Indispensable exercises for chest growth: a personal trainer's perspective

Author: Pavel Shaikin - master trainer in fitness (FPA).
2017-08-09

In this article, I will share my humble opinion on the necessary exercises that promote the growth of the chest muscles. I won't be revealing any groundbreaking secrets; I will simply discuss some basic nuances that may be useful in your training. If you find the information difficult to grasp, use what you understand, and over time, as you gain experience, gradually revisit the article to comprehend new "details."

The essential exercises for the chest primarily include:

Working muscle groups (agonists) – pectoralis major muscles.

Synergists (helpers) – coracobrachialis, anterior deltoid muscles.

Stabilizers – arm muscles (triceps and biceps muscle groups).

Thus, with the correct technique, which we will discuss shortly, the main load is on the chest.

Why Not Barbell Bench Press and What are the Differences?

1. Have you ever wondered why in the barbell bench press, you can potentially lift more weight than the total weight with dumbbells? This is because, in the barbell bench press, part of the load is taken on the triceps.

Working muscle groups in barbell bench press – pectoralis major muscles.

Synergists (helpers) – coracobrachialis, anterior deltoid muscles, triceps, and elbow muscles.

2. The range of motion with dumbbells is greater than that with a barbell, which means greater muscle work volume in a single repetition, positively affecting exercise effectiveness.

Considering these advantages in emphasizing the chest and greater work volume, we gain in muscle growth.

The technique of the exercise in both cases is the same. It is necessary to keep the shoulder blades together in the initial position, with the shoulder joint slightly lowered towards the legs. Five points of support – head, shoulder blades, and pelvis press against the bench, while the feet are fully on the floor (do not just press with your toes).

The less bridge (arch in the lower back), the less assistance the latissimus dorsi provides at the bottom position, and the lower part of the chest works less. This style of press is called bodybuilding style, while for strength development with a bridge, it is referred to as powerlifting style, as maximizing muscle involvement is essential.

The second essential exercise is:

The thing is, in horizontal bench presses, the clavicular part of the pectoral muscles (upper chest) is not significantly loaded. Therefore, when performed at an incline, it receives a decent load. The technique of incline press is precisely the same as when lying on a flat bench.

The third essential exercise is:

This primarily works the lower and middle parts of the chest.

Major working muscle groups (agonists) – pectoralis major, triceps, and elbow muscles.

Synergists (helpers) – anterior deltoid muscles, coracobrachialis, pectoralis minor, latissimus dorsi at the beginning of the movement.

The technique of dips – body rounded, knees bent at the hips and knees, elbows pointing outwards, and head lowered.

Additional Exercises

Next come complementary exercises that contribute to increasing training weights by developing stability in the shoulder blades and shoulder girdle as a whole.

1. The first complementary exercise:

This involves stabilizers of the muscle corset, additionally targeting the pectoralis minor and serratus anterior muscles.

The serratus anterior muscles are responsible for the stability of the shoulder blades, together with the rhomboid and trapezius muscles.

Agonists – pectoralis major.

Synergists – anterior deltoid muscles, triceps, elbow muscle, serratus anterior, and pectoralis minor.

Stabilizers – spinal corset.

Technique of the exercises – at the bottom position, the shoulder blades come together; at the top, they spread apart. The shoulder joints are lowered towards the legs, while the humerus is fixed in the joint.

This exercise not only increases the strength of the barbell bench press due to shoulder blade stability but also enhances functional strength. This is because in flat bench presses, our shoulder blades are stabilized by the bench, and some muscles do not develop properly. In a standing position, when there is no stabilizer like a bench, you will not be able to press or push efficiently. Push-ups from the floor and the development of the serratus anterior and muscle corset help increase functional strength.

2. The second complementary exercise – various static and dynamic planks with specific techniques.

It is important to keep the shoulder blades pressed against the ribs and spread apart, while the shoulder joint is lowered towards the legs for stabilizing the humerus. This position of the shoulder blades and joint should be maintained in both static and dynamic planks. This promotes the development of the rotator cuff in static mode, which increases shoulder girdle stability and consequently helps raise working weights in presses and grow chest muscles.

Conclusions from the Above

Goal – increase in the size of the pectoralis major muscles.

Tasks: focus on the pectoralis major muscles, strengthen the stabilizers of the shoulder blades and shoulder girdle.

Essential exercises:

Additional exercises:

Planning the sequence of exercises

Feel free to ask your questions, suggest ideas for future articles, and train wisely!

Contacts for Pavel: VK, Facebook, Website.