Gaining mass in the chest involves workouts that effectively work the pectoral muscles. The chest consists of two muscles, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. The pectoral muscles should be trained in three sections to work each angle of the muscle and encourage growth. Train your chest twice per week and lift with heavy resistance to gain size in the pectorals.
Bench Press
Bench presses target the middle of the pectoral muscles. Lie back on the bench press and place your hands on the bar spaced shoulder-width apart. Lift the bar off of the rack and lower it down to the chest. Pause for one second. Press the bar up until the arms are extended and return to the starting position. Repeat for four sets of 12 repetitions. Train with heavy resistance so your muscles are approaching failure on the last set.
Decline Pushups
Decline pushups work the lower portion of the chest. Begin by standing in front of a flat bench with your back toward the bench. Place your hands on the floor in front of you and put your feet up on top of the bench. Bend your elbows and lower your chest toward the floor. Keep the spine in alignment from head to toe. Press your body up until the arms are straight, returning to the starting position. Repeat for four sets of 12 repetitions.
Incline Dumbbell Press
Incline dumbbell chest presses recruit the top portion of the pectorals. Lie back on the incline bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend the arms over the chest with palms facing forward. Lower the dumbbells until the elbows are bent at 90 degrees. Press the dumbbells up and return to the starting position. Repeat the exercise for four sets of 12 repetitions.
Dumbbell Chest Flys
Doing dumbbell chest flys engages the center portion of the pectoral muscles that rests on top of the sternum. Lie back on a flat bench while holding a dumbbell in each hand. Extend the arms directly over the chest with the elbows slightly bent and palms facing inward. Open your arms out to the sides until the dumbbells are aligned with the shoulders. Bring your arms in and together and return to the starting position. Repeat for four sets of 12 repetitions.
References
- Bodybuilding.com: Chest Workouts
- ExRx.net: Incline Dumbbell Press
- "Weight Training Manual"; National Federation of Professional Trainers; 2006
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