The chest or pectoral muscle is very large. The best exercise to begin building your chest is the flat bench press. To bring out the upper portion of the muscle you need to add incline presses, to increase definition at the bottom you need to perform decline presses. To separate the muscles you need to perform chest flys. It takes several exercises and modifications on those exercises to achieve the perfect chest.
Flat Bench Base Builder
Always begin with a basic flat bench, according to former Mr. Universe, Bill Pearl. This will give you the foundation to work from. As the second strongest muscle group in the upper body (the back is stronger) you should work for impressive weight gains. A 500-lbs. bench is considered a milestone to any serious lifter.
Change up your grips. You might want to start extra wide on the bar, perform three sets standard, then finish of with a close grip, aiming the bar toward your abdominals to finish out the set. This was a popular move by the Menzer brothers in the 1980s.
If you spend a lot of time benching, be sure to cut back on your front deltoid work. This portion of the shoulders contributes to your chest work, and probably will need no additional work at all, according to expert Kim Goss of the MS, Poliquin Performance Center.
Training on Incline
Pressing on an incline bench works the top portion of the muscle. This move has a much shorter range of motion. You ca also do this with dumbbells where you lower the weights to chest height and push back to the beginning. You can increase the definition in the center of the pectorals by lowering the weights, with just a 20 degree bend in your elbows, and then bringing them together overhead with your palms facing each other and giving it a good squeeze. An exercise Arnold Schwarzenegger, who had very square pectorals, often used.
Training on Decline
The decline bench press will add lift to the pectorals and deliniate that important lower line. Be careful to never let the great bulk you can build on your upper chest overpower the lower portion of the muscle. Judges are looking for overall symmetry as well as inter-muscular symmetry. Once you build one area out of proportion, it is hard to undo and sticks in the judges' minds.
Outside & Cleavage Development
As a general rule of thumb, when you work a muscle wide, you're working its widest part; work a muscle narrow, you're working its center. To take full advantage of this principle you should perform flies with dumbbells rather than fixed weight machines.
Use a mild incline bench, hoist the dumbbells from your thighs to your shoulders. Bring them directly above upper with palms facing together. Lower simultaneously, unlocking your elbows slightly, until they are at chest height. Hold for a few second, then using the center of your chest bring the dumbbells back overhead. Once in a while after you complete a set, treat yourself to some skull crushers -- your triceps contribute greatly to your success at chest training.
Developing a champion set of square pectorals will take years. Don't rush. Watch your body grow and listen to how the muscle feels to each move and minor adjustment. Eat a high protein, nutritious diet, and give the program at least six months to see measureable results on the tape measure. You'll see them in your strength a lot sooner
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