Q: What should I be doing in the gym to build my chest?

A: A man with a well-defined chest exudes power and confidence – no wonder so many guys work tirelessly in the gym to define their pecs! The pectoralis major, also called the pectorals or pecs, is the main muscle in the chest whose primary job is to bring the arms together in front of the rib cage.

To build a bigger chest you will need to engage in a variety of exercises from different angles to stimulate this large muscle.  Push-ups, bench presses and flyes should be at the top of your list. Use free weights, especially dumbbells, and cables instead of machines, which often restrict your range of motion and will not effectively recruit supporting muscles.

Using heavy weight is essential to stimulating the muscle fibers and gaining size in your chest. You can lift more with barbell bench presses, so go heavy and lift in the lower rep range; go relatively lighter with dumbbells. For safety, always train with a buddy or invest in a personal trainer for even a month or two to learn proper form and technique.

To build the upper chest, I favor an incline bench press using a barbell. For variation, try a reverse grip or use dumbbells. Use a wide grip to hit the outer areas of the pectorals; conversely, try a close grip to work the center line of the chest.

Tip: Varying the angle of the bench for incline or decline exercises can have a significant impact on muscle stimulation.

To target the lower chest line, decline bench presses and decline flyes are great exercises.

When selecting equipment, remember that cables can increase your range of motion, allowing you cross the center line with resistance during a chest flye. This increased motion will help target the center of the chest, while dumbbells can be effective at working the outer chest as they provide maximum resistance due to gravity at the open position or when the arms are out to the sides.

Tip of the week: Afternoon snacks good for you!

Get into the habit of eating an afternoon snack around 3 p.m. every day to keep your energy level high and prevent you overindulging at dinner time because you are so hungry. Healthy snacks under 150 calories include an apple (with or without a tsp. of peanut butter), an 8 oz. light fruited yogurt, 2 cups of sliced strawberries, a Chewy Granola bar, 25-30 grapes or a large banana.