Today, we are going to focus on superficial muscles which comprise: pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, subclavicularis and serratus anterior. They are key when you are building your chest at the gym.
Superficial muscles that are worth pumping up
- Pectorialis major (also known as pecs) is a triangle-shaped muscle. The pectorialis major origins stem from the collar bone, breast bone and costal cartilages. It attaches to the humerus (of course this information is presented very broadly).
- Pectoralis major is the strongest muscle among the pectoral muscles and its main functions are: arm adduction, arm extension, arm flexion and internal rotation. Quite many functions, right?
- Pectoralis minor lies underneath the pectoralis major and connects the shoulder blade with the ribs (not all of them of course). It is an accessory muscle in respiration and it lowers the upper limb rib (just shrug your shoulders).
Have you ever wondered why people who are having dyspnea (or shortness of breath) rest their hands on a piece of furniture and lean forward? That’s because the pectoral muscles support the respiratory system.
That’s it for today’s anatomy lesson. Now that you know the names of the main pectoral muscles, it’s time for the best exercises that will help you sculpt them.
- Push-ups – the best exercise for pectoral muscles
Here’s where the men among the readers will nod their heads with approval and the women will frown with disapproval. Push-ups are the most popular exercises for building upper body because you do not need any equipment to do them other than your own body. Boys have been doing push-ups from an early age, it is the “basic determinant” of their manhood. Meanwhile, girls do not need to do anything in that area. And it’s a shame because push-ups are an excellent exercise not only for developing pectoral muscles but also for building the triceps muscle and the deltoid muscle.
Do you realise how many types of push-ups there are? If you believe that push-ups are too much of a challenge for you, you can start with knee push-ups. Classic push-ups where the hands are set at a distance that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart are the most popular ones, closely followed by very popular diamond push-ups where the index fingers and thumbs are touching, the decline push-ups with elevated legs, a standing push-up off an object, etc. The list goes on and on, but I’m sure everyone will find their favourite variety. Start doing a few repetitions every day and gradually increase their number.
- Push-ups on rails
Or a vertical twist on basic push-ups. You can choose rails in an in-house gym, an outdoor gym or sturdy furniture at home. Extend your arms, put your hands on the rails (do not bend your arms), bend your torso and lean forward. At the same time, bend your elbows energetically and go down as low as possible. Push back to the starting position. Do it energetically too.
- Dumbbell chest fly
One of the better exercises for building your chest. Lie back on the floor or on the bench if you have one. Get two dumbbells – one in each hand. Now imagine that you are hugging a tree that fits your arms perfectly, or is slightly too big. With this image in mind, and without changing the position of your elbows and hands, spread your arms out to the side. At this point inhale. Return to the starting position as you are exhaling. Make sure your feet are planted firmly on the ground. It is comfortable to do this exercise at the gym because there is a large number of adequate benches there.
- Floor press
Lie with your back on the floor. You need two dumbbells that you can hold vertically or horizontally to your body. Spread your arms until your elbows are nearly at a 90-degree angle. Exhale as you return to the starting position.
- Floor press with one hand
This exercise is just as demanding as the exercise involving two hands. Lie with your back on the floor. Take a dumbbell in one hand. Put the other hand firmly on the floor, not too close to your body. Legs bent in knees and thighs. Lift the dumbbell by holding it above your chest, with your arm outstretched. Slowly lower it until you return to the starting position.