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To build chest muscles, you must follow three rules:

Eat well - consume enough calories (protein, fat and carbohydrates)
Qualitatively train - give the muscles a load for growth and feel the work of the pectoral muscles during exercise
Enough rest - do the right periodization for full muscle recovery and good growth

We have selected for you the best exercises for the pectoral muscles, which stimulate breast growth and have a good effect on the development of strength and increased protein synthesis. In the list of variations of exercises with a barbell, dumbbells, on simulators. We also included exercises for the chest muscles with their own weight for training at home.

The pectoralis major is a massive, wide, fan-shaped muscle that covers the entire top of the ribs. It originates from the sternum, collarbone and ribs and is attached to the upper part of the humerus with the help of tendons.

Exercises for the pectoral muscles

It is very important to do all the exercises correctly, otherwise you will not learn from them. maximum benefit. It will be difficult for you to unlearn the incorrect technique of the exercises later, so it is better to learn how to do them correctly from the very beginning.

For each workout, choose 3 of the suggested exercises and do 4-5 sets (including warm-ups) in each of them. You can change the selected exercises for each workout.

Bench press

This is a great upper body exercise. It works all parts of the pectoral muscle, deltas and triceps. Less stress is placed on the lats, biceps, and forearms, which help stabilize the bar.

Place the barbell on the racks. Lie down on a bench face up. Place your feet on the floor on each side of the bench. The soles must be in full contact with the floor. Take the barbell with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your arms to remove the bar from the racks. Move the bar with outstretched arms to a position above the chest.

Lower the bar until it touches your chest. As you lower the bar, keep your elbows out to the sides so that your shoulders are at a 45° angle to your torso. Do not spread your shoulders too far, as this places too much stress on the shoulder joints. Without making the bar bounce off your chest, lift the bar up to the starting position. Repeat the exercise.

Tips: Always bench press with a spotter partner who can help you lift the barbell. You can also do this exercise with dumbbells instead of a barbell.

Incline Bench Press

This exercise is very similar to the regular bench press and works the same muscle groups (chest, deltas, triceps). However, it differs in that it gives more load to the upper chest.

Lie down on an incline bench face up. Place your feet on the floor on each side of the bench. The soles must be in full contact with the floor. Take the barbell with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your arms to remove the bar from the racks. Move the bar with outstretched arms to a position above the upper chest.

Lower the bar until it touches your upper chest. As you lower the bar, keep your elbows out to the sides so that your shoulders are at a 45° angle to your torso. Do not spread your shoulders too far, as this places too much stress on the shoulder joints. Without making the bar bounce off your chest, lift the bar up to the starting position. Repeat the exercise.

Tips: Always do the incline bench press with a spotter partner who can help you lift the barbell. You can also do this exercise with dumbbells instead of a barbell.

Bench press on an incline bench upside down

This exercise is very similar to the regular bench press and works the same muscle groups (chest, deltas, triceps). However, it differs in that it gives more load to the lower chest.

Lie down on an incline bench with your head upside down. Get your feet under a special roller, located at the end of the bench. Take the barbell with a grip slightly wider than your shoulders. Straighten your arms to remove the bar from the racks. Move the bar with outstretched arms to a position above the lower part of the chest.

Lower the barbell until it touches your lower chest. As you lower the bar, keep your elbows out to the sides so that your shoulders are at a 45° angle to your torso. Do not spread your shoulders too far, as this places too much stress on the shoulder joints. Without making the bar bounce off your chest, lift the bar up to the starting position. Repeat the exercise.

Tips: Always do the incline bench press with a spotter partner who can help you lift the barbell. You can also do this exercise with dumbbells instead of a barbell.

This exercise works the entire chest region, but it focuses on the lower chest. It also works the delts and triceps.

Grasp the bars so that your palms are facing each other. Straighten your arms and take emphasis on the uneven bars. Bend your legs at the knees.

Lean forward and keep this body position throughout the exercise. Slowly bending your arms, lower your body between the bars until your arms are bent at a 90° angle. Hold this position for 1 second. With a vigorous movement, return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise.

Note: This exercise is advanced because it requires sufficient strength to lift your own body. As you get stronger, you can do this exercise with weights by attaching extra weight to your belt.

This exercise works all areas of the chest, but you can focus on different parts of it by changing the angle of the bench. For example, a flat bench raise targets the whole chest, an incline bench raise targets the upper chest, and a head-down incline row targets the lower chest.

Take dumbbells and lie down on the bench face up. You may need a belay partner to help you lift the dumbbells back to the starting position. Extend your arms up over your chest. The palms should be facing each other. Maintain a slight bend in your elbows.

Without bending your arms, slowly spread your arms to the sides, describing a semicircular arc in the air. Extend your arms to shoulder level. Do not lower your arms too much, as this can lead to injury to the shoulder joint. Tightening your chest muscles, raise your arms back to the starting position along the same trajectory. Repeat the exercise.

The exercise is aimed at developing the pectoral muscles in general.

Adjust the machine seat height so that your shoulders are parallel to the floor during the exercise. Sit on the seat and grasp the handles of the machine. Maintain a slight bend at the elbows. Let the handlebars pull your arms back so you can stretch your chest muscles.

Tightening your pectoral muscles, bring your hands together at chest level. Hold this position for 2 seconds to prolong peak muscle contraction. Slowly move your elbows back to the starting position. Repeat the exercise.

Push ups

This basic exercise is aimed at developing the pectoral muscles in general. Less stress falls on the shoulders and triceps.

1. Complex of three push-ups

This complex will help to pump all parts of the pectoral muscles in turn. Lifehacker analyzed each of these exercises in detail.

Do push-ups with your feet elevated. This exercise provides a load on the upper part of the pectoral muscles.

Immediately after that, do push-ups on the floor with a wide stance. Hands are located on the same level with the shoulders. This type of push-up will pump the middle part of the pectoral muscles.

The last push-up in the complex is with hands on a hill. It provides a load on the lower part of the pectoral muscles.

If you want to complicate the complex, put a backpack with dumbbells or other weighting material on your back. The main thing is that the backpack fits snugly against the back and does not move during push-ups. Well suited tourist, which is fixed on the body with the help of additional fasteners.

2. Push-ups with the transfer of body weight to one hand

This exercise is much more difficult than classic push-ups, it provides a serious load on the pectoral muscles, but requires training and arm strength.

Stand in an emphasis lying, shift the weight of the body towards the right hand.
Lower yourself into a push-up and at the bottom, transfer your body weight to your left hand.
Push yourself up, leaning mainly on your left hand, and then transfer your body weight back to right hand and repeat the exercise.
Repeat the approach with the other hand. In the second approach, lower yourself with an emphasis on your left hand, and rise with an emphasis on your right.

3. Breeding hands on the floor

For this exercise, you will need a fairly slippery floor - tile or smooth linoleum - and two towels or a piece of cloth.

Stand upright lying down, put your hands on the towels.
Carefully spread your arms out to the sides as wide as possible so that you can then rise up.
Gather your hands in the starting position.

Perform the exercise as consciously and carefully as possible: spread your arms only as wide as you can rise.

4. Side push-ups

Lie on the floor on your right side, place your right hand on your left shoulder, and place your left hand on the floor in front of you.
Press yourself up with your left hand so that the body rises from the floor. The pelvis remains on the floor.
Get back down to the floor and repeat the exercise.
Repeat on the other side.

5. Dips

For this exercise, you will need bars. Such complexes with a horizontal bar and bars for the home are sold, on which you can perform many exercises. If you are not in the mood to spend money, you can find parallel bars at any sports field or school stadium.

Jump onto the bars and keep your body weight on straightened arms. Lower your shoulders, cross and bend your legs slightly.
Lower yourself down, bending your elbows, until your shoulders are parallel to the floor or slightly lower. Try to keep your elbows close to your body, pull your shoulders back and down, and squeeze your shoulder blades.
To work exactly the pectoral muscles, and not the triceps, tilt the chest slightly forward during push-ups - at an angle of about 30 degrees.
Push yourself up, tightening your abs, and repeat the exercise.

Free weight exercises

1. Dumbbell bench press

Lie down on a bench or on the floor if you are exercising at home, and take dumbbells in your hands so that your palms are facing each other.
Stretch your arms out in front of you.
Spread the dumbbells so that a right angle forms at the elbow.
As you exhale, squeeze the dumbbells up and repeat the exercise.
During the exercise, press your lower back to the floor, do not arch your back.

2. Breeding hands with dumbbells

This exercise works the pectoral muscles well and does not involve the triceps.

Lie on the floor on your back, take dumbbells in your hands and raise them in front of you.
Spread your arms, slightly bending them at the elbows, so wide that your elbows touch the floor. Do not bend your elbows too much, so that the reduction of the arms does not turn into a dumbbell press.
As you exhale, bring your hands together in front of you and repeat the exercise.

If you can do the exercise on a bench, use it. So you increase the range of motion, you can better stretch and load the pectoral muscles.

3. Semicircle of dumbbells

Lie on the floor or bench on your back, grab the dumbbells with an overhand grip and hold them close to your hips.
Move your arms, slightly bent at the elbows, through the sides behind your head, turning your palms up.
Return your arms along the same path, connecting the dumbbells at the level of the hips.
Perform the exercise without stopping at the extreme points: as soon as you put your hands behind your head, immediately return them back, touch the dumbbells to your hips - immediately start a new semicircle.

resistance exercise

For such exercises, you will also need a vertical stand or a handle for which you can hook it. Expanders can be bought at any sports equipment store.

If you work out in the gym, these exercises can be done in a crossover.

1. Pull the expander sideways

Fasten the expander at shoulder level, stand with your right side to the rack and take the loop in your right hand.
Overcoming the resistance of the expander, move your hand forward. The final position is opposite the chest or opposite shoulder.

2. Lunge pull

This exercise works the lower head of the pectoral muscle.

Fasten the expander just above shoulder level.
Take the loop in your right hand, step back a little, stretching the expander, and turn your right side to the rack.
Lunge forward with your left foot, place your left hand on it to make it easier to maintain position.
In the starting position, the right arm with the expander is extended to the side and slightly bent at the elbow.
Overcoming the resistance of the expander, move your right hand forward and down so that at the end point it is located above the bent knee.
Return your hand to the starting position and repeat.
Do the exercise with the other hand.

3. Traction with two hands up

This exercise will work out the middle and upper parts of the pectoral muscles.

Attach the expander at the level of the hips, take the loops with both hands and turn your back to the rack.
Move away from the rack, pulling the expander.
Take a step forward and shift about 70% of your body weight onto your front foot.
Raise your shoulders to parallel with the floor, bend your elbows at an angle of 90 degrees - this is the starting position.
Overcoming the resistance of the expander, bring your hands forward and up so that the palms of outstretched hands are at face level.
Return your arms to the starting position and repeat.

4. Push-ups with an expander on the back

This is a regular push-up, complicated by the use of an expander.

Take the expander by both ends, passing it behind your back.
Stand in an emphasis lying, pressing the ends of the expander to the floor.
Perform push-ups, overcoming the resistance of the expander.

As for the number of sets and repetitions, choose it yourself, based on your capabilities, the resistance of the expander or the weight of the dumbbells. The main thing is that the last two or three times in the approach should be really hard for you.

And don't forget the food! Even the most severe workouts will not help pump up voluminous pectoral muscles if your diet does not contain.

And again, hello, my dear!

Today we are waiting for the continuation of the busty note, namely its practical part. In it, we will look at the most complete list of chest-swinging exercises, we will also identify which of them are the best, and in conclusion we will get acquainted with specific training programs for all occasions.

So, I can't wait to start broadcasting, let's go!

How to pump up the chest? The practical side of the issue.

Well, I would like to start with a message ... not in the sense of “you go ...” :), but to send to the first part of the note, in which we theorized and revealed the issues of the structure of the chest and its pumping from an anatomical point of view. Therefore, if you are not familiar with this creation, then you are welcome to pay your respects to him by clicking on the link. We are going further.

Usually, when they ask the question - how to pump up the chest? then different associations arise in the head, both natural and not natural (the latter means pumping in the style of ala “silicon valley”). There are plenty of manuals on natural pumping and, oddly enough, they are all designed for males. As for the young ladies, it remains for them to collect information bit by bit, how to pull up their babies and make them more presentable and apparently elastic. In our practical part, we will analyze not only male breast pumping schemes, but also pay personal attention to the female bust. Therefore, the note is of a general gender nature :) and in it everyone will find what his chest needs.

Note:
For better assimilation of the material, all further narration will be divided into subchapters.

Chest exercises. The most complete list.

If you have ever been to the gym, then you probably know that Monday is often the day of chest training and in order to press the barbell on the bench, you need to line up, starting at the parking lot :). No, I'm serious, any bodybuilder, especially a beginner, jumps under the bar first thing and puts the bench press at the forefront of his chest workout. So it turns out that the gym with its thuja bunch of simulators turns for women into hyperextension and swinging the press on the bench, and for men into a bench press.

However, we will not be supporters of frozen forms and in order not to get hung up on swotting the chest with a standard set of exercises, I will give the most complete list of movements for various parts of the chest muscles.

So here they are:

bench press;
bench press in the Hammer simulator;
dumbbell bench press (including at different angles of inclination);
dumbbell breeding (including at different angles of inclination);
bringing hands together in a crossover (different points of information);
pullover with a dumbbell / barbell / on the block;
raider thrust;
push-ups m / y bars;
pushups (including with different body positions).

In the picture version, the prefabricated atlas of chest exercises looks like this.

This is the most complete list and all of these movements can be used by you in the chest training program, pay close attention to it and do not “stick” only to the presses.

An important point in choosing exercises is such a target element as the comprehensive development of chest muscles. And in order to achieve this, you should use different angles and different exercises that affect both the development of the width / thickness of the chest and the study of its deep volumes.

So, your ideal busty workout should include:

1 bench press exercise on a horizontal bench (or basic, somehow push-ups from the bars / floor);
1+1 bench press exercise at an angle up / down;
1 mixing/breeding exercise;
1 chest deepening exercise (e.g. pullover).

top the best exercises on the chest: research results

Agree pleasantly to realize that you are using an exercise that, from a scientific point of view, is the best for working out a particular muscle group. In this subchapter, we will analyze such exercises.

Study #1

Researchers from the University's Exercise and Sports Science Department (Wisconsin) tried to establish which movements are the most effective for the growth of the pectoral muscles. 14 experimental rabbits to men aged from 19 before 30 years, it was proposed to fulfill 9 the most popular chest exercises, in the process of their implementation, EMG measurements of the electrical activity of the muscles were made.

Support exercise (reference point/reference) was the bench press exercise, which showed the maximum activity of the pectoralis major muscles. In second and third places with 98 and 93% turned out to be chest press exercises while sitting in a simulator and bringing arms together in a crossover.

The research results were summarized in a table.

As can be seen from the summary calculations, the best scientific exercises are the first three, and it is from them that the pectorals grow best.

A similar study was carried out by professors Boeckh-Behrens and Buskies. They found that the bench press for all chests is the most effective movement. At the same time, the bench press at an angle up is excellent (and better than all other oblique ones) isolates the top of the pectorals.

The research results were “packed” in graphical form.

Explication (decoding):
barbell bench press - bench press;
cable crossover - bringing hands together in a crossover;
dumbbell bench press - dumbbell bench press;

peck deck - mixing in a butterfly;
inclined dumbbell flys - breeding dumbbells at an angle upwards;
dumbbell pullovers - pullover with a dumbbell.

Conclusion: The researchers concluded that the ideal PT for breast development should look like this:

bench press;
crossover;
push-ups on the uneven bars with additional weight.

Study #2

No. 1. Differences in Muscle Activation as a Result of Changing Stability Requirements

A very unusual study, the purpose of which was to identify varying degrees of activation of the chest when using different type shells (dumbbells, barbells, Smith machine). Several exercises were taken and compared with the bench press.

The results of each study are summarized in tables.

Table number 1. The degree of muscle activation when comparing a bench press against a bench press in a Smith machine.

Conclusion: both exercises equally activate the large pectoral and clavicular parts of the deltas. The difference is manifested in the activation of the acromial part of the deltas, the bench press in Smith has a higher numerical value, which means a weaker (1 - taken as the maximum) loading.

Table number 2. Degree of muscle activation when comparing bench press versus bench press in Smith machine and dumbbell press.

Conclusion: There is no difference in activation of the pectoralis major and clavicle deltas, however, the lower activation of the triceps brachii and the higher activation of the biceps in the dumbbell press are the result of increased resistance requirements for this exercise.

In turn, the barbell bench press activates the biceps to a greater extent than the bench press in the Smith machine (2 against 3 ) .

Global output:

The studied exercises did not affect the activation of the pectoralis major muscle. The more unstable the exercise, the more assisting and stabilizing muscle groups are included in the work. It is likely that this limits (restricts) the amount of pressing weight, which in turn reduces the effectiveness of working out the pectoral muscles.

No. 2. Differences in muscle activation depending on angles

Below are the results of studies of the influence of different angles on the activation of different parts of the pectoral muscles.

Table number 3. The degree of muscle activation in exercises with different angles

The data shows that the bench press works the pectoralis major and triceps the most. The second exercise in terms of the degree of activation of these muscles was the bench press at an angle down. The upward angle press activates the upper chest just as much as the bench press. The middle/lower parts of the pectoralis major work best on the downward angle press.

The military bench press exercise is usually used as a training for the delts. However, studies show that the activation of the upper chest is comparable to the downward angle press, in addition, the military press activates the clavicular part of the deltas much more strongly. On the other hand, the triceps and sternal head of the pectoralis major have the worst activation of all chest exercises.

Global output:

The angle at which the bench is performed has a significant impact on the activation of the pectoralis major and other assisting muscles. In terms of muscle activation and taking more weight (cumulatively two parameters together), bench press, in comparison with those studied, is the most effective.

No. 3. A Comparative Review of Pectoral Muscle Activation During Various Exercises

This study involved 9 of the most popular chest exercises. The electrodes were placed on the sternocostal part (sternal head) pectoral muscle.

The results showed that the bench press and the butterfly machine (pec deck) produced the strongest activation of the pectoralis major muscle. In addition, the hand reduction simulator in the crossover also showed its high efficiency. The bench press in the sitting simulator is somewhat inferior to its previous counterparts, and the most “sloppy” results showed:

breeding dumbbells at an angle upwards;
push-ups on the uneven bars;
push-ups with straps;
fitball push-ups;
standard push ups.

Actually, this was the last research information, now you know the best chest exercises in person, which means it's time to start the training process itself.

So next in line...

Top 3 chest workout programs

Chest workout program #1. “A beginner without breasts is nowhere!”

This PT is designed for beginner athletes who already have some training experience. (from 3 months) and mastered the technique of most exercises. The main goal is a general set of muscle mass and the development of such chest qualities as width and depth.

Technical specifications:

workout 2 once a week, spaced at least a 72 hours;
number of approaches 3 , repetitions - 10/20 ;
60 sec.

In the picture so.

Breast training program number 2. “Chest is a revolution! in 5 days!”

This PT is designed for experienced athletes. (training experience from 3 years), the purpose of which is the comprehensive development of the breast and its specialization (work only on this muscle group).

Technical specifications:

workout 5 once a week;
number of approaches 3 , repetitions - different;
rest m / y exercises is: 2,5 minutes - at 4-6 repetitions 60-90 sec - with repetitions from 8 before 12 .

In a tabular version, the program looks like this:

In the picture so (clickable).

Well, as promised for sweets ...

Breast training program number 3. “Baby, be tight!”

This PT is designed exclusively for young ladies and has as its main goal a breast lift, giving it delicious volumes and shapes. The main emphasis is on the corners, or rather, on moving away from the plane that horizontal presses give. In addition, the PT will increase the depth of the bust, i.e. it will become much more magnificent, which will give the chest even more expressiveness.

If after the lapse 3 months you will wear a low-cut dress with a deep neckline and your breasts will not be admired, then throw a stone at me :).

Technical specifications:

workout 2 once a week (with distance 1 day);
number of approaches 4 , repetitions - different;
rest m / y exercises is: 60 sec.

In a tabular version, the program looks like this:

In the picture so.

Actually, this was the last essential information, now you know how to tidy up the neckline and you can do this most pleasant action in the near future.

Afterword

Another note has come to an end and today we answered the question, how to pump up the chest? It is not in vain that we divide such articles into two parts and procrastinate each of them for a thuja heap of time :), by doing this we lay both theoretical and practical foundations so that the swing is conscious and you understand what is being done and why. I hope I explained it popularly in this post, if not, then get ready, the third part is already on the way :)!

That's all, I was glad to write for you, see you soon!

PS. And what secrets in breast pumping do you know? We share in the comments.

P.P.S. Attention! 04.10 it will be possible to send questionnaires for and meals. I will be glad to our joint work!

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov.

Do you want to build big, strong and sculpted chest muscles that will finally allow you to wear tight t-shirts? Scientific knowledge will help you with this!

Many guys go to the gym to build massive and sculpted chest muscles. Very often you can see how a novice athlete performs 20, 30, or even 40 sets of bench press in one workout. That many sets can take a toll on your shoulders, and there are plenty of other great chest exercises out there.

I want to tell you how to train your chest more effectively, how to work specific muscles, and how to get the most out of your trips to the gym.

To effectively work out the muscles of the chest, you must understand how they are arranged. Here's what you need to know about chest muscles.

Large pectoral muscles

These are the muscles you need to work on the most. They are the largest of all the muscles of the chest, and consist of 3 parts: the clavicle, the sternocostal part and the abdominal part. This is very important to know, because each of them can be worked out through certain exercises.

Clavicular part

It is located in the upper part of the pectoralis major muscles. It starts from the collarbone, runs down to the upper chest and is attached to the humerus. Most guys want to pump up this particular part of the chest, so we will pay special attention to it.

Sternocostal part

It is slightly larger than the clavicle. It originates from the sternum, crosses the chest and is attached to the humerus.

Abdominal

It originates at the sheath of the rectus abdominis muscle (most of the connective tissue that surrounds the abdominal muscles), crosses the rib cage and attaches to the humerus.

Small pectoral muscles

They are located under the large pectoral muscles. They are very small, so you don't have to spend too much time developing them.

The pectoralis minor muscles originate from the shoulder blades and attach to the 3rd, 4th and 5th ribs. These muscles should not be given too much time to train. I just want you to be aware of their existence. Basically, these muscles help us breathe.

Serratus anterior muscles

They begin in front of the ribs, pass under the shoulder blades and are attached along their edges. In bodybuilders with a good definition, they are very visible.

Although these muscles do not require much time to work there either, they are important for building balanced muscles and strengthening the shoulders.

Bone Anatomy

Bones and joints play important role in the work of the chest and affect the effectiveness of chest muscle training. You will not be able to pump up your chest if you do not follow the movement of the shoulder blades, shoulders and elbows.

shoulder blades

The movement of the shoulder blades is an important part of the pressing exercises. When doing the bench press, you should bring them together to generate more force. Although the shoulder blades are located at the back of the body, they play an important role in training the chest muscles.

Shoulder joints

These are the joints between the humerus and the shoulder blade. They play an important role in chest training. Shoulder joints are also more prone to injury than others. If you incorrectly take the starting position in a particular exercise, you can seriously damage them.

Elbows

Many people forget that when doing any of the press exercises, they extend their arms at the elbows. Elbows should move smoothly and not create pain so that you can train your chest muscles as effectively as possible.

Muscle Functions

Let's put all this knowledge together and see how muscles and bones work together to perform the functional movements we do every day.

Large pectoral muscles

All 3 parts of the pectoralis major muscles work together to reproduce the internal rotation of the arms. If you take your hand to the side and rotate it forward on its axis, this will be the internal rotation. You will not be able to do this movement without the help of the pectoral muscles.

Few of us are interested in how the muscles of the chest allow us to make rotational movements. However, we all want to have a definition and know how to build more muscle mass. One of the best exercises for this is the incline dumbbell raise. In this exercise, the so-called horizontal adduction takes place, which occurs at the moment of bringing the dumbbells together.

During its execution, the chest muscles are first stretched and then contracted, becoming stronger. To make horizontal adduction, all parts of the pectoral muscles must work together.

Clavicular part

The clavicular part is responsible for flexing the shoulder, as well as for raising the arm above the head. The incline bench press (when you raise your arms above your head) works well on the upper chest area.

Sternocostal and abdominal parts

For the development of the muscles of the lower chest, exercises such as the bent-over bench press and the pullover are best suited. The position of the torso and shoulders greatly affects which chest muscles will be involved in the exercise.

Serratus anterior muscles

The serratus anterior muscles are most active when you move your shoulders. For example, when you extend your arms forward while pulling the block to the belt, you engage your shoulders. The serratus anterior muscles are very active in the upper phase of push-ups. Although you probably won't build a massive chest with push-ups, you will definitely work these muscles.

The serratus anterior is the only chest muscle that pulls the shoulder blades against the back, allowing you to put your hands behind your head. Together with the lower and upper traps, they also allow us to raise our arms above our heads. Well defined serratus anterior muscles look great, but they are also extremely important for proper shoulder function.

Key Chest Exercises

The following exercises are the best for building strong and massive pecs.

Exercise 1 Incline Bench Press

Keep your leg and abdominal muscles tense throughout the exercise. When lifting dumbbells, do not spread your elbows to the sides, as this will put a lot of stress on your shoulders.

Although all 3 parts of the large pectoral muscles work in this exercise, however, a special load in it falls on the clavicular part. If for some reason you cannot pump up the upper chest, then add the bench press on an incline bench and breeding dumbbells to the sides in your training program.

If during this exercise you experience discomfort in the shoulders, then use a neutral grip (when the palms are facing each other). This will reduce the load on the shoulders and make the exercise more comfortable.

Exercise 2 Breeding Dumbbells Lying

This exercise is the best for building chest muscles and performing horizontal adduction. Keep your abs, back and legs tight. Maintain a slight bend at the elbows. Spreading your arms to the sides, stretch the muscles of the chest.

When you bring your hands together, they will contract again. This exercise evenly works out all 3 parts of the pectoralis major muscles.

Exercise 3 Pushups

You've probably done push-ups many times without noticing that they work your chest muscles. I will tell you about some of the subtleties that will make push-ups even more effective.

This exercise develops the lower and upper body. Keep your abdominal muscles in tension and do not spread your elbows to the sides as you lower yourself down. To better work out the serratus anterior muscles, try to lift the body as high as possible from the floor. Thus, in the upper phase of the exercise, they will be more tense.

The best result with a scientific approach

A solid understanding of how bones, joints, and muscles work will help you design a chest workout program. Alternating exercises, adding different variations of the bench press (up and down head), as well as replacing the barbell with dumbbells will affect the work of the chest muscles. The better you understand this, the more magnificent your body will be.

Before you go to the gym and start exercising, watch the training videos. Remember that you must combine the work of the muscles with the work of the mind in order to build a beautiful body.

The chest muscles are always desirable for any athlete, but many beginners fail to work them out well. What exercises are best to perform for the development of this muscle group? How to do them right? What should be the training of the pectoral muscles? Read more about this.

Exercises

The chest ones belong to the pushing group. As for the exercises themselves, there are many movements for developing these muscles, which can be divided into 2 categories:

Bench.
Wiring.

Exercises of the first category involve 2 joints (shoulder and elbow), which is why they can be called basic. In the second case, only the shoulder joint is connected to the work, while the elbow joint is fixed. It does this group isolation exercises.

We list the exercises that best affect the increase in strength and mass:

Rods.
Dumbbells.
Presses in simulators.

Presses can be performed on a horizontal or inclined (down / upside down) bench, depending on which part of the chest you want to pump more efficiently. These exercises also vary in grip width, which can be wide, medium, or narrow. Next, we will take a closer look at each type.

2. Wiring:

Dumbbells.
Hand on the simulator.
Crossovers.

If your goal is to train the pectoral muscles for mass, then the above exercises can even be excluded, however, isolating movements allow you to better outline the relief and better pump the lagging parts of the muscles. Read more about implementation and effectiveness below.

Bench press

Perhaps this is the most popular exercise for the development of pectoral muscles. Most often, horizontal and positively inclined benches are used. Less often - a negatively inclined bench. The angle greatly affects the development of the bottom or top of the pectoral muscles, which is very important for any athlete. Each training program for the pectoral muscles must necessarily include this exercise.

The flat bench press is a classic exercise that is very popular in both bodybuilding and powerlifting. At the beginning of the exercise, the barbell should be held at outstretched arms above the upper chest. Then you need to lower it to the chest itself, and then squeeze it up again. As for the grip, it is advisable to perform the exercise with a wide one, which will allow you to somewhat eliminate the triceps from work. The number of repetitions should vary from 6 to 12.

The bench press on an inclined bench will allow you to pump up the pectoral muscles (especially the upper part) more efficiently and evenly. The execution principle is the same as in the previous case, however, there are several important principles. First of all, you need to choose the optimal level of inclination of the bench, which should be equal to 30 o. If the slope is greater than this indicator, then the deltas will be more actively involved in the work, which is not very good. Secondly, you need to choose the width of the grip, which should be slightly narrower than the average. This is due to the fact that with such a performance, the amplitude of the exercise increases, loading the muscles more. Finally, this species the bench press partially eliminates the triceps from work, which allows you to focus on pumping your chest. Finally, the last tip - do not do the "bridge", because this method of execution connects the triceps and back muscles to the work, which greatly facilitates the work. Raising the legs makes it possible to remove the "bridge", pressing the back to the bench. Remember this! As for the number of repetitions, they need to be done 6-12.

Dumbbell press

The dumbbell press is another great exercise if you have a chest mass workout on your plan. Together with the previous exercises, this movement will allow you to increase muscle volume, as well as increase overall strength indicators. The technique of this movement is similar to the bench press, but there are several differences.

The first and most important thing is the absence of a bar, which increases the amplitude of execution, because athletes lower the dumbbells as low as possible. This fact allows you to make a good stretch of your chest and give an additional load to the stabilizing muscles. The number of repetitions, the inclination of the bench, breathing and other features are completely the same as the bench press. A little further we will describe what a chest workout should be like, where we indicate the number of sets and repetitions for this and other exercises.

Bench press in the simulator

The best option would be the bench press on the Smith machine. It can be a good addition if you have a chest workout planned. The level of the athlete must be above average. How to do this exercise correctly?

Lie down on the bench, take the correct position (exactly in the center, the head should not hang), the grip should be wide, remove the barbell from the racks.
Slowly lower the bar to your chest.
Stop for a moment, then return to the starting position.

The exercise is quite simple and safe, but it still cannot fully replace the regular bench press. Why? The thing is that the simulator itself dictates its amplitude to follow the barbell, which quite often does not fit a certain person with its anatomical features, which are very important in a sport like bodybuilding. Chest training, however, will be much more effective if you use this exercise as a good addition to your program.

Wiring

Isolation exercises allow you to qualitatively work out only a certain muscle group. They will not give you a big increase in muscle mass or strength, but with their help you can achieve a better relief. As a rule, exercises of this type should be performed in the case when the progression of weight is not too important, or at the end of the workout, just to “finish off” your muscles.

The dumbbell raise is one of the the best options, in order to purposefully load and stretch the pectoral muscles (moreover, the angle during execution greatly affects the pumping of the upper, lower or middle part of the chest). Let's talk about the last aspect in a little more detail. So, with a negative angle of inclination, the lower part of the chest will succumb to a greater load. With a positive angle of inclination, the pectoral muscles will work much more evenly, but part of the load will go to the deltas.

Crossovers and arm extensions on the simulator are also quite effective for the chest muscles, stretching and improving their relief.

chest workout program

In order to pump up the pectoral muscles as quickly as possible, you can adhere to next program which is perfect for beginners:

Horizontal bench press / incline bench - 4 x 6-12 + warm-up.
Dumbbell press - 4 x 8-12.
Dumbbell layout (with different angles of inclination) - 4 x 10-15.

Such a complex will allow you to increase the chest, gaining the desired mass and strength. For a more advanced level of bodybuilders, the following program is suitable:

Bench press on the horizontal. bench - 4 x 8.
Incline bench press bench - 3 x 8.
Dumbbell press - 3 x 6-12.
Wiring (dumbbells / arms on the simulator) - 3 x 12-15.
Crossover - 4 x 10-15 with 45 second rest.

Using such a complex, you can see impressive results in record time. In principle, adhering to the correct execution technique and knowing the main reasons for muscle growth, pumping up the chest will not be special work. By the way, your chest workout should take place at the beginning of the week (if you have a 5-day split), while your body is rested and not under heavy stress from training large muscle groups.

Chest workout at home

Quite a lot of people start their thorny path to success in bodybuilding with home workouts. Of course, there can be many reasons for this: shyness, financial difficulties, a huge distance to the gym and the like. However, you can lay a good "base" at home. Of course, push-ups from the floor alone will not increase your chest volume to a noticeable level, and therefore you need at least a minimal inventory. If we talk about such a set, then you will definitely need collapsible dumbbells (2 is enough) from 5-10 to 30-40 kg. This will make it possible to conduct full-fledged workouts with bench press exercises, which are basic in bodybuilding. Along with this, it is possible to perform wiring, which we talked about earlier. As for the alternative to the bench, there may be several options: a thick board, a low sofa, and the like.

Bars will be no less useful, exercises on which can qualitatively draw the relief of your muscles and give strength. Today they are in almost every yard, but since running back and forth is not very convenient, you can also buy them (or take the dumbbells out into the street). In addition to training the pectoral muscles, you can also pump the press on the uneven bars.

Finally, commonplace push-ups can also be a good addition to your workout. With the growth of results, you can start doing push-ups with weights, which will be very effective for increasing volume and strength. Next, we will give a specific complex, showing what the training of the pectoral muscles should be like at home.

Workout program at home

Home workout of the pectoral muscles can be in no way inferior to the one that takes place in a professionally equipped gym. The most important thing is the observance of technique and progression of loads. Let's start:

Push-ups from the floor (possible with weights) - 4 x 12-18.
Dumbbell press - 3 x 8-12.
Push-ups on uneven bars (possible with weights) - 4 x max.
Wiring - 3 x 10.
Pullover with a dumbbell - 3 x 12.

You can see the technique for performing the last exercise below.

Chest workout for girls

In principle, a set of exercises for women is similar to men's, but there are additional movements that are adapted specifically for the weaker sex. We list them: push-ups from the floor while kneeling or from the crossbar while standing, push-ups on the uneven bars for girls and a specific bench press, which is also ideal for women.

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