How to Sculpt Flawless Pecs

Looking to gain those ultra-muscular pectoral muscles? A hotly coveted look, it’s no easy task to craft gorgeous pecs that’ll put you on par with The Rock. But with these tips, you’ll be well on your way to achieving the look you crave.

Focus on the Right Exercises

To really get that powerful pec look, make sure your chest exercises are zoning in on the areas you need to build. The American Council on Exercise sponsored a study to see which exercises were the most effective at activating and building pectoral muscles. According to them, here’s the top 3 exercises for pectoral muscle activation:

Barbell Bench Press

On a flat bench, lie down on your back. Grasp the bar in a medium width grip. This means that if you hold your fists up straight towards the ceiling and level your elbows horizontally but even with your chest, your forearm and upper arms will create a 90 degree angle. Then lift the bar from the rack and hike it all the way up straight over you, and lock your arms. From there, breathe in and slowly lower the bar until it touches your middle chest. Pause, and then push it back up to the locked arm position. That’s a single rep.

Pec Deck Machine

Fortunately this is a relatively common piece of gym equipment, because it does everything that it’s supposed to do. Sit up straight on the bench, then grasp the handles on a level with your chest. Your arms will be parallel to the floor, and elbows up and slightly bent. Then bring your hands together in front of you, as if you were wrapping your arms around a tree. That’s a single rep.

Bent-Forward Cable Crossovers

Another popular gym machine, this variation targets the pecs in a powerful way. Adjust the pulleys of the cable machine before you begin. Raise them as high as possible, and attach single grip handles. Choose your desired weight, then grip each handle with your palms facing downward. Step forward once. Your arms should be bent ever so slightly at the elbows, your chest up and eyes facing forward. This is the starting position for the exercise. Rotating only at the shoulders and moving your arms circularly, slowly bring the handles together and cross them over each other in front of you. Squeeze your chest as you cross. Slowly lower the weight and swivel your arms back to the starting point. That’s a single rep.

Get a Full Night’s Rest

Sleep is every bit as important as hitting the gym. When you exercise, you create tiny tears in your muscles. But when you rest, your body takes that time to rebuild the muscles you tore. And that is when the gains happen. So don’t skimp on your beauty sleep!

Eat Right

After all that, you’ll have rapidly growing pectoral muscles. But to show them off, you have to make sure they aren’t hidden under a layer of fat. Decrease your carbs and increase your protein to shred those final pounds and ensure all your hard work is displayed for the gorgeous people of the world.