How to pump up your pectoral muscles with dumbbells?

Hypertrophied pectoral muscles give the bodybuilder’s figure amazing power and indicate his extraordinary physical strength. Like all large muscle groups, they require a large amount of work and significant weights to develop. Does this mean that it is possible to pump them up only with the help of a barbell? Not at all. This projectile is, of course, very effective, but it also has a completely accessible alternative, which will be discussed later in this article...

We offer you some simple recommendations on how to pump up your pectoral muscles with dumbbells.

The main advantage of dumbbells is that training with them is anatomically more natural and safe. The barbell press is an excellent strength exercise, it increases the strength and volume of the front deltoids, triceps, forearms, makes the shoulder girdle much more powerful, but forming a clearly defined chest of large mass is only possible with dumbbells! Keep this in mind. In addition, the barbell forms a rigid system of levers with straightened arms, which often leads to muscle fiber rupture during super-heavy bench presses. You may also get overwhelmed, which will never happen to you when working with dumbbells... However, for quality training you need a good sparring partner who can back you up, monitor the correct technique, and help you do a couple of forced or negative repetitions in end of the approach. And it’s quite difficult to throw heavy shells into the starting position alone.

We list the main exercises for the pectoral muscles with dumbbells:

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   Incline press. Using dumbbells allows you to move your arms at the lowest point of the movement below chest level; this option is much more effective than a similar exercise with a barbell. In general, training the upper chest should be given increased attention, since it stimulates an increase in the volume of the entire muscle group. The starting position is as follows: dumbbells are located near the chest, palms are turned out and are on the same line. Slowly and under control, squeeze the bar until your arms are fully extended and then lower down. High speed or jerks when performing the movement remove some of the load from the chest due to inertia and the involvement of other muscle groups and reduce the anabolic effect. It is recommended to place the incline press at the beginning of the complex. Give it 4 sets of 6-8 reps, not counting a couple of warm-up sets. Sometimes change the direction of the angle of the bench and do dumbbell presses with your head down, this is also a good exercise for developing the pectoral muscles.
2. Raising hands. A great way to pump up your upper torso. In the starting position, the arms are straight above the chest, palms facing one another. Slowly spread your arms in an arc, then, having reached the bottom point of the trajectory, lift the dumbbells up until they touch at the top point. Additionally, contract your muscles with willpower. When performing this exercise, if the muscles are not warmed up enough and the weight is too heavy, there is a danger of ligament damage. Therefore, do not make the range of motion too wide and keep your elbows slightly bent (however, excessively bent elbows turn flyes into some kind of press). Place this exercise in the middle of your workout to give your triceps a break before doing the hard work later. Your task is to pump up the target muscles in 4 series of 8-10 repetitions.
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   Horizontal dumbbell press. A powerful final chord to your session. Now that the muscles are already tired, the help of a partner will be greatly needed. In each of the 4 sets, squeeze the apparatus 6-8 times, and let the last 1-2 repetitions be forced to the limit. Starting position: lying with your back on a bench, face up, with your feet firmly planted on the floor, shoulder-width apart, for stability. Raise the dumbbells in a slight arc, forcing all muscle fibers to work, concentrating on the feeling of muscle contraction. Maintain a slow pace, keep your chest under constant tension, avoiding pauses at the extreme points of the trajectory. The breathing pattern is important; straighten your arms as you exhale explosively, and accompany the reverse move with a smooth inhalation. The dumbbell bench press is a great exercise for gaining mass, dense and defined to the last bunch.

The pectoral muscles recover quite easily after heavy exercise, so pump them 2 times a week. 10 minutes of posing at the end of your workout will also bring you noticeable benefits. The mirror will teach you control over your muscles, and static muscle tension will improve its clarity and definition.