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A big dilemma many gym-goers or fitness enthusiasts face is in finding the correct order to perform various exercises. While there is no one size fits all approach to this, you need to keep on top of your workout schedule and the order you should train in. Let’s take a look at what to workout after chest day including which exercises and body parts you can work on.
Muscle Groups To Work Out Together
By knowing which muscle groups to work out together, you can maximize the impact of your workouts. This essentially means you are not wasting away any time on unnecessary exercises or ones that are detrimental to your physique.
What Are The Muscle Groups?
The muscle groups consist of the following sections:
- Chest
- Arms
- Back
- Abs
- Shoulders
- Legs
Of course, these categories can be broken down further to include the various muscles within these groups. Still, to have a general understanding of the concept, these groups should be sufficient.
Which Exercises Should I Do After Chest Day?
One easy way to work out which muscles you should exercise after chest day is by experimenting with the various groups. Suppose you find that you can do chest one day and then shoulders the next – great! If this works for you, then go for it.
However, most people will typically find that any upper body workout will still involve the other muscles. It is tough to isolate the various muscle groups from those around them. For example, a shoulder workout will still engage the chest muscles; so does an arms workout.
So, Should I Do Lower Body Exercises?
The answer is a definitive Yes, but only if you find that an upper body workout is still engaging your chest muscles too much. It is an excellent idea to give your chest muscles time to rest and relax. This will help you build more muscle in the long run.
Look for a lower body workout after chest day. This will also allow the muscle to repair itself and heal while being ready to roar for the next time.
What Should I Do If I Want To Work Out Two Times A Week?
If you want to work out only twice in one week, then the break down of the muscle groups is straightforward:
- Upper body
- Lower body
So, if you decide to workout on a Tuesday and then on a Thursday, a good schedule would be the following:
Tuesday: Chest, Shoulders, and Arms
Thursday: Legs, Abs, and Back
This way, you can maximize your strength and not use any already tired muscles for the second day.
Mixing and matching from both the groups in one single day is not recommended. For instance, you decide to work out your chest, shoulders, and legs on Tuesday. On Thursday, you will still engage both the upper body and lower body muscles consisting of arms, abs, and back.
This way, you will get tired much more quickly and do less weight (or fewer reps) than usual.
What Should I do If I Want To Work Out Three Times In One Week?
This is not as clear because we no longer have distinctively clear upper body and lower body days. Instead, it is a good idea to listen to your body. You need to figure out exactly which muscles get tired more quickly and which you can work out for longer.
One good example of how to break down the muscle groups is the following:
- Chest and Shoulders
- Legs
- Abs, Back, and Arms
By working out your legs as the second workout (and giving yourself enough rest time between the third workout and the first workout), you will allow your upper body muscles to recover.
Of course, precisely what you choose to do is dependent entirely on you!
If you find that you have powerful chest muscles, you may choose to move this into another day’s workout as this muscle is stronger and so will not get tired as quickly as, say, your abs.
Knowing how your body works is the key to figuring out the ultimate workout plan for you.
What Should I Workout After Chest Day?
The simple answer is anything but chest! This is because your chest muscles are tired and need time to recover and repair themselves. Any workouts involving the chest, such as arms and shoulders, can hinder this recovery time.
So, keep an Upper Body – Lower Body dichotomy in mind when thinking about structuring your workouts. This will ensure that each muscle group is given enough time to recover. This will allow you to build muscle more quickly and get you on track to where you want to be sooner.
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