Dumbbell Press

Dumbbell Press

Lie flat on the bench with your feet on the floor for stability, your arms extended upward, and your hands facing in toward each other holding the dumbbells:

- Inhale and lower the dumbbells to chest level, bending your elbows and rotating your forearms to bring your hands in pronation

- Press the dumbbells back up and do an isometric contraction to isolate the stress on the upper pectorals; exhale as you complete the movement

This exercise is similar to the barbell bench press except that the longer range of motion inhartly possible with dumbbells helps to stretch the pectoralis major. The triceps and anterior deltoids are also involved.

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Parallel Bar Dips

Parallel Bar Dips

Support yourself with your arms straight and your torso hanging down from your shoulders:

- Inhale and bend your elbows to allow your body to sing as far down between the bars as possible

- Reverse the motion and return to the starting point, exhaling as you complete the movement

The more you bend forward, the more your work the pectorals. Conversely, the more you straighten your torso, the more you involve the triceps.

This exercise is excellent for stretching the pectoralis major and increasing the flexibility of the pectoral girdle. However, it is not recommended to beginner because it requires sufficient strength. To that purpose, use the machine to master the technique.

Sets of 10 to 20 reps give the best results. To gain more power and size, experienced athletes can hand a dumbbell between their legs or place barbell plates around their waist.

Note: always perform the dips carefully to avoid traumatizing the shoulder joint.

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Push-Ups

Push-Ups

Lie prone with your arms straight, your palms flat on the floor, and your hands shoulder-width apart (or wider). Hold your feet together or very slightly spread:

- Inhale and bend your elbows to bring your torso near the floor, avoiding extreme hyperextension of your spine

- Push yourself back to an arms-extened position, exhaling as you complete the movement

This exercise is excellent for developing the pectoralis major and the triceps. You can do it anywhere.

Vary the torso angle to isolate the work:

- Elevate the feet to focus on the upper pectorals

- Elevate the torso to focus on the lower pectorals

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Decline Press

Decline Press

Lie on a decline bench set at an angle between 20 and 40 degrees with your feet anchored to prevent them from slipping. Take an overhand grip on the bar with your hands at least shoulder-width apart:

- Inhale and slowly lower the bar until it reaches the lower edge of your pectorals

- Press the bar back up, exhaling as you complete the movement

This exercise works the pectoralis major (particularly the lower part), triceps, and anterior deltoids. It places secondary emphasis on the lower fold of the pectorals. In addition, lowering the bar to neck level helps stretch the pectoralis major, increasing its flexiblility.

You can also use a Smith-machine.

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Incline Press

Incline Press

Lie on an incline bench set at an angle ranging between 45 and 60 degrees. Take an overhand grip on the barbell with your hands more than shoulder-width apart:

- Inhale and lower the barbell until it reaches your jugular notch (upper chest at the base of your neck)

- Press the bar back up to straight arms length, exhaling as you complete the movement

This exercise works the upper pectorals, anterior deltoids, triceps, and serratus anterior.

You can use a weight rack to perform this movement.

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Close-Grip Bench Press

Close-Grip Bench Press

Lie on your back on a flat bench, keeping your buttocks in contact with the bench and your feet flat on the floor. Take an overhand grip on the barbell with your hands from 4 to 15 inches apart, depending on your wrist flexibility:

- Inhale and slowly lower the barbell until it reaches your chest, allowing your elbows to extend away from your torso

- Pres the barbell upward, exhaling as you complete the movement

This exercise is excellent for developing the pectorals and the triceps (for this reason, you can include this exercise in arm-specific program).

Keep your elbows in if you want to shift the emphasis to the anterior delotids. You can perform this movement with a Smith-machine.

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Bench Press

Lie on your back on a flat bench. Keep your buttocks in contact with the bench and your feet flat on the floor:

- Take an overhand grip on the barbell with your hands more than shoulder-width apart

- Inhale and slowly lower the barbell until it reaches your chest

- Press the weight back up, exhaling as you complete the movement

This exercise focuses on the pectorals and places secondary emphasis on the triceps, anterior deltoids, serratus, and coracobrachialis.

Variations:

1. Arch your back to work the more powerful lower pectorals and lift heavier loads. However, perform this variation carefully to reduce the likelihood of injury to your back.

2. Press the barbell with your elbows at your sides to focus more on the anterior delotids.

3. Vary the width of your grip:

- A narrow grip shifts the focus to the inner pectorals

- A very wide grip shifts the focus to the outer pectorals

4. Lower the bar

- to the lower chest (near the edge of the rib cage) to work the lower pectorals;

- to the middle of the chest to work the medial pectorals; and

- to the upper chest/lower neck area to work the upper pectorals.

5. Raise your feet from the floor by curling your legs over your abdominals if you have back problems or if your want to place more emphasis on the pectorals.

6. Use a Smith-machine.

Variation with a machine:

Stand or sit, depending on the machine, and grasp the bar or the handles:

- Inhale and press

- Exhale at the end of the movement

This safe exercise is excellent for beginners. It focuses on the pectorals and keeps your body set in the prescribed movement pattern. Beginners can gain strength this way before trying the free weight bench press.

Depending on the type of machine, this exercise allows advanced bodybuilders to isolate the work on the upper, medial, or lower pectorals, helping them develop muscles balance.

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