The chest is composed of four muscles -- the sternal pectoralis major, clavicular pectoralis major, pectoralis minor and serratus anterior. Strengthening and toning these muscles helps create an overall impressive physique on the front of your body. Use light weights, such as 5 lb. hand weights, to tone each chest muscles twice a week. Perform two or three sets of eight to 12 repetitions of each exercise.
Presses
Strengthen your sternal pectoralis major with flat bench presses. Hold the dumbbells to the sides of your chest with your arms bent; then push the weights above your chest until your arms are straight. Decline the bench 45 degrees to further work this area of your chest by performing the same movement. Strengthen your clavicular pectoralis major by inclining the back of the bench 45 to 60 degrees.
Flyes
Flat-bench flyes and decline flyes work the sternal pectoralis major as well. Lie on your back on a flat or declined weight bench with your arms slightly bent, holding the weights above your chest with your palms facing one another. Lower the weights out to your sides in an arc motion until your arms are parallel with the floor. As with presses, decline the back of the bench and perform decline flyes to tone the clavicular pectoralis major.
Dips
Dips work numerous muscles of the chest, including the sternal and clavicular pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor. Use a dip bar to perform dips, slightly bending forward at the hips and bending your elbows to lower your body. Hold a 5-lb. dumbbell between your feet, bending your knees, to add resistance to this chest-strengthening exercise.
Raises
Dumbbell raises work a chest muscle group often neglected -- the serratus anterior. These muscles are on the sides of your chest and can be strengthened with shoulder raises performed on an inclined weight bench. Hold a dumbbell in each hand, raise your straightened arms until they are perpendicular to the floor, and push your shoulders upward as far as possible, maintaining straightened arms.
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