Full chest development occurs when you make smart decisions in the gym and use proper mechanics with your exercises. Being that the pectorals are large muscles, you need to perform a number of exercises with different angles and movement patterns to fully develop your chest. You are best served using free weights for this goal because they recruit a higher amount of muscle than machines.
Bench Presses
A bench press is one of the best exercises for targeting your chest. You have the option of using a barbell with weight plates or set of dumbbells. To use dumbbells, lie face-up on a flat bench and hold the weights an inch apart above your body with your palms facing your thighs. Slowly lower the weights down to your sides by bending your elbows and stop when you feel a good stretch in the middle region of your chest. Push the weights back to the starting point in a steady motion and repeat. To target your upper chest, perform bench presses on an incline bench. Use a decline bench to target your lower chest.
Pullovers
Pullovers work the entire chest as well as the upper latissimus dorsi in the back. Begin in a face-up position on a bench while holding a barbell straight above your body with a shoulder-width grip. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower the bar behind your head and toward the ground in an arcing motion. Once you feel a good stretch in your chest, pull the bar back to the starting point and repeat. You also have the option of using a single dumbbell to do this exercise. Grip it on the inside of one weighted end with your hands overlapping.
Around the Worlds
Around the worlds are lesser known dumbbell exercises that work a majority of the pectoral musculature. Lie face-up on a bench while holding the weights an inch apart behind your head with your palms up and arms about parallel to the floor. Steadily move the weights out to your sides in an arcing motion, then back toward your body until they are right above your thighs. After holding for a second and squeezing your pecs, move the weights back to the starting point and repeat. Make sure you do not bang the weights into each other at either end.
Flys
Dumbbell flys zero in on the inner portion of the chest and they are performed slightly different than regular bench presses. Assume the same starting position as dumbbell bench presses, except turn your palms so they face each other. Keeping a slight bend in your elbows, lower your arms to your sides until they are about parallel to the floor. Push the weights back up in a steady motion, stop them an inch apart and repeat. To promote full development, perform these from a flat, inclined and declined position.
Pushups
If you do not have access to free weights, structure your workouts around pushups. All you need is a sturdy chair to target the upper, middle and lower pecs. Perform regular pushups on the floor to target your mid chest, place your feet on the chair and hands on the floor to target your upper chest, and place your hands on the chair and feet on the floor to target your lower chest.
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