The chest is perhaps the most widely sought after aspect of the human physique. It is the part that even the skinny-legged guys on the beach stick out. In this article, we are going to discuss how you can develop a chest you can be proud of.

One of the keys to developing your chest is to use the right exercises. To add mass to your pectoral muscles, you want to use exercises that are going to effectively fatigue these muscles in order to induce growth.

The Bench Press

The first chest exercise to include in your workout plan is the barbell bench press. Former bodybuilders Lee Labrada and Clay Hyght suggest starting with the bench press to work your pectoral muscles early in your workout before fatigue hits, to maximize the number of muscle fibers affected by your training.

Also, bench press involves a wide range of motion for chest muscles, so doing it first will warm up your chest for more isolated moves later in your workout. Labrada and Hyght suggest using a grip slightly wider than shoulder width while maintaining a modest arch to your back.

Chest Flyes

Both Labrada and Hyght recommend using cables to perform chest flyes above other flye methods because using cables provides resistance on both the beginning and ending portions of the movement, while traditional dumbbell chest flyes rely on the first part of the movement for most of the resistance. However, if you do not have access to two low pulley machines, dumbbells are a good alternative.

Lie face up on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Lower weights to parallel with your chest, allowing your elbows to drop down below your body, then press the dumbbells together over your chest while contracting your chest muscles.

Light Or Heavy Weight?

If you search bodybuilding forums or websites,  you will find that most people say you should use heavy weight to maximize growth.  However, there are a number of studies that lighter weight may be more effective.

The bottom line is that it is all about recruiting as many muscle fibers as possible.  What it really comes down to is intensity.  It is intensity that causes more blood flow and recruits more muscle fibers, and in turn, causes more muscle growth.