Do you want to get a bigger chest? Your secondary muscles during chest workouts can help you get a bigger chest. With the increased awareness and the extensive use of the internet and social media, we hear from people daily, “help! My chest is too small.” So what should I do to get a bigger chest?
If you are also one of them, then don’t worry. You are in the right place. We will tell you a secret to get a bigger chest. First, you must understand chest workouts and anatomy to achieve your dream.
Besides training your primary chest muscles, you should know the secondary muscles in the chest.
Types of secondary muscles for chest exercises
We term muscles in the chest region as push muscles. Push muscles are the muscles that contract when weight is pushed away from the body.
In addition, to support the pectoral (chest) region’s primary muscles, a group of secondary muscles whose main purpose is to help primary chest muscles perform their function smoothly.
The main secondary muscles of the chest are of two types; deltoids and triceps.
1. Deltoids:
The deltoid is a triangular muscle in the uppermost part of the arm. Its name comes from the Greek word ‘delta,’ similar to the equilateral triangle.
It originates from three regions: the clavicle (collar bone), acromion of the scapula (shoulder blade), and spine of the scapula, whereas it is inserted in the humerus (upper arm bone).
Function: Deltoid performs three distinct functions corresponding to the three bands of the fibers. The anterior fiber of the deltoid acts along with a pectoralis major to flex the arm’s flexion in running or walking motion.
The deltoid’s posterior fiber helps extend the arm during ambulation and latissimus dorsi. It also helps with the external rotation of the humerus. It helps strengthen muscles and offset the shoulder’s tendency to rotate internally because of poor posture.
2. Triceps:
The triceps are the second set of secondary muscles that help the primary muscles of the chest. These are present in the upper part of the arm.
They run along the humerus between the shoulder and elbow. It has three separate bony origins and then comes together to a common insertion point.
Its long head originates from the scapula, the medial head originates from the inferior of the radial groove, and the lateral head originates from the superior of the radial groove. The triceps is the primary extensor of the forearm.
Functions: The primary purpose of the triceps is to help the forearm with the extension or movement. They act as an antagonist of the biceps and brachialis.
Finally, they help keep the head of the humerus in the correct position to stabilize the shoulder.
How secondary muscles affect chest exercises:
We concluded primary muscles could not perform their function without secondary muscles. Thus, when trying to have a bigger chest and planning your lifts, you should not ignore the secondary muscles of the chest.
Building and strengthening secondary muscles is as important as building primary muscles in the chest.
So, you must also include lifts that can build these secondary muscles. In this way, you will get a bigger chest faster. Because now, secondary muscles allow you to perform lifts in a better way.
Some of the best lifts for the secondary muscles are:
- Dips
- Barbell upright row
- Battling ropes
- Dumbbell front raise
- Pushups
- 45-degree incline row
Anatomy of the chest
The chest or pectoral region lies between the neck and abdomen. When one looks at the chest’s anatomy, one will notice we divide it into three parts.
The upper part is called clavicular, the middle region is called sternocostal, and we know the lowered part as the abdominal head.
However, we categorized these muscles into two categories; upper muscles make up the clavicular head, and the lower muscles make up the sternocostal and abdominal head. The primary function of the muscles in the chest region is to help the upper body in movement.
Exercises to build chest muscles
Lifts are an excellent way to strengthen and develop chest muscles. Not only can they help you reach your goal quickly, but they also have a long-lasting and robust impact. Choosing lifts to build chest muscles is choosing those lifts specifically designed for the upper body.
You can choose lifts based on your goal and personal requirement. Some of the best lifts to build chest muscles include:
- Incline bench press
- Pec-deck machine
- Dumbbells flat bench press
- Barbell bench press
Primary muscles of the chest
After the abdomen, the chest or pectoral region has the most massive muscles in the upper body. Looking at the chest’s primary muscles, you will know the four major muscles in the chest region.
The main muscles of the chest are the pectoralis major, pectoralis minor, serratus anterior, and subclavius. Among these four, the pectoralis major is the most massive muscle in the chest’s upper part. These four primary muscles help shoulder blades and arms move forward, backward, or move in any direction.
Workout programs
Once you decide to build chest muscles, developing a good workout program is the most crucial step toward your goal.
It is always better to take help from some professional while planning your workout routine. Besides, you can also follow our workout plan, or if you want to amend it according to your individual needs, you are free to do so.
The primary purpose of any chest workout is to build muscles in the chest region. Go for any of these popular programs to build chest muscles. These includes:
- German volume training
- Pre-exhaustion training
- Post-exhaustion training
- HIIT
Final words
Secondary muscles are essential, as they allow primary muscles to perform their task or function smoothly. For example, there are two sets of secondary muscles in the chest, deltoids, and triceps; both are important for building the chest’s primary muscles.
Thus, learning chest workouts and anatomy is essential before planning your workout routine. What do you think? Please share your response in the comments so others can benefit from your experience.