How To Get Perfect Pectorals
16/01/2012
It is important to work both parts of the chest to achieve balance from the top to the bottom of the muscle.
The pectorals, or chest muscles, consist of an upper head and a lower head. The two heads function to flex and adduct the shoulder in the horizontal direction. You can target the upper head by performing arm pressing and fly movements on an incline bench. You can target the lower head with arm pressing and fly movements on a flat bench. It is important to work both parts of the chest to achieve balance from the top to the bottom of the muscle. You should train the chest once a week. Perform four exercises per workout, with each exercise consisting of three sets of 8 to 12 reps using moderate to heavy weights. Every couple of weeks, you should gradually increase the weight while maintaining the same rep range to continue progressing.
Incline Barbell Bench Press
Step 1
Lie with your back down on the incline bench and your feet on the ground.
Step 2
Grasp the barbell using an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width. Lift the barbell off the rack.
Step 3
Bend your elbows and bring the barbell down towards your upper chest, then extend your elbows and bring the barbell upward to the starting position.
Flat Barbell Bench Press
Step 1
Lie with your back down on the flat bench and your feet on the floor.
Step 2
Hold the barbell in an overhand grip a bit wider than shoulder-width. Lift the barbell off the rack.
Step 3
Move the barbell down towards your lower chest by bending your elbows, then move the barbell up to the starting position by extending your elbows.
Incline Dumbbell Fly
Step 1
Grasp a dumbbell in each hand using an overhand grip and lie with your back down on the incline bench and your feet on the ground.
Step 2
Position the dumbbells over your upper chest with your arms almost fully straight, keeping a slight bend in your elbows.
Step 3
Abduct your shoulders in the horizontal direction to bring the dumbbells out to the sides, then adduct your shoulders in the horizontal direction to bring the dumbbells up to the beginning position.
Flat Dumbbell Fly
Step 1
Hold a dumbbell in each hand with an overhand grip and lie with your back down on the flat bench and your feet on the floor.
Step 2
Position the dumbbells over your lower chest with your arms almost fully straight, keeping a bit of a bend in your elbows.
Step 3
Move the dumbbells out to the sides by abducting your shoulders horizontally, then move the dumbbells up to the start by adducting your shoulders horizontally.