Pectoral Workouts With Free Weights

Exercising your pectoral -- or chest -- muscles is a key part of any strength-training program because as one of the two largest muscle groups in your upper body, strong pectoral muscles are necessary for many of your daily activities. Of course, having well-defined pectorals is also attractive. Using free weights to exercise your chest provides a number of options for adding new exercises to your workout routine. Free weights also allow for movements that closely mimics the way you use your pectoral muscles in daily activities.

Chest Press

The movement of the chest press is similar to a pushup, but with the benefit of back support and variable weight loads. It can be performed on a flat, incline or decline bench or, if you don't have a bench, on the floor. Begin by lying on your back with a dumbbell in each hand and your arms extended straight up toward the ceiling, with your palms facing toward your feet.

Bend your elbows and lower the weights, with control, down toward your chest until your elbows are at a 90-degree angle. Press the weights back up until your arms are fully extended, and repeat for the number of repetitions called for in your workout plan.

Alternating Chest Press

A variation on the chest press, the alternating chest press challenges the stabilizing muscles in your core because of the uneven load on your pectoral muscles. Begin the exercise on your back with both arms fully extended toward the ceiling and your palms facing toward your feet.

Bend the elbow of one arm, and lower the dumbbell until your elbow is at a 90-degree angle. Press the weight back toward the ceiling until your arm is fully extended, then lower the opposite arm. Repeat the exercise, alternating arms, for the number of repetitions called for in your workout plan. A full cycle through both arms counts as one repetition.

Chest Fly

The chest fly begins in the same position as the chest press exercise: on your back with your arms extended toward the ceiling. For the fly, however, your palms face each. Open your arms wide, lowering the dumbbells toward the floor until your arms are almost even with your body. As you lower your arms, keep them as straight as possible without locking your elbows and be careful to keep them even with your chest instead of drifting up toward your head. An aerial view of a properly executed chest fly would look like someone lying on her back with her arms in a perfect T with her body. Lift your arms back up, with your palms facing and arms fully extended throughout the movement. Repeat the chest fly for as many repetitions as called for in your workout plan.

Alternating Chest Fly

As with the alternating chest press, the alternating chest fly challenges the stabilization muscles in your core as well as your pecs. There are two ways to perform an alternating chest fly: with one dumbbell or with two. The single dumbbell method involves a pass-off from one hand to the other.

Begin in the same position you did for the chest fly, with both arms extended toward the ceiling over your chest and your palms facing each other. Lower the arm with the dumbbell into the T position, then lift it back up and pass the weight over to the other hand. Lower the second arm into the T position, and repeat until all the repetitions have been completed. Each cycle through both hands counts as one repetition. For the two-dumbbell method, perform the exercise almost exactly the same way, but without the dumbbell pass-off.