The Importance of Chest Muscles in Your Workout Routine

The pectoralis major and minor are the two muscles that make up the chest muscles. They’re known as the “pecs” when they’re all grouped. The pectoralis major is the larger muscle, with an upper portion (known as the clavicular head) and a lower part (known as the sternal head).

The pectoralis minor is a triangular-shaped muscle that functions in conjunction with the pectoralis major. It’s typical to hear fellow fitness buffs brag about a tough leg workout or a great biceps/triceps day.

On the other hand, exercises for the chest don’t get the attention they deserve. Your chest muscles help you move around a lot in your upper body. It assists you in moving your arms up and down, pressing, and pulling.

Types of Chest Muscles

Pectoralis Major

It is a thick, fan-shaped, or triangular convergent muscle. It lies beneath the breast and makes up the majority of the chest muscles.

Pectoralis Minor

The pectoralis minor is a narrow, triangular muscle. It is in the upper chest area, beneath the pectoralis major.

Serratus Anterior

The serratus anterior is a muscle that originates on the surface of the 1st to 8th ribs on the side of the chest and inserts along the full anterior length of the scapula’s medial border. The scapula is pulled forward around the thorax by the serratus anterior.

Subclavius

The subclavius, a little triangle muscle between the clavicle and the first rib, is one of the most critical muscles in the body. The subclavius muscle and the major and minor pectoralis make up the anterior axio appendicular muscles. It is often known as the anterior wall of the axilla.

Health Benefits of Chest Exercise

Improves Posture

The pecs, one of the largest muscles in the upper torso, are crucial for healthy posture. In addition to your back and shoulder muscles, Pecs aid in shoulder joint stabilisation.

Better Breathing

Strengthening and extending your chest muscles and improving your posture will help you breathe more deeply. The lung capacity increases because your pecs are connected to your ribs, which expand with each breath.

Maintains Muscle Equilibrium

Muscle balance is essential for both symmetry and minimising muscle overcompensation. You can observe muscle imbalance in the form of overdeveloped arms and undeveloped leg muscles.

Enhances the Efficiency of Everyday Chores

You may discover that actions that were once difficult now need less effort as you get into the swing of chest training. Strengthened chest muscles can help with everything from lifting boxes to changing furniture and carrying an armful of groceries. In addition, your chest muscles might become more efficient as they become stronger. The more powerful your chest muscles are, the more powerful your entire upper body will be.

Increases Muscle Mass

Muscles must adapt to handle the weight being pressed or pulled when used repeatedly. The results show that the weighted stimulus increased the size of the group’s pectoral muscles and triceps.

The HealthifyMe Note

One needs to train all muscle groups for a strong and toned body. For a total body workout, you should divide exercise into days like chest and abs, legs, core and whole body.

Best Chest Exercises

Push-Ups

Push-ups help you focus on other portions of your torso, such as your back, shoulders, triceps, and even your biceps, in addition to your chest muscles. As a result, push-ups are still one of the most intense chest workouts, despite being one of the oldest exercises in the history of chest workouts.

Instructions

• Step back into a high plank position, starting on your hands and knees. Your hands should be about an inch broader than your shoulders, and your quads should be straight. It would help if you stretched your hamstrings, and your spine should be in a neutral position.
• Maintain a straight line from head to heel by bending your elbows at a 45-degree angle and lowering your chest toward the floor while keeping your core firm.
• Aim to get as low as possible without jeopardising your core support or spine and pelvic alignment.
• Pull your chest away from the ground and straighten your elbows.
• Repeat until you’ve completed 8–12 repetitions. Do three sets.

Incline Push Up