What Isometric Can You Do to Work Out Your Pectoralis Major?

When you do isometric exercises, you force your muscles to recruit a greater percentage of their fibers than during traditional strength-training exercises. Isometric exercises involve holding a constant contraction over time instead of completing repetitions. You can use isometric exercises to develop strength in your pectoralis major, which is the largest muscle in the chest. You can complete these exercises anywhere, as they don’t require any additional equipment.

  1. Workout Tips

    • Fit your isometric pectoralis major exercises into your routine two or three days a week. They can be included at the end of your traditional chest weight-training session or used on their own. Give your chest at least one day off in between each workout. Isometric exercises will cause an increase in blood pressure, so help avoid unsafe levels by not holding your breath while you’re doing the exercises. Complete two sets of each exercise.

    Chest Squeeze

    • Perform the chest squeeze by placing your palms together with your fingers pointed straight ahead. Hold your elbows at about a 90-degree position. Push your hands together, starting with a light contraction, and then slowly increasing the tension until you’re pushing your hands together as hard as you can. Hold this contraction for at least 15 seconds, but try to maintain tension for as long as you can.

    Isometric Pushup

    • An isometric pushup involves holding the lowered position of a pushup for as long as you can. Set your hands on the floor so they’re slightly wider than your shoulders. Your fingers should be pointed straight ahead. Lift up onto your hands and feet so your torso and your thighs are held in a straight line. Lower or raise your hips as necessary to ensure you maintain this straight line while you complete the exercise. Bend your elbows to lower your torso toward the floor. Stop once your elbows are bent to 90 degrees and hold this position for as long as you can up to 30 seconds. You can decrease the intensity of the exercise by completing it from the knees instead of from the feet.

    Isometric Door Fly

    • For isometric door flyes, stand in a doorway and place your hands on either side of the door frame so your hands are at chest height. Your elbows will be bent slightly, the degree of flexion depending on the length of your arms. Push your hands into the wall, imagining that you’re attempting to slide each of the two sides of the wall together. Build the contraction intensity over time until you’re pushing as hard as you can. Hold the contraction for as long as you can up to 30 seconds.