When it comes to developing a bigger and stronger chest, the first exercise that comes to most peoples mind is the bench press. Although this is perhaps the fastest way to build muscle on your chest, there is another lesser known exercise that can really give you a much more powerful and broader looking frame. The manner of this exercise not only strengthens your chest, but it expands your rib cage like no other exercise, giving you that Hercules look.

So what's the exercise? The fastest way to build muscle on your upper body and chest area is actually two completely different exercises combined together: breathing squats and pullovers. "Squats?" you say, "how the heck are squats going to give me big and powerful chest?" These are not just regular squats.

If you have read any of my other articles or my newsletters then you will know by now how much I favor breathing squats when it comes to gaining weight and building muscle mass, especially in a workout program for hardgainers.

The difference between breathing squats and regular squats is, evidently, the way you breathe. Here's how you do them:

First: You can either do them with light weight or really heavy weight, depending on whether or not you want to increase your strength as well as your size and weight.

Second: Between each rep right before you go down, take at least three HUGE breaths. This is the most important point in this exercise. You must force yourself to inhale AND exhale as deep as you possibly can. Use your mouth instead of your nose so you can suck in as much air as you can.

Third: On the last breath before you go down, breathe all the way in and hold it as you go down, then when you come back up blow it out with all you got. Repeat for the rest of the set.

Fourth: After you get past the tenth rep, inhale and exhale at least FIVE times before each rep instead of three, the more deep breaths the better.

Immediately after your squats without taking any time to rest, flop down on or across a flat bench with a light dumbbell and do a set of 20 pullovers. As you lower the weight inhale as much air as possible, and as you bring the weight back up exhale. The purpose of the pullover is not to build strength or muscle but to stretch out your rib cage. So really focus on getting a good stretch when you lower the weight.

As you can see, the breathing in these exercises is the main thing. To make sure you are doing the squats correctly, really emphasize on filling your whole diaphragm with air so that your chest really sticks out after your inhale.

These two exercises together combined will really expand your rib cage and after a few weeks you will notice two main differences: your chest will look much larger and more powerful and you'll be able to suck in a lot more air then you used to.

The best way to do these two exercises is just a couple sets of really high reps. My suggestion would be one set of 20 if you are using really heavy weight on the squats, or two sets of 20 if you are using light weight. Try getting to the point where you can count to at least 5 while inhaling and to at least 3 while exhaling.

Try these for a few weeks and you will notice tremendous size difference in your frame, mainly your chest and back. You will then be well on your way for that Hercules look.