Expert Q+A
I've got some pretty decent muscle, but when it comes to my chest, I've got nothing in the upper pectoral area. How do I give myself some muscle cleavage?
ANSWER:
You want cleavage? Watch an R-rated movie. On the other hand, if you want an impressive and powerful-looking chest, you’ve come to the right place.
First, let’s talk anatomy. The pec is divided into two parts: the clavicular head (the muscle fibers that connect at your collarbone) and the sternal head (the fibers merging at the sternum, or breastbone).
To build the upper part of the pecs, you want to do exercises that will really fire the clavicular head fibers. This is best done with movements performed on an incline bench.
Start with the incline dumbbell press: Holding two dumbbells, start with your arms extended, directly over your shoulders, palms facing forward. Lower slowly, keeping palms facing forward, and finish where elbows are at a 90-degree angle and forearms are perpendicular to the floor. At full extension, the dumbbells should be 4-6 inches apart. (Don’t bring them together at the top, by the way.)
Next: incline flyes with dumbbells. Your starting position is the same -- arms extended with dumbbells over shoulders -- except on this movement, the palms face each other. Begin by slowly lowering the dumbbells until they’re level with your chest, elbows slightly bent. Then squeeze the pecs, extending, or raising, your arms as if you’re attempting to hug a big tree. Finish back at your starting point, arms extended, with the dumbbells about 10 inches apart. Keep hands stationary and facing each other throughout the movement.
Finally, this upper-pec finisher: a decline push-up. Start in push-up position, with your feet elevated on a flat bench, then slowly lower.
Do three to four sets, of eight to 12 reps each, of these exercises two to three times a week, and you’ll start seeing a bigger sweep in your upper chest. While you may not have cleavage, your progress will be impressive enough to get you a closer look at someone else’s. And we don’t mean that of your training partner.About the Expert
Certified strength and conditioning specialist Dave Dunlap has been a personal trainer at ClubSport of Pleasanton, Calif., for 20 years. A sprinter and decathlete at the University of California, Santa Barbara, he was a finalist for the prestigious IDEA Personal Trainer of the Year award in 2001.
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