10 Best Pectoral Exercises for Men – What Works and Why

Ordinarily, in routine everyday tasks, the pectoral or chest muscles don’t get that much of workout. So getting that deep, impressive and muscular chest requires specific pectoral exercises for men, that actually target and develop the fan shaped muscles of the chest.

The chest muscles consist of the pectoralis major which is in front of the rib cage extending from the shoulder to the breastbone in the center of the chest, and the pectoralis minor which lies below the pectoralis major.

Pectoral Exercises For best results, the chest muscles should be targeted using specific pectoral exercises that will result in a deep manly chest.

Experts recommend the following 10 best pectoral exercises for men:

1. The good old pushup is a very effective pectoral exercise for the chest. To increase the difficulty, try elevating the level of the feet using a bench or stability ball or by doing diamond pushups.

After the pushups, you will feel the ache because of the workout that your chest muscles got.

2. The peck deck is designed to target the inner chest muscles – remember to use proper form and to contract the chest muscles as you perform this pectoral exercise for optimum results.

3. The Bench press is another traditional pick of the best pectoral exercises for men. When doing this exercise, remember not to arch the back. For the lower chest muscles, decline the bench; and for the upper chest muscles incline the bench.

4. Flat flyes consist of lying flat on a bench and working with dumbbells with the arms on the side and the palms facing in to work out the upper and inner chest muscles.

5. The dumbbell press is also an effective pectoral exercise for men – be sure to engage the chest muscles when you push the weights up and down. Slightly inclining the bench for this exercise will help place more emphasis on the lower chest.

6. Dumbbell flyes are also usefull pectoral exercises for men – they work both the inner and the upper chest when proper form is used – it is important not to lock the elbows and to open the arms properly for a full range of motion.

7. Cable exercises performed in different ways are effective workouts for the chest. The cable press engages the muscles of the upper chest and you should feel the pressure there.

8. Cable flyes are also an effective pectoral exercise – remember to contract the chest muscles properly as you perform the exercise.

9. Another effective pectoral exercise for men using cables is the cable crossover – this one involves contracting the chest muscles to bring the arms down, elbows slightly bent, to bring the arms below the chest.

10. Chest dips involve working on the dip bar, making sure the legs are straight beneath you with the head down.

In this pectoral exercise, it is easy to make the mistake of engaging the triceps so be mindful as you perform this exercise, that you engage the chest muscles and not the triceps.