The pecs are known anatomically as the pectoralis major and minor. When your humerus (a large bone in the upper arm) goes across the front of your body, you are using the major part of these muscles. When you shrug your shoulders in a forward direction, you are using the minor part of the pecs. Building your pecs involves both of these motions. To mix it up, you can can use both free weights and body weight.
Step 1
Perform a set of bench presses. Lie face up on the bench and place your feet flat on the ground with your knees bent. Grab the bar with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Push it off the supports and hold it directly above you. Slowly lower it until it lightly touches your chest and push it back up. Stop when your arms are just short of locking out, and repeat.
Step 2
Grab one dumbbell to do pullovers. Lie across the width of the bench with your shoulders flat on top and your head hanging over the edge. Keep your back straight and plant your feet flat on the ground with your knees bent. Hold the inside of one weighted end of the dumbbell with your hands stacked on top of one another. Keep your arms straight and extend the dumbbell above your chest. Lower the weight behind your head in an arcing motion until you feel a strong contraction in your chest and upper ribcage. Pull the weight back to a position over your chest and repeat.
Step 3
Prop your toes up on a bench to do decline push-ups. Place your hands on the ground shoulder-width apart and push your body up until your arms are fully extended. Keep your abs tight to maintain a straight back and slowly lower your body down toward the ground. Stop when your chest is a fist-width away, push yourself back up, and repeat.
Step 4
Execute a set of alternating flies. Lie on a bench and hold dumbbells above you with your palms facing and the weights an inch apart. Slightly bend your elbows and maintain this bend as you perform the exercise. Slowly lower your right arm down to your side until your upper arm is parallel to the floor. Lift it back up and lower your left arm down the same way. Alternate arms.
Step 5
Move your arms in a circular motion to do around the worlds. Lie face up on a bench and hold dumbbells straight above your head with your palms facing up. Move the dumbbells in a circular motion until they are right above your thighs. Keep your palms up and stop when the weights are an inch apart. Swing them back around to the starting point and stop again when they are an inch apart. Continue going back and forth.
Tips and Warnings
- Work your chest every three days. Perform 10 to 12 reps and four to five sets of each exercise. Include some back exercises in your routine to avoid muscle imbalances. Back rows, dead lifts, lat pulldowns and back extensions are examples.
Things You'll Need
- Bench
- Barbell
- Dumbbells
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