Your pectoral muscles, or pecs, cover most of your chest. The pectoralis major extends from your collar bone down to your sixth or seventh rib and pull your arms forwards and inward, helping you swing a racket, hang by your hands or throw a ball. A weight bench makes it easier to use dumbbells at home, but it isn't required. Lift and lower weights slowly and with control for all exercises to reduce your risk of injury.
The Warmup
Skipping a five minute warm-up risks injury and lessen the effectiveness of your workout. A warmup gets your oxygen and blood flowing and raises the temperature of your muscles so they work at their highest level once you start working out. A few jumping jacks or running in place prepares your body overall. Add some pushups or lifting with very light weights to warm up your chest muscles specifically.
Beginner and Basic Workouts
Joyce Vedral, author of "Weight Training Made Easy," advises working out two days a week, with at least one rest day in between. She recommends beginners start with three sets of 10 repetitions at the same weight with a 30-second rest between exercises. Vedral advocates the pyramid system once you're comfortable with the basics: Begin with 12 repetitions of your beginning weight for the first set; move to 10 repetitions with a 2 to 3 lb. heavier weight for the second set; and finish with eight repetitions at 3 lbs. heavier for the third set.
Experienced Workout
Increase the intensity of your workout by shortening the rest time between each exercise, increasing the weight of your dumbbells or flexing harder as you lift and lower the weight. Superset exercises, or doing two exercises back-to-back without resting, also increases intensity. For instance, for your first set, do 12 repetitions with your light weight of both the flat press and the incline press with no rest in between. Then follow the pyramid system and do 10 repetitions of both exercises for the second set, with heavier weight and add more weight for the third set. Combine other exercises for the same effect.
Exercises
For the flat press, which strengthens the entire chest, begin on your back holding the dumbbells with your palms up, elbows bent down and the dumbbells touching your upper chest. Extend your arms up, keeping the dumbbells aligned with your upper chest. Do the same exercise with the bench inclined to work the upper pec muscles. For the incline fly, begin by holding your arms straight up with the dumbbells touching, palms facing in. With your elbows slightly bent, move your arms outward and downward in a semicircle motion until you feel your chest muscles stretch. Do not straighten your arms.
References
- "Sports Injuries: A Self-Help Guide"; Vivian Grisogono; 1984
- American Council on Exercise: Warm Up to Work Out
- "Weight Training Made Easy"; Joyce Vedral; 1997
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