Building up the large muscles of your chest takes time and dedication. The pectoralis major is the muscle you use when moving your arms forward, up and down. Strengthening your pectoralis, or pecs, will help keep your shoulder steady both during strength moves involving your arms, as well as during day-to-day activities. Although trainers often use weight machines to develop the chest muscles, you can work your chest muscles with dumbbells.
Dumbbell Bench Press
Step 1
Lie on your back on a weight bench to perform the dumbbell bench press, which works your pectorals, triceps and upper back. Hold a dumbbell in either hand, with your palms facing toward you feet. Position your arms so that your elbows are even with and pointed away from your body, your upper arms are parallel to the floor and the dumbbells are parallel with the ceiling.
Step 2
Exhale, engage your core muscles and lift the dumbbells straight toward the ceiling. Control the weight, lifting until your elbows are almost, but not completely straight. At the top of the lift, squeeze your chest muscles and hold the weights steady for one count.
Step 3
Lower the weights back to your starting position, allowing your elbows to drop slightly below your chest. Stretch your chest muscles at the bottom of the movement, hold for one count and lift the dumbbells back up. Repeat eight to 12 times.
Dumbbell Pull-Overs
Step 1
Perform dumbbell pull-overs to expand your chest and rib cage. Lie with your shoulders across the length of bench, and support your lower body with your legs, keeping your buttocks off the floor.
Step 2
Hold one dumbbell above your head, cupping both hands under the top dumbbell plate. Keep your elbows slightly bent. Lower the dumbbell behind your head and toward the floor, bending your elbows slightly as you lower the dumbbell to prevent injury. Hold for a moment at the bottom of the pull-over, feeling the stretch through your chest and rib cage.
Step 3
Raise the dumbbell back to your starting position. Breathe deeply, and lower the dumbbell once again. Keep your shoulders in contact with the bench and your buttocks as close to the floor as possible without touching the floor. Repeat eight to 12 times.
Dumbbell Incline Fly
Step 1
Raise your weight bench so that it is in its inclined position. Lie on the bench with both feet flat on the floor and your shoulders slightly below the top of the bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lift the dumbbells until they are directly above your upper chest and your elbows are slightly bent and not locked.
Step 2
Keep your arms in a stable position, and move your arms away from each other until your arms are slightly below the level of your chest. Feel the stretch in your chest. Hold your arms still for a moment in the fully extended position.
Step 3
Complete the incline fly by squeezing your chest muscles and lifting your hands and arms back to their original position. Do not allow the dumbbells to hit against each other, but stop slightly short of touching. Repeat 12 to 15 times.
Tips and Warnings
- Alternate chest exercises one day with legs and back another. Work with dumbbells every other day to give your body a chance to recover from strenuous workouts. Eat enough calories to offset the calorie-burn from heavy strength training.
- Work with a partner or fitness coach to help avoid injury. Check with your doctor before beginning an exercise program.
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