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43 inch chest: Big or not?

43 inch chest: Big or not?

If you have a 43 inch chest, then you have a pretty impressive amount of chest girth. Of course, the leaner and more muscular you are, the bigger that your 43″ chest will look.

The size of your ribcage and your back development also heavily influence what a given 43 in chest looks like. So don’t think that your 43 inch chest has to look exactly like someone else’s 43 inch chest because all bodies are built differently.

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Is a 43 inch chest big for a man who lifts weights?

A man pointing at his big 43 inch chest

Is a 43 inch chest big for a man who lifts? Yes, a 43 inch chest is pretty big for a man who lifts weights, providing that the man is lean and is of a normal height.

On the contrary, if you’re over 6 feet and have a lot of excess body fat, then a 43″ chest isn’t that impressive because if you cut down, you might lose a good 2-3 inches of chest mass, which would obviously reduce your measurement.

Additionally, when you’re short, your muscle mass is essentially compressed, which can make a given body part (i.e., your chest) look bigger than it actually is. So if you’re not particularly tall, then you can look pretty jacked while “only” having a 43 in chest.

Conversely, if you have a large build (a big ribcage), then you’ll naturally have a larger chest measurement than someone with a thinner frame. So in this scenario, it could be entirely possible to have a 43 inch chest measurement but have pretty skinny and underdeveloped pecs.

After all, along with your muscle mass, your bone structure is one of the primary determinants of your circumference measurements. So as I’m fond of saying, if you want to be big, be born big! I know that there’s not much that you can do about that, but many of the biggest people (in terms of bone structure, not muscle size) are big because of their genetics.

What does a 43 inch chest look like?

A muscular man showing what a 43 inch chest looks like

It mainly depends on your body fat level, but in most cases, a 43 inch chest looks average to big. If you’re lean, then your 43 in chest will naturally appear larger than if you’re storing excess body fat.

One reason for this is that lean individuals have more separation between their upper abs and pecs, which makes their chest muscles more prominent, especially when they’re shirtless or wearing tight-fitting clothing.

As mentioned, a 43 inch chest will naturally look bigger on smaller frames because the muscle mass is spread over a much smaller surface area, meaning that it looks bulkier.

Similarly, if you have a 43″ chest due to having a really wide back, then that could be a sign that your actual chest muscles are underdeveloped.

By the same token, it’s possible to have really well-developed pecs but a rather small chest measurement because of a narrow build or poorly developed back muscles.

What size is a 43 inch chest?

A man with a 43 inch chest shize

What size is a 43 inch chest? In most men’s clothing brands, a 43 inch chest is equal to a size large. Make sure that you measure around the fullest part of your chest to get the most accurate measurement.

How can you build your 43″ chest?

A man performing some compound movements

Lifting weights is obviously the way to go when it comes to building your chest. But you need to be very deliberate about your training if you want to get the fastest and best results.

Contrary to many recommendations, I recommend making the dumbbell press your primary exercise. This is because, compared to barbells, dumbbells allow for a greater range of motion, meaning that your pecs get a deeper eccentric stretch, something that’s crucial for maximizing hypertrophy.

Dumbbell presses also provide your pecs with a stronger peak contraction than barbell presses, so I definitely recommend including at least one kind of dumbbell press in your routine if you’re primarily training for muscle growth.

From there, just focus on increasing the resistance while maintaining good form. There are countless chest press and fly variations, but the proven basics will get you the best results, so don’t keep changing the exercises around if you want to make genuine progress on your lifts.

Obviously, increasing your body weight usually results in larger circumference measurements—chest included. You just don’t want to gain too much weight; otherwise, you’ll risk gaining chest fat rather than pectoral muscle mass.

The verdict on having a 43 in chest

A man measuring his 43 in chest

If you have a 43 inch chest and lift weights regularly, then you’re probably slightly more muscular than average. But as mentioned, the impressiveness of a 43″ chest depends heavily on your height and build.

If you’re on the shorter side and/or have a small ribcage, then a 43 in chest can look pretty big indeed, especially if you’re lean as well.

Finally, don’t get too hung up on specific measurements. While body measurements are great for tracking your progress, your aesthetics aren’t measured by numbers on the tape. So keep that in mind before you start chasing a particular chest measurement.