The training of the pectoral is one of the most popular workouts, either by body builder – who seek not only the strength but also the volume increase – from both gym’s goer who wish to tone their muscles for purposes not so competitive, as beauty and health.
It should be a brief review of the anatomy of these muscles, together with the dorsal and deltoids, are among the most important of the trunk. The numbers are extrinsic muscles of the chest; stand the pectoralis major and the pectoralis minor, the first is located in the front of the chest, under the breast and the pectoralis minor muscle is hidden by the pectoralis major, and that contributes to the formation armpit.
The numbers are innervated by the brachial Plexus. The importance of the pectoralis major is because the various parts that compose it are able not only to perform the movements of the arms, but also to fix and immobilize the trunk in all movements of suspension and support to prevent the chest to fall.
Pectoral muscles and sports activities.
Given the above, the chest muscles are very important in the throws in the pole vault and in artistic gymnastics. The numbers can also help in inspiration, expanding the ribcage. This is the reason why a tired athlete puts his hands to the sides: by fixing the arms, the chest can be used to further expand the chest and inhale more deeply.
From a healthy, unless you play sports in which these muscles are especially involved (such as the javelin, to name one, or swimming), training of the pectoral, like that of the dorsal and deltoids, should seek, unlike in bodybuilders, only a general toning. For those who do not use these muscles, such as a runner, the volume increase induced by high loads can even be counterproductive.
The training of the pectoral muscles.
There are many methods of training of the pectoral muscles, but here we provide some examples of these muscles for a workout.
Crosses cables – This exercise is performed standing with legs spread apart and knees slightly bent. Grasp the cables holding high the palms of the hands facing forward, keeping your arms stretched well to approach their hands up to join them and then return to the starting position. During the approach of the arms, you have to exhale, and when you should breathe away.
This type of exercise activates the whole district muscles, but stimulates especially the low beams of the breastplate. You must be careful when we are in the eccentric phase, that your wrists do not exceed the height of the shoulders ever. The exercise can also be done by holding the trunk bent forward, being careful not to go over 45 degrees.
A variant of this exercise can be performed using the cables low, in this case one should cite the arms carrying them in the vicinity of the head. A typical workout, to grow to a preparation according to the opinion, could be constituted by a series of heating followed by four sets of 12 repetitions.
Crosses on a flat bench – Lay on a flat bench, making sure that the shoulders and buttocks are in full contact with the surface of the bench. Expand the chest approaching the shoulders back towards each other. We then extend his arms to his shoulders bringing the dumbbells up and keeping your arms parallel well. Breathing is beginning a slow downward movement, making sure that your shoulders are adhering to the surface of the bench.
The movement, to be carried out wide arc, must continue until the moment in which the hands reaching the height of the shoulders. After the descent, the arms should be positioned in such a way as to form an angle of about 80 degrees with the hips. Arm and forearm form an angle rather than 90 degrees. The knuckles are facing the floor.
During the ascent, you must contract the pectoral muscles. It is at this stage that you exhale. Always maintaining a trajectory forming a wide arc can be traced back handlebars. As soon as the vertical elbows arrive behind it must perform internal rotation of the latter until the dumbbells do not find themselves opposite one another.
Once the motion is maintained the contraction for two or three seconds and then run the descent phase. Pay attention, all the time year, keep your elbows slightly bent, to avoid excessive stress on the load of the biceps tendon. A typical workout, to grow to a preparation according to the opinion, could be constituted by three sets of 10 repetitions.
Incline bench presses – Lay supine on incline bench (incline 50 degrees recommended) making sure to keep your back flat on the surface. At this point, grab the barbell keeping your palms facing forward. The distance between a hand and the other must be greater than the distance between the shoulder and the shoulder.
At this point, are carried out of distensions that bring the barbell upward causing it then a return in proximity, during the passive phase, in proximity of the upper middle of the sternum.
During the relaxation, you need to exhale, inhale, instead it should be when we are in the descending phase of the barbell. This type of exercise is used to develop the upper chest as it stimulates the beams of the clavicular pectoralis major muscle. A variation of this exercise is the incline bench presses with dumbbells. A typical workout, to grow to a preparation according to the opinion, could be constituted by a series of heating and 4 sets of 10 repetitions.
Pectoral machine – Sit with your back to the machine well-fitting, put your arms in supports, grab the handles and bring your elbows in front of him. The height of the seat must be adjusted to ensuring that the virtual line pass through both the elbows at the height of the pectoral muscles and parallel to the floor. You exhale during the concentric phase (approaching the elbows) and inhaling during the eccentric phase (abduction of the arms).
The use of the pectoral machine allows a job in which the resistance is practically constant for the whole phase of adduction of the arms. The muscle most affected by the work done by the pectoral machine is the pectoralis major. A session type recommended can predict with 10 repetitions maximum load or 20 repetitions with a lighter weight, always considering the initial condition of the subject.
