Achieving a plump and marked chest is one of the main goals for men when starting the gym. The pecs are often the first muscles to train.
Achieving muscle hypertrophy of the pectorals (increasing their volume) and marking the chest requires time and dedication. However, by following certain routines and exercises, this is possible.
Naturally, if the chest muscles are not worked, they lose strength, and as a result, gynecomastia or flaccid pectorals appear.
This article details how a pectoral volume routine should be and what to do to mark the chest muscles.
RELATED: Shoulder Routine – Exercises to Increase Volume
Example of routine for volume pecs
The ideal equipment for doing a chest bulking routine is a pair of dumbbells and a barbell.
Dumbbell exercises allow you to work the different areas of the pectorals and mark the chest muscles. Barbell exercises are great for building volume and strength.
With the upturned bench position, the upper chest is worked. While tilting the bench down, the lower compartment is the one that increases the work. With the straight bar, emphasis is placed on the pectoralis major.
Here’s a chest routine for volume:
- Flat Chest Bench Press
10 reps – 4 sets
The flat chest bench press is an essential exercise for the pectoral muscles. It can be executed with both bars and dumbbells; the ideal to increase the chest volume is to reach muscle failure in the 4th series. Traditionally, the pectoralis major is worked.
- High pulley chest crossover
12 reps – 4 sets
The chest crossover is an ideal exercise to increase the lateral volume of the chest. The best way to have proportional and large pecs is to alternate it with the bench press.
- Push-ups with a fist
8 reps – 4 sets
The pushups are an effective bodyweight exercise to improve indicators of strength and endurance of the chest muscles. Doing this exercise with your fists is a way to increase loads and improve your results in bulk. Also, because they do not require equipment, they serve to strengthen the pectorals at home.
- Dumbbell pullover
10 reps – 8 sets
This is one of the most important exercises to give a rounded shape to the chest. Including them in the routine allows you to exercise the muscles of the upper and lower part of the chest, secondarily working the latissimus dorsi and abdominals.
- Dumbbell lateral curls
12 reps – 3 sets
This exercise is a variation of the traditional push-ups; it is adequate to strengthen the front and lower chest area. In addition, this exercise allows you to exercise your shoulders and abs simultaneously. If you have a pair of dumbbells, it is ideal for strengthening pecs at home.
Alternating Dumbbell Press12 sets – 4 reps.
This exercise is an analog of the bench press. By performing it with alternating dumbbells, you can better control the movement. Doing this exercise in combination with a barbell exercise is ideal for marking the chest.
- Dumbbell Hammer Press
8 reps – 4 sets
Including this exercise in the routine allows you to work the outer or lateral area of the chest. When doing this chest exercise, the palms should be kept parallel to the body, the arms move vertically, and the head is resting on the bench. Otherwise, instead of strengthening the chest, you will get pain in the neck.
- Downward Incline Dumbbell Press
10 sets – 4 reps
An ideal exercise to work the lower area of the pectoral muscles. Your abs and chest muscles should always remain in constant tension when doing this exercise. Ensure not to gain excess weight, as the smaller pecs are smaller and have less strength.
- Press dumbbell bench tilted upwards.
10 sets – 4 reps
The dumbbell press is a classic gym pec workout. This exercise is ideal for working the upper area of the pectoral muscles. It also allows the shoulder area to be performed simultaneously with the chest. If you have a pair of dumbbells, you can do it at home.
The three most common mistakes in a chest routine
If you train your chest with intensity and it does not increase its volume, it is most likely that you are making one of these three mistakes in the routine:
- Excess weight
One of the most common mistakes when working your pecs is excess weight. This can lead to deviations in technique and results in overweight joints. Instead of working your chest muscles, you will be straining your tendons.
- You are not respecting rest times.
Working the pectorals repeatedly does not allow the correct chest muscle recovery time—the result: is disproportionately shaped pecs and a high risk of muscle fatigue and overtraining.
- Do not periodically change the routine.
The ideal in a chest routine is always at least 2-3 exercises for each area. Working your pecs with the same isolation machines over and over is not the best strategy for bulking up. In a pectoral hypertrophy routine, you should alternate between different exercises with bars and dumbbells.
Tips to achieve pectoral muscle hypertrophy
To increase the volume of the pectorals and achieve muscular hypertrophy of the chest, one must not only gradually increase the weight to be lifted. But constantly alternate work zones in the routine.
In a chest routine, strength and resistance exercises should be combined. The pectoral muscles grow and increase in volume when experiencing loads that they are not used to. This is the only way to ensure significant muscle growth and size gain.
The pecs are a large muscle group. Increasing lean chest muscle mass is achieved by growing loads steadily but gradually. Supplementing the exercises with food is the basis for improving your volume,
The harmful repetition method ; (when they help you lift the bar) effectively bulks and strengthens your chest.
Routine for volume pecs – Pre-warm-up
When executing a routine for pectorals, it is essential always to carry out a correct physical warm-up. The idea is to start with abdominal planks and static push-ups as well as you can do the same exercises as the routine but without weight.
For example, in the first series, you should start with exercises with 30-40% of the weight you usually lift. Once the muscle is warm, you can begin to raise the loads.
Push-ups on the floor or a bench are an ideal exercise to warm up the pecs and mark the chest. To achieve classic hypertrophy and increase size, it is best to do 10-12 sets with considerable weight and supplement one day a week with maximum strength.
How to mark the chest?
The best way to mark the pecs is through an exercise routine with a maximum number of repetitions.
Complementing different exercises without weights with a diet where carbohydrates are alternated is the best way to mark the chest.
A complete chest routine should change the angle when executing the exercises, as the grip width of the bar helps to give the chest a more symmetrical and marked shape.
Including dips in parallel is ideal for working and marking the lower chest, and the 45 ° incline chest press with bars or dumbbells is perfect for working the upper pectoral area.
The core of the pecs is worked with dumbbell flys or by doing narrow-grip lying chest presses. Push-ups can also be performed between sets to rinse the blood and strengthen the muscle fibers.
ABSTRACT
The pectoral muscles are a large muscle group; they comprise the pectoralis major, minor, and serratus.
To increase the volume and enlarge the pectorals, the ideal is to alternate a routine for pectorals where strength exercises and hypertrophy are combined.
To mark the pectorals, not only one day of the chest is enough; the push-ups combined with exercises with dumbbells are an ideal method to achieve them.
In a routine for volume pecs, the exercises you can not miss are the bench press, the parallel bar dips, and the incline chest press.
The most important keys when increasing the volume of the pectorals are progressive weight gain, supplementing with a volume diet, and alternating exercises at different angles. Emphasizing technique is essential to avoid joint injury and improve breast enlargement results.
