Unless you have been around bodybuilding for some time, you might not have heard about striation. And if you have not heard about it, then you better read on because this is what separates a gorilla chest from a nine year old boy's chest. Striations are the tiny grooves of muscle across major muscle groups in a highly defined body. Having striations mean you can see the stretching of the muscle sort of like steel cables or stretched plastic wrap.
Striations are mainly, as mentioned before, found in the chest area. Achieving striations combines a few simple exercises and a low body fat percentage. Inducing a complete stretch of the chest muscle should be your goal - this means a complete motion were the muscle is burning and searing. One key factor when trying to achieve striations is the stretch at the top of every exercise motion. Flexing and stretching in between sets is a commonly overlooked tool. Not only will flexing and stretching help you attain striations but also the desired rippedness.
As stated earlier, body fat percentage plays a major role in viewing your steel cables. A flabby chest just will not reveal striation. A simple diet and cardio plan is the answer to this problem. Bodybuilding.com has plenty of articles on this subject.
Now, let us move on to the good stuff - the program. This program is geared to achieving striation in the chest. I recommend only doing three exercises with 4 sets each consisting of 8-10 repetitions.
Striation Program
Dips - a commonly overlooked exercise because of its simplicity. The wonderful thing about dips is that one can get a very good stretch for the muscles. When performing this exercise, slowly bend your arms down until you feel a deep stretch in your pectoral muscles. Your chin should be somewhat close to your upper chest. Many gyms are equipped with dip stations with different hand widths. Utilize this option because variety is key and variety promotes muscle growth.
4 sets of 8-10 reps
Pec Deck - the pec deck is also a wonderful exercise to attain striation. The stretch involved in this exercise concentrates on developing the inner chest muscles to cause separation between the left and right pectoral muscles. Make sure you complete this exercise slow and concentrated.
4 sets of 8-10 reps
Close grip bench press - although commonly used as a triceps exercise, you can concentrate on the pectoral muscles. The good thing about this is that since the chest is customarily trained with triceps is that it works both muscles at the same time. This exercise can be done on a flat, incline and decline bench. Since the lower pectoral muscles are generally more developed and separation is more evident, I usually do this exercise on an incline bench.
4 sets of 8-10 reps
Remember, it may not be the exercises in which you choose but the stretch in which you complete them. Getting a good, deep stretch on these exercises can not be stressed enough. Attaining striation requires discipline and dedication - it will not come to you in one workout.