Chest

Chest
Anatomy and Tips

Step into any gym and you are guaranteed to see someone exercising their chest…the ‘pecs’. This is because the chest is such a large region and most visible that it is what most men work hard on developing. But lets not count out the ladies. Today, more women are seen developing this area as well. The thorax (chest region) is located between the neck and the abdomen. Amongst the heart and lung, the chest consists of the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor.

The pectoralis major muscle is in the upper chest. It spreads from the shoulder to the breastbone. The pectoralis minor is located beneath the pectoralis major. The pectorals control arm movement as they contract. For movement of the shoulder joint, the responsibilities of the pectoralis major are as follows:
1) Rotation of the humerus (medially)
2) Adduction of the humerus
3) Flexion of the humerus
4) Stabilizing the arm to the trunk of the body

Barbell bench press, dumbbell bench press, and wide stance pushups are excellent exercises for strengthening the chest. Lifting a heavier weight with less reps works better for activating the pectoralis major. Be sure to check out more exercises for the chest located within the ‘exercise’ tab.