If you haven’t been blessed with Kate Upton’s impressive bust, CLEO’s go-to personal trainer, Ben Payne, shows you how to put your best, err, chest forward.
If you haven’t been blessed with Kate Upton’s impressive bust, CLEO’s go-to personal trainer, Ben Payne, shows you how to put your best, err, chest forward.
1 I’m with the band
Band pull-aparts
1 Stand with your feet hip-width apart in a split stance (one foot forward). Hold the band out in front, palms facing in, with arms bent horizontally at eye level. Brace your core by pulling the belly button toward the spine and contracting your glutes.
2 Pull the shoulders down and back. While maintaining the shape of the arms, breathe out and pull the band apart. Pause there for just one second, then return while breathing in for the count of two seconds.
Repeat for 10 reps in total, then move on to the next exercise without stopping.
2 Drop it like it’s hot
Push-up
1 Start with your arms straight and your hands in line with your chest on the floor just wider than shoulder-width. Your body should form a straight line from your shoulders through to your heels. Ensure that your feet are slightly apart.
2 With a braced core, bend at the elbows so your upper arm travels down toward the side of the body (not touching your side, but not flared out either) and lower the body in one straight line while breathing in to the count of two seconds. Avoid letting the lower back sag. You should aim to get the elbows to at least 90 degrees (lower if you can control it).
3 Push your hands down hard onto the floor and, while trying to squeeze the pecs, straighten your arms up and return to the starting position. Do this while exhaling over the count of one second.
Repeat for 10 to 14 reps, rest for 90 seconds, then repeat for two full sets.
Band fly
1 The set-up for the fly is the same as the previous exercise, except the band should be positioned behind you, either resting against your back or anchored to something. Start with your arms extended out to your side at shoulder level with palms facing in. Ensure you maintain a slight bend in your elbows.
2 Brace your core and bring your arms to meet in front of you at shoulder level. Do this while breathing out, squeezing your pecs and maintaining the length in the arms, to the count of one second.
3 Return to the starting position while breathing in over the count of two seconds, ensuring that you pause for one second.
Repeat for 10 reps in total. Move on to the next exercise with no rest.
3 Heads down,thumbs up
Prone Corba
1 Lie face down on a mat with your head and neck in a neutral position, and your arms rotated in so your elbows and palms face upward.
2 While breathing out, raise your chest off the floor, to the count of one second. At the same time, rotate the arms outwards so you finish with elbows facing into your side and your palms out. Keep the neck in a neutral position. Hold here for two seconds.
3 Breathe in to return to the starting position over the count of one second, and rest at the bottom for one more second.
Repeat for eight to 12 reps. Aim to do two to three sets.
