How to exercise the muscles of pectoralis major and pectoralis minor

Exercising the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor muscles can be achieved through push ups, dumbbell bench presses, chest clamping with equipment, double bar arm flexion and extension, and elastic band chest expansion. The pectoralis major dominates the pushing action, while the pectoralis minor assists in stabilizing the scapula, requiring targeted training based on different angles and instruments.

1. Push ups

Push ups are the basic movements for training chest muscles with bare hands, and can focus on different areas by adjusting the distance between hands. Wide distance push ups mainly stimulate the outer pectoralis major muscle, while narrow distance push ups strengthen the inner and triceps brachii muscles. Keep your body in a straight line, keep your chest close to the ground when descending, and feel the contraction of your chest muscles when pushing up. Advanced individuals can try doing diagonal push ups or weight vests to increase strength.

2. Dumbbell bench press

Dumbbell bench press is more conducive to the balanced development of unilateral muscles than barbell press. Flat bench press targets the pectoralis major muscle as a whole, with an upward tilt of 30-45 degrees focusing on the upper chest and a downward tilt strengthening the lower chest. During the movement, the scapula tightens, and when the dumbbell is lowered to both sides of the chest, the forearm is perpendicular to the ground, and the trajectory of the push is curved. Pay attention to weight control to avoid shoulder joint compensation.

3. Instrument chest clamping

Butterfly machine or tension device chest clamping can isolate and stimulate the middle seam of the pectoral muscle. Adjust the sitting posture with the handle at shoulder height, slightly bend the elbow to maintain a fixed angle, and squeeze the chest muscles for 1-2 seconds when closing the arms in the middle. This action has a good activation effect on the pectoralis minor muscle, especially suitable for improving the posture with chest. Avoid relying too much on inertia to complete actions.

4. Double bar arm flexion and extension

Double bar arm flexion and extension focus on the lower chest and pectoralis minor muscles. Tilt forward 30 degrees and open the elbow joint to both sides when descending, with a strong stretching sensation in the chest muscles at the lowest point. Avoid locking the elbow joint when pushing. People with insufficient strength can first use elastic bands to assist or do eccentric control training. This action simultaneously strengthens the serratus anterior muscle and enhances scapular stability.

5. Elastic band chest expansion

Elastic band standing posture chest expansion is suitable for home training of chest muscles. Fix the elastic band on the back, hold the band horizontally on both sides with both hands, and retract the scapula to drive arm movement. Maintain 1 second at the end of the action to strengthen muscle memory. The strength can be adjusted by adjusting the resistance of the elastic band or the distance between stations, and attention should be paid to keeping the core tight to avoid waist compensation.

It is recommended to schedule 2-3 chest exercises per week, selecting 3-4 movements each time, with 8-12 repetitions per group to complete 3-4 sets. Warm up the shoulder joints and thoracic vertebrae thoroughly before training, and statically stretch the chest muscles for more than 30 seconds after training. Diet should ensure sufficient intake of high-quality protein, such as chicken breast, fish, etc., combined with complex carbohydrates to promote recovery. Avoid high-intensity training of the same muscle group for two consecutive days, as muscle growth occurs during the resting phase. Middle aged and elderly people or those with joint discomfort can reduce their weight-bearing capacity, and priority should be given to using fixed instruments to reduce joint pressure.