When a dollar was a dollar and I was just a kid, in common with all other uncivilized tribes, we invented certain rituals, i.e. initiation ceremonies, as a test of our approaching manhood. I won’t embarrass you by mentioning them all, after all No Bull is a sensitive magazine, but one relevant test was to be able to perform high repetitions of vertical dips between the high branches of an old oak tree (time for a song) over and above a forty foot void, or a hell of a lot of meters high.

‘Forced reps’ are easy when the alternative to not completing the last rep is a sheer drop and broken limbs. NOT RECOMMENDED, and its not one of the Weider principles, it illustrates the type of unthinking bravado most youths practice from time to time.

A by product of practicing the dips was the development of power punching triceps and some good lower pectorals, along with some useful looking ‘lats’ to spread whenever the enemy appeared (Note I said lower pecs. A part of those popular muscles still often neglected by schedules which concentrate mainly upon wide bench presses for the outer pectorals. For the COMPLETE development off that gladiator chest, far more dedication is called for than just one or two exercises. Let’s take a more detailed look at the COMPLETE PECTORAL.

The large breast muscles which cover almost entirely the frontal chest area aiding in its protection are in essence auxiliary to the arm muscles. They function when the upper arm is rotated or drawn towards the front and centre of the body. These armour plate pectorals major muscles respond favourable to exercise adding impressiveness to the appearance of the upper body, whilst the pectorals minor muscles work in unison with the major muscles which also involve the deltoids, triceps and upper back, and assist in chest expansion and movement of the rib box.

The pectoralis major is inserted into the humerus or upper arm bone at the outer tip of the bicipital groove and arises from the clavicle, the inner third sternum cartilages of the ribs and from the Aponeurosis of the external oblique muscles. Because of their extensive action the pectorals thrive on a wide variety of exercises, most of which we will list and explain especially relating to their specific effects on certain areas of the pectorals.

The fully developed pectoral, whilst individually pre shaped in its potential by genetics, can in fact be self sculptured to become full, thick, rounded and well developed and defined. Its greatest muscular depth should be at the arm pit where it merges into the anterior deltoids sweeping down below the nipple to meet in the centre of the chest bone. Many people by specializing exclusively on bench presses with wide grip; become overdeveloped in the outer pectorals and underdeveloped elsewhere. A combination of shaping exercises are required to develop the complete pectoral mass

It is obvious that general body weight influences the size and shape of the chest muscles. Obese individuals, and they say the bulk of us are getting bulkier, with pendulous pectorals require drastic dietary changes, mainly by eliminating excess carbohydrates, fats and sugar products. It takes 3,500 calories to produce a pound of fat, so if you cut down 500 calories a day to below your normal maintenance allowance, you would lose a sensible 2lbs or 1 kg a week recognised by most as the maximum pure weight loss possible, any more being a temporary loss off liquids.

The extremely underweight individual would probably show little or no pectoral shape, but an improved diet, higher in calories, plus exercise, will show rapid visible improvement. The pectorals are one of the fastest growing muscle groups in the body, hence their popularity.

Although this article is designed primarily for shape, briefly I will remind you of the exercise principles for power. A favorite with all bodybuilders and power lifters alike, the bench press allows some massive poundage’s to be utilized. A medium target should be to aim to perform sets of ten reps with same weight as your body weight.

Basically for bench press power, you practice bench presses in plenty of sets of low repetitions, i.e. 3 to 5 occasionally trying singles. You must have spotters to encourage (shouted encouragement does help lifts), to help you practice finger assisted lifts, i.e. On the last rep, your bodybuilding buddy provides just a little help with a finger, making sure that you do most of the lifting to complete the last rep

Always, always, always, warm up with light weights. Don’t make the mistake of over-warming up exhausting yourself with the first sets. Although a good exercise bench presses are limited especially for the lone trainer (and thousands train home alone, many too shy to join a gym until better developed) in fact a good substitute for people who can not do bench presses is that underrated exercise press ups or floor dips.

Practiced regularly with a variety of hand spacing, it’s a great chest builder; in fact the staple exercise of most of the old muscle by mail courses e.g. Charles Atlas etc. To really pump the chest the exercises must reach all parts, you know like Heineken beer. For easy reference we will divide the pectorals into five parts. Thus we have:

1. The OUTER pectorals
2. The LOWER pectorals
3. The INNER pectorals
4. The CENTRAL pectorals
5. The UPPER pectorals

OUTER PECS
Use the standard version of the bench press but with a wide grip. With the barbell loaded in the racks ready, get your training buddy to lift the bar into your outstretched arms. Choose your balanced grip and when ready to take the bar under control, give the ok to release the weight and gradually lower in a controlled fashion to your chest bone.

Hold momentarily and then without bouncing or arching the back or cheating to use the rebound, lift the bar up and over your chest to arms length. Do the chosen number of repetitions, making sure that the last few reps are the hardest to force out, and then get your training partner to replace the weight safely into the racks. Rest and repeat for the required sets.

For reasons of safety, never use a thumb less grip, as the weight can slip out of your grasp and fall onto your chest or worse even, neck. Nor do I advise the method often advocated by those who should know better of lowering the bar to the neck; supposedly to aid pec development .Serious injury even death is possible. For rigid performance you can in fact lay on the bench with knees bent and feet flat on the bench top ensuring a good position and strict style.

For variety bench presses can be practiced using dumbbells, an exercise you will find very had on first trial, although some fantastic poundage’s have and are used by the champions, I have witnessed guys using over 100k dumbbells in each hand. Using dumbbells take more control.

Dumbbell flyes or bench laterals build size and power to the pectorals, in all parts but especially the outer pecs. Lay on your exercise bench, lift into position a pair of dumbbells, one in each hand, better if you can to have two training mates to hand them in, but if not you will have to learn your own style, lift the bells over and above your chest, to the same starting point as bench presses with elbows slightly bent to prevent strain or injury to your elbows. Lower the dumbbells sideways stretching and expanding the chest muscles and rib box.

Raise sideways i.e. Laterally and upwards to commencing position and repeat using fairly high reps. This exercise can be made tougher if you can use cables, meaning the tension remains over and beyond the crossing point of the hands and therefore affecting the inner pecs equally as the outer portion.

Other exercises for outer pecs are press ups using wide hand spacing, preferably between stands or dip stands or chairs, (to fully stretch the muscles) and also wide bar parallel bar dips. Remember to fully lower the arms going to full extension and also contraction with a fully completed dip. Keep your chin on your chest, round the back and hold feet forward under your face. Do not bounce, cheat or do half movements but perform the exercise under full control

LOWER PECTORALS
Here is where we came in, as the aforementioned movement i.e. the vertical dip done with slightly narrower hand spacing and high reps is considered by most to be the best lower pec exercise of them all. Practice this exercise to attack the lower pecs and prevent any drooping of fatty or obese chest muscles.

Using dumbbells are decline bench presses, also you can use a barbell for decline bench presses.(make sure you have spotters) also pull downs with lat machine or cables and again using the now popular gym apparatus, i.e. single handed floor cables, try low pulley decline chest pulls.

INNER PECTORALS
Whilst most of the above exercises work the inner pecs slightly, for more direct action you must concentrate upon further variations. The versatile bench press works this are best when using a narrow grip or hand spacing as does narrow hand spaced floor dips or press ups Cable crossovers are excellent especially if you ensure full cramping of the pecs at the completion of each rep.

Dumbbell flyes concentrating on tensing the pecs when the bells meet at the top, and in fact most of the compression type of apparatus such as commercial bendy bar (remember the old Bull Worker?) types of exercisers and in gyms the well known and loved pec deck. Even simple posing and mental contraction of the pectorals bring out the cuts and develop the inner pecs.

CENTRAL PECTORALS
By a simple change in hand spacing the accent is switched to the central pecs. I.e. if you use a regular shoulder width hand spacing in bench pressing with barbell or do dumbbell bench presses plus again the cable cross overs and floor dips and vertical dips with shoulder width grips.

UPPER PECTORALS
Pectorals once neglected, this important area blends into the anterior deltoids to add perfection to the top physiques. The basic exercise for maximum development of the upper pecs is the incline barbell press. This version of the normal bench press places particular development emphasis onto the upper pecs. Normally practiced with wide hand spacing, it affects the upper pecs close to where they merge into the shoulders. You can of course change your grip and hand spacing for further benefits to attack the upper and central pecs and triceps.

Further exercises for upper pecs are inclined dumbbell presses. On a medium to high incline bench hold the dumbbells parallel to the body, palms facing inwards.

Most overhead exercises develop the upper pecs and deltoids tie in. ie. Standing presses, dumbbell presses, alternate dumbbell presses etc and using the same muscles but in a reverse position, try decline push ups, i.e. Push ups with the feet raised higher than the head, all types off pullover exercises and handstand dips.

This article has concentrated solely upon pectoral shape, if you are interested in chest size, then you must include at least one strenuous leg exercise in your schedule, preferably high rep squats to make you genuinely out of breath, followed immediately by some form of pullover exercise to stretch the rib box.

Train Hard and be strong.
Mick Hart.

“For anyone considering steroid use” This is a MUST READ…
Layman’s Guides to Steroids I and II

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Layman’s Guides to Steroids III (new)