The pectoralis major is the most prominent chest muscle, but it has different regions that need to develop evenly to appear balanced and full on the upper body. You may know how to target the upper chest area with incline presses and the lower chest area with downward movements, but the outside of your chest is not developing as you would like.
Make a few simple adjustments to the chest exercises you already use to redesign your outer pectoral workout. Although there is no single exercise that targets the outer pecs, making simple adjustments to the chest exercises in your current routine can focus mostly on this area.
The best 4 exercises to strengthen the external pectoralis
Dumbbell flight
The dumbbell flight is performed lying on your back on a bench with a dumbbell in each hand. Extend your arms across your chest and turn your palms to face each other. The classic version asks you to open your arms in an arc and squeeze them as if you were executing a hug.
The trick to making this move work your outer pecs is to open as wide as possible to maximize the stretch at the bottom of the exercise. Be careful not to go below the height of the bench, as it can damage the shoulders. When you start again, stop before your palms hit; Go up just two-thirds of the way up to maintain external pecs activation.
Chest bottoms
Perform chest dips on parallel bars. Stand up with one hand on each bar and your feet together to keep your whole body elevated. Lean forward slightly as you bend your elbows to feel a stretch in your chest. Straighten your joints to get back to the start.
For the most effective dip on the outer pecs, aim for the lowest drop you can safely achieve . Instead of going all the way up as in the classic variation, go up just three-quarters of the way up to keep the outer pectoralis major on for the entirety of the rep.
Wide grip bench press
The bench press is the go-to exercise for your pecs. However, your grip affects how it will target the muscles. A wide grip, that is, beyond the shoulders, both on the flat bench and the incline bench activates your outer pecs. After you've lowered the bar to your chest, stop near your elbows straight to keep your outer pecs engaged. Extend your elbows about three-quarters of the way up before bending to lower the bar toward your chest.
Be aware that a wide grip can irritate the shoulders and wrists for some people.
Push-Up Plus
The classic pushup activates your pecs, yes, but a subtle change will also better stimulate your serratus anterior, a muscle that wraps around the ribs, under your armpits and resembles shark gills when cut and defined. Building the serratus anterior, along with the outside of the pecs, will give you that full chest you are looking for.
The push-up plus is a classic push-up during which, when you stand up with your elbows straight at the top, you push harder into the ground. This widens the back of the shoulders, an action for which the serratus anterior is partly responsible. A September 2014 study published by the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research confirmed that push-up plus is effective in maximizing the activation of the serratus anterior.
