The pectoralis major is the largest muscle group in the upper body. The chest muscles are large slabs spread across the upper torso, so the best pec workout is achieved by using heavy weights in a number of exercises that focus on the upper, lower, inner and outer pecs.

Each muscle group in the body is designed with a different purpose in mind, and the pecs are muscles that push, and work with your arms and shoulders. You’ll notice that many chest exercises therefore also hit your deltoids and your triceps. The kind of results you see will vary with the kind of pec workout that you put together.

Exercises for a Pec Workout

Bench Press: The most classic exercise for a pec workout and perhaps the best known weightlifting move of all time is the bench press. There are a number of different variations of this great exercise, and it still proves to be one of the single most effective muscle builders out there.

To perform a bench press, you should be using an Olympic sized barbell and Olympic sized plates, along with the bench itself.

The standard grip for a bench press is with your hands slightly wider than shoulder width apart. This wide grip forces your pecs to stretch a bit, and targets the outside pieces of the muscles, and the angle that you use to bring down the weight can vary your focus from the lower to the upper portions as well.

When the bar is lowered to the middle of the chest and the elbows are kept at the lifter’s sides, the triceps are involved in moving the weight. When the bar is lowered to the neck and the elbows are splayed widely, the frontal deltoids are involved with the pecs.

The bench press may be performed on an incline board and the bar lowered to the neck. This will exercise the upper pecs. When performed on the decline board, the lower pecs are worked.

Parallel Bar Dips - These are very good for an inner and upper pec workout when the lifter’s hands are at shoulder width. Placed wider, the outer pecs and delt-pec tie-in are involved.

Pec Workout with Dumbbells: Instead of using barbells or bodyweight exercises, you can also use a variety of dumbbell movements. By isolating each arm, you can actually target your chest more effectively and incorporate more of your core, supporting muscles.

Cable and Pulley Moves: Cable and pulley machines can also be used within a pec workout. Cable versions of the dumbbell fly, of pullovers, of crunches and more all incorporate the chest muscles and are perfect for the end of a workout.

Bent Arm Pullovers: To perform this sometimes complicated seeming move. sit on a bench, and then position your body with both feet on the ground, thighs parallel to the floor and only your shoulders touching the bench. You perform the motion with a dumbbell grasped in both hands.

A compound exercise is performed when the weight is then pressed from the chest as a close-grip bench press. The return is back to the chest and then lowered to the floor in a circular motion.

The best pec workout is to begin with the heavier weight exercises (bench press) and move “down the ladder” through the barbell exercises to the dumbbells and finally to the bodyweight resistance exercises to finish off the pecs.

For more tips on the Best Pec Workout and a free report revealing the 7 secrets to your ideal body visit http://www.wholelifegym.com

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