How to Tone Pecs

In "The New Encyclopedia of Modern Bodybuilding," Arnold Schwarzenegger says that to develop a truly impressive chest, you must develop all the parts, including the upper and lower pectorals, the inner and outer pectorals, and the connections to the deltoids. To have toned pecs, you must also lower body fat until the natural definition of these muscles show. This approach requires dedication.

Step 1

Build your chest and delts. Before you get tone, you need mass. Start by performing the heavy flat bench press, incline bench press and shoulder press in the bodybuilding range of eight to 12 reps. When your progress begins to slow, switch to the power range of three to five reps. Your strength will increase faster than your size, so when you switch back to a bodybuilding style, you will be able to handle more weight and thus add more mass.

Step 2

Add definition to your chest by including isolation exercises in your routine. Cable flyes will add definition and striation to your inner chest, while dumbbell flyes and flat bench will add to your outer chest. The shoulder presses will have bulked up your anterior delt heads and your upper chest. Carve separation between the two by performing front delt raises. Develop the separation between your upper and lower pecs by continuing the shoulder press, which activates your upper pectorals more fully than an even incline press. If you feel your lower pectorals are lagging, add decline press to your routine.

Step 3

Cut down your body fat to make your toned pectorals visible. Do this through a combination of diet and cardio. Keep the intensity of your cardio levels low to preserve muscle. Keep the protein in your diet high for the same reason. A study in the February 2007 issue of "Obesity" found that not only did a high protein diet preserve lean body mass during weight loss, but also keeps you feeling full and satisfied longer, which is important to minimize cheating.

As you progress, definition will first appear in your chest, then striation and, maybe, even vascularity. Once you feel you have attained the level of pectoral definition you want, add some calories back into your diet and dial back the cardio.

Tips and Warnings

Whenever you get stuck, change your routine. Get plenty of sleep. You tear the muscle down in the gym; you build it back in bed. Eat plenty during the bulking phase. Don't gain so much fat, however, that you lose a great deal of muscle, due to an extended cutting phase.
These are serious, hard-core exercises. If you have shoulder problems, you may not be able to perform this routine. If you feel a sharp pain at any time, stop immediately.