What are the best exercises to build my chest and how often should I perform them?

It is very common for men to place a lot of attention on their chest routine. Developed pectorals can be esthetically appealing, and may be considered a symbol of strength and power. Typically bench press is the most popular exercise to develop the chest muscles, however, it is not the most effective. Excessive bench press can irritate the rotator cuff muscles. Bench press is also not a great strength indicator as it is very easy to cheat by lifting up your hips or by over extending your back. My favorite exercise for chest development is 45-degree incline dumbbell press. Dumbbells are great because they allow a greater range of motion, and the inclined angle helps to isolate the upper areas of the chest which are typically the most underdeveloped. However, this exercise alone will not develop a chiseled chest. It is important to have staples in your chest routine, but you must shock your system by changing your routine around regularly. Exercises such as dumbbell flies, hammer strength machines, pec dec and cable cross-overs can be great additions to your chest routine.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Using the Pec Dec Machine

(Primary muscles: inner and outer pectorals)

Adjust the seat pad so your arms align roughly with your shoulders after you reach out and grasp the two handles. Plant your feet shoulder width apart. Keeping your elbows only slightly bent throughout, pull the handles together in an arc, slowly and under control. Hold for a second or two, squeezing your pectorals. Allow the handles to return to the start position without letting your shoulders to travel farther than slightly behind the plane of your torso. Repeat.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Incline Dumbbell Press

(Primary muscles: upper pectoral muscles, anterior deltoids and triceps)

Grasp two dumbbells and sit back on the seat of an incline bench with the weights resting on the ends of the knees. Rock backward onto the padded surface of the bench, simultaneously bringing the weights to shoulder level. Press the weights to straight arms\’ length directly above your shoulders and rotate the wrists so the palms are facing forward throughout the movement. Keeping your elbows back, bend your arms and slowly lower the dumbbells downward and slightly out to the sides so they are as low down on the sides of your upper torso as is comfortably possible. Slowly press the weights back up to the starting point, being sure not to bounce the weights.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Incline Dumbbell Flyes

(Primary muscles: upper pectoral muscles and anterior deltoids)

Grasp two moderately light dumbbells and lie back on the incline bench. Rotate the wrists so the palms are facing each other. Bend the arms about 10 degrees. Keep your arms rounded as you lower the dumbbells downward and outward in a semicircular arc until they are below the level of your chest. Slowly reverse the movement and return the dumbbells along the same arcs to the starting point.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Flat Dumbbell Flyes

(Primary muscles: pectorals)

Grasp two dumbbells and sit at the end of a bench with your feet set shoulder width apart. Lie backward on the bench. Lift the weights to a position directly above the shoulder joint. Rotate the wrists so the palms are facing inward toward each other throughout the movement. Bend your arms about 10 degrees. Keep them rounded as you lower the dumbbells downward and outward in a semicircular arc until they are below the level of your chest. Slowly reverse the movement and return the dumbbells along the same arcs to the starting point.

Note: Be careful not to allow your elbows to travel forward during this exercise as this can lead to a shoulder injury.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Dumbbell Presses With a Stability Ball

The stability ball is a great addition to your workout because as you perform your strengthening exercises the trunk musculature is simultaneously working to balance and stabilize the body. Exercising with a stability ball also demands concentration, which is important when playing a game requiring mental focus, such as golf.

To begin this exercise lie flat with your back on a stability ball and your knees bent at right angles and your feet flat on the floor. Start by holding one dumbbell in each hand with the dumbbells positioned beside your shoulders and slightly above your body. Press the dumbbells up above your chest until your arms are almost straight, bringing them together at the top. Slowly return to the starting position. Use a weight that allows you to perform three sets of 10-15 repetitions. You can take a 20-60 second break between each set depending on your comfort level.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Dumbbell Decline Press

(Primary muscles: lower-outer pectorals, anterior-medial deltoids and triceps)

Grasp two dumbbells and sit at the high end of a decline bench with your lower legs wedged beneath the restraint bars. Rest the dumbbells on the ends of your knees. Lie back on the angled surface of the bench, simultaneously bringing the weights to a position at straight arms\’ length. Rotate the wrists so the palms are facing forward throughout the movement. Be sure to keep your elbows out to the sides as you do the movement. Slowly bend your arms and lower the weights directly downward and slightly out to the sides until they are in as low a position as is comfortably possible at the sides of your torso. Without bouncing the weights in the bottom position, slowly press the dumbbells back along the same arc to the starting position.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Dips

Grasp the bars so the palms are facing each other. Jump up to support yourself at straight arms length above the bars, your torso hanging down from your shoulders.

Bend your legs at 90-degree angles, cross your ankles, place your chin on your chest, and angle your torso forward, hips to the rear. Keeping your torso at an incline, slowly bend the arms and allow the body to sink as far down between the bars as possible. Without bouncing in the bottom position, slowly reverse the motion and return to the starting position.

Note: Vary the width of your grip to stress the pectorals from different angles. To increase resistance, hang a dumbbell or plate around your waist with a rope or belt loop.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Decline Dumbbell Flyes

(Primary muscles: lower-outer pectorals)

Grasp two moderately light dumbbells and sit at the end of the decline bench. Hook your feet under the restraint bar at the foot of the bench and lie back on the decline bench, while simultaneously bringing the weights to a position supported at straight arms\’ length directly above the shoulders. Rotate the wrists so the palms face each other throughout the set with the elbows slightly bent. Slowly lower the dumbbells out to the sides and downward in semicircular arcs to as low a position as comfortably possible. Without bouncing the weights, slowly reverse the movement and return the dumbbells along the same arcs to the starting point.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

Cable Crossovers

(Primary muscles: lower, outer, and inner pectorals plus the anterior deltoids)

Grasp the two loop handles. Stand midway between the two pulleys and set your feet about shoulder width apart. Bend slightly forward at the waist and maintain this torso angle throughout your set. Your arms should be extended upward directly toward the pulleys. Rotate the wrists so the palms are facing toward the floor and keep your arms slightly bent throughout your set. Use pectoral strength to move the handles out to the sides and downward in semicircular arcs until they meet about six inches in front of your hips. Hold your hands together to obtain a maximum contraction and then slowly return the handles back along the same arcs to the starting points.

Shaun Karp is a certified personal trainer in Vancouver. For further information call his office at 604-420-7800.

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