Secret Training Tip #995 - How to Effectively Build The Upper Chest
By Nick Nilsson
Surprise! This is NOT an article about incline bench
pressing. Learn these unique techniques for filling out
your upper pectoral area.
pressing. Learn these unique techniques for filling out
your upper pectoral area.
 |
| Franco Columbu Mr. Olympia 1981 |
The upper chest/upper pec area just below the collar bones can be one of the toughest areas of the body to fully develop. The visual, proportional and functional benefits of building up this area are tremendous though!
Typcially, when you read about working the upper chest, you will hear a lot about incline exercises such as incline barbell or dumbell presses and incline flyes. While these exercises can be very effective, they don't work well for everybody.
At the end of this article, you will find links to view pictures of these exercises in action.
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| Note the Massive upper chest of Mr. Olympia Franco Columbu |
1. Upper Chest Cable Cross-Overs
You will need either a cable-cross over machine or a single high pulley for this exercise.
Get into position standing between the two high cross-over pulleys then take a small step forward. This small step forward puts more tension on the upper pecs at the start of the movement by increasing the stretch.
Bend over at the waist up to about 90 degrees.
The movement itself is very similar to the normal crossover. However, as you bring the cables in, you should push your hands forward of your body in a wide arc rather than bringing them directly down under your torso.
Essentially, you will be trying to bring the cable handles under your face rather than under your chest. This is the key to activating the upper pectoral fibers.
Keep your back arched and your chest puffed out and be sure to come around and forward as though sweeping your fist far out and around.
click here now Chest Workout
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| Another AWESOME shot of Franco Columbu |
2. Lying Cable "Y" Flyes
The reason I call these "Y" Flyes is from the position of your body and arms on the bench when you do them.
Set a flat bench in the middle of the cable cross-overs (this exercise can also be done one arm at a time on a single low pulley if you don't have access to a full cross-over machine set-up). The end of the bench where your head will rest should be about 4 to 6 inches forward of an imaginary line between the two pulleys.
Use a moderate weight for this exercise as we'll be focusing on the squeeze of the upper pecs and the feel of the exercise, not the amount of weight we're using.
Grasp the cable handles then sit on the bench. Shift yourself forward on the bench so when you lay back onto the bench, your head is set a few inches forward of the pulleys.
You should notice that, at the bottom of the exercise, your arms are angled up and back, just like the "Y" I mentioned above.
Be sure to keep your elbows slightly bent but stiff during the movement. Also, don't let your upper arms get pulled down past parallel. The real value of this exercise is at the contracted position at the top of the movement.
Do the cable flye movement from there, bringing your hands together directly ABOVE YOUR FOREHEAD. This is critical because the angle of your arms in this track will throw the vast majority of the tension directly onto your upper pec area.
Squeeze the pecs hard at the top, concentrate on the mind to muscle connection for maximum contraction ,lower down slowly and repeat.
click here now Chest orkout
If you are lying on your right side hold a dumbell in your right hand and let it hang down. Don't worry about losing tension here - the benefit of this exercise lies at the top of the movement.
Use a fairly light to moderate dumbell with this exercise. You don't need much weight to get a full contraction and using too much could cause you to lose your balance on the bench.
Keeping your arm slightly bent and stiff, raise the dumbell in a flye type motion in front of you, around and up until your upper arm is as vertical as you can get it.
Squeeze hard at the top. You should feel a sharp burning sensation in your upper-midle pec area right on the cleavage between the two pecs. To really feel the movement working, place your non-working hand right on the upper, middle area of your chest as you do the exercise. You should be able to feel that area of the muscle contract solidly.
This exercise will really hit the inner pec area, bringing out separation between your two pectoral muscles.
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Give these three exercises a try in your next chest workout. That sharp squeeze in your upper chest will let you know EXACTLY how effective these exercises are!
You can view pictures of all three of these exercises in action at the following link:
click here now
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Nick Nilsson has a degree in Physical Education and Psychology and has been innovating new training techniques for more than 18 years. Nick is the author of a number of bodybuilding books including "Muscle Explosion! 28 Days To Maximum Mass", "Metabolic Surge - Rapid Fat Loss," "The Best Exercises You've Never Heard Of," "Gluteus to the Maximus - Build a Bigger Butt NOW!" and "The Best Abdominal Exercises You've Never Heard Of", all designed to maximize the results you get for the hard work you put into your training.
Be sure to grab your FREE copy of Nick's 30-day "Dirty Little Secret Program for Building Muscle and Burning Fat FAST," available at click here now!
