Calculate the width of your chest by measuring its circumference across your nipple line. Increase muscle mass in your upper, middle and lower chest, as well as your middle back to widen your ribcage and give the appearance of a wider chest and tapered waist. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association, in order to increase mass of your muscles, lift a level of weight that fatigues your muscles in 10 to 15 repetitions, for about three to four sets. Do these twice a week on non-consecutive days for optimal results.
Middle Back Exercises
According to Bodybuilding.com, pullovers, pullups and lat pulldowns are the most effective exercises for training your middle back. To do a pullover, lie flat on your back on a bench and hold a dumbbell with both hands over your chest. Bring the dumbbell back behind your head with your arms slightly bent, and then return it over your chest. Do wide grip, close grip and reverse grip pullups. If you are unable to do pullups, try cable lat pulldowns to build your strength.
Middle Chest Exercises
The bench press is an ideal exercise to increase bulk in your middle chest, but to add width, modify it to a wide grip bench press. To determine how wide to grip, measure the width from your right elbow to left elbow with your arms extended, and grasp the barbell at that width. When you do this exercise, do not lower the bar all the way to your chest, which can hyperextend your muscles. In addition, do the horizontal fly on a flat bench or on a Pec-Dec machine to help increase size in your lateral pectoral muscles.
Upper Chest Exercises
To add size and roundness to your pectoral muscles, incorporate exercises that work the upper chest. Any exercise where you are inclined, rather than horizontal, will exercise those muscles. Try the incline fly or incline dumbbell chest press. If you have a stability ball, do pushups with your feet on the ball and hands on the floor. If you have never done any incline exercises, try placing an incline bench under a Smith Machine and doing bench presses.
Lower Chest Exercises
Working out your lower chest gives it lift, in addition to working the outer part of the chest muscle for fullness and width. Do decline chest exercises using a bench that actually allows you to lie on a downward tilt from horizontal. These types of benches generally have a foot bar so you do not slide head first off the bench. Do the decline bench press, dumbbell press and fly. Also, do pushups on the medicine ball while keeping your feet on the floor and hands on the ball.
References
- Shape Fit: Weight Training Exercise Guides -- Photo Database of Resistance Exercises
- BodyBuilding.com: How to Widen Your Back
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; Thomas R. Baechel and Roger W. Earle; 2008
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