Target Muscle
Sternal Connection of Pectoralis Major – This is your lower pecs (large chest muscle) that connects to your sternum (breast bone) and is target muscle for bench press and overall chest development. Everything you do on a bench press should engage and continue engaging this muscle as the target. All movements that disengage this muscle or reduce its load reduce your ability to lift and the effectiveness of your workout.
Synergist Muscles
Muscles that help the pecs to perform bench press are:
Anterior Deltoids – This is the front part of your shoulder muscle and assists the pectoralis major during shoulder transverse (across the body) flexion.
Clavicular Connection of Pectoralis Major – This is the part of your pecs that connects to your clavicle (collarbone).
Triceps Brachii
Stabilizers
These are the muscles that do not add to the movement but stabilize the joints so that you can perform the movement. Think of them as someone who holds and unstable ladder as you climb it. For bench press this task falls on the short head of biceps brachii.
