The chest is considered to be one of the "major" muscle groups in the body because it is one of the largest. The anatomical components of the chest are the pectoralis major and minor. These muscles are getting called into action when the arms are going forward and across the front of the body. In order for your to sculpt your chest, you need to hit it hard from various angles. This will insure that you are recruiting a maximal amount of muscle fiber.
Step 1
Load a barbell on a bench press. Lie on the bench and grab the bar with a wide grip. Push it off the metal supports and hold it above you with your arms fully extended. Lower it down towards your chest until it lightly touches and push it back up forcefully. Do 10 to 12 reps and 4 to 5 sets.
Step 2
Grab a set of dumbbells and do incline presses. Lie on the bench with your feet flat on the floor and the dumbbells lifted above your body. Turn your palms so they are facing your feet and hold the weights an inch away from each other. Lower the weights down by bending your elbows. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the ground and push the weights back up. Do 10 to 12 reps and 4 to 5 sets.
Step 3
Target your lower chest with decline presses. Lie on a decline bench and hook your lower shins under the padded supports. Hold dumbbells straight above you with your palms facing your feet and the weights an inch apart. Slowly lower the weights down until your elbows are bent 90 degrees. The dumbbells should be about level with your ribcage at this point. Push the weights back up and repeat 10 to 12 times. Do 4 to 5 sets.
Step 4
Expand the width of your chest by doing flys. Lie on the flat bench with dumbbells held straight above you and your palms facing each other. Bend your elbows slightly and maintain that bend as you lower the weights down to your sides. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the floor and lift them back up. Stop when they are an inch apart and repeat 10 to 12 times. Do 4 to 5 sets.
Step 5
Explode up in the air to put the finishing touches on your chest. Lie on your stomach with your hands directly under your shoulders. Place your right hand on top of a medicine ball and curl your toes under your feet. Straighten your back and push yourself up until both arms are fully extended. Your body will be at an angle to the left at this point. Lower your chest down until your upper arms are about parallel to the floor and explosively push yourself up in the air. Quickly roll the ball towards your left hand and land your right hand on the ground. Land your left hand on top of the ball. Do another push-up and reverse the motion. Keep alternating back and forth until you've done 10 to 12 reps. That would be five to six per side. Do 4 to 5 sets.
Tips and Warnings
- Do the exercises in the order they appear. Take two days off in between workouts to promote a full recovery. Use the heaviest weights you can handle with all the exercises except the one with the medicine ball. Work your back muscles 1 to 2 times a week to prevent imbalances. Do exercises like bent-over rows, lat pulldowns and reverse flys.
Things You'll Need
- Bench
- Incline bench
- Decline bench
- Barbell
- Dumbbells
- Medicine ball
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