For men looking to add muscle mass to their chest, there are some important principals to follow. Increasing the size of the pectoral muscles is a matter of exercise selection, as well as repetition range and resting times. In this article we’ll take a look at some chest exercises that can help build mass, as well as appropriate repetition ranges and resting times.
Chest exercises can generally be divided into single joint or multiple joint exercises. For example, a pectoral fly exercise is a single joint exercise because movement only occurs at the shoulder. The bench press is a multiple joint exercise because movement occurs at both the shoulder and the elbow. Both of these exercises are great for adding muscle mass. Some great chest exercises for men that most gyms offer are the flat, decline, and incline bench press. These exercises target the middle part of the pectoral muscles, the upper area of the pectoral muscles known as the clavicular pectoralis, and the lower part of the pectoral muscles. Some lifters will go back and forth between these exercises to focus on different areas of the chest.
When looking to add mass to any major muscle group, focusing in on muscle fiber type is important. Type 2 muscle fibers are the bigger, more powerful, muscle fibers. They are generally used in movements such as power-lifting, sprinting, and any other activity that requires short explosive bursts of power. In order to work the type 2 muscle fibers, one must keep the repetition range between six and twelve. This means that by the time a person does their last repetition, the muscles have been pushed to failure. This helps to optimize muscle growth. Additionally, rest periods for optimizing type 2 muscle fiber growth should be between sixty and ninety seconds. This will allow for adequate rest for the next set.
Multi-joint exercises such as the bench press are great for building muscle mass. Repetitions that stay relatively low help to ensure usage of Type 2 muscle fibers. If you are unsure how to do any exercise properly, make sure you work with a good certified personal trainer. The cost for personal trainer sessions will be well worth it if you can learn proper technique to keep you safe, as well as learning how to maximize muscle growth. Good luck with your chest workouts and consider implementing the following ideas into your routine.