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Our chest is made up of the pectoral muscles- major and minor. The pectoral major is obviously the bigger of the two covering most of the clavier and sternum attaching to the upper arm. These muscles help in various functions at the shoulder like flexion, rotation and adduction towards the body. The pectoral minor is beneath the major helping with all the similar functions. Other than regular bench or dumbbell-press there are many other chest exercises that will benefit your pectorals. The following list offers different chest exercises to ensure use of every pectoral muscle during a workout.
Incline Bench or Dumbbell Press: (Upper Pectorals) Bench press at an angle of 30-45 degrees above the horizontal plain. Grip should be slightly wider than that of a regular bench press. Bar or dumbbells should touch the top of the chest before going back up.
Decline Bench or Dumbbell Press: (Lower Pectorals) Bench press at an angle of 30-45 degrees below the horizontal plain. Bar or dumbbell should touch right below the chest
Dips: (Lower Pectorals) Parallel dip bars should be grasped firmly with palms facing down. Push body up until arms are straight next to the body. Dips can be done hanging or by machine depending on desired difficulty. Machines are used for assisted dips to help those who are not able to dip-press their own wait.
Flat-bench Dumbbell Flies: (Outer Pectorals) Holding a dumbbell in each hand vertically, there should be a slight bend at the elbows. Each dumbbell should be lowered with a slight bend in the elbow. Dumbbells should not reach behind the axis of the shoulders. Weight should be lifted back to the start position in a smooth manner.
All exercises should be adjusted by weight. Weight will vary for each lifter depending on the workout. Each workout should be done with caution.
