A well-built Chest is one of the most sought-after assets by gym enthusiasts mostly because of the notable effect it has on overall upper body physique. For extremists, it is the defining feature between men and boys. Regardless of your attitude, a stronger chest goes beyond physical appearance. It is a critical factor when it comes to upper body strength as Chest muscles are instrumental in stability and dynamic control of the Shoulder Blade and the Humerus (Upper arm). They mostly offer stability and power during lifting maneuvers as well as most pulling activities towards the body. This makes a sound chest workout program key to success in any serious strength training and muscle building program.

Structure and function of key chest muscles

Serious chest workouts start with understanding the involved key muscles in terms of overall structure and function. Let’s set the right foundation with a quick look at the basic structure of the chest muscle, its function, and how these aspects relate to coming up with an effective workout routine.

The Chest has two main muscles (commonly referred to as Pecs) which connect the Sternum, Ribs, Collar Bone, and the arm. These are:

• Pectoralis Major.
• Pectoralis Minor.

The Pec Major is what’s commonly referred to as the Chest muscle due to its superior size and functional significance. Therefore, we’ll spend more time looking at this muscle.

Pectoralis Major

The Pec Major is a prominent, flat muscle connecting the mid-chest to the Humerus. Its origin spans the inner part of the Collar Bone (clavicle), the front surface of the sternum, and inner parts of the first 6-7 Ribs. The muscle’s belly narrows down to a tendon that inserts into a protrusion on the upper part of the Humerus/upper arm bone.

This muscle is divided into an upper and lower portion based on orientation of its muscle fibers and their primary function. This is important to know as it directly affects how you plan your workout routine. Exercises should be tweaked to target the upper and lower fibers accordingly. A complete workout should target both portions of the muscle.

 Upper Pec Major (also known as Clavicular Pec Major)

• Extends from the inner half of the Collarbone to the arm.
• Its contraction helps with pulling the arm inwards in a horizontal fashion known as Horizontal adduction. Additional movements include rotating the arm inwards (Internal Rotation) and assisting with raising the arm forward (Flexion).

Lower Pec Major

The lower Pec Major originates from the front surface of the cartilages of the first 6-7 Ribs, and inserts into the upper portion of the arm, just above the insertion of the Upper Pec Major Fibers.

These fibers assist with several movements. These include puling the arm inward, but at a downward angle and depressing the shoulder due to their attachment to the Humerus.

Principles of training chest muscles

The chest muscle is no different. The Principles of Progressive Overload and Specificity still apply when it comes to training the muscle. Let’s have a quick wrap-up.

Progressive Overload

In simple terms, focus on heavy loading in a progressive fashion. Significant strength gains take place when a muscle is consistently overloaded.

Specificity

Remember, you are training for strength and this should be reflected in your workout routine. Focus more on heavy loading with fewer number of repetitions rather than lighter loads with higher number of sets.

Train the whole chest muscle; upper and lower

Your exercise program should be able to isolate the upper and lower chest. As we’ve already considered earlier, the upper and lower fibers have different orientations, and this calls for modifications in the workout routine to target these portions. The basic Bench Press may not cut it. We’ll consider the options shortly in the workouts section.

How much load/weight should I start with?

Training load is defined by a measure known as 1 Repetition Maximum. In case you are unaware, 1RM refers to the amount of weight you cannot lift more than once without breaking the exercise form. For sizeable gains, it’s recommended that you start at 75-85% of the 1RM at a relatively low volume of 8-10 reps per set at 75%RM, and 4-6 reps at 85%RM.

However, this kind of loading may be impractical and safe for some starters. You can start lower at around 40%, with focus on mastering the form while slowly working your way up to the recommended range.

Best exercises for building Strength and size in chest muscles

Flat Barbell Bench Press

The Bench Press is famous for a good reason. It’s one of the best there is to build your upper body as it furnishes a highly effective workout for a good number of muscles of the upper body. In addition to the Chest, it serves an excellent exercise for the Triceps, Shoulders, the Core, Latts, and even engages the thigh and legs to an appreciable extent.

From the look of things, the Bench Press may appear to be a simple exercise. However, there are some small details which can make a difference between success and failure. Poor form can be risky especially for the shoulder joint and surrounding structures. Therefore, caution should be exercised. Proper form should come in before any serious increments in terms of loading.

Here’s a round-up of the exercise sequence:

Position

• Lay on your back on the bench, making sure that the feet are firm on the floor and the low back is slightly arched to maintain the natural curvature of the spine.
• Firmly grab the bar, a little outside shoulder width.
• Unrack the Barbell and slowly bring it down until it touches the base of the chest.
• Press the load upward, being careful to maintain the initial position of the chest, back, pelvis and legs.
• Bring it down slowly before repeating the Press.

Note

The basic Bench Press is great for the Chest, but there is one catch: It doesn’t cater very well for the upper part Pecs. You will need to modify the position to target this portion of the muscle in the next exercise.

Incline Barbell Bench Press

This is a variation of the classic bench press which emphasizes the upper chest. The main difference lies in the positioning and nature of movement. As the name suggests, the Bench is adjusted to 30-45 degrees from the horizontal plane. Additionally, instead of dropping the bar straight to the base of the chest, It should be taken just in front of the chin before touching the base of the clavicle (Collar bone). This setup creates an angle that allows maximal recruitment of the Pec Major muscle fibers.

Chest Flys

The Chest Fly offers a great isolation exercise especially when done using pulley systems with a low cable setup. Variable Resistance systems are great for maximizing muscle’s time under tension by keeping the load constant regardless of the changing limb position.

This makes the fly a great supplemental exercise after a multi-joint exercise i.e Fat Barbell Bench Press.

• Set the Pulley system at a low-cable configuration.
• Grab the handles in each hand as you position yourself right in the middle. Make sure the cables are taut and equal in terms of length.
• Maintain an upright posture with the elbow slightly bent.
• Pull the cables across the lower chest until the arms cross.
• Return to the staring position in a controlled manner before repeating the sequence.

In the absence of the Pulley System, the Fly can also be done on the Bench using a pair of Dumbbells.

• Lay on your back on the bench as in the bench press.
• While holding a pair of Dumbbells in each hand, extend the arms upwards. Maintain a slight angle in the elbows.
• Lower the weights down on your sides to shoulder level. Keep the arms in this position and be sure to stay in control on both the ascending and descending phases of the movement.

Note

Based on the standard guidelines for strength training, chest flys are best positioned after the presses discussed earlier. Single-joint isolation exercises should follow compound exercises.

The Push-up

The Pushup is one of the most underestimated exercises in the gym probably because we are so often caught up in using the sophisticated machines and other equipment. In general terms, it can be considered as a reverse Bench Press which uses the body weight for resistance.

A closer look at the movement pattern reveals one thing:

It’s a compound movement of the upper body that’s capable of providing a great chest workout. Furthermore, it can easily be used together with weights to keep up with the principle of progressive overload.

In case you’re new to pushups or chest work, here is a quick wrap up on how they’re supposed to be done.

• Take a plank position: Hands should be directly under your shoulders, with elbows extended. The palms should be firmly planted into the ground.
• Maintain a straight back and legs.
• The feet should be clasped together.
• With control, lower the whole body down while maintaining a straight back. The elbows should bend outwards to ensure involvement of the Pec Major.
• Reverse to the starting position and repeat the movement.

Since you are training for strength, make sure you are making appropriate changes to the load. You can use the weights plates on your upper back to advance the exercise intensity.

The Chest Dip

Chances are that you know the Dip as an excellent workout for the Triceps. However, it can be slightly modified to enhance recruitment of the Pec Major or Chest in general.

The major advantage is that it allows you to train the chest, shoulders, Triceps and core by using the whole body weight. This is what makes it somehow superior to the Push-up where the body weight is handled by all four limbs.

Let’s go through the proper form.

• With a firm grip on the parallel bars, bend your legs at the knee and cross the shins behind as a way of suspending your body in space. Take a slight forward lean,
• Maintain a straight back as you slightly lean forward.
• Allow the elbow to bend backwards but at a slight outward angle.
• Lower your body until the elbows are at about 90 degrees.
• Lift the body to the initial position before repeating the sequence.

Note

• The Dip is an excellent multi-joint exercise that may be conveniently slotted in after the more compound exercises such as the Bench Press.
• It should also be carried out with extra caution when it comes to beginners. Body weight alone can be too much for starters which necessitates focusing on free weights and cable systems.
• The load can be adjusted through weighted vests, cuff weights or plates.