Isometric Chest Squeeze

Body region

• Chest

Muscles

Main

• Pectoralis Major

Helps

• Deltoid
• Coracobrachialis

Holds

• Serratus Anterior
• Rectus Abdominis

Technique

1. Stand or sit tall and bring your palms together in front of your chest, elbows out to the sides.
2. Press the palms into each other as hard as you can.
3. Hold the squeeze for 10–30 seconds while breathing steadily.
4. Relax, rest briefly and repeat.

Cues

• Keep the forearms roughly level with the floor.
• Think of squeezing the elbows toward each other.
• Try holding the hands a little higher or lower to change the feel.

Common mistakes

• Holding your breath during the squeeze.
• Shrugging the shoulders toward the ears.
• Letting the elbows drop so the arms do the work instead of the chest.

Alternatives

• Pec Deck
• Close-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press