Building Perfect Pectorals

[Needsmuscle]

Hi everone,

I need to know how to build perfect pectorals.
Can anyone please tell me EVERY excercise for the chest becasue there are about 4 different muscles in the chest (Pectoralis Major,Sternal, Clavicular, Pectoralis Minor, Serratus Anterior).

Does anyone know the specific exercises to train ALL of these?

Thanks

PS: Im looking to build perfect, square pecs - not rounded, circular pecs.

[TimD]

Start by looking it up yourself in the exercise and muscle directory here at this site. Take the link from the home page to Weight training. It's all covered in there.
Tim

[Ironman]

Shape is genetic. There is no changing that. Just pick a an exercise for each major head. The other 2 will be worked with those, and so will your anterior delts and triceps.

[Matt Z]

For the Sternal Pectorals I'd recomend ONE of the following:
Barbell Bench Press
Barbell Decline Press
Dumbbell Bench Press
Dumbbell Decline Press
Chest Dips

For the Clavicular Pectorals I'd recomend ONE of the following:
Barbell Incline Press
Dumbbell Incline Press

Meanwhile the smaller muscles of the chest don't really need to be targeted specifically. They recieve enough work from other exercises.

PS) I agree with Ironman. The general shape of the pectorals (square vrs round) is purely genetic.

[work of art]

Most chest exercises work most chest fibers,check out the muscle directory of this site for exercises.

[standAPART]

The pectorals are one muscle. Those are attachments you've listed. Because it is "fan shaped", different parts of the pectorals can be emphasized, but nothing can "isolate" any one part. I'd go with the follwoing exercises:
Barbell Bench
Decline DBs press
Pullover
Standing flyes on cable

[Ironman]

That lacks emphasis on the clavicular head. Also pullovers doesn't work the chest hardly at all. It is mostly a lat exercise. It got lumped with chest because people used to think it expanded the chest cavity. Cable flys are virtually useless. You MIGHT put them into a high volume precontest workout where you need to bring up pecs, if you have good genetics and recovery abilities, are very advanced and taking anabolic/androgenic steroids.

flat and decline bench with dumbbells or barbells and weighted chest dips are the way to go for the sternal head. Then an equal amount of incline for the clavicular. Lack of development on the clavicular head makes your chest look awful.

The other advantage to these better chest exercises is excellent development of the anterior delts and the triceps. Not to mention pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior.

[standAPART]

The other advantage to these better chest exercises is excellent development of the anterior delts and the triceps. Not to mention pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior.

Pullovers hit the serratus anterior and pec minor...that is why there were known to expand the rib cage.

[Jungledoc]

Lack of development on the clavicular head makes your chest look awful.

Sounds like you've seen my chest!

I've now crossed a mysterious, invisible line in the world of weightlifting. I've crossed over from "I don't lift for appearance, just health and strength" to "well, maybe a few inclines to try to bring up the clavicular heads." Next thing you know, I'll be agonizing over the symmetry of my tris.

[pdellorto]

Next thing you know, I'll be agonizing over the symmetry of my tris.

Yeah, I was going to mention them in your squat video, but I didn't want to make you cry.

In all seriousness, there isn't anything wrong with a little vanity, even in non-bodybuilders. It's just not something to get caught up in unless you're working out for vanity in the first place like a competitive bodybuilder. In your case, yeah, what the hell, if you can make your chest look better, that's cool...but secondary to getting the back to stop hurting, get your strength up, get healthy enough to keep doctoring those who need it for a long time. I kind of like the approach of "stick some work in at the end of the workout." Yes, after you've done your squats and deadlifts and eaten your veggies, you can have your dessert/do your curls. :)

[Ironman]

The other advantage to these better chest exercises is excellent development of the anterior delts and the triceps. Not to mention pectoralis minor and the serratus anterior.

Pullovers hit the serratus anterior and pec minor...that is why there were known to expand the rib cage.

It does just a little, but it is way more of a lat exercise. It is a PULLover for 1. It is your lats that make your arms move that way. Otherwise pullups would be a chest exercise too.

For 1 thing expansion of the rib cage is not possible and for another, how could 2 little muscles have that kind of power? Not to mention the fact that it was the 20 rep squat/pullover combo that was suppose to expand it. It has nothing to do with chest muscles. It's just mythology. Very old mythology at that.

[Ironman]

Lack of development on the clavicular head makes your chest look awful.

Sounds like you've seen my chest!

I've now crossed a mysterious, invisible line in the world of weightlifting. I've crossed over from "I don't lift for appearance, just health and strength" to "well, maybe a few inclines to try to bring up the clavicular heads." Next thing you know, I'll be agonizing over the symmetry of my tris. :lol:

That's how I started. It didn't take long before it turned into bodybuilding.

[hoosegow]

Two words: PERFECT PUSHUP

[Jungledoc]

Two words: PERFECT PUSHUP

Is that some sort of bra? Are you telling me that I should wear a bra? I didn't think my pecs looked THAT saggy!

[Jungledoc]

Yeah, I was going to mention them in your squat video, but I didn't want to make you cry.

Actually, I usually work out without a shirt. When I made the squat videos my first "take" was that way. I wisely thought better of it, and spared you all the pain.