The chest muscles could be regarded as a defining feature of strong anatomy. They perform tasks like squeezing a pair of loppers to chop a tree branch and pushing a door open. They are also the most commonly mentioned muscles when discussing upper body power (“How much can you bench, bro?”).
The chest muscles are the defining part of muscle mass for bodybuilders and those interested in general muscular aesthetics. Powerlifters rely on them for the bench press to achieve the biggest lift.
These muscles, however, are extremely important from a functional standpoint since they facilitate arm mobility.
A low waist-to-chest ratio is identified as the most appealing physical trait in adults in a number of studies investigating perceived attractiveness. This occurs when a person’s waist is narrower and their chest is wider.
However, gender-specific beauty standards aside, training the chest muscles may benefit everyone, whether your objective is to have sculpted pecs or simply to be able to play Twister with your kids on the living room floor.
What exactly are the chest muscles?
The chest is made up of three major muscles:
- pectoralis major
- pectoralis minor
- serratus anterior
The subclavius is a lesser-known muscle of the chest. It is a tiny auxiliary muscle that is largely responsible for respiration (breathing).
The pectoralis major muscle is distinct in that it has two heads: the clavicular head and the sternocostal head. These are hostile to one another, so when one contracts, the other relaxes.
By elevating your arm in front of you, the clavicular head flexes the humerus or upper arm bone. It also adducts the humerus, bringing the arm inward toward the midline of the body, and aids with internal rotation of the same bone.
In contrast, the sternocostal head lowers the arm from a forward or flexed position. It is also engaged in movements like horizontal lift and humeral internal rotation.
The pectoralis minor’s role is to stabilize the shoulder blade by drawing it forward and down against the rib cage, a movement known as shoulder blade protraction. It also helps with shoulder stability and breathing.
The serratus anterior begins on the outside front of the first through eighth ribs and terminates on the medial edge of the shoulder blade in a sawlike fashion (closest to the spine). It draws the shoulder blade around the ribs to minimize scapular winging and provides shoulder stability while pushing.
Tips for Muscle definition
“Muscle definition” is a difficult phrase to grasp. “What does that truly mean?” you might wonder.
Muscles must expand in bulk before their shape can be seen. This is known as hypertrophy, and it includes gradually straining the muscles past their resting condition in order to generate growth.
It occurs when the amount of protein utilized to grow muscle exceeds the amount of protein broken down. However, in order to see muscle definition, you must also lose body fat. People with body fat are unlikely to have significant muscular definition in the chest.
Still, if muscle definition is your aim, you’ll need to work the chest muscles for hypertrophy while simultaneously lowering your caloric intake to show your muscles better. This will most likely involve increasing calorie burn through aerobic exercise and nutrition management.
If chest definition is your goal, how should you eat?
Muscles are made up of protein. They are the building blocks of muscle, thus the more you ingest (to some extent), the more muscle you can create (called muscle protein synthesis). Muscle protein degradation, on the other hand, is a common process that occurs at the same time.
A diet rich in fruits and vegetables, healthy grains, and a range of protein sources is generally recommended to reduce body fat. If you are unsure how to do this safely, seek advice from a dietician.
When you eat more protein, you tip the scales in favour of muscle protein production. Muscle mass increases as a result of this. For most people, the current American Dietetic Association recommendation is .8 g of protein per kilogram of body weight.
A recent research review, however, recommended 1.6-2.2 g/kg of body weight per day for those engaging in resistance training for muscle building. Furthermore, protein-rich meals should be separated by 3-5 hours.
So, a 150-pound (68-kg) individual who exercises regularly and wants to gain muscle mass would need to consume 109-150 grams of protein per day.
The study also recommends eating high-quality protein, such as whey and casein. These help with appetite management.
Best chest exercises for strength and definition
Incline push up
This is a nice warmup to get the chest ready for work. A dynamic warmup before training has been found in studies to help prevent injury. Lower resistance actions similar to those soon to be performed prepare the muscles for labour.
- Begin by placing your hands on the wall or a countertop-height surface. Walk your feet back until your body forms a 45-degree angle with the floor.
- Maintain a straight body and a neutral spine, and drop your chest to the surface you’re leaning against.
- Return to the starting position after a brief pause.
- Check that the resistance is light enough to allow you to finish up to 20 repetitions. Move closer to your hands to make it easier; step farther away to make it tougher.
Flat bench press
- Lie down on the bench with your knees bent and your feet flat on the floor. Grasp the barbell with your thumb curled around it and your hands towards your feet. Lift the weight off the rack by pressing your arms straight up toward the ceiling.
- Raise the weight to your chest.
- Bending your elbows down at a 45-degree angle, slowly lower the weight to your chest. Keep the bar approximately in line with your nipples.
- Pause for a moment, then press the weight back to the start position.
- Complete 3 sets of 8–12 repetitions.
Remember to keep your back flat and your weight under control. Maintain a neutral neck position to avoid unnecessary strain.
Incline bench press
- Lie back on the incline bench, knees bent, and feet flat on the floor. Grasp the barbell with your thumb curled around it and your hands towards your feet. Lift the weight off the rack by pressing your arms straight up toward the ceiling.
- Place the weight just over your collarbone.
- Slowly drop the weight to your chest, roughly in the middle of your chest to just above your chest.
- Pause, then return the weight to the starting position.
- Complete three sets of eight to twelve repetitions.
Remember to keep your back flat and your feet flat throughout the action, just like on the flat bench. Again, it is strongly advised that you perform this exercise with someone spotting you.
Decline bench press
- Lie down on the decline bench, knees bent and ankles secured behind the ankle rests. Grasp the barbell with your thumb curled around it and your hands towards your feet. Lift the weight off the rack by keeping your arms straight.
- Place the weight above your lower chest and upper abdomen.
- Bend your elbows slowly to drop the weight to your chest, about in line with your nipples.
- Pause, then return the weight to the starting position.
- Complete three sets of eight to twelve repetitions.
Pushup
- Start on your hands and knees and work your way back into a high plank posture. Your hands should be slightly broader than your shoulders, and your quads should be straight. Your hamstrings should be tight and your spine should be neutral.
- Maintaining a straight line from head to heel, bend your elbows at a 45-degree angle to descend your chest toward the floor.
- Aim to go as low as you can while maintaining core support and spine and pelvic alignment.
- Pull your chest away from the ground and straighten your elbows.
- Rep until you’ve completed 8-12 repetitions. Perform three sets.
Keep your hips in alignment with your shoulders and ankles at all times. If performing this exercise on your feet is too difficult, you can do it on your knees.
To increase the difficulty, perform a decline pushup by placing your toes on a raised surface, such as a bench or table.
Chest dip
- Face the two parallel bars and grab them with your palms facing in.
- Straighten your elbows and press into your hands, raising your body to align with your hands.
- Bend your elbows and lower your chest to your hands.
- Pause, then return to the starting point. Repeat.
- Perform three sets of eight to twelve repetitions.
In conclusion
Working the chest muscles can only improve your quality of life, whether your goal is a sculpted chest or a stronger upper body to help you lift kids into the air. The activities listed above, together with a high protein diet, may help increase the size and strength of these muscles.
Warm up with a low-stress action like the incline push to prepare your body for larger weights and reduce your risk of injury. Maintain consistency and tailor your workload to your preferences. Enjoy the adventure as your planks become longer and your press becomes stronger.