Chest muscles consist of the pectoralis major and minor. If you have a trip to the beach on the near horizon and want to display a well-defined set of pecs, you need to perform multiple exercises from various angles. This will ensure that you recruit as much muscle fiber as possible. You can do this with the help of free weights and the weight of your body.
Step 1
Press a barbell to work the mid part of your chest. Lie face-up on a workout bench and grab the barbell with a wide grip. Push it off the supports and hold it straight above you. Slowly lower it down until it lightly touches your chest. Push it back up, stop just short of locking out your arms and repeat.
Step 2
Lie face-up on an incline bench to target your upper chest. Hold dumbbells an inch apart above you with your palms facing your knees. Slowly lower the weights down by bending your elbows. Stop when you feel a strong contraction in your upper chest. Push the weights back up and repeat.
Step 3
Place your hands shoulder-width apart on a stability ball to do incline push-ups. Walk your feet backward and place your toes on the ground, hip-width apart. Lift your hips and form a straight line from your shoulders to your heels by engaging your core muscles. Lower your body down until your stomach lightly touches the ball. Push yourself back up and repeat.
Step 4
Execute a set of dumbbell flies to target your inner pecs. Lie face-up on a flat bench holding dumbbells straight above you. Turn your palms so they face each other and hold the weights an inch apart. Slightly bend your elbows and keep this bend as you lower the weights to your sides. Stop when your upper arms are parallel to the floor. Push the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat.
Step 5
Perform around-the-world exercises with a pair of dumbbells. Lie face-up on the bench with dumbbells held straight behind your head. Hold the weights an inch apart and turn your palms up. Move the weights away from your body in an arcing motion, then move them toward your lower body. Stop the dumbbells an inch apart right above your thighs with your palms still facing up. Hold for a second and reverse the motion to get the dumbbells back to the starting point. Repeat for a set of reps.
Tips and Warnings
- Perform four to fives sets and 10 to 12 reps of all of the exercises with heavy weights. Take two days off in between workouts and be sure to work in some back exercises to prevent muscle imbalances. Bent-over rows, pull-downs and back extensions are examples.
Things You'll Need
- Barbell
- Bench
- Dumbbells
- Incline bench
- Stability ball
Member Comments