Anatomy

• The visible pectoral muscle is the pectoralis major.Thinkstock Images/Comstock/Getty Images
  
  Your pecs are made of two different muscles, the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. The major is the prominent, visible muscle of the chest. You have one on each side, extending from your clavicle and sternum, or breastbone, down to your ribs and over toward your upper arms and the fronts of your shoulders. On a female body, the pectoralis major is under the breasts. The muscle controls movement of your arm at the shoulder. The pectoralis minor is much smaller and is beneath the major. It extends from your scapula, or shoulder blade, to about the middle of your ribcage.
  
  

Lifestyle

• A healthy diet will improve your overall appearance.Photos.com/PhotoObjects.net/Getty Images
  
  There is no way to improve one part of your body without working on your overall physique: Spot reduction is a myth. "Unfounded programs and devices that purport to achieve spot reducing have become a multimillion dollar industry in a country where the health and aesthetic disadvantages of obesity are well recognized. Numerous scientific studies, however, cast doubt on the validity of spot reduction," says Cedric X. Bryant, chief science officer of the American Council on Exercise. You cannot turn fat into muscle, but you can burn it off, a process the body undergoes as a whole. This means a full-body strength-training program, regular cardiovascular exercise and a healthy, controlled diet.
  
  

Press

• Perform the bench press with a barbell.Pixland/Pixland/Getty Images
  
  The bench press provides the foundation for a strong chest routine. "There isn't a major body builder out there that won't tell you that a flat barbell bench press is the most important exercise known to them to build a massive, wide, thick, impressive chest," says Kris Kennington of the website FitnessQuests. To execute a proper chest press, lie flat on a bench, keeping your abs contracted to maintain stability in your back. Place your feet flat on the floor. Hold the bar over the middle of your chest with a grip it a little wider than shoulder width. Remove the bar from the rack and lower it, with control, until it just about touches your chest. Squeeze your pectoralis major to raise the bar back up. Do not lock your elbows at the top. For muscle growth, perform three sets of eight to 12 reps each at a challenging weight. In addition to the flat press, you can adjust the bench so that you are lying at an incline (about 30 degrees) to zero in on the upper chest and in the same way, use a decline bench to hit the lower chest. You can also use dumbbells or press machines.
  
  

Fly

• Perform the fly with a dumbbell in each hand.Jupiterimages/Brand X Pictures/Getty Images
  
  Perform the fly to help firm the pectorals. Lie on a flat or inclined bench and hold dumbbells over your chest with your palms facing each other. With a slight bend in your elbows, lower the weights out to your sides until they are level to your chest. Repeat for three sets of eight to 12 reps each. You can also perform the fly with cables in a standing position or with a machine. When performing an upright fly, be sure to keep your back straight and your elbows even with your hands; do not let them drop down.
  
  

Tips

• Use your pectorals to perform the exercises, not your arms. Feel a squeeze in the pectoral muscles and maintain tension on them throughout the exercise.