One of the most significant and visible muscles in the human body is the chest. It controls a variety of upper body motions, such as pushing, pressing, and throwing. The pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, and serratus anterior are some of the muscles that make up the chest. The many muscular groups that make up the chest will be discussed in this article, along with a variety of workouts that focus on each muscle group.
Muscle Groups:
- Pectoralis Major:
The pectoralis major, which makes up the majority of the chest's mass, is the chest's biggest muscle. It is a strong muscle that is in charge of turning the arm inward and bringing the arm across the body. The pectoralis major is worked out with a variety of exercises, including:
a. Bench Press:
For developing the pectoralis major, the bench press is the most often used exercise. Pushing the weight up and down while lying on a bench while doing it can be done with dumbbells or a barbell.
b. Incline Bench Press:
Similar to the bench press, but requiring you to lie on an inclined bench, is the incline bench press. The upper part of the pectoralis major is the focus of this exercise.
c. Decline Bench Press:
The decline bench press involves lying on a decline bench, with the head lower than the feet. This exercise targets the lower portion of the pectoralis major.
d. Dumbbell Flyes:
Bringing the dumbbells together in front of the chest while lying on a bench is a dumbbell fly. The outside pectoralis major muscle is the focus of this exercise.
2. Pectoralis Minor:
Underneath the pectoralis major is a tiny muscle known as the pectoralis minor. It helps in breathing and is in charge of stabilizing the shoulder blade. The pectoralis minor is the subject of various exercises, such as:
a. Push-Ups:
Targeting the pectoralis minor, push-ups are a straightforward but efficient exercise. There are several hand postures that can be used to carry them out, including wide, narrow, and diamond.
b. Dip:
Another exercise for the pectoralis minor is the dip. The body is lowered and raised using parallel bars in these exercises.
- Serratus Anterior:
The serratus anterior is a muscle located on the side of the chest, between the ribs and scapula. It is responsible for protracting the scapula and rotating the scapula upward. There are several exercises that target the serratus anterior, including:
a. Push-Ups:
Push-ups also target the serratus anterior, as well as the pectoralis minor. They can be performed using a variety of hand positions.
b. Scapular Push-Ups:
Scapular push-ups involve protracting and retracting the shoulder blades. This exercise targets the serratus anterior.
c. Dumbbell Pullover:
The dumbbell pullover involves lying on a bench and bringing a dumbbell over the head and down behind the back. This exercise targets the serratus anterior and the pectoralis major.
Exercises for the Chest
A. Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press is one of the most popular and effective exercises for building a strong and defined chest. This exercise primarily targets the upper and lower pectoral muscles, as well as the triceps and shoulders.
To perform the barbell bench press, lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip and lower it to your chest, then push the barbell back up until your arms are fully extended.
- Incline Bench Press
The incline bench press is a variation of the barbell bench press that primarily targets the upper pectoral muscles. To perform the incline bench press, set the bench to a 45-degree angle and lie flat on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Grasp the barbell with an overhand grip and lower it to your chest, then push the barbell back up until your arms are fully extended.
- Dumbbell Bench Press
The dumbbell bench press is another effective exercise for building a strong and defined chest. This exercise primarily targets the upper and lower pectoral muscles, as well as the triceps and shoulders.
To perform the dumbbell bench press, lie flat on a bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand and lower the dumbbells to your chest, then push them back up until your arms are fully extended.
- Incline Dumbbell Fly
The incline dumbbell fly is an exercise that primarily targets the upper pectoral muscles. To perform the incline dumbbell fly, set the bench to a 45-degree angle and lie flat on the bench with your feet firmly planted on the ground. Hold a dumbbell in each hand with your palms facing each other and lower the dumbbells to your sides, then raise them back up until your arms are parallel to the ground.
- Chest Cable Fly
The cable fly is an exercise that primarily targets the middle and lower pectoral muscles. To perform the cable fly, stand in the center of a cable machine and grasp the handles with an overhand grip. Step forward to create tension in the cables, then bring the handles together in front of your chest.
