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Virtually every woman covets a firm, sexy chest. Unfortunately, attaining this goal often proves to be elusive. Since breast tissue is predominantly comprised of fat, it succumbs to the effects of gravity and begins to sag over time. Pregnancy can further exacerbate this condition, causing the chest to display a droopy, haggard appearance. Ultimately, alternative measures such as cosmetic surgery are explored.

However, while many women seek a surgical solution to pump up their assets, exercise can provide a natural alternative. A well-designed training routine can help to offset the ravages of time and restore your chest to its previous glory. Although it won't directly increase your cup size, targeted bodysculpting will help to lift and define your chest, giving this area a fuller, shapelier appearance. With proper dedication and effort, significant improvement can be achieved in a matter of months.

The chest is a complex muscle group that has attachments at three different areas: the breastbone (sternum), collar bone (clavicle) and upper arm (humerus). Due to these multiple attachments, it is possible to exert emphasis on different aspects of the chest simply by altering the bench angle used in performance:

• Training with the bench set at an incline stresses the upper pectoral region (an incline of approximately 30-degrees is optimal-any more and your front delts take over in the performance of the move).

• Training with the bench flat stresses the middle area of the chest.

• Training with the bench set at a moderate decline stresses the lower portion of the pecs.

Moreover, additional benefits can be achieved by selectively manipulating the types of exercises in your routine. There are numerous movements that work the pectoral region, including many variations of each move. By taking kinesiological factors into account, chest exercises can be classified into three separate groups:

• Group One (Presses, Push-ups, Dips): Group one exercises are overall mass builders for the chest. Due to their compound nature, these movements not only work the pectoralis major, but also involve many of the supporting muscles and tie-ins associated with the chest. They are staple exercises in any routine, helping to beef up your bustline and promote fullness throughout your upper torso.

• Group Two (Dumbbell Flyes): Group two exercises are isolation movements that work the chest in a single-joint movement. Because of gravitational pull, they exert great force at the beginning portion of the move. As you bring the weight up, however, the stress gradually diminishes the point where muscular tension is virtually non-existent at the finish position. Thus, in order to maximize results, it is imperative to focus on the first half of each rep, making sure to get a complete stretch at the bottom. But don't allow your arms to stretch significantly below parallel with the floor. Doing so places undue stress on the shoulder joint and can lead to serious injury.

• Group Three (Crossovers, Pec Deck): Group three exercises help to give a polished look to the pectoral region. Because these movements provide continuous tension throughout the full course of a rep, an intense contraction can be achieved at the finish position. Hence, by forcefully squeezing your pecs together at peak contraction, you can recruit muscle fibers that are impossible to activate in free weight exercises.

For best results, choose only one exercise from each group per workout, varying the bench angle on a consistent basis. In this way, you ensure complete stimulation of your entire pectoral region while avoiding unnecessary overlap between movements. For example, there would be little utility to include both incline barbell presses and incline dumbbell presses in the same workout. These movements essentially target the same areas of the chest. Using both of them in the same session would be superfluous and cause you to expend valuable energy reserves that could be put to better use. Rather, it is preferable to alternate these variations from one workout to the next, performing incline barbell presses in workout one, incline dumbbell presses in workout two, incline machine presses in workout three, etc.

In addition, it is essential to limit the total volume of work to a minimum. All too often, women perform an exorbitant number of sets and exercises in an effort to maximize their development. This misguided approach is not only extremely inefficient, but it also can lead to overtraining-a condition that decreases performance and compromises results. Your body has limited energy reserves available and each set that you perform reduces your overall capacity to work out. Accordingly, when training the chest, you should perform no more than 9 to 12 total sets per workout. Remember, with respect to training, less can be more!

Make sure to choose a rep range that is consistent with your goals. If you want to increase pectoral mass, it is best to train in a range of 6 to 10 reps per set; if you want to improve muscular endurance and tone, a range of 15 to 20 reps is more appropriate. Perform your reps in a smooth, controlled fashion, taking special care to resist the negative portion of each rep. Due to the complexity of the pectoral muscle, chest training leaves your muscles particularly susceptible to strains or tears. Inevitably, sloppy form will lead to a debilitating injury and set back your training progress indefinitely.

Regardless of the rep range you choose to employ, it is imperative that you take each set to the point of momentary muscular failure. Women often are apprehensive to push themselves to the limit, fearing that this will promote a masculine appearance. However, nothing can be further from the truth. Only through intense exercise will you force your body to adapt to the rigors of training and reach its genetic potential. As long as you adhere to a proper training regimen, your chest will maintain its femininity, staying firm and pert into your golden years.

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