The most effective exercises for the pectoral muscles thread. The best exercises for the pectoral muscles. Pumping the pectoral muscles: why there is no result

A set of exercises for pectoral muscles the most effective. chest exercises in pictures for men and women.Description as correctpump pectoral muscles.

1. An exercise: bench press from the chest, lying on a horizontal bench

Bench press from the chest - one of the most popular exercises in the gym, this is due to the technical simplicity of the exercise and the rapid progress in this movement, subject to the correct execution technique.

The illustration above shows a diagram of the bench press and shows which muscles are involved in the work:
The scheme of the bench press:
Lie on your back on a horizontal bench. The buttocks and shoulder blades should be firmly pressed to the surface of the bench, put the legs on the floor of the entire foot:
- take the barbell with an overhand grip wider than shoulders;
- take a breath and slowly lower the barbell to chest level, controlling the movement;
- squeeze the bar and at the end of the movement, exhale.

The bench press develops the whole big chest muscle , pectoralis minor muscle , triceps, anterior deltoid, serratus and coracobrachial muscles.

Necessary conditions for a correct and powerful bench press:

Grab the barbell firmly and tightly with the brushes to give a stable position to the wrists. The brushes during the bench press should remain flat, do not fill them back.
- Press your head as close to the bench as possible.
- Bend your back in the lower back, so that the buttocks and shoulder blades remain firmly pressed against the bench. Deflection in the lower back allows you to reduce the trajectory of lowering the bar, and give the chest a position in which the lower part of the chest muscles is included in the work as much as possible.
- Buttocks during the entire movement, lowering and raising the barbell, should be firmly pressed against the bench
- Feet should be motionless, heels fully pressed to the floor, this position ensures the stability of the torso during the exercise.

Implementation optionsbench press:

1. By arching your back, you accentuate the load on the lower sections of the pectoral muscles and will be able to squeeze out more weight. Perform the exercise carefully to avoid injury to the lower back.

Performing a bench press with an arched back allows you to reduce the trajectory of lowering the barbell and helps to lift heavier weight, since in this case the very powerful lower part of the chest muscles is actively involved, keep your head and legs motionless. Press your buttocks firmly against the bench. If you have back pain, this exercise should be avoided.
2. Pressing your elbows to your sides, you mainly work on the anterior part of the deltoid muscle and triceps of the arms.

3. Changing the width of the grip loads:
- narrow grip: middlechest muscles and triceps;
-wide grip: the outer part of the pectoral muscles.

4. Changing the trajectory of the barbell movement loads:

Lowering the bar to the lower edge of the chest, work out the lower part of the pectoral muscles;
- lowering the neck to the middle of the chest, work out middle department pectoral muscles;
- lowering the neck on the clavicular bundles of the pectoral muscle, you work out the upper part of the pectoral muscles.

2. Bench press, lying on incline bench 40

Bench press lying on an incline bench 40 degrees - this exercise loads the clavicular section of the pectoralis major muscle, the front parts of the deltoid muscles; triceps, serratus anterior and pectoralis minor.

The mechanics of the exercise bench press lying on an incline bench:

The exercise is performed lying on a bench with an inclination angle of 45 ° to 60 ° (the angle of inclination should be less than 60 ° to avoid too much tension in the deltoid muscles). Hold the barbell with a grip wider than shoulders:
- take a breath and lower the bar to the level of the collarbones;
- squeeze the bar until the arms are fully extended;

3. Bench press with a narrow grip, lying on the bench

The narrow grip bench press is a great exercise that develops and draws the pectoral muscle and triceps well.

The mechanics of the exercise bench press with a narrow grip:

The exercise is performed lying on your back on a horizontal bench. Press the buttocks and shoulder blades firmly against the surface of the bench, put the legs on the floor of the entire foot. Take the barbell with an overhand grip with a distance between the hands of 10 to 40 cm, depending on the flexibility of your wrists:
- take a breath and slowly lower the barbell to chest level, controlling the movement;
- squeeze the bar and at the end of the movement, exhale.

4. Bench press, lying on a bench with a reverse slope of 20-40 degrees

Bench press lying on a bench with a reverse slope - exerts a load on the large pectoral muscles (primarily their lower parts), triceps, anterior parts of the deltoid muscles.

Bench press lying on a bench with a reverse inclination - perfectly forms the lower undercut of the pectoral muscles. In addition, when the bar is lowered to the neck, the pectoralis major muscle is stretched, which helps to increase its elasticity.

The mechanics of the exercise bench press lying on a bench with a reverse slope:

The exercise is performed in a position - lying head down on a bench with a slope of 20-40 °. Hold the barbell with an overhand grip at shoulder width or slightly wider:
- inhale and lower the bar until it touches the lower edge of the pectoral muscles;
- squeeze the barbell away from you, exhaling at the end of the movement.

5. Pushups

The push-up is an exercise in which the contraction of the serratus anterior muscles presses the shoulder blades against the chest, combining the action of the arms and torso.

The exercise is performed in a face down position, resting with straight arms on the floor, palms shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. Feet together or slightly apart:
- take a breath and bend your elbows, bringing your chest closer to the floor, while the spine is in lumbar do not bend strongly;
- push up until the arms are fully extended;
- At the end of the movement, exhale.

Load localization options when changing body positions:

On the upper part of the pectoralis major muscle: the legs are raised;
- on the lower part of the pectoralis major muscle: with a raised torso.

Variants of localization of the load, when changing the distance between the palms:

On the outer part of the pectoralis major muscle: with palms wide apart;
- on the inside of the pectoralis major muscle: with narrowly spaced palms.

6. Push-ups on the uneven bars

Push-ups on the uneven bars is an indispensable exercise that perfectly stretches the large pectoral muscles and increases the elasticity of the muscles of the shoulder girdle.

It is not recommended for beginners, as the execution requires considerable effort and reliable, safe movements. For this purpose, simulators should be used to work out the appropriate technique.
Performing the exercise 10-20 times gives the best result. To increase the volume and strength of the muscles, experienced athletes hang fixed dumbbells or discs from the barbell to a special belt.

The mechanics of doing the push-up exercise on the uneven bars:

Leaning on the handles of the parallel bars with straight arms, the body is in a vertical position, the legs are overhang:
- take a breath and, bending your elbows, go down;
- push up and at the end of the movement, exhale.

The more the torso is tilted forward, the more the pectoral muscles are involved. And vice versa than straighter position trunk, the more triceps are involved in the work.

7.

- chest exercise with dumbbells similar to the bench press, except that the exercise with dumbbells is characterized by a greater amplitude, which contributes to a better stretching of the pectoralis major muscles. At the same time, the triceps and anterior parts of the deltoid muscles are also involved in the work (although not so intensively).

The mechanics of the exercise dumbbell bench press:

The exercise is performed lying on your back on a horizontal bench. Press the buttocks firmly against the surface of the bench, put the legs on the floor of the entire foot. Hold the dumbbells near the chest with the arms bent at the elbows and lowered, the hands are in the pronation position:

Take a breath and straighten your arms up; turning the forearms, brushes to each other;

Once the wrists are in the desired position, achieve an isometric contraction to focus the load on the inside of the pectoral muscles.

8. Breeding dumbbells lying

Lying dumbbell raises - this exercise localizes the effort mainly on the pectoralis major muscle. This is a basic exercise for increasing chest volume and helps to increase lung capacity. In addition, it gives elasticity to the muscles.

The mechanics of the lying dumbbell breeding exercise:

The exercise is performed lying on your back on a narrow bench, allowing you to freely move your shoulders. Hold dumbbells on slightly bent arms to reduce their tension in elbow joint:
- inhale and spread your arms to the sides so that your elbows are at shoulder level horizontally;
- raise your arms vertically upwards, exhaling at the same time;
- in the vertical position of the hands, do short-term isometric tension in order to concentrate the main emphasis on the inside of the pectoralis major muscle.

9. Incline dumbbell bench press

Incline dumbbell bench press - this exercise is like an intermediate exercise between the barbell bench press, lying on an incline bench, and dumbbell breeding on an incline bench, and primarily involves the clavicular parts of the pectoral muscles. It also engages the anterior deltoids, serratus anterior, and pectoralis minor (holding both shoulder blades and allowing the arms to interact with the torso), as well as the triceps, but to a lesser extent than barbell push-ups.

The mechanics of the exercise dumbbell press lying on an incline bench:

The exercise is performed lying on a bench with an inclination angle of 45 ° to 60 ° (the angle of inclination should be less than 60 ° to avoid too much tension in the deltoid muscles). Hold the dumbbells near the chest with the arms lowered down, bent at the elbows, the hands are in the pronation position
- take a breath and straighten your arms up;
- exhale at the end of the movement.
10. Breeding dumbbells lying on an incline bench

Breeding dumbbells, lying on an incline bench - the exercise localizes the effort mainly on the upper parts of the pectoralis major muscle. Along with pulling a dumbbell or barbell ("pull-over"), this exercise is basic for chest enlargement.

The exercise is performed while sitting on a bench with an inclination angle of 45° to 60°. Hold dumbbells on slightly bent arms to reduce their tension in the elbow joint:
- take a breath and spread your arms to the sides so that the elbows are at the same horizontal level with the shoulders;
- raise your arms vertically upwards, exhaling at the same time;
- in the vertical position of the hands, do short-term isometric muscle tension in order to concentrate the effort on the clavicular part of the pectoralis major muscle.

11. Dumbbell bench press with elbows pressed along the body.

This is one of the rare exercises that those who suffer from the well-known "junction syndrome" can perform.

Moreover, this exercise can be used as a recovery after a rupture of the pectoralis major muscle, since the bench press with the elbows located along the body reduces the stretch of the pectoralis major muscle and thereby reduces the risk of tears in the affected area.

Performing the exercise:

Lying on your back. Bend the chest, slightly close the shoulder blades. Hold the dumbbells in both hands, put your feet on the floor, bend your elbows and press to the body:

Take a breath and squeeze the dumbbells up;

At the end of the movement, exhale.

Returning to the starting position, control the movement

12 . Dumbbell pull from behind the head "PULL-OVER"

Dumbbell row lying behind the head "semi-ver" - the exercise develops the inner part of the pectoralis major muscle, the long head of the triceps, the large round muscle, the latissimus dorsi, as well as the serratus anterior, rhomboid and pectoralis minor muscles. These last three muscle groups give the shoulder blades a stable position.

This exercise can be done to strengthen the chest.
In order not to overload the triceps, use light dumbbells.
If possible, lie down across a horizontal bench so that the level of the pelvis is lowered below the level of the shoulder girdle.
It is very important to take a deep breath before the movement, and exhale only at the very end of the movement.

The mechanics of the exercise Dumbbell row lying behind the head "PULL-OVER":

The exercise is performed lying on a bench. Put your feet on the floor. Hold one dumbbell with both hands on straight arms; placing your palms on the inner surface of the dumbbell discs. Grasp the dumbbell handle with the thumbs and forefingers of both hands:
- inhale and lower the dumbbell behind your head, slightly bending your elbows, then return to the starting position, straightening your arms;
- At the end of the movement, exhale.

13. Barbell row "PULL-OVER"

Barbell row "PULL-OVER" - the exercise develops the pectoralis major muscle, the long head of the triceps, the large round muscle; the latissimus dorsi muscle, as well as the serratus anterior, rhomboid muscle and pectoralis minor muscle.

It perfectly expands the chest.
When doing it, use loads with light weights and watch the position of the torso and proper breathing.

The mechanics of the exercise "PULL-OVER":

The exercise is performed lying on a bench. Put your feet on the floor. Hold the barbell with straight arms with an overhand grip no wider than shoulder width:
- take a breath, fill the lungs with air as much as possible, lower the barbell behind the head, slightly bending the arms at the elbows;

16. Mixing in a crossover

Attach the handlebars to the crossover cables running through top blocks, and grab them with an overhand grip. Stand exactly in the middle between the legs of the crossover and take a small step forward with one foot. This will give the body a more stable position.
Slightly bend your knees and tilt your torso forward 10-20°. Slightly bend your elbows and lock the elbow joint in this position until the end of the set.
Take a deep breath and, holding your breath, bring the handles in front of your stomach, just below your chest. At the top point of the handle should touch each other or cross.
Pause, exhale and slowly return to the starting position.
Throughout the set, the torso, legs, elbows and wrists are fixed. All movement occurs exclusively in the shoulder joint. Exercises for the abs.

Shoulder exercises

Expander exercises.

Back to MAIN.

Hello! Let's take a look at the best chest exercises that can take you to a whole new level. Naturally, I will give specific practical schemes for different levels of fitness and note many interesting features in the training of the pectoral muscles.

About anatomy and growth rules for pectoral muscles

The most basic thing that you must definitely pay attention to and be sure to remember is that the pectoral muscles consist of:

• Pectoralis major(M. pectoralis major);
• Pectoralis Minor Muscle(m. pectoralis minor);
• serratus anterior(m. serratus anterior);

Another VERY IMPORTANT POINT is that the chest (pectoral) muscles are unique to some extent, because they are attached at different angles to the sternum and collarbones, FORMING THE LETTER "G", which is why they need to be trained at different angles.

As you can see, it's not all that difficult. We must train different sections of the pectoral muscles from different angles.

Now a little about the rules for the growth of not only the pectoral muscles, but also all muscle groups, in principle.

For high-quality powerful growth of any muscle group, you need to follow only three basic rules:

I already talked about this in an article about training the pectoral muscles at home, I gave the link above, read it.

You must recover well.(often split meals 6-12 times a day and sleep well for 8-10 hours).

You must feel the muscles you are exercising., and turn off all other muscles from work.

That, in fact, is all that can be said about this.

The main mistakes in training the pectoral muscles

Many people make the same mistakes when training their chest. These mistakes severely hinder possible progress.

Too much weight on the projectile

In any gym, you can see a similar mistake when, even not always a beginner, uses too much weight on the barbell or dumbbells.

Writhes, grimaces, helps himself with his legs, back, all parts of the body, just to squeeze the weight, believing that the more he presses, the better the progress of the pectoral muscles.

This is not true. The load in this way is simply “smeared” over other muscles, leaving the chest. The chest, of course, does not grow.

The body is always trying to conserve energy, therefore, will tend to violate the technique of performing exercises.

Your task is to follow the progression of the load, but in such a way that at the same time you maintain the correct technique.

Using only a horizontal bench in exercises

Many people overestimate the importance of the flat bench press for chest growth.

As we said, the pectoral muscles (pectoral) are attached to the collarbones and sternum at different angles, respectively, they need to be trained at different angles of the bench.

The bench press on a horizontal bench works mainly on the lower chest region, which itself grows much easier than the upper one, but it is much smaller in size.

Accordingly, for the development of the pectoral muscles, this is not the most preferred bench press option.

Only by experimenting with the sensations of the pectoral muscles at different angles of the bench, you can achieve their comprehensive development.

By the way, I don’t do flat bench presses at all, but only bench presses (20-30 degrees), and my chest often looks better than many people who focus on bench presses on a horizontal bench.

Few basic exercises and a lot of isolating

Some beginners focus on isolating exercises, believing that in this way they will expand the chest, and work "on the form." THIS IS MISTAKE!

It is possible, but not in the form in which they do it. More on this later, but in general, the classic version: FIRST BASIC EXERCISES (bench presses), and THEN ISOLATION (dumbbell reversals, crossover pullovers, pullover, etc.).

It is the basic exercises that will allow you to take more weight on the projectile and make it easier to progress the load.

Then there are isolation exercises that can tire your muscles even more deeply, well, fill them with blood.

There is an option when you can do isolating exercises instead of basic ones, namely when training SLOW MUSCLE FIBERS! This so-called STATODYNAMICS!

In order for the pressure in your body not to create problems during MIM training, you need to focus on isolating exercises and give preference to “sitting” exercises over “standing” ones.

However, we talked about this . And we will talk in more detail in other articles.

Too much rest between sets and exercises

This moment is very important. If you want yourself a beautiful, aesthetic chest, then you should not rest for more than 1-1.5 minutes. Maximum 2 minutes!

With each approach, fatigue should be stronger and stronger.

A good indicator that you are doing everything right is to REDUCE THE NUMBER OF REPS IN EACH SET!

If you do a set to failure every time, then you probably won't be able to complete the same number of reps on the next set. It will be something like this:

1. 80 kg x 10;
2. 80 kg x 9;
3. 80 kg x 8;
4. 80 kg x 7;
5. 80 kg x 6;

Too many chest exercises

This is how your efforts are scattered. I always think that it is better to do the 3-4 most effective exercises per muscle group, but increase the number of sets to 5-6, or even 7, than to do 7-8 exercises, doing 2-3 sets in each.

When people run from one machine to another, first the barbell press, then the dumbbell press, then the bars, then the hammer, then the wiring, then the crossover, etc., then, most likely, as strange as it sounds, they provide insufficient load.

I'm not talking about professional athletes who can train for 2 hours or more. I'm counting on the average person who wants to develop breasts of impressive size.

And in the training of professionals, you can often find only 4-5 exercises per 1 muscle group.

CORRECT "bodybuilding" technique

These tips are for the bodybuilder, not the powerlifter. The main goal of bodybuilding is to increase muscle volume while maintaining an aesthetic physique.

NOT OVERCOMING THE MAXIMUM WEIGHT, BUT INCREASING THE VOLUME OF MUSCLES, WHILE KEEPING THE IDEAL PROPORTIONS! Feel the difference?

In order for the muscles to grow, the load must increase, we talked about this at the very beginning of the article. But the load should grow not only stupidly due to an increase in weight on the projectile, but also due to the “turning off” of the remaining muscles from work and complicating work on the target group, i.e. breast.

Naturally, this will reduce your weight on the bar, but the load will hit right on target.

To complicate the work of our chest, the following conditions must be met:

• Partial range of motion- an excellent solution for bodybuilding, because. allows you to keep the muscles in constant tension (no rest). By reducing the amplitude, the weight on the bar will practically not fall. You can work with your previous working weight.
• Rod trajectory– the bar must move IN ARC! Start at the bottom of the chest, and end at the top of the chest.
• Leg position- The legs of a bodybuilder should be higher than that of a powerlifter. You can put them on a stand or move the bench to the dumbbell row and put them there. Thus, you remove the “bridge” (do not bend in the back), thereby isolating the pectoral muscles even more. Plus, in this position, you do not help yourself with your legs, without involving other muscles in the work.
• Breast contraction at rest- you must learn to contract the pectoral muscles in a calm state, i.e. how to "twitch" them. Focus on contracting them so you can more easily feel them while working in the gym.
• Grip width and forearm position- the width of the grip should be such that at the lower point of the amplitude of movement of the barbells, the forearms become PARALLEL to each other. If you are working in a partial amplitude, then the grip should be slightly wider than usual.
• Do not fold shoulder blades- this helps to squeeze more weight, but takes the load off the chest. You will squeeze more weight, but the chest will receive less load.
• Bench tilt- about 20-30 degrees up from the horizontal allows you to distribute the load more evenly throughout the chest.
• Number of sets and repetitions- the classic rep mode for a bodybuilder 6-12. This applies to training fast muscle fibers. For slow ones, the range is slightly different (they are guided by the failure time of 30-50 seconds). Approaches, as a rule, should not be done less than 4. Still, the chest is a large muscle group.
• Open grip- this is a grip when the thumb does not close the brushes in a ring around the neck. This helps to better focus on chest contraction, BUT THIS GRIP IS DANGEROUS FOR BEGINNERS, so only suitable for more advanced lifters.

Exercises for chest muscles

Exercises for the chest muscles should be divided into two large groups:

1. PRESS(barbells, dumbbells, in Smith).
2. BREEDINGS(dumbbells, in a crossover, hummers, etc.).

Presses are basic exercises (2 joints work: shoulder + elbow), and dilutions are insulating (1 joint works: shoulder). That is why we will begin our workout with bench presses, and end with dilutions for deeper fatigue.

PRESS (depending on the projectile):

• Barbell;
• Dumbbells;
• Rama (in Smith);

PRESS (depending on the angle of the bench):

• Upside down;
• Horizontal;
• Upside down;

PRESS (depending on grip width):

• Wide;
• Average;
• Narrow;

As you can see, there are a lot of options.

The higher the slope of your body, the more the top of the chest works and the less the bottom. But the slope should not be more than 40-45 degrees, because. the higher the inclination of the head, the more they are included in the work and triceps.

Therefore, I advise you to tilt your torso at about 20-30 degrees. So the load will fall more evenly than in the absence of an angle of inclination.

If the inclination of the torso, on the contrary, is below the horizontal, then the lower chest works more, but the triceps are more involved in the work. Deltas at a negative angle of inclination are turned off.

The narrower the grip, the greater the range of motion and it becomes more difficult to press. But the narrower the grip becomes, the more triceps are included in the work.

Accordingly, if we single out some ideal formula, then from the point of view of efficiency, it is necessary to reap:

Medium grip, on a bench with a positive slope of 20-30 degrees from the horizontal.

Now let's pick the best chest exercises in terms of effectiveness.

Chest exercises that work the most

These chest exercises should be in the arsenal of every bodybuilder.

Incline Bench Press

Perhaps exercise number 1 for building huge pectoral muscles.

As I said, a slope of about 20-30 degrees would be optimal. Above is not necessary, because. deltas will definitely be connected to the work.

Very often, sports equipment manufacturers make a fixed bench angle of 45 degrees. This is very sucks, because. necessarily includes the work of the delta.

Therefore, I would advise you to take a regular incline bench with the ability to change the angle of inclination and put squat racks on the sides of it, put the bar there and voila. The bench we need is ready.

As for grip width. We take the bar with the MIDDLE GRIP, because. this gives us a large range of motion, and accordingly complicates the work, and does not allow the triceps to get involved in the work.

We try to work INSIDE THE AMPLITUDE (do not touch the chest with the bar and do not straighten the elbows at the top point completely), this will not allow the chest to turn off.

Next important point, RAISE YOUR FEET! You can bring yourself a footrest, for example. This will prevent you from arching the bridge so that the load does not go to the legs, back, etc. you need to press WITHOUT BRIDGE (back is straight). You lose the ability to "cheat".

Now for the breath. There is nothing unusual here. Exhale on effort, inhale when lowering the barbell down.

As for the elbows, THEY SHOULD BE DIVIDED TO THE SIDES! This way you will focus on the chest, not the triceps (when the elbows are parallel to the body, then the triceps work).

I also recommend doing 6-12 reps. I generally work in the 6-10 rep range. Although, if you are just starting out, then you can do even more repetitions, about 15-20. Pick up the weight so that muscle failure occurs precisely in this rep range.

You DO NOT need to do any other barbell presses yet!

Let's structure a little the received information about this type of bench press.

Technique:

1. Lie down on the bench, REMOVE THE BRIDGE, press your back firmly against the bench! You can additionally THROW THE LEGS UP to isolate the pectoral muscles. So you can lift less weight, but the LOAD WILL GO PURELY INTO THE CHEST MUSCLES, and will not be smeared on the front delta, triceps and back.
2. We take the neck of the bar a little wider than the shoulders (at the bottom point, your forearms should be parallel).
3. After that, we lower the barbell down WITHOUT TOUCHING THE CHEST MUSCLE AT THE LOWER POINT! Feel your pectorals stretch. At the same time we take air into the lungs.
4. Now with a POWERFUL MOVEMENT, focusing on the work of the pectoral muscles, squeeze the bar UP.

Important: DO NOT STRAIGHTEN YOUR ELBOWS FULLY, so as not to remove the load from the pectoral muscles and not take it to the elbow joints.

1. Now CONTRACT YOUR CHEST by applying PEAK CONTRACTION.

Important: Imagine that your arms are at the elbow from the shoulder, this is just a LINK, and your arms end at the elbows. PUSH ELBOWS, NOT HANDS! So you will emphasize the load on the pectoral muscles, removing it from the front delta and triceps.

Exercises for the pectoral muscles are a great variety of different pressing and spreading-reducing movements, the purpose of which is a comprehensive high-quality study of the target muscle group from different angles. The chest muscles are one of the hallmarks of an athletic physique, and also one of the three largest muscle groups in the human body. Without its development, it is simply impossible to imagine a proportionally developed torso.

In this article, we will try to answer the most frequently asked questions regarding chest training in the broadest sense of the word. What exercises to do to pump up the pectoral muscles? What are the most effective exercises on the pectoral muscles? What basic exercises for the pectoral muscles should be done? We will answer these and many other questions with our large list of the most important, effective and popular exercises with a full description of the technique and features of their implementation.

Bench press lying on a horizontal bench

This exercise targets your mid, lower and upper chest. It is the best basic exercise for the growth of pectoral muscles, their mass and strength. Recommended for everyone, from beginner to experienced athlete, at the very beginning of chest training.

Exercise technique

1. Lie down on a bench so that the barbell is at eye level. The head, shoulders and buttocks are pressed to the bench, the back is slightly rounded in the lower back, the feet are wider than the shoulders and rest on the floor. 2. Grasp the bar with a wide grip so that the distance between the palms is wider than the shoulders. 3. After removing the bar from the stops, the arms should be straightened, but not locked at the elbows. The bar should be above the middle of the chest. 4. Taking a deep breath, lower the bar to your lower chest. As soon as the neck touches the chest, powerfully exhale the bar up. 5. Lower the bar at a slow or moderate pace. You need to squeeze it from the chest at a moderate or fast pace. 6. Don't pause at the bottom. As soon as the bar touches the chest, immediately press it up.

Technique Tips

• Relaxing at the bottom point, you relieve tension from the chest, and in order to squeeze the barbell you will have to make irrational efforts.
• Holding your breath before exhaling will help you sway less and better balance the weight on the bench, which will make the exercise somewhat easier.
• When pressing, do it on an exhalation, this will greatly help you press the bar to the end. You can also ask a partner to help you.

Incline Bench Press

This exercise on the upper part of the pectoral muscles is shaping, expanding and lifting exactly the top of the chest. Recommended for everyone, from beginner to experienced lifter, at the very beginning of chest training, after or instead of bench presses on a horizontal bench.

Exercise technique

1. The exercise is performed on a bench with an inclination of 35-40 degrees relative to the horizontal. Lie down on a bench, put your feet wider than your shoulders and rest them on the floor. Press your hips, shoulders and head to the bench. 2. Grasp the barbell with a shoulder-width grip. 3. Remove the bar from the stops and lower it to the top of the chest. Inhale and push the bar up. 4. It is necessary to exhale only after overcoming the most difficult section of the movement of the bar until the moment when the arms are straightened. 5. After inhaling and holding your breath again, slowly lower the bar to the top of your chest, then immediately press the bar up at the moment of contact. 6. The exercise is performed slowly, at a moderate pace.

Technique Tips

• Holding your breath in the upward phase of the bar will help the muscles of the body and lower back hold the body position more firmly and increase its stability on the bench.
• No matter how hard it is for you, do not bring your elbows to the body. This shifts the load on the shoulders to a great extent and takes it off the chest muscles, so keep your elbows wider
• If you want to achieve maximum contraction of the muscles of the upper chest, try to straighten your arms completely, but again, not to the point of locking in the elbow joints.
• Don't grab the bar too wide. This will significantly reduce the range of motion and, accordingly, reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
• No need to spring the bar from the chest. In other words, do not throw it down so that it goes up by pushing off the chest by inertia. So you can get hurt
• No need to use excessive weight. It is the technique of its implementation that plays the decisive role in the exercise.
• Throughout the approach, keep the muscles of the body in tension, so you will ensure yourself a stable position on the bench.
• If you use an adjustable-angle bench, keep in mind that an angle less than 30 degrees will shift the load to the middle of the chest, and more than 30 degrees - to the deltas.

Incline Bench Press

This exercise on the bottom of the pectoral muscles is formative. Its purpose is to compact and clearly highlight the lower part of the pectoral muscles. Recommended for advanced and more experienced athletes. It is usually performed in the middle of a chest workout.

Exercise technique

1. The exercise is performed on a bench with a slope of 30-45 degrees below the horizontal. Sit on the bench, put your legs behind the support rollers and then lie down. 2. The head, shoulders and buttocks must be pressed against the bench. The back in the lower back should be flat, it is not necessary to arch or round it. 3. You need to grab the bar slightly wider than your shoulders. Remove the bar from the stops and squeeze the bar up until the arms are fully extended. 4. After inhaling and holding your breath, slowly lower the bar to the bottom of your chest. 5. At the moment the bar touches the chest, immediately squeeze it to its original position. 6. You need to exhale at the moment of overcoming the most difficult part of the range of motion.

Technique Tips

• Too heavy a barbell in the exercise is useless. It will force you to hold at the bottom of the amplitude, and this will shift the focus of the load on the triceps.
• Exhalation in this exercise is crucial. As you lie head down, exhaling lowers the blood pressure in your head.
• At the end of the approach, you need to get up from the bench, or sit down, taking an upright position. It will also help normalize blood pressure.
• Keep in mind that if you have high blood pressure, or if you have problems with blood circulation, this exercise is not recommended.

Dumbbell bench press lying on a horizontal bench

This exercise for the pectoral muscles is basic. It tightens, inflates the middle of the chest, its upper and lower parts. Recommended for all athletes, from beginner to experienced. Most often used at the beginning of a chest workout, mainly after bench presses.

Exercise technique

1. Take dumbbells from the racks or from the floor. Sit on a bench and place the dumbbells on your lap. Assuming a prone position, they can be pushed with their knees to their original position. 2. Lie down on the bench and make sure that the shoulders and buttocks are firmly pressed against it. The back in the lower back can be slightly rounded, put the feet wider than the shoulders and rest on the floor. 3. In the starting position, the arms are fully extended, but not to the point of blocking the elbow joints. Dumbbells in this position should be above the middle of the chest. 4. After inhaling, hold your breath and lower the dumbbells in a wide arc, so that at the bottom point they are slightly wider than your shoulders. The elbows do not go down, but diverge to the sides. 5. As soon as the dumbbells are at the bottom point of the amplitude, immediately, powerfully squeeze them up in a wide arc so that at the top point they lightly touch.

Technique Tips

• The weight in this exercise should be taken slightly less than the one with which you work in a similar exercise with a barbell. This is due to the complexity of coordination and trajectory of hand movement.
• Remember to keep your core tight at all times, as this helps to greatly increase the stability of your body position on the bench.
• You should not try arching your lower back, or tearing your pelvis off the bench to help yourself. By doing this, you violate the technique of performing the exercise and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.

Incline dumbbell bench press

This upper chest exercise shapes, thickens and shapes the upper chest as well as the inner edge of the pectoralis major. Recommended for everyone from beginner to experienced lifter, usually followed by a bench press.

Exercise technique

1. The exercise is performed on an adjustable bench with an inclination of 30-45 degrees relative to the horizontal. Lie down on a bench, put your feet wider than your shoulders and rest them on the floor. 2. Holding the dumbbells on your knees, push them up and bring them to a position slightly wider than shoulder width. Throughout the approach, the head and eyes look up. 3. Inhale, hold your breath and squeeze the dumbbells up so that at the top they are exactly above the shoulders and lightly touching. 4. At the top point, the arms should be fully extended. Take a deep breath and holding your breath, lower the dumbbells down. 5. At the bottom point of the amplitude, without stopping, press the dumbbells powerfully up at the cut. 6. For a better study of the chest, press the dumbbells not strictly up, but in a wide arc.

Technique Tips

• By holding your breath, you maintain tension in your stabilizing muscles. This greatly increases the stability of the body on the bench.
• When performing pressing movements, do not bring your elbows together and do not turn them in or out. They strictly look to the sides and move in a vertical plane.
• It is necessary to fully straighten your arms and bring the dumbbells together for the reasons that otherwise you will not be able to “break through” the anterior serratus muscle and the inner edge of the top of the pectoralis major muscle.
• If you don’t reduce the dumbbells at the top point, and they diverge wider than your shoulders, you can thus overload the lateral edge of the pectoralis major muscle.

Incline dumbbell bench press

This exercise on the bottom of the pectoral muscles is formative. It undercuts and lifts the lower part of the pectoralis major muscle and gives it a firmer and more defined shape. Recommended for advanced and experienced athletes, most often in the middle of a chest workout.

Exercise technique

1. The exercise is performed on a bench with a slope of 30-45 degrees below the horizontal. Take dumbbells, sit on a bench, put your legs behind the stubborn rollers and then lie down. 2. Press the dumbbells all the way up. The arms should be fully extended, but not locked at the elbows, the dumbbells lightly touching each other. 3. Inhale, hold your breath and slowly lower the dumbbells in a wide arc to the edges of your chest. At the same time, the elbows should look strictly to the sides. 4. At the lowest point, immediately, without delay, press the dumbbells upwards in a wide arc. At the top, they should touch slightly. 5. Exhale after passing the most difficult part of the movement of the dumbbells.

Technique Tips

• Watch the movement of the dumbbells and do not press them straight up, but not in the direction of the stomach. So you can lose control over them and get out of hand.
• Keep your stabilizer muscles engaged at all times, as this keeps your body in a stable position. This is important, since you don’t have the opportunity to rest your feet on the floor.
• It is important to exhale strongly at the moment of overcoming the most difficult part of the amplitude. This helps to reduce excessive intra-abdominal and intra-thoracic pressure.
• You should not linger at the bottom of the movement of the dumbbells, as this can cause an increase in pressure and excessive blood flow to the head.
• By reducing the dumbbells over the chest, you can qualitatively work out the inner edge of the latissimus maximus muscle and achieve a clear division of the chest muscles in the center.
• To avoid excessive blood flow to the head, do not lie between sets. Get up, sit, stand or walk. Move your body to a vertical position.
• In this exercise, you can lower the dumbbells even below chest level, thus increasing the range of motion and stretching the chest muscles more.

Chest press in the simulator while sitting

This exercise for the pectoral muscles is used to highlight the shape and outline, which adds to them "stripes". Most often recommended for beginners as well as more experienced lifters, often in the middle or at the end of a chest workout, after barbell and/or dumbbell presses.

Exercise technique

1. The machine seat or handlebars must be adjusted so that they are at or slightly below shoulder level. 2. Sit with your back and head pressed against the back. Place your legs wider than your shoulders, with your feet resting on the floor. 3. Grip the handles shoulder-width apart or slightly wider. 4. Inhale and holding your breath, squeeze the handles away from you. 5. You exhale at the moment of overcoming the most difficult part of the movement. 6. Slowly lower the handles to your chest. At the bottom point, do not linger, but immediately press the handles away from you with a powerful movement.

Technique Tips

• It is not advisable to make a pause at the bottom point, as this will require an extra expenditure of energy to perform the main work.
• Holding your breath allows you to develop a more powerful effort. Strength increases by about 20% compared to when the exercise is performed without holding the breath.
• If such a power station has handles of different grips, you can alternate it in approaches, which will allow you to work out the muscles from different angles.
• When returning the handles to their original position, do not take your hands too far back, this is fraught with injury to the shoulder joint.

Breeding dumbbells lying on a horizontal bench

This exercise for the pectoral muscles emphasizes the load on their middle and inner part, which gives the chest volume and clarity in separation. Recommended for everyone, from beginner to experienced athlete, in the middle or end of a workout after pressing exercises.

Exercise technique

1. Lie down on a horizontal bench, press your head, shoulders and buttocks firmly against the bench. Keep your back straight, put your feet wider than your shoulders and rest them on the floor. 2. Take dumbbells and lift them clearly above the middle of the chest. They should lightly touch each other. Bend your arms slightly at the elbows. The angle in the elbows until the end of the approach always remains unchanged. 3. Take a deep breath, hold your breath and raise the dumbbells to the sides. At the same time, the elbows are always looking to the sides. 4. At the bottom of the amplitude, without delay, change the direction of movement and, along the same trajectory, bring the dumbbells back over the middle of the chest. 5. Having passed the most difficult section of the amplitude, you can exhale.

Technique Tips

• Too heavy dumbbells in this exercise are useless. They will force you to bend your elbows more, which will reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
• Excessive weight will also negatively affect the range of motion. Under its weight, you will lower the dumbbells below shoulder level, which can lead to injury to the shoulder joint.
• Holding the breath allows you to group the whole body. This adds stability to your body position on the bench.
• It is recommended to exhale only after the most difficult part of the movement of the dumbbells, as this helps to relieve excess pressure in the chest.
• Throughout the approach, make sure that the angle at the elbows is in a fixed position. The arm moves exclusively in the shoulder joint, the elbow and hand are motionless.

Breeding dumbbells lying on a bench with an upward slope

This exercise on the upper part of the pectoral muscles gives a distinct shape to the top of the chest, specifically highlighting its inner upper edge. Recommended for everyone from beginner to experienced lifter in the middle or at the end of a workout after barbell and/or dumbbell presses.

Exercise technique

1. The exercise is performed on a bench with an inclination of 30-45 in relation to the horizontal. Lie down on a bench, keep your back straight, put your feet wider than your shoulders and rest them on the floor. 2. Bring the dumbbells together over the upper part of the chest. The arms are slightly bent at the elbows. The angle at the elbows remains the same throughout the approach. 3. Inhale, holding your breath, spread your arms to the sides. At the same time, the elbows look to the sides, it is impossible to turn them to the body. 4. At the bottom point, without delay, change direction and slowly bring the dumbbells over your chest so that they lightly touch. 5. Exhale only after overcoming the most difficult part of the movement of the dumbbells.

Technique Tips

• Unlike bench exercises, in dilutions, the weight should be slightly reduced, since the correct execution technique is more important than a lot of weight.
• By doing straight-arm raises, you put dangerous strain on your elbow joints. The elbows remain in the same slightly bent position throughout the approach.
• Do not breed dumbbells beyond measure. Lowering them below shoulder level, you risk injuring the shoulder joints, which is also fraught with tendon rupture.
• Holding the breath, as well as the rigid position of the feet on the floor, guarantees a stable position of the body on the bench during the exercise.
• The pace of the exercise should not be too high, as the technique will suffer from this and the dilutions will look more like a bench press.
• Control the range of motion of the dumbbells and do not bring them back behind your head or forward towards your stomach. So you can lose control over them and miss them.

Pullover with dumbbell lying down

This exercise for the chest muscles also involves the latissimus dorsi, serratus, triceps and anterior bundle of deltas. This shaping exercise details and shapes the muscles. Recommended for everyone, from beginner to experienced, at the end of a chest workout.

Exercise technique

1. Take a dumbbell required weight, sit on the edge of a horizontal bench and grasp the dumbbell with both hands on the bar so that the palm overlaps the palm. 2. Lie down on a bench and lift a dumbbell. In the starting position, the back is even, the legs are wide apart and rest on the floor. The dumbbell is at eye level. 3. Inhale and holding your breath, lower the dumbbell on straight arms in a wide arc behind your head. At the lowest point, it should be behind the head, below the top of the head. 4. Do not linger at the bottom point. As soon as you feel that you have lowered the dumbbell as low as possible, immediately return it to its original position. 5. Exhalation can be done by overcoming the most difficult part of the amplitude. As soon as the dumbbell is above eye level again, inhale and continue the exercise.

Technique Tips

• The cornerstone of this exercise is straight arms. Do not bend your elbows for anything, otherwise the pullover will turn into a French press and the effectiveness of the exercise will drop.
• Keep your arms straight throughout the approach, but not to the point of locking in the elbow joint. Fix a small angle and hold it until the end of the approach.
• Holding the breath during the exercise allows not only to stabilize the body on the bench, but also to develop a much greater effort.
• Do not use excessive weight in the exercise. At the bottom point, he will pull his arms down and can easily dislocate the shoulder or elbow joints.
• A variation is possible, lying across the bench. Leaving the shoulder blades on the bench and lowering the pelvis to the floor, you can increase the amplitude and stretch the pectoral muscles more.
• A variation of the exercise is possible with literally any weight. It can be a barbell, kettlebell, barbell disc, medicine ball and more.

Information in the simulator "Butterfly"

This exercise for the pectoral muscles adds “stripes” to them, outlines their inner edges, clearly separates the left and right pectoral muscles in the center of the body. Recommended for everyone from beginner to experienced lifter at the end of a chest workout, after presses and dips.

Exercise technique

1. Adjust the seat of the simulator or the handles so that in the initial position, when you take them, the elbow is at shoulder level. 2. Sit down, keep your back straight, put your legs wider than your shoulders and rest your feet on the floor. 3. While inhaling, holding your breath, bring your hands together in front of you. 4. Slowly, spread the handles until they are at shoulder level. 5. Move smoothly, without delay.

Technique Tips

• Don't put your hands over the shoulder line too much. If your muscles are not warm enough or your shoulder joints are not flexible enough, injury can result.
• Do not relax the muscles during the negative phase of the return of the handles back. By removing tension from the muscles, you reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
• Keep your core muscles tight at all times, this will keep your body stable on the machine and give you a slight boost in strength.

Information in the crossover through the upper blocks

This exercise on the bottom of the pectoral muscles is used to highlight the lower part of the pectoralis major muscle and a clear separation of the chest muscles in the center of the body. Recommended for advanced and more experienced lifters at the end of a chest workout after presses and dips.

Exercise technique

1. Attach the appropriate handles to the top cable carabiners. Stand clearly in the center of the crossover and take a step forward to bring your body into a stable position. 2. Keep your back straight and lean forward slightly. 3. Slightly bend your elbows. Until the end of the approach, this position of the elbows should remain unchanged. The movement is performed exclusively in the shoulder joint. 4. Take a deep breath and holding your breath, bring the handles in front of you until they touch each other or a little further, crossing your arms. 5. At the moment of bringing the handles together, pause and hold the peak contraction in the muscles for at least a couple of seconds. Then slowly return your hands to the starting position.

Technique Tips

• Too heavy weight in this exercise is useless, since you will not be able to maintain a given angle at the elbows and will either bend your arms strongly or straighten them completely.
• Again, do not try to help yourself with the whole body by taking significant weight. This will only take the load off the chest and reduce the effectiveness of the exercise.
• Bring your hands together in a wide arc, as if in a circle. By bending your elbows, you will perform a pressing movement rather than a reduction.
• By bringing your arms too high, you shift the emphasis of the load on the upper chest and shoulders. By bringing the arms too low, the load is shifted to the bottom of the chest.
• By holding your breath and keeping your core muscles tense all the time, you increase the stability of the body during the exercise.

Information in the crossover through the lower blocks

This exercise on the upper part of the pectoral muscles accentuates the upper part of the chest and is used to clearly separate the left and right pectoralis major muscles in the center of the body. Recommended for advanced and experienced athletes at the end of a chest workout.

Exercise technique

1. Attach the appropriate handles to the lower cable carabiners. Stand clearly in the center of the crossover and take a step forward to bring your body into a stable position. 2. Slightly tilt the body forward, fix a slight angle in the elbows and keep it unchanged throughout the approach. 3. Take a deep breath and holding your breath, bring the handles in front of you, at chest level. At the moment of convergence, the handles should lightly touch or even cross. 4. At the moment of contact, pause, hold the peak contraction in the muscles for a couple of seconds, exhale and slowly return the handles to their original position. 5. The body, legs and elbows are motionless throughout the approach. All movements are performed exclusively in the shoulder joint.

Technique Tips

• Keep your core muscles tense at all times, even in the negative phase when you return the handles to their original position.
• Performing the exercise with too much weight, you can break the technique and injure the elbow or shoulder joints.
• Bringing your hands too high, to the level of the chin or even to the level of the eyes, you shift the emphasis of the load on the upper edge of the pectoral muscles in the collarbone area.
• To involve the serratus muscles in the work, be sure to try not only to reduce, but also to cross your arms at the time of bringing the handles together.
• For a qualitative study of the entire volume of the pectoral muscles, it is recommended to alternate information in the crossover through the upper and through the lower blocks.

Pushups

This exercise for pumping the pectoral muscles is basic and involves the middle, lower and upper chest, as well as triceps, front bundles of deltas, forearms and abs. Recommended for everyone from beginner to experienced lifter at the beginning, middle or end of a chest workout.

Exercise technique

1. From a standing position, kneel with your feet together. Take an emphasis lying down with your hands shoulder-width apart. The back is straight, the head does not look at the floor, but forward. 2. Take a deep breath, hold your breath and lower your body to the floor until your chest touches it. 3. Without delay at the bottom point, with a powerful movement, return to the starting position. 4. Exhalation must be done at the moment of overcoming the most difficult part of the movement.

Technique Tips

• You can shift the emphasis of the load on the upper chest by placing your feet on a raised platform.
• You can shift the emphasis of the load on the lower part of the chest by placing your hands on a raised platform.
• You can shift the emphasis of the load on the outer part of the chest by placing your palms wider than your shoulders.
• You can shift the emphasis of the load on the inside of the chest by placing your palms together.
• In case your level of training does not allow you to perform the exercise on straight legs, you can keep the emphasis not on toes, but on bent knees.

Afterword

At the beginning of the article, we wondered what exercises to pump up the pectoral muscles? And already now, we can say with confidence that in this article we have considered perhaps the most effective of them. The list of exercises given here could be called the most complete if it were not constantly supplemented with new exercises, with different equipment, with a slightly modified technique for performing exercises, and so on. There are quite a few modifications of such exercises, each of which is aimed at its own, special and somewhat characteristic study of the muscles from some new angle. Nevertheless, in order to begin to innovate with complexly coordinated exercises, it is necessary to first master this theoretical minimum, and then polish the technical maximum in practice. The exercises for pumping up the pectoral muscles given here are more than enough for constantly changing training programs and adding variety to the training process, regardless of your goals.

Conclusion

Exercise technique is the area of ​​knowledge that is mandatory for a personal trainer to study and master. Without this knowledge, the coach cannot begin to perform his duties directly. Learn the technique, improve it and also remember that literally in every exercise you can make certain minor adjustments, be it a change in grip, body position, working equipment and more. The set of exercises for the pectoral muscles given here gives you the opportunity to master the basic knowledge in order to layer more complex exercises and their variations in the future.

The stronger the muscles of the chest, the more proportional the figure will be. In addition, a strengthened chest musculature improves the quality of training, reduces the risk of injury, and helps in pumping other muscle groups, such as biceps and triceps. For men and women involved in fitness, the study of the pectoral muscles is of great importance. This muscle group is one of the largest on the body, so it needs special attention.

The training program should be developed taking into account the individual characteristics of the athlete, as well as knowledge of anatomy. The chest consists of two parts - this is the large and small pectoral muscles. Also conditionally, this area is divided into bottom and top. There are no separate exercises for the inner and outer parts, the pumping of these zones is carried out together, but for the upper and lower parts of the lesson they will be different. You can work out to strengthen and tighten the pectoral muscles at home or in the gym.

To achieve an increase and development of the pectoral muscles at home or in the gym, it is important not to overload the muscles. Often you can hear from girls and guys that even systematic training does not bring results. This can happen for one of two reasons:

1. you train the same areas;
2. chase heavy weights at the expense of exercise technique.

Even the most effective exercises will be useless if you do not adhere to important rules conducting training. You can avoid serious mistakes if you carefully study general recommendations pumping up the pectoral muscles:

• When doing exercises on the pectoral muscles, remember that such training requires a large amount of calories consumed in the process of exercising. This must be taken into account when drawing up a diet.
• The training of the upper sections and the exercises on the lower part are closely intertwined with the muscles of the hands. Therefore, do not combine isolating and chest tightening movements in one complex. By pumping your chest, you indirectly engage the triceps.
• An important question is how much you need to do to give the pectoral muscles volume and relief. Remember not to overuse. Beginners are advised to pay attention to this area no more than 2 times a week. The minimum break between classes is 48 hours.
• When conducting home workouts or classes in the gym, it must be borne in mind that the total number of all chest exercises should not exceed 6-8 approaches. If you are looking for muscle growth, one set should be 10-12 reps. Working on strength and endurance - 6-8. For weight loss, do 10-15.

Basic exercises pump the chest best - bench press, push-ups on the uneven bars, exercises with a barbell, kettlebell, dumbbells, i.e. work with your own weight and free weights. It is better not to use isolated options for athletes whose experience is less than two years. All movements must be done slowly. Focus on correct technique. First hone your skills, and then increase the load and intensity of classes. When the body adapts to the load, try to diversify the training.

Upper training

Often, novice athletes think about what exercises can strengthen the top of the pectoral muscle. If you want to focus on the top, know that the best moves are:

• Bench press, lying on an inclined bench (head edge raised). Set the back of the bench at a 35 degree angle. Lie on the bench, hips and lower back tightly pressed against it. The legs are wide apart and rest on the floor surface. Take the barbell with a medium grip (slightly wider than shoulder level). Inhale, hold your breath and lower the bar to your chest, then squeeze the bar up.

• Breeding dumbbells (can be done with a chest expander). The starting position is similar to the previous exercise, only the legs are shoulder-width apart. We hold dumbbells in outstretched hands in front of us. We take a breath, spread our arms to the sides, elbows slightly bent. Then we return back. We do not relax our hands, we move smoothly and slowly, without jerks.

• . A simple and well-known exercise, but you need to know how to do push-ups correctly in order to pump up your chest. We take an emphasis lying down, the setting of the hands should be medium, the socks rest on the floor. We bend our elbows and unbend them, the back is straight, the whole body is tense. There are many variations of push-ups, but which ones should be done for the upper chest? The best solution is the head down technique.
• Lifting dumbbells in front of you (you can with a barbell or with kettlebells). Do not take a lot of weight to perform. Starting position - we stand straight, dumbbells in our hands are lowered down along the hips. We inhale and raise our arms to the parallel with the floor, as we exhale we lower the limbs. You can do raises with each hand in turn or at the same time.

Women and men need to remember that the shape of the breast is largely dependent on genetics, but with a properly designed training program, you can give the muscles not only shape, but also elasticity. Train systematically and do not forget about stretching before training.

We strengthen the bottom

To pump up the lower part, you can perform a bench press or spread your arms to the sides on an inclined bench, if you change the position of the bench by lowering the head edge down. Exercises in simulators are also effective:

• Hammer. It is necessary to perform a bench press from the chest. The advantage of exercise in the simulator is that the athlete cannot change the amplitude of movement, which has a positive effect on the purposefulness of the load. Holding on to the handrails of the simulator, you need to straighten your arms, and then bend them again, moving as smoothly as possible.

• Butterfly. Being engaged in this simulator, you can act on the middle of the pectoral muscle. Before training, you need to adjust the weight. Sitting on the bench, you need to take a breath, and as you exhale, bring the handrails of the simulator together. At the end point, fix the position for 2 seconds and slowly spread your arms to the sides. Do not drop the handles, keep the muscles in tension.

• Crossover. The exercise is performed while standing, one leg slightly in front of the other. Stand in the middle of the blocks, pick up the handrails. It is necessary to reduce the hands until the palms touch, slightly bending at the elbow joints.

Also noteworthy is the "half-way" in the simulator and. They also effectively cope with the study of the pectoral muscles. It is necessary to perform the “half-over” exercise in the simulator with straight arms. To do this, stand facing the simulator, take the handrail with a direct grip and step back 30 cm. Inhale and pull the bar to your hips, hold the position for a couple of seconds and return to the starting position.

Training for ladies

Girls can perform the same exercises as men - dilution of arms with dumbbells, bench press, half-way, pull-ups, push-ups on the uneven bars. The secret of women's training is to use light weight when losing weight. Women have mammary glands in their breasts, so it is important to understand how to exercise in order to work out muscle bundles. Exercises are not able to affect the size and shape of the mammary glands, but constant training will make the girl's breasts more elastic and toned.

Video for girls:

Often women notice that their chest and arms hurt after a workout. This is due to overstretching of muscles and tendons. If you feel discomfort, it means that you are doing something wrong during the training. It is important to reconsider the approach to performing exercises, consult with a trainer and a doctor.

It will not be difficult for guys and girls to strengthen and pump up the chest muscles. You can do exercises in simulators, but movements with free weights are more effective. Do not miss workouts, do it in a great mood and the result will not be long in coming.

Developed pectoral muscles make the figure powerful and courageous, which is why they receive so much attention in bodybuilding, they are also important for those who are not going to compete on stage, but pay attention to their appearance and strength development. In addition, the pectoral muscles have a large volume, and basic chest exercises burn a lot of calories, which means they help to tighten the figure without a diet.

Although each of them performs its own separate task, most of the pectoral muscles are closely related to other muscle groups in the upper body. Therefore, basic exercises for the back and shoulders pump the chest at the same time, and exercises for the pectoral muscles affect the muscles of the back, shoulders and limbs.

• The largest muscle in this area of ​​the body is large chest, or m. pectoralis major. It covers the upper part of the chest, is shaped like a fan, "opened from the armpit", and outlines the anterior contour of the armpit with the outer edge. Its lateral edge is adjacent to the delta of the shoulder, the muscles are separated by a groove that ends in the subclavian fossa. M. pectoralis major lowers the hand down after it is abducted behind the back, draws it to the body, bends, turns the palm to the thigh. When a person takes his hands on a support, she pulls the body towards them (pulling up, climbing) and participates in breathing - on exhalation.
• Triangular m. pectoralis minor (pectoralis minor) lies under the big one. With one edge, it is attached to the third-fifth ribs, and with the other it is “hooked” on the bone outgrowth-hook on the scapula - its coracoid process - and is responsible for bringing / abducting / pulling the scapula down and promoting inhalation.
• Between the clavicle and the first rib there is a small m. subclavius ​​- subclavian muscle, it pulls the clavicle medially down.
• Serratus anterior (m. serratus anterior) stretches from the nine upper ribs to the middle of the scapula. Together with rhombuses m. serratus anterior form a muscle loop: it covers the body and attracts the shoulder blades to it.

Deep muscles also lie in the sternum. They are called autochthonous, that is, their own, since they are not associated with the limbs: hypochondria; external and internal intercostal, continuing the transverse muscle of the abdomen, the transverse muscle of the chest.

Principles of training

Majority basic exercises for the chest muscles, it involves the triceps of the shoulder - the triceps, so you should not work with these muscle groups on the same day. The triceps workout does load the chest along the way, but not as much as the targeted chest workout, and on "chest program day" it's the other way around. Therefore, the muscles do not have time to get used to the loads, which means they respond better to them and grow faster.

1. Beginners should not train more than twice a week.
2. The lesson begins with a warm-up and ends with a “hitch” (10–15 minutes of fitness and stretching exercises).
3. Perform 4-8 sets of each exercise: to build mass, do 10-12 reps per set; to increase strength - 6–8. For beginners, one or two exercises in two or three sets are enough.

If you've been doing strength lifting for less than two years, do away with isolation exercises or keep them to a minimum. Addition to basic complex serve as dilutions of hands with expanders and pullovers with light weight dumbbells. As the muscle corset strengthens, move on to crossovers on the block simulator and to classes on the pek-deck (“butterfly”) chest simulator.

Presses

Anatomically, all chest exercises are, in fact, horizontal presses - barbell push-ups and a variety of push-ups. The convenience of push-ups is that by changing the angle of inclination of the body and the position of the hands, you can target one or another area of ​​\u200b\u200bthe chest:

1. presses and push-ups in the “legs above the head” position work out the lower part of the pectoral muscles;
2. pushing up and squeezing the barbell on the floor or a straight bench, the athlete pumps the middle muscles of the chest;
3. presses and push-ups in the “head above the legs” position pump the upper pectoral muscles.

The aim of the training is also affected by the placement of the hands - on the floor or when gripping the bar. The wider they are spaced, the more the extreme segments of the pectoral muscles are drawn into the work, and the closer they are to each other, the more the shoulders and triceps are involved. To maintain balance, take a grip slightly wider than shoulder width as a sample.

Remember about safety! Do not rush to increase the working weight, otherwise you risk getting a stretch, or even a rupture of the pectoral muscles. Professionals say that for effective pumping of muscles, it is not so much the amount of weight that is important as the correct technique.

On a straight bench

The bench press is, in fact, a mirror image of push-ups from the floor. The number of approaches depends on the program, on average, 3-4 sets of 6-12 repetitions are performed. It is advisable to perform exercises with a safety net. The starting position, grip and technique for performing presses on straight and inclined surfaces are almost the same:

1. Lie on the floor or bench face up: head, torso, buttocks "stick" to the surface, the lower back is raised in a physiological bend, the feet rest on the floor.
2. Grab the bar with your palms slightly wider than your shoulders (elbows look to the sides), remove the projectile from the racks and lower it until the bar touches the middle of the chest or bring it closer to the chest by 1-2 centimeters. Do not let the bar move down under your weight, otherwise the bar will hit the ribs, and at best you will earn a bruise, and at worst, an injury.
3. Hold your breath, then with a forced exhalation, squeeze the bar up, do not tear your buttocks off the bench. If you are not new to the gym, try not to straighten your arms all the way so as not to shift the load on the triceps. With your arms straight, hold your breath and tighten your chest as much as you can and lower the weight.

In order not to damage the muscle fibers, raise the barbell quickly and lower it slowly. If you are a beginner, ask a coach or friend to back you up.

Tilt (head) up

The bench in gyms usually has an inclination of 45° to 60°, but according to some coaches and athletes, it is better to set it at an angle of 15–20° to 35° so that, as the pros say, “the front delts and triceps do not steal strain on the chest muscles.

• 20-30° - the load is distributed evenly on all areas of the chest;
• 30–35 ° - work the middle / partly the top;
• 40–45 ° - mainly the top is involved;
• 60 ° - the front deltas, triceps, and partly the upper pectoral muscles are loaded.

Inhale, hold your breath and lower the projectile to the upper chest, now squeeze the weight up - exhale, hold your breath, tighten your muscles and return to the starting position. To complicate the exercise and increase the load without adding weight, put your feet not on the floor, but on a slight elevation, and your back will press closer to the bench.

Down slope

The bar in this press is lowered to the lower part of the pectoral muscle, the front deltas and triceps are also involved in the work. Usually bodybuilders do the exercise to give a beautiful chest shape, but if you are training not for competition, it is not necessary for you. As you work out, do it after the straight and incline/up presses.

The starting position is the same as in the previous exercises, but the feet can be placed on the floor and fixed with the rollers of the simulator. In this position, it is not always possible to independently remove the barbell from the racks and return it back, you will need an assistant.

Do not tear your pelvis off the bench! This is even more important here than with other bench presses. A rush of blood to the head can make you dizzy, so don't do too many reps or sets. For the same reason, do not hold your breath at the points of climax - breathe calmly and evenly. When you're done, don't jump off the machine, get up slowly.

Dumbbell Press

Women and girls, especially those who do not exercise for the sake of records, but for the sake of losing weight and strengthening the body, should not get involved in the barbell: a lot of weight intensively builds muscles, and the fair sex does not need it at all. Therefore, as a basic load for them, it is preferable to press dumbbells on the floor and / or on a bench.

Lie on the floor or bench, arms with dumbbells shoulder-width apart, bend them as if you were holding a barbell in front of you. As you exhale, tighten your chest and push the weight up, then slowly lower, bringing your shoulder blades together. When you finish the set, lower the dumbbells to your hips, sit down and place them on the floor.

Push-ups do not require simulators, they can be practiced anywhere and anytime: at home, during a break at work or in the park. They involve the chest and triceps, as well as the front deltas, muscles of the limbs, lower back and abs. At first glance, there is nothing complicated in it, but this simple exercise has its own subtleties, and differs in that it is much easier to do it right than wrong:

• In the initial position, the palms of the arms straightened in support are located strictly under the shoulders so that the load falls on their central part (the fingers are spread as wide as possible!). Straighten up - legs together, hips and buttocks tense, stomach pulled in.
• Lower yourself, sliding your elbows along the sides, freeze at the bottom point, bringing your shoulder blades together. Straighten your arms, spread your shoulder blades, and stretch your chest forward / down, loading the anterior serratus muscles.

This is a basic push-up, and before you make it more difficult, you need to learn how to do it with the right technique. Can you do two or three sets of push-ups ten times? So it's time for you to move on to the next level.

Species and types

Pushing up from the floor, we force the muscles of the middle of the chest to work; when the head is higher than the legs - the lower ones, and with the feet on the support and "upside down" - the upper ones. As with bench presses, the wider the arms are, the more effort is exerted by the extreme sections of the chest muscles, and the narrowing of the grip shifts the emphasis to the triceps and internal sections. The basic position of the hands is considered to be a stand slightly wider than the shoulders.

1. It is easiest to do push-ups from a kneeling stand when the legs are raised at a right angle and the shins are crossed. It is advised to start with him for women and men with poor training;
2. further in complexity are oblique (it is convenient to perform it on the steps, descending lower and lower) and regular push-ups;
3. the exercise becomes more complicated: one foot is placed with the toe on the heel of the other ("push-ups on three points"); both legs are elevated (reverse oblique). When the legs stand on a high support, and the arms are widely spaced, the body sinks so low that the pectoral muscles are stretched to the limit;
4. push-ups on one hand, it is better to master it from the video. In IP, move the supporting hand under the body, lay the other hand behind the back on the belt and, without moving, learn to keep balance. It turns out? Start trying to lower yourself: first, ten centimeters, when bending, the elbow moves back at a right angle.

Those who are not ready to move on to complex exercises can do push-ups with stops for an initial increase in load. Make the first stop for two seconds in the middle of the way to the floor, the second almost above it, and the third - before straightening your arms.

Half an hour for the muscles of the chest: push-ups on the uneven bars

Along with push-ups from the floor, exercises on the uneven bars will help out those who do not have the opportunity to often go to gym. Technically and biomechanically, they are similar to the Bent Press, but the body moves more naturally, which means less chance of injury. A simple exercise involves almost the entire body: the muscles of the chest, shoulders, arms, back, and abs.

There should be a distance of 70-80 cm between the bars, if it is less, the target load goes to other muscle groups, such as triceps. Start the exercise from the top position: take the emphasis on the uneven bars on straightened arms.

Tilt your torso forward, bending your arms, turn your elbows to the sides and try not to bring them closer to the ribs. Go down slowly and deeper until the brushes are very close to the lower edge of the chest. Freeze for one or two seconds and straighten your arms. Repeat as many times as you can.