Pectoral muscles

How it is used

Often discussed in strength training, anatomy, and rehab. They are worked in presses, push-ups, dips, and some cable movements.

Example sentences

1. After weeks of careful technique work, she finally felt her pectoral muscles engage during push-ups instead of letting her shoulders take over.

   Here, the term refers to the chest muscles being properly activated, which changes where the effort is felt in the exercise.

2. The physio shortened his pressing volume because sore pectoral muscles were limiting his range during the last two bench sessions.

   In this sentence, the term identifies the chest area as the source of soreness affecting performance in pressing movements.

Common collocations

• tight pectoral muscles
• pectoral muscle activation
• stretch the pectoral muscles

Related terms

• muscleA soft body tissue that can contract and relax to move parts of the body; skeletal muscles are attached to bones by tendons.
• bench pressAn exercise in which you lie on a flat bench and push a barbell or dumbbells up from your chest until your arms are straight.

More terms: Muscles & the Body

• hamstring
• quadriceps
• core
• abs
• glutes
• flexibility
• mobility
• tendon
• ligament
• deltoids
• latissimus dorsi
• trapezius