Kathleen's Monarchs with Muscles

The Pectorals

As women, we have relied on our pectoral muscles our entire life. Upper body strength allows us lift and hold our children and grandchildren, move heavy objects, lift and hold onto bulky grocery bags and rearrange furniture with ease. Our pectorals or “pecs” are thick, fan shaped muscles located at the upper front of the chest wall. In women, they lie underneath the breast. Working the pectoral muscles on a regular basis will not increase the size of our breast, rather it will help you develop nice athletic cleavage! While having athletic cleavage is definitely a bonus, the most important reason to continuously strengthen the “pec” muscles is to decrease the likelihood of injury when we do lift, carry, and push—things we do every day.

Chest Press with Dumbells

1. Lie on physioball or bench with contracted glutes and abs and shoulders down.
2. With a dumbbell in both hands bend arms to a 90 degree angle.
3. With palms forward, neutral wrist, wrist and elbow in alignment and elbow parallel to chest with control fully extend arms and exhale. Do not lock the elbow.
4. Inhale with control and bend arms to 90 degree angle, never letting arms rest on the ball or elbows fall below chest level.
5. Repeat.

Chest Press with Resistance Band

1. Standing tall with one foot in front, eyes forward, shoulders down, neutral spin, tight abs and glutes, bend arms to 90 degree angle with wrists neutral and palms facing down.
2. With wrist and elbow in alignment, and elbows parallel to the chest, exhale and fully extend arms. Do not lock the elbow.
3. With control inhale and bend arms to 90 degree angle. Do not bend arms so the elbow is behind the chest past chest.
4. Repeat.

Chest Fly with Dumbbells

Pictures coming soon...

1. Lie on physioball or bench with dumbbell in each hand.
2. Engage and squeeze glutes, pull abs in and lower shoulders.
3. Carefully open arms out to the side with palms facing the your body.
4. Elbows are slightly bent, wrists are strong, and elbows parallel with the chest.
5. With control slowly extend arms up and into the midline of the body until they touch, like you're hugging a big round ball.
6. Inhale with control and lower arms to starting position, never letting arms rest on the ball or elbows fall below chest level.
7. Repeat.

Chest Fly with Resistance Band

1. Standing tall with eyes forward, neutral spin, tighten the abs and glutes press shoulders down.
2. Extend arms out to the side with arms slightly bent, strong wrists and palms facing the midline of your body.
3. With elbows parallel to the chest, exhale and extend arms forward until palms meet at the midline of you body, like you're hugging a big round ball.
4. With control inhale and carefully lower arms to starting position. Do not let arms lower below bend the chest parallel.
5. Repeat.

Push Ups on Feet

1. Open arms wide with hands are about 6 inches wider than your chest and shoulder blades pulled down the back.
2. Hold body in a tight high plank position with eyes looking slightly forward, neutral spine, glutes squeezed and abs pulled away from the ground and into spin.
3. Exhale and bend arms to 90 degree angle, with wrist and elbows in alignment.
4. With spin neutral, shoulder blades pulled down the back, glutes squeezed and abs pulled in, press the body up into a high plank.
5. Repeat.

Push Ups on Knees

1. Open arms wide with hands are about 6 inches wider than your chest and shoulder blades pulled down the back.
2. Hold body in a tight high plank position with knees on ground and squeezed together.
3. With eyes looking slightly forward, neutral spine, glutes squeezed and abs pulled away from the ground and into spin.
4. Exhale and bend arms to 90 degree angle, with wrist and elbows in alignment.
5. Keeping spin neutral, shoulder blades pulled down the back, glutes squeezed and abs pulled in,press the body up into a high plank.
6. Repeat.

Push Ups on Physioball

1. Carefully roll forward on ball so your palms are on ground, core is tight and neutral and legs are squeezed tightly on ball.
2. Open arms wide so your hands are about 6 inches wider than your chest and shoulder blades pulled down the back.
3. Hold body in a tight high plank position with eyes looking slightly forward, neutral spine, glutes squeezed and abs pulled away from the ground and into spin.
4. Exhale and bend arms to 90 degree angle, with wrist and elbows in alignment.
5. Keeping spin neutral, shoulder blades pulled down the back, glutes squeezed and abs pulled in, press the body up into a high plank.
6. Repeat.
7. For safe dismount Carefully walk hand towards ball until feet and then knees touch the ground.

Pectoral Stretch

Stretch with or without a partner.