The existence of "upper pecs"

[Cuts]

O.k. so I was in the gym today looking in the mirror trying hard to find any flaws in my physique ... it took me a while but I noticed that by delts don't tie in with my "upper pecs" too well.

1) Is there really such a thing as "upper pecs"?

2) Is there a specific routine and/or movement(s) to help develop these lagging areas?

From high school gym I know that "incline bench is for you upper pecs" and "decline is for your lower pecs" but I always thought of this as somewhat hokey.

Any upper pec experts out there? Thanks. Karma for all who participate...

 

[casualbb]

1) Yes. The pectoralis major is separated into 2 parts: sternal and clavicular heads. The Sternal one is the "lower and mid" chest. It attaches along the length of the sternum. The clavicular head attaches along the inner part of the collarbone.

2) Any regular pec exercise used on an incline will stimulate the upper a bit more. At the same time, though, both upper and lower chest have significant activation in BOTH flat and incline bench, so don't kill yourself doing tons of sets of both.

I do one set of each w/DBs and that has my upper chest doing just fine.

-casualbb

 

[michaelcoutts]

yes the area you are talking about is the pectoral head that connects to the collerbone rather than the arm.

Ive always thought that incline bench presss or dummbell press isolated this area enough.

 

[skaman607]

doesn't it have something to do with your serratus, and by the way, what is a serratus?

 

[makedah]

serratus anterior

 

[Cuts]

Hmmm... so y'all seem to subscribe to this whole incline works the upper pecs theory huh? O.k. I'll give it a try for a while... see what happens.

Cool link to the Serratus muscle by the way. As an aside, the Serratus is also known as the "boxer's muscles."

Cuts has delivered you Karma.

 

[WarriorPL]

I don't feel that incline is enough for me. I lack growth in my entire chest.

 

[Cuts]

I don't feel that incline is enough for me. I lack growth in my entire chest.

Hey bro... are you the same WizKid that used to have the negative (the same editing effect on my avatar) avatar of you sitting with your arms crossed and a hat on backwards? And if so who's this new dude in your avatar now?

About the lagging chest... a friend of mine has the same problem so he (against my and everyone else's advice) starting spot shooting Winny into various areas of his pecs. They grew. Now I don't know how much of this can be accounted for by a placebo effect and just that fact that he was hitting them harder, but grow they did.

Of course, if one were to consider doing this, I wouldn't advise using anything longer than a 3/4" pin, and certainly stay away from the left parasternal area, otherwise the only muscle growing may be your heart !

 

[Rich_S]

Hmmm... so y'all seem to subscribe to this whole incline works the upper pecs theory huh? O.k. I'll give it a try for a while... see what happens.

Personally, I don't think that inclines work the upper chest any more than flat bench presses. All they seem to do is shift a good deal of the load from the pecs to the anterior delts.

 

[Cuts]

Personally, I don't think that inclines work the upper chest any more than flat bench presses. All they seem to do is shift a good deal of the load from the pecs to the anterior delts.

AHA! That is exactly what I've always felt. Logically though, since the anterior delts and "upper pecs" are in physical proximity to each other, I guess it would make sense that they both get stimulted more with increasing bench angles.

 

[DanielBishop]

Oh yeah, I've been meaning to ask about the pec-delt tie-in....

.... what exercises can help deliver that solid slab of muscle across the upper pecs which seems to connect to the front delts (ala Chris Cormier)? Most guys have the problem of the natural groove where the pec muscles and delt muscles meet....

 

[argent]

It isn't a matter of saying "Incline works only the upper pecs", or "Flat works only the middle to lower pecs". It is more a matter of shifting emphasis to one region to another.

 

[louden_swain]

Upper pectorals do exist!!! The best exercise for targetting the entire chest is incline presses.

 

[Tarheel]

My roomate works chest a lot (too much IMO).

He benches around 270 or 280, but had never done incline presses untill about a month ago. At my recommendation, he started doing 3 sets of 8, DB Incline press after his flat benching, and within a few weeks we could see considerable results in his upper pec region.

 

[skaman607]

what are some exercises to work the serratus?

 

[louden_swain]

what are some exercises to work the serratus?

Cable crunches and cross bench pull-overs.

 

[Cuts]

what are some exercises to work the serratus?

Lateral raises... once you go past shoulder level.

You see the lateral raise is an interesting movement, involving 3 different muscle groups from start to absolute finish. Beginning with the dumbell adjacent to your thigh, your teres minor initiates the movement till about 30 degrees. From 30 degrees to shoulder level is the part most familiar to us, working the powerful deltoid. Anything past that all the way to holding the dumbell over your head is accomplished by the serratus.

Man would my Anatomy professor be proud of me now!

 

[argent]

Lateral raises... once you go past shoulder level.

You see the lateral raise is an interesting movement, involving 3 different muscle groups from start to absolute finish. Beginning with the dumbell adjacent to your thigh, your teres minor initiates the movement till about 30 degrees. From 30 degrees to shoulder level is the part most familiar to us, working the powerful deltoid. Anything past that all the way to holding the dumbell over your head is accomplished by the serratus.

Man would my Anatomy professor be proud of me now!

I think you mean the trapezius. The serratus contracts in a different direction.

 

[Cuts]

You're right, the trapezius undoubtedly plays a major role too. But I do remember specifically reading that the serratus anterior group participate as well... maybe not so much in the prime movement, but rather stabablization?

 

[strong island]

Oh NOOOOOOO!!!

We opened up this can of worms again. There was a HUGE discussion about this a few months ago. Let me see if I can find it.

 

[strong island]

Have fun reading:

http://boards.elitefitness.com/forum/showthread.php?threadid=151893&highlight=sternal

 

[Cuts]

I think you mean the trapezius. The serratus contracts in a different direction.

I looked it up. You're right. So much for impressing my Anatomy instructor.

 

[argent]

Its all good bro. Don't beat yourself up.

 

[DanielBishop]

So what about the pec-delt tie-in??

ANYONE???