1. Bench Pressing
The exercise predominantly develops your greater pectoral muscles. This exercise is equivalent to dumbbell bench press, Smith machine bench press, seated press on a machine, push-ups etc.
Lie on the bench so that your eyes are below the barbell, the angle between your hips 90°, with your shanks perpendicular to the floor. Take unloaded barbell with an overgrip at the length of your shoulders. Carefully take the barbell off the rack and lower it on the lower chest (nipples). Move your arms apart so that your forearms are perpendicular to the ground (and parallel to each other). Remember that grip width. Smoothly push the barbell vertically up and put it back on the rack. Put the appropriate weight on the barbell. Repeat the above procedure, but with a new wide grip. At the end phase do not fully straighten your arms, leave them slightly bent. Avoid jerking movements (strikes), rotating your head, lifting your hips or legs.
2. Incline barbell press
The exercise predominantly develops your major pectoral muscles (with a focus on upper fascicles). This exercise is equivalent to inclined dumbbell bench press, Smith machine bench press, inclined press on a machine, etc.
Choose a suitable weight. Adjust the height of the seat. Lie on the bench so that your eyes are below the barbell, the angle between your hips 90°, with your shanks perpendicular to the floor. Take the barbell with a wide overgrip. Carefully take the barbell off the rack and lower it on the upper chest (over the collarbones). Smoothly push the barbell vertically up. At the end phase do not fully straighten your arms, leave them slightly bent. At the end of the exercise carefully put the barbell back on racks. Avoid jerking movements (strikes), rotating your head, lifting your hips or legs.
3. Incline bench press with head down
The exercise predominantly develops your major pectoral muscles (with a focus on lower fascicles). This exercise is equivalent to inclined dumbbell bench press head down, Smith machine inclined bench press, parallel bar dips with a wide grip etc.
Choose a suitable weight. Adjust the footrest and fix your legs in it. Lie on a bench so that the barbell is above your eyes. Take the barbell with a wide overgrip. Carefully take the barbell off the rack and lower it on the lower chest (nipples). Smoothly push the barbell vertically up. At the end phase do not fully straighten your arms, leave them slightly bent. At the end of the exercise carefully put the barbell back on racks. Avoid jerking movements (strikes), rotating your head, lifting your hips.
4. Dumbbell bench press
The exercise predominantly develops your major pectoral muscles (head up – focus on upper fascicles, head down – focus on lower fascicles).
Select suitably weighing dumbbells. Adjust the slope angle of the bench (+30°, 0°, – 30°). Sit on the edge of the bench. With your back straight lift the dumbbells and place them on your hips close to the abdomen. Secure your legs in a support (if available) or place them in the same position as for the bench press. Carefully lie back on the bench holding the dumbbells next to the chest. Pull your arms apart so that your shoulder is perpendicular to the spine and your forearms are perpendicular to the floor. Lower the dumbbells as low as possible, stretching your chest muscles as much as possible. Smoothly push the dumbbells upward vertically through the sides. At the end phase do not fully straighten your arms leaving them slightly bent, and do not put them to the full vertical position, to avoid straining your chest muscles. At the end of the exercise carefully put the dumbbells on the floor. Avoid jerking, rotating your head, lifting your hips or legs.
5. Front Seated Machine Bench press
The exercise predominantly develops your greater pectoral muscles. This exercise is equivalent to dumbbell or barbell bench press, Smith machine bench press, push-ups etc.
Choose a suitable weight. Adjust the height of the seat so that the handles are at the level of your shoulder joints (or slightly below). Sit on the machine seat, press your foot on the lever (if there is one) and grip the horizontal handles with a wide grip. Release the lever, stretching your pectoral muscles as much as possible. Smoothly pull the handles forward until full traction of your muscles. Do not bend forward or sideways. Avoid jerking, rotating your head, lifting your hips. Make sure your elbow does not leave the plane of motion.
6. Peck deck (Butterfly)
The exercise predominantly develops your greater pectoral muscles. Equivalent exercises are cable crossovers, dumbbell crossovers etc.
Choose a suitable weight. Adjust the height of the seat and the arm spreading sideway width. Sit on the machine seat, press your foot on the lever (if there is one) and grip the handles so that your elbows are at the level of your shoulder joints (or slightly below). Spread your arms backward, straining your chest muscles as much as possible. Smoothly bring your arms together until full traction of your muscles. Do not bend forward, do not reduce the load by flexing your arms. Avoid jerking, rotating your head, lifting your hips.
7. Cable crossovers
The exercise predominantly develops your greater pectoral muscles. This exercise is equivalent to peck deck, dumbbell peck deck etc. This exercise may be performed at standing, seated or lying position and has a lot of modifications. Let’s look at the most common variants: standing (а), lying (b).
а) Choose a suitable weight. Set the crossover rollers to the upper position. Stand exactly in the center of the machine. Take the handles with an overgrip. Make a wide step forward with any foot, while inclining your torso forward, so that your hand is slightly bent in the elbow, and is on the same plane with your torso, stretch your pectoral muscles as much as possible. Smoothly bring your arms together (perpendicular to the torso, with a focus on the mid fascicles and from top downward with a focus on lower fascicles) until full traction of your muscles. Do not change the slope angle of the torso, do not decrease the load pulling up your arms. Avoid jerking, rotating your head. Make sure your elbow does not leave the plane of motion.
b) Choose a suitable weight. Set the crossover rollers to the low position. Set the bench exactly at the center of the machine. Adjust the slope angle of the bench (+30°, 0°, – 30°) and lie down so that the rollers are at the level (or slightly below) your shoulder joints. Take the handles with an undergrip so that your hand is slightly bent in the elbow and is on the same plane with your torso and the crossover frame, stretch your pectoral muscles as much as possible. Smoothly bring your arms together in a vertical plane (lying in a horizontal position – with a focus on mid fascicles, lying with your head down – with focus on the lower fascicles, lying with your head up – on the upper fascicles) until full traction of your muscles. Do not change the angle of bending of your arms in the elbow joint. Avoid jerking, rotating your head. Make sure your elbow does not leave the plane of motion.
8. Dumbbell peck deck in a lying position
The exercise predominantly develops your major pectoral muscles (head up – focus on upper fascicles, head down – focus on lower fascicles). This exercise is equivalent to cable crossovers, peck deck etc.
Select suitably weighing dumbbells. Adjust the slope angle of the bench (+30°, 0°, – 30°). Sit on the edge of the bench. With your back straight lift the dumbbells and place them on your hips close to the abdomen. Secure your legs in a support (if available) or place them in the same position as for the bench press. Carefully lie back on the bench holding the dumbbells next to the chest. Push the dumbbells up from the original position, set your slightly bent arms apart lowering the barbells, stretching your pectoral muscles as much as you can. Smoothly bring your arms together in a vertical plane (lying in a horizontal position – with a focus on mid fascicles, lying with your head down – with focus on the lower fascicles, lying with your head up – on the upper fascicles). At the end phase do not fully straighten your arms leaving them slightly bent, and do not put them to the full vertical position, to avoid straining your chest muscles. At the end of the exercise carefully put the dumbbells on the floor. Avoid jerking, rotating your head, lifting your hips. Make sure your elbow does not leave the plane of motion.
9. Push-ups
The exercise predominantly develops your greater pectoral muscles. Equivalent exercises are barbell and dumbbell bench press, and smith machine bench press etc.
On a smooth non-slippery surface, in a plank position set your arms so that your shoulder is perpendicular to your spine, and your forearm is perpendicular to the floor (at the lowest point). The trunk and the legs should be on the same plane. Smoothly lower your body down until your chest nearly touches the floor, stretching your chest muscles as much as you can. Hold stable the angle between your trunk and your legs as you move. Smoothly press your body up against the floor. At the end phase do not fully straighten your arms, leave them slightly bent. Avoid jerking, rotating your head, moving your hips.