Instagram and TikTok fitness superstar, Noel Deytzel, has shared a super simple chest workout that will have the most rookie lifters bursting through their t-shirt in no time.
While he may not have mastered the YouTube game quite like Sam Sulek or be as ridiculously tall as mysterious Aussie lifter Tom Haviland, Noel Deyzel — the 39-year-old South African bodybuilder who has made a name for himself posting fitness tips and skits on social media since 2020 — is easily the funniest, most charismatic bodybuilder in the burgeoning fitness space.
Before anyone starts shouting in the comments or lobbing rotten tomatoes, Noel is very open about his use of muscle “enhancing” substances. However, that by no means detracts from his immensely impressive physique and all the hard graft it takes to build and maintain such a big rig. That’s why hardcore gym rats and those new to lifting should be happy to see him share such a wonderfully straightforward chest workout.
WATCH: All The Best Chest Exercises In One Video
The workout is so straightforward that pretty much anyone, no matter how inexperienced they may be, should be able to follow it pretty closely. Without further ado, here it is:
Chest fly/Peck Deck
@noeldeyzel_bodybuilder
5x sets 10-12 reps
Chest press of choice:
3x sets 10-12 reps
Incline dumbbell press (SuperSet with db fly)
5x sets 10-12 reps
(SuperSet) Dumbbell fly
5x sets 10 reps
Incline push up
5 sets till failure
While we assume Deyzel follows this routine to the letter, he made the important but often overlooked point in the comments of his post that followers can “reduce [or generally adjust] the number of sets to cater to your needs.” The same, we safely assume, goes for the exercises included. If any of these are beyond your ability or comfort, swap them out for something else from our extensive list of workouts.
What Are The Chest Muscles?
Officially known as the pectoral muscles — or “pecs” as you would have most likely heard — are the most prominent muscles on the front of the body that team up with the bones of the upper arm and the shoulder.
The pectoral muscles comprise pectoralis major, the larger of the pecs, that is used to help manoeuvre, i.e. flex, extend and rotate, and the humerus (the long bone found in the upper arm, for those who skipped biology class). Pectoralis minor, meanwhile, is a smaller muscle that attaches itself to your ribs. This muscle is used to help stabilise your shoulders.
Elsewhere in the anatomy of the chest muscles, you have the pectoral fascia, which as its name suggests, is a thin layer of tissue that covers the pectoralis major and extends around the latissimus dorsi muscle — “lats” — on your back.
These chest muscles and more can all be targeted with various exercises to build up both their size and strength and a well-rounded chest workout should hit them all, resulting in an enviable set of pecs.
What Are The Main Movements Of The Chest Muscles?
Personal trainer Luke Andrew tells DMARGE, “Functionally speaking, your chest has 3 main movements and if we choose to include these into our training, we can get a deeper contraction and better activation. Try these movements with your right hand and place your left hand on your right chest and see if you can feel these contractions.”
- Flexion of the Arm i.e. bring your right arm from your side up so it parallels with the ground
- Medial Rotation of the Arm i.e. with your arm up, try rotating your arm inwards/medially so your palm goes from facing inside to facing the ground
- Abduction of the Arm i.e. now try to bring your arm across your body as if you were performing a cable crossover movement
“You should be able to feel an increase in tension in your chest and hence by sneaking in these functional movements even in small amounts, we’ll be able to get better chest recruitment and make your workouts more functional.”
What Are The Benefits Of Doing Chest Exercises?
We asked our resident personal trainer at DMARGE — Ben Lucas — to share his thoughts on why training your chest is so important:
“There’s no doubt that building up your chest through exercise is a popular physical goal that many men strive for. However, having strong chest muscles goes well beyond that… Having strong chest muscles is great for your posture. It helps to keep your shoulders pulled back, and your spine in alignment. Having strong chest muscles is also essential for those with athletic pursuits and sports like basketball, tennis, football and boxing will all be much easier if you have a stronger chest. Working this muscle group can also improve your metabolism, your confidence and your mental health. ”
Ben Lucas, Owner and Director at Flow Athletic