When looking for exercises for the chest muscle group, otherwise known as the pectoralis major, you have the choice of performing both multijoint exercises or isolation exercises. According to the National Strength and Conditioning Association (NSCA), the major difference between the two types of exercises is that multijoint exercises incorporate two or more joints for successful completion, while isolation exercises involve one primary joint. Both can be extremely helpful in developing strength and endurance gains and both are useful for increasing muscle mass.
Bench Press
One of the most common exercises for developing the pectorals is the bench press. It is a multijoint exercise, activating the shoulder, elbow and wrist joints. While lying on a bench, the weight is pushed, or lifted away from the body, over the chest, in a movement that is perpendicular to the ground. This is the lift phase of the exercise. During the second phase, the weight is lowered to the chest, but not rested on the body. At no time should the bar move parallel to the ground nor should the weight be bounced off of the chest. This exercise can be accomplished with either dumbbells or a barbell and because the weight is being lifted over the body, a spotter must be used for safety. A variation of this exercise can be done on an incline bench.
Pec Deck
The American Council on Exercise recommends using the pec deck as an exercise to develop the chest. The pec deck is a machine that serves as a single joint exercise. For this exercise, the lifter sits on the pec deck with both feet firmly on the ground, the upper arms raised to shoulder height, or parallel to the floor, and the forearms perpendicular to the ground, resting against pads attached to the machines lever arms. The palms should face out. The lift phase consists of using the chest muscles to bring your elbows, and arm pads, together. During the second phase, your elbows and arm pads are returned to their starting position. This exercise can also serve as a great pre-exhaustion exercise. In other words, it serves to fatigue the muscle before moving to multijoint exercises when auxiliary muscles may fatigue before the chest does.
Flat Dumbbell Flys
The NSCA also recommends the flat dumbbell fly as a single joint exercise to further isolate and develop the chest. Obviously, it is performed with dumbbells. The lifter begins by lying on a flat bench with the dumbbells raised over the chest, perpendicular to the ground. The elbow must be flexed and the wrists are in a neutral position. The NSCA describes the first phase of this exercise as creating a wide arc by lowering the weight towards the floor until they are even with the chest, but not below. It can be dangerous to go below the chest. The second phase returns the weights to their starting position. Because the weight is above the body, a spotter is a necessity. A variation of the exercise can be performed on an incline bench.
Dips
Dips are a multijoint exercise using body weight, that can have tremendous benefits for the chest. According to Jeff Hurd, Lorne Goldenburg, and Steve Bliss, in their article Teaching Techniques #13: Dips, in the April 1991 issue of "Strength and Conditioning Journal," an athlete who can perform numerous repetitions of dips will develop not only muscular strength, but muscular endurance, in addition to strengthening the joints of the upper body. To perform dips, they recommend starting with a shoulder width grip on the dip bar. The arms should be perpendicular to the ground supporting the body weight. The body is then lowered to a point that the upper arms are parallel to the ground, with approximately a ninety degree angle at the elbow, during the first phase. During the second phase, the arms are extended so that the body is returned to its starting position.
References
- "Essentials of Strength Training and Conditioning"; National Strength and Conditioning Association; 2000
- "Personal Trainer Manual"; American Council on Exercise; 1997
- "Strength and Conditioning Journal"; Teaching Techniques #13: Dips; Jeff Hurd, Lorne Goldenburg, and Steve Bliss; Apr. 1991
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