Chest Help =[ - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

Toregar · 26-06-2006, 04:59 PM

The bane of my bodybuliding experience ... Pretty much sums up this area of my body. The rest of my body responds to just about everything I do, whereas my chest hardly responds to anything I do.

I've been training on and off for 5 years, the last 2 of which have been consistent. I was doing some reading, and I believe I may have a higher fast twitch fiber make-up throughout my chest. I've had a few lifting partners, and what I've noticed is I have much better stamina in the bench press, than they do. However, they've got me in power, easily. I can bench 200 lbs X 15 reps, but cannot do 225 lbs X 1.

What do you guys think ? Think I should switch over to higher reps to make it respond better ?

I change my workouts every 4 weeks.

One bodypart per week. No AAS, for now. Another month or two, and I believe I'll have the base necessary for that.

Currently my chest workout is as follows:

Inclind DB Press 3 X 6-8
Flat BB Press 3 X 6-8
Flat DB Flyes 2 X 10 X 15.

I make gains, but they are nothing compared to the rest of my body.

I think I already answered my own question, just curious as to what you guys might think ? Anyone have similar experiences ? Hard to bring up the chest ? What you might have done ?

I've also heard, for some, the bench press just doesn't suit them. I dunno =/

BIG-UNC · 26-06-2006, 08:03 PM

what are your other workout like mate?

intensity?

how many days aweek do you train?

LondonGeezer · 26-06-2006, 08:18 PM

i have similar problem with my arms.. my chest is fine, cut back to 40kg bench press due to muscle tear in the forearm and no training for 18weeks but working my way up quickly now. my biceps are **** tho im curling 10kg at 4x8reps and not seeing any real gains.. i can get to about 12-14kg curls but still dont notice any real gain. my uncle said its becos the bicep is hardest to gain on and he hardly makes an inch on it in a single year. i think this is bull**** though because i train my body in proportion and every muscle group at a high intensity to feel the burn.

Toregar · 26-06-2006, 08:36 PM

Heya UNC !

I see your posts all around these boards, thanks for the reply.

I train with high intensity, seeing as I only hit 1 bodypart per week. I take the last set to failure. Every 3rd week or so, I'll do forced reps/negatives.

I eat approx 3500 - 4k calories daily. 300 + Grams of protein/450 Carbs/70 fat ... All from clean foods. As I was bulking up, I ate clean foods + a good amount of junk ... Now I'm eating extremely clean. It sucks ... But it'll be worth it.

My workouts are as follows:

Mon - Chest/Shoulders

Chest as listed in the OP.

Shoulders

BB Press - 4 X 6-8

Upright BB Row - 3 X 6-8

Side Laterals - 2 X 10-12 (Every 3rd week 15 Static Hold)

Tuesday - Back

Deadlifts - 4 X 6 - 10

Bent-over BB Row - 3 X 6 - 10

Pullups - 4 X 6 - 10

Hyperextensions - Few light sets to get the blood in there, deadlifts take care of my lower back.

Wednesday - Off

Thursday - Legs

I start off with Leg Presses to pre-exhaust my quads. I got up to using too much weight, was taking a toll on my joints.

Leg Presses - 4 X 6 - 10

Squats - 4 X 6 - 10 (Every 3rd week, I'd change it up with Front Squats)

Leg Extensions - 3 X 8 - 12

Standing Calf-raises - 4 X 20

Seated Calf-raises - 4 X 20

Friday - Bi's/Tri's

I superset here.

Straight BB curls - 3 X 8-10
Close Grip BB Bench - 3 X 8-10

Incline DB Curls - 2 X 8 - 10
Machine Overhead Tricep Extensions - 2 X 8 - 10

Concentration Curls - 2 X 8 - 10
Reverse Grip Tri Pressdowns - 2 X 8 10

I've made outstanding gains utilizing something like this over the last year. After my first 3 years of off and off training, I went through a 6 month layoff. I started back again, making reasonable gains ... The last year I've really focused on things. I started at a lean 170 lbs, ended up at a puffy 230 ... Granted, much of it was muscle memory, and my b/f was high but I was happy with my progress. I change things up every month or so. Changing it up can be anything from changing the actual exercise to pre-exhaust techniques to Forced Reps/Negatives etc.

I keep an accurate journal of my lifts, so I'm able to progress throughout each workout. It's been great ... My chest is just my sticking point =/ I know we all have them (Well, most of us, anyways ), and damnit, it sucks :boohoo:

Toregar · 26-06-2006, 08:48 PM

I hear you, London. In the end, Genetics will always be the limiting factor. Whether or not you have high lat insertions or low ones/High bicep peak or not/Wide Clavicles or Narrow/Squared off chest as opposed to a rounded one ... That sure as hell doesn't mean we're not going to do all we can with what we've got :lift:

DRED · 26-06-2006, 09:18 PM

hello mate my chest was always a problem for me.....now i try and do it different every week.
try doin cable crossovers
incline db flys
flat db press
incline db press.....make sure you have a spotter for the db,s!!
you wont need as much weight either as your chest should be fairly pumped by then and when you do the db,s your triceps will help out a bit.

dynamatiz · 26-06-2006, 09:56 PM

maybe worth a try taking an exercise out mate or two for your chest

try knocking down the volume and do 3 x 6 of 1 exercise(flat or incline,db or bb) and go heavy to bring your strength on

just a thought

invisiblekid · 27-06-2006, 10:48 AM

One Word: Dips.

I reached a plateu (sp?) with my chest a little while ago so I started doing weighted dips. My chest exploded. The top of my chest is now getting very thick and my strength is also increasing.

Also try increasing weight in very small increaments. Your body doesn't really know the difference between says 200lbs and 205lbs, but your form will be critical as this is what will make you succeed or fail.

For example: week1: 200 x 15, 205 x 10, 210 to fail. week2: 205 x 15, 210 x 15, 215 to fail etc...so you're starting at a slightly high level each time. There is something on this in one of the forums here, can't find it at the moment - maybe someone knows what I'm talking about??

BL1 · 27-06-2006, 11:08 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by invisiblekid

One Word: Dips.

I reached a plateu (sp?) with my chest a little while ago so I started doing weighted dips. My chest exploded. The top of my chest is now getting very thick and my strength is also increasing.

Also try increasing weight in very small increaments. Your body doesn't really know the difference between says 200lbs and 205lbs, but your form will be critical as this is what will make you succeed or fail.

For example: week1: 200 x 15, 205 x 10, 210 to fail. week2: 205 x 15, 210 x 15, 215 to fail etc...so you're starting at a slightly high level each time. There is something on this in one of the forums here, can't find it at the moment - maybe someone knows what I'm talking about??

Get the dips in there mate and make sure your varying the workout each week so you keep the body guessing and work the muscle from all angles.

**Tinytom** · 27-06-2006, 12:15 PM

Try a technique called pressure negatives.

It''s where you have a partner push down on the barbell while you try and press it. Essentially you try and resist him pushing down then at the bottom you press up with no resistence from him.

Use a light weight approx 1/3 of your maximum 12 rep lift.

This kills and if done correctly you only need to do about 6 reps.

Toregar · 27-06-2006, 04:02 PM

Many thanks guys ! Great advice, and I'll give them all a try :p

**hackskii** · 27-06-2006, 08:38 PM

If you want to help your bench press, do your bench press first.
I like to use the same bench, same thickness bar, same spotter, even like a certain pair of shoes (some are more slippery).

I save myself on the way up warming up and increasing the weight.
When I get to my target weight I give it 100%, whether it be 8 reps or 12 reps or what ever.
Once I get it up over 12 reps, I add 10 lbs next workout.

When I am trying to get my bench up, I focus more on the bench during my chest routine.

Also the dips are a good idea and so are close grip benches.

Some guys have good results with 5 x 5 routines.

BIG-UNC · 29-06-2006, 08:50 AM

my chest is quite big in the middle and lacks fairly obviosly in the outer region so instead of looking like a big chest with a nice long/sweeping shape mine looks like a pair of t!ts big t!ts though lol about a 36c ha ha

i was advised to do more dbell work this was only 2 weeks ago but i feel my chest looks alot better already more shapely!!

i see you use more dbell work for your chest so maybe the opposite advice to mine would be relevent to your training!!

just a suggestion mate

invisiblekid · 29-06-2006, 01:14 PM

Unc, thats right, because dumbells will extend the upper/outer chest at the bottom of the movement where as BB benching doesn't allow you to go past your chest.

Some people say that the Pec-Dec will define the inner chest, but not add mass. Anyone use the Pec-Dec a lot?

Toregar · 29-06-2006, 02:10 PM

Thanks again all ... Excited to start my chest workout on Monday. Thanks to you guys, I've got a few new things I'm gonna incorporate

26-06-2006, 04:59 PM	#1 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 184	Chest Help =[ The bane of my bodybuliding experience ... Pretty much sums up this area of my body. The rest of my body responds to just about everything I do, whereas my chest hardly responds to anything I do. I've been training on and off for 5 years, the last 2 of which have been consistent. I was doing some reading, and I believe I may have a higher fast twitch fiber make-up throughout my chest. I've had a few lifting partners, and what I've noticed is I have much better stamina in the bench press, than they do. However, they've got me in power, easily. I can bench 200 lbs X 15 reps, but cannot do 225 lbs X 1. What do you guys think ? Think I should switch over to higher reps to make it respond better ? I change my workouts every 4 weeks. One bodypart per week. No AAS, for now. Another month or two, and I believe I'll have the base necessary for that. Currently my chest workout is as follows: Inclind DB Press 3 X 6-8 Flat BB Press 3 X 6-8 Flat DB Flyes 2 X 10 X 15. I make gains, but they are nothing compared to the rest of my body. I think I already answered my own question, just curious as to what you guys might think ? Anyone have similar experiences ? Hard to bring up the chest ? What you might have done ? I've also heard, for some, the bench press just doesn't suit them. I dunno =/

26-06-2006, 08:03 PM	#2 (permalink)
BIG-UNC IF YOU BUILD IT.....THEY WILL COME! Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: middlesbrough Posts: 1,945	what are your other workout like mate? intensity? how many days aweek do you train? __________________ UKM's Uncle Hackskii's buddy To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

26-06-2006, 09:18 PM	#6 (permalink)
DRED Vegas 2009 oh yes indeed!! Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Rochester,Kent Posts: 484	pre-exhaust hello mate my chest was always a problem for me.....now i try and do it different every week. try doin cable crossovers incline db flys flat db press incline db press.....make sure you have a spotter for the db,s!! you wont need as much weight either as your chest should be fairly pumped by then and when you do the db,s your triceps will help out a bit.

27-06-2006, 10:48 AM	#8 (permalink)
invisiblekid Hitman Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,536	One Word: Dips. I reached a plateu (sp?) with my chest a little while ago so I started doing weighted dips. My chest exploded. The top of my chest is now getting very thick and my strength is also increasing. Also try increasing weight in very small increaments. Your body doesn't really know the difference between says 200lbs and 205lbs, but your form will be critical as this is what will make you succeed or fail. For example: week1: 200 x 15, 205 x 10, 210 to fail. week2: 205 x 15, 210 x 15, 215 to fail etc...so you're starting at a slightly high level each time. There is something on this in one of the forums here, can't find it at the moment - maybe someone knows what I'm talking about?? __________________ Most bodybuilders are actually insane. Albert Einstein defined insanity as "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results". Last edited by invisiblekid; 27-06-2006 at 10:55 AM.

27-06-2006, 12:15 PM	#10 (permalink)
Tinytom super-hypno-moderator Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: Babylon Posts: 5,907	Try a technique called pressure negatives. It''s where you have a partner push down on the barbell while you try and press it. Essentially you try and resist him pushing down then at the bottom you press up with no resistence from him. Use a light weight approx 1/3 of your maximum 12 rep lift. This kills and if done correctly you only need to do about 6 reps. __________________ We are what we do. Excellence is therefore a habit not a skill. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Code 'UKM 110' for an extra 5% discount To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Also mod at To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. Sponsored by Extreme Nutrition - Almost an unfair advantage

26-06-2006, 08:18 PM	#3 (permalink)
LondonGeezer Looking Freaky Join Date: May 2006 Location: South-East London Posts: 881	i have similar problem with my arms.. my chest is fine, cut back to 40kg bench press due to muscle tear in the forearm and no training for 18weeks but working my way up quickly now. my biceps are ** tho im curling 10kg at 4x8reps and not seeing any real gains.. i can get to about 12-14kg curls but still dont notice any real gain. my uncle said its becos the bicep is hardest to gain on and he hardly makes an inch on it in a single year. i think this is bull** though because i train my body in proportion and every muscle group at a high intensity to feel the burn.

26-06-2006, 08:36 PM	#4 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 184	Heya UNC ! I see your posts all around these boards, thanks for the reply. I train with high intensity, seeing as I only hit 1 bodypart per week. I take the last set to failure. Every 3rd week or so, I'll do forced reps/negatives. I eat approx 3500 - 4k calories daily. 300 + Grams of protein/450 Carbs/70 fat ... All from clean foods. As I was bulking up, I ate clean foods + a good amount of junk ... Now I'm eating extremely clean. It sucks ... But it'll be worth it. My workouts are as follows: Mon - Chest/Shoulders Chest as listed in the OP. Shoulders BB Press - 4 X 6-8 Upright BB Row - 3 X 6-8 Side Laterals - 2 X 10-12 (Every 3rd week 15 Static Hold) Tuesday - Back Deadlifts - 4 X 6 - 10 Bent-over BB Row - 3 X 6 - 10 Pullups - 4 X 6 - 10 Hyperextensions - Few light sets to get the blood in there, deadlifts take care of my lower back. Wednesday - Off Thursday - Legs I start off with Leg Presses to pre-exhaust my quads. I got up to using too much weight, was taking a toll on my joints. Leg Presses - 4 X 6 - 10 Squats - 4 X 6 - 10 (Every 3rd week, I'd change it up with Front Squats) Leg Extensions - 3 X 8 - 12 Standing Calf-raises - 4 X 20 Seated Calf-raises - 4 X 20 Friday - Bi's/Tri's I superset here. Straight BB curls - 3 X 8-10 Close Grip BB Bench - 3 X 8-10 Incline DB Curls - 2 X 8 - 10 Machine Overhead Tricep Extensions - 2 X 8 - 10 Concentration Curls - 2 X 8 - 10 Reverse Grip Tri Pressdowns - 2 X 8 10 I've made outstanding gains utilizing something like this over the last year. After my first 3 years of off and off training, I went through a 6 month layoff. I started back again, making reasonable gains ... The last year I've really focused on things. I started at a lean 170 lbs, ended up at a puffy 230 ... Granted, much of it was muscle memory, and my b/f was high but I was happy with my progress. I change things up every month or so. Changing it up can be anything from changing the actual exercise to pre-exhaust techniques to Forced Reps/Negatives etc. I keep an accurate journal of my lifts, so I'm able to progress throughout each workout. It's been great ... My chest is just my sticking point =/ I know we all have them (Well, most of us, anyways ), and damnit, it sucks :boohoo:

26-06-2006, 08:48 PM	#5 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 184	I hear you, London. In the end, Genetics will always be the limiting factor. Whether or not you have high lat insertions or low ones/High bicep peak or not/Wide Clavicles or Narrow/Squared off chest as opposed to a rounded one ... That sure as hell doesn't mean we're not going to do all we can with what we've got :lift:

26-06-2006, 09:56 PM	#7 (permalink)
dynamatiz work in progress Join Date: Nov 2005 Location: NORTHEAST Posts: 329	maybe worth a try taking an exercise out mate or two for your chest try knocking down the volume and do 3 x 6 of 1 exercise(flat or incline,db or bb) and go heavy to bring your strength on just a thought

27-06-2006, 04:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 184	Many thanks guys ! Great advice, and I'll give them all a try :p

27-06-2006, 08:38 PM	#12 (permalink)
hackskii UK-Muscle Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 23,763	If you want to help your bench press, do your bench press first. I like to use the same bench, same thickness bar, same spotter, even like a certain pair of shoes (some are more slippery). I save myself on the way up warming up and increasing the weight. When I get to my target weight I give it 100%, whether it be 8 reps or 12 reps or what ever. Once I get it up over 12 reps, I add 10 lbs next workout. When I am trying to get my bench up, I focus more on the bench during my chest routine. Also the dips are a good idea and so are close grip benches. Some guys have good results with 5 x 5 routines. __________________ "Life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away." - George Carlin Scott To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

29-06-2006, 08:50 AM	#13 (permalink)
BIG-UNC IF YOU BUILD IT.....THEY WILL COME! Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: middlesbrough Posts: 1,945	my chest is quite big in the middle and lacks fairly obviosly in the outer region so instead of looking like a big chest with a nice long/sweeping shape mine looks like a pair of t!ts big t!ts though lol about a 36c ha ha i was advised to do more dbell work this was only 2 weeks ago but i feel my chest looks alot better already more shapely!! i see you use more dbell work for your chest so maybe the opposite advice to mine would be relevent to your training!! just a suggestion mate __________________ UKM's Uncle Hackskii's buddy To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

29-06-2006, 01:14 PM	#14 (permalink)
invisiblekid Hitman Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: Yorkshire Posts: 1,536	Unc, thats right, because dumbells will extend the upper/outer chest at the bottom of the movement where as BB benching doesn't allow you to go past your chest. Some people say that the Pec-Dec will define the inner chest, but not add mass. Anyone use the Pec-Dec a lot? __________________ Most bodybuilders are actually insane. Albert Einstein defined insanity as "Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results".

29-06-2006, 02:10 PM	#15 (permalink)
Toregar Progressing Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Ohio Posts: 184	Thanks again all ... Excited to start my chest workout on Monday. Thanks to you guys, I've got a few new things I'm gonna incorporate