Flat bench and decline bench exercises develop your lower pecs and sprinkle in some variety for your chest program. Change your hand position on the barbell while occasionally grabbing dumbbells to further enhance your pecs, also known as your chest muscles. Perform three to six repetitions per set for strength goals, six to 12 reps for building muscle mass and 12-15 reps per set for muscle tone and endurance.
Flat Bench Press
Position your body on a flat barbell bench press. Bring your eyes under the edge of the barbell supports. Place both feet on the floor. Should you feel your lower back arching, your legs may be too short for the bench. In this case, place both feet securely on the bench, your heels several inches from your butt. Wrap your thumb and fingers around the bar, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Straighten your arms to lift the bar off the supports and over your chest. This is the starting position for all repetitions. Inhale lowering the bar to touch the center of your chest, keeping elbows out to the side with your wrists in a firm, neutral position. Do not allow your wrists to bend to a 90-degree angle. Exhale while pushing the bar up to the starting position.
Decline Bench Press
Adjust the bench to anchor your left leg within the supports. Securely place your right leg on top of the supports, bending your right hip. This allows you to keep the natural curve of your spine to prevent overarching while pressing the bar. Your eyes should be at the edges of the bar supports. Wrap your thumb and fingers around the bar, slightly wider than shoulder-width. Straighten your arms to lift the bar off the supports, just below the chin, directly over the shoulder joints. This is the starting position for all repetitions.
Inhale lowering the bar to touch the bottom edge of your chest, keeping elbows out to the side with your wrists in a firm, neutral position. Do not allow your wrists to bend to a 90-degree angle. Exhale while pushing the bar up to the starting position. Gary F. Zoella, a top-ranked and multi-record holding powerlifter, writes though this exercise might seem awkward at first, it is effective once you get the hang of it.
Flat Dumbbell Flys
Grab a pair of 8 lb. dumbbells in each hand. Sit at the edge of a flat bench with a dumbbell resting vertically on the top end of your thighs, close to your knees. Simultaneously lean back to lie on the bench, bring each dumbbell towards the shoulders and press the dumbbells up over the chest, meeting in the middle. Turn your palms to face each other. Lower the dumbbells at the same time, opening your arms at the shoulders as if to give a hug, forming a 100- to 110-degree angle at the elbows, with your palms turned partly away from your face. Allow the elbows to drop just below shoulder level, generating a light stretch to the chest muscle. Exhale while returning the dumbbells to the top as you straighten your arms. Bring the bottom ends of the dumbbells together, focusing on squeezing your pectoral muscles completely.
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