The chest muscles or pecs are among the largest and most recognizable muscles, and most weightlifters aim to get big in the chest. According to fitness trainer Joey Rodrigues, you should perform a variety of exercise to hit and train all areas of the pectorals. By adding elements to your chest routine, you can get the rounded pecs people dream of.
Step 1
Alternate and vary your training so that you work every area of the pectoral and chest. The classic bench press is a compound exercise that relies heavily on the pecs, but other isolation exercises are effective at training the region. Make sure to use different chest exercises with each workout.
Step 2
Train the inner part of the pectoral muscles with machine flys, cable crossovers and close-grip bench press. Cable crossovers are performed on a pulley machine, and you simply start with your arms extended and move the weight by bringing your hands together. Machine flys are performed on a fly machine and involve squeezing the pads together while keeping your arms slightly bent but extended during the move.
Step 3
Train with decline presses to work the lower pecs and incline presses to work the upper pecs. Both presses are simply bench press movements with the bench tilted to a decline or incline position. Bodybuilding.com recommends also performing flys in the decline or incline position to further isolate the lower and upper pectoral areas respectively.
Step 4
Add in exercises that most people forget, including the dumbbell pullover and pushups. According to Rodrigues, the dumbbell pullover is a good stretching exercise to expand the rib cage and develop the pecs. Pullovers are performed by lying on a bench and holding a weight behind your head with your arms extended and then pulling the weight over your head until it is above your chest. Rodrigues recommends performing pushup sets to failure to condition and tone the pecs.
Step 5
Vary your bench press and chest workouts to work for strength, size and power plus endurance and tone. Strength and size workouts should focus on using as heavy of a weight as you can for fewer repetitions. Endurance and tone work will revolve around using a lighter weight that you can perform at least 10 repetitions with. Endurance work focuses on performing lots of reps to get the muscles tired and conditioned.
Step 6
Stretch the chest muscles before and after you workout. According to the MayoClinic.com, stretching increases flexibility, which can improve your athletic performance and decrease your risk of injury. In addition, stretching loosens your muscles and makes you look more cut, rounded and toned.
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