The pectoral muscles include the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, and cover the bulk of your chest. The pectoralis major contributes to various upper-arm movements within your shoulder joint, including adduction, extension, flexion, horizontal adduction and internal rotation; and the pectoralis minor contracts to pull the scapula bones in your upper back downward and forward. Performing any exercise involving these ranges of motion works the pectoral muscles. Get a doctor's approval prior to beginning any new exercise regimen.
Bench Press
The bench press requires moving your upper arms together in front of your chest -- called horizontal adduction -- and the outsides of your scapula bones forward. Therefore, the exercise works both pectoral muscles. Lie on your back on a flat bench with your feet on the floor. Hold a barbell above your chest with your hands spread wider than your shoulders and palms facing forward. Lower the bar to your chest slowly, then powerfully press it back up and repeat. You can also perform the exercise with dumbbells.
Chest Press
Perform the chest press on a machine with a chair positioned behind two horizontal handlebars that are attached to an adjustable stack of weights. Adjust the machine so the handlebars are positioned just in front of your shoulders. Sit on the chair and grasp the handlebars with your elbows flexed. Press them forward as far as possible to lift the weight stack, then slowly return to the starting position and repeat. Keep your legs and torso still throughout the movement.
Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is like the traditional exercise, but you use a bench set at 45 degrees to the floor instead of a flat bench. It emphasizes your shoulder muscles more than the flat bench press, but still works the pectoral muscles, especially the pectoralis major. Sit on the bench, making sure your back is flat against the pad, and hold dumbbells in front of your shoulders with your elbows flexed and pointed downward, and your palms facing forward. Press the weights straight upward, then lower them back down slowly and repeat. You can also use a barbell to perform the exercise.
Seated Fly
Perform the seated fly, which works both pectoral muscles, on a machine with two arm pads positioned slightly in front of and to either side of an upright chair at shoulder height. The pads are fixed to bars that attach to an adjustable stack of weights. To execute the exercise, sit on the chair and place your forearms on the pads, with your upper arms pointed sideways, away from your body, and your elbows flexed to 90 degrees. Push both pads forward at the same time until they meet in front of your chest, then slowly return to the starting position and repeat.
References
- "Basic Biomechanics"; Susan J. Hall; 2007
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; Thomas Baechle and Roger Earle; 2000
- American Council on Exercise: Dumbbell Incline Press
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