What do we all think of that great muscle mass that covers our chest giving serious shape and an impression of physical strength? Is it all about pec twitching and grand displays of masculinity? Look at how male gorillas beat their chests as a display of size and dominance - they aren't our ancestors for nothing and the similarities don't end there....

It's a well-known cliché that men are prone to show off biceps and pecs as they flex their muscles, and pec workouts can also be a bit of a cliché in the gym. Building pec bulk is often a serious goal for bodybuilders and cross-fitters. But what about the ladies? If the male bravado of having well-developed pecs is one view, then do women consider their pec development is essential too? One thing we do know is that the pecs are the supporting muscle behind the breast and that in itself is a good reason for ladies to keep a good pec tone to fight hard against gravity. So how many pecs do we have and what do they do?

Major for power, Minor for stability

The pectorals are working as a pair, but this pair is a little imbalanced - pectoralis major is the muscle we all know and love as the big bulk of the chest. A bit of a show-off, pec major is the most visual and superficial of the pecs. Starting at the sternum and inserting at the top of the arm, pec major flexes the shoulder in the horizontal plane, rotates the arm inwards and brings the arm down towards the body. Looking at the fanning direction of its muscle fibres, we can see how strong the muscle is by its size, thickness and the way the fibres rotate for added tension - often a reason that pec major can get so tight!

Many of pec major fibres (around 60%) are Type II, meaning they are designed for short periods of intense strength, for ballistic movements and the sports that require this - think tennis, bowling in cricket and baseball. But also some sports require more of an endurance development of this muscle - Type I fibres - that can keep the chest muscles propelling the arm forward for long periods for both swimmers and rowers. Let’s not forget climbers who need pec muscle strength for both endurance and power! And so pec major has its place, quite visibly, in both the endurance and explosive power camps! The choice is yours as to how you best workout your pec major for your sporting goals, but what about its little sidekick pectoralis minor?

Minor but not insignificant

Our small friend pectoralis minor is not quite the showstopper of pec major. A discrete muscle lying under the larger pec, it attaches to the ribs and joins the front part of the scapula - pec minor is a great muscle for scapula stabilization but it also helps with the inspiration cycle in breathing - particularly deep inspiration. Pec minor may not have the ballistic power of pec major but it certainly has the staying power! Known for its pretty constant tonus, pec minor is rarely at rest, using its endurance fibres for constant activation.

But let not forget the downside to this - renowned for being overactive when we don't need it to be, pec minor can create many common problems caused by shortening, leading to poor posture (classic hunched shoulders), and a poor scapular movement when the arm raises, meaning an inefficient and imbalanced shoulder movement.

Making the most of the two pecs

So how can we ensure our two pecs are being treated with the utmost respect? Of course diPulse has the answer! Building bulk for pec major is really quite simple! The diPulse SMARTSHIRT is designed specifically with the pecs in mind for chest development. Our dry carbon electrodes are positioned exactly where you need effective muscle stimulation - right over the motor point of the pec major muscle. 

Using the Explosive Strength, Hypertrophy or Body Building programs allows for Type II muscle fibre stimulation, recruiting dormant muscle fibres and activating a much more effective and streamlined contraction than exercise alone. This is also a safer way to exercise for increased muscle mass without hyper-loading the shoulders with potentially damaging weights - parity of resistance can be achieved through NMES. If you are not the proud owner of a SMARTSHIRT then why not try the SMARTRECOVERY kit to activate the pecs. Using the same programs, it is easy to identify how to target power fibres and the gel electrodes are a super-efficient way of making the most of the Massage and Wellbeing programs after a strenuous workout.

The advantage of the SMARTSKIN electrode positioning inside the garment is that it can also stimulate the pec minor in order to ensure that those exhausted endurance fibres get some downtime! Cool-down and Muscle Revival programs are specifically designed to increase circulation, remove metabolites and encourage muscle flexibility - the perfect time to apply a post-workout stretch to this troublesome muscle.

Make sure you check out the diPulse app for the full menu of muscle stimulation programs - diPulse covers all possibilities - your only decision is which to choose! 

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References:

Fairbairn, D (https://breakingmuscle.com/fitness/adduct-extend-and-rotate-for-better-pecs)

https://www.theguardian.com/science/2021/apr/08/gorilla-beat-chest-signal-size-avoid-fight-with-rival-researchers-say

Ozello D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s36MQalKXqM