The chest muscles are known anatomically as the pectorals and they are often referred to as simply the "pecs." The function of this muscle group is to shrug the shoulders forward and move the upper arms across the front of the body. You would be contracting your chest muscles if you helped a friend push his car out of a ditch. The most efficient way to build your chest muscles is through smart weight training.
Step 1
Start your workouts with a light dynamic warm-up. Such a warm-up consists of dynamic stretches which are done in motion. These will loosen up your muscles and joints and prepare them for the work they are about to do. Perform stretches like spinal rotations, arm swings, arm crossovers, side bends, shoulder circles and shoulder shrugs.
Step 2
Work all areas of your chest. Perform exercises from multiple angles to ensure you target as much muscle fiber as possible. Do incline chest presses for the upper chest, flat bench presses for the middle of the chest, decline presses for your lower chest and flyes for your inner chest. To do flyes, lie on your back while holding dumbbells an inch apart above you with your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows slightly and keep that bend as you lower the weights to your sides and then push them back up.
Step 3
Execute proper form with your exercises. Take the bench press for example. Hold a barbell straight above you with your hands wider than shoulder-width apart. Lower the bar slowly until it lightly touches your chest. Push it back up steadily and straighten your arms, but do not lock out your elbows. That is considered a full range of motion. Apply this form to all of your exercises. Proper breathing is also important. Exhale as you are exerting force and inhale when you are in the recovery phase. Using the same bench press example, exhale as you push the bar up and inhale as you lower it.
Step 4
Lift the heaviest weights you can handle with every exercise. This will maximize your muscle recruitment. Aim for eight to 12 reps with every exercise and do four to five sets. Have a spotter on hand with all your exercises to help you make your rep ranges.
Step 5
Rest your chest to promote full recovery. It is during rest that your chest muscles are actually growing. Do not over train your muscles by working out every day. Take one to two days off in between each workout.
Step 6
Utilize the weight of your body if you do not have access to weights. Perform decline, standard, incline and wide-grip push-ups to fully work your chest without equipment. Do decline push-ups with your feet elevated and hands on the floor, do standard and wide-grip push-ups with your hands and feet on the floor, and do incline push-ups with your hands elevated and feet on the floor. Increase the challenge by lowering yourself at a slow pace. Use a set of chairs to elevate your feet and hands.
Tips and Warnings
- Mix back exercises into your routine to prevent muscle imbalances. Bent-over rows, lat pulldowns, seated rows and back extensions are examples.
Things You'll Need
- Workout bench
- Free weights
- Dumbbells
- Barbell
- Chairs (optional)
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