensure proper technique and consistency throughout your training program.
Start with a weight that's appropriate for your abilities and gradually increase the intensity over time. With the right training, you can achieve optimal results and reach your fitness goals. Good luck!
