upper chest/below neck - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

OnePack · 27-04-2004, 04:09 AM

i've been doing wide bench and flyes for the chest which is working for the middle chest but the upper chest and the area below the neck (the collar bone area) is particularly lacking. Any ideas what i can do so my collar bones dont stick as much? my lower chest is lacking also (only the middle and the sides are growing- where the stretch marks are) Thanks.

winger · 27-04-2004, 04:22 AM

Incline bar. Keep the reps between 8-10. 3 or 4 sets depending on how hard you pushed on the other 3. ;) As for what angle you are going to have to feel your way there.

OnePack · 27-04-2004, 04:24 AM

what is the best angle to have to work the area around the collar bone? is it the greater the angle the more it works the upper chest and the lower the angle the more it works the lower chest?

so if i want to work the area around the collar bones i would need to get the bench like 80 or 90 degrees...

winger · 27-04-2004, 04:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MatracaBergFan

what is the best angle to have to work the area around the collar bone? is it the greater the angle the more it works the upper chest and the lower the angle the more it works the lower chest?

so if i want to work the area around the collar bones i would need to get the bench like 80 or 90 degrees...

Exactly. It is straight in line of the path of movement. :confused: The answer is yes.

robin_3_16 · 27-04-2004, 10:34 AM

but a bench at 80-90 degrees is a shoulder press
don't want to be shoulder pressing on chest day
maybe decrease the incline on your shoulder press day to hit the top of the chest as well as shoulders, i am unsure really!

**big pete** · 27-04-2004, 10:48 AM

upper chest, IMO the bench should be between 30-45 degrees

DB · 27-04-2004, 11:00 AM

i had the same proble matraca, i put the bench at like 85degress and used the smith machine but it works the front delt alot more so i do it with shoulders

Darryn · 29-04-2004, 09:52 AM

An obvious point being over looked here is that there is no 'upper' and 'lower' chest. The entire muscle contracts as one unit. To increase any part of the chest then you must increase the whole of the chest.
The chest is made up of pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. Pectoralis major is the visible muscle , and the pectoralis minor is an underlying muscle neither afects upper or lower portions of the chest.
Changing angles will recruit very few different fibres. All I can say in favour of angles is that the stretch of the muscle fascia at certain angles may allow for greater growth in this area, but there is no hard evidence for this.
Another point is that anything beyond around 30 degrees incline will shift emphasis dramatically towards shoulders.
I hope this post is taken as it is intended, as I would hate to see any more peope wasting hundreds of sets on incline bench with low weights or at too high an angle to achieve upper chest growth with no results.

OnePack · 29-04-2004, 12:51 PM

well, i usually do shoulders with chest, so i guess it would all be wasted energy...

Darryn · 29-04-2004, 02:19 PM

MatracaBergFan, I'm not sure what point you're making there.
I train shoulders with chest myself, but as I do this I rarely use inclines as well. If you were to do 4 sets military press followed by 4 sets incline and 4 sets flat bench, then you have 12 sets with heavy shoulder involvement.
Incline bench is not to be overlooked as a variation to stimulate growth throughout the entire chest, but as it involves the shoulders to an increased degree it would reduce focus on the pec.
Once a person has a chest comfortably over 50 inches then the upper part of the chest should and almost definitely will be full. The shape and proportions of a muscle are mostly genetic, for example a peaked bicep with a large forearm gap as opposed to a long full bicep, or high tight calves as opposed to long thick calves.
If someone can use inclines to improve specifically their upper chest and can show evidence of this then I'll hold my hands up and admit I'm wrong. But from all information and discussion I have seen there is no evidence to suggest isolation of upper/lower/inner/outer chest is possible.
I do know however that using site enhancing oils can help compensate for genetics to som extent.

Panthro · 29-04-2004, 06:40 PM

good posts darryn, welcome to the board matey

I too train shoulders and chest together.. its the best way by far IMO...

**hackskii** · 29-04-2004, 07:06 PM

That is impressive Darryn, especially for only 2 posts. Oh welcome aboard.

My twin has always done more in the upper chest and hits it harder than I do with more consistancy. His upper chest is bigger and stronger than mine. I am stronger than him in bench (my favorite lift) and my front delts are bigger than his. We are identical twins but our bodys dont look the same. Well, not exactly but really close.

OnePack · 29-04-2004, 07:37 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darryn

MatracaBergFan, I'm not sure what point you're making there.

ooop. sorry, a typo, i usually do chest and shoulders on the same day

Darryn · 30-04-2004, 07:45 AM

Thanks for the welcome guys

. I hope I can add a few useful posts , and learn a bit from others. I've been scanning as a guest for a while, and just felt I could add something here.

Just to add more confusion to the thread, my training partner regularly hit's inclines, and as a result has excellent front delts. Whereas I almost never use them and my chest is overpowering my shoulders, which is the opposite of your brother and yourself Hackskii.

I did find that using Dogg Crapp stretches with varied angles allowed my pecs to fill more, especially when pumped

**Aftershock** · 30-04-2004, 02:17 PM

I find that heavy dips work the chest along the collorbone and make them less prominant!

27-04-2004, 04:09 AM	#1 (permalink)
OnePack UK-M's Mascot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 1,494	upper chest/below neck i've been doing wide bench and flyes for the chest which is working for the middle chest but the upper chest and the area below the neck (the collar bone area) is particularly lacking. Any ideas what i can do so my collar bones dont stick as much? my lower chest is lacking also (only the middle and the sides are growing- where the stretch marks are) Thanks. __________________ Thank you.

27-04-2004, 04:22 AM	#2 (permalink)
winger UK-Muscle Male Animal Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Southern California, USA Posts: 10,216 Blog Entries: 1	Incline bar. Keep the reps between 8-10. 3 or 4 sets depending on how hard you pushed on the other 3. ;) As for what angle you are going to have to feel your way there. __________________ 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.

27-04-2004, 04:24 AM	#3 (permalink)
OnePack UK-M's Mascot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 1,494	what is the best angle to have to work the area around the collar bone? is it the greater the angle the more it works the upper chest and the lower the angle the more it works the lower chest? so if i want to work the area around the collar bones i would need to get the bench like 80 or 90 degrees... __________________ Thank you.

27-04-2004, 10:34 AM	#5 (permalink)
robin_3_16 Getting HUGE! Join Date: Aug 2003 Location: england Posts: 1,461	but a bench at 80-90 degrees is a shoulder press don't want to be shoulder pressing on chest day maybe decrease the incline on your shoulder press day to hit the top of the chest as well as shoulders, i am unsure really! __________________ Robin

27-04-2004, 10:48 AM	#6 (permalink)
big pete Super Moderator Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: south midlands Posts: 3,797	upper chest, IMO the bench should be between 30-45 degrees __________________ any questions?? feel free to email me on.... To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. 'there is greatness inside all of us, how deep are you willing to dig? '

27-04-2004, 11:00 AM	#7 (permalink)
DB Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW London Posts: 11,130	i had the same proble matraca, i put the bench at like 85degress and used the smith machine but it works the front delt alot more so i do it with shoulders

29-04-2004, 09:52 AM	#8 (permalink)
Darryn Newbie Trainer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: near Glasgow Posts: 70	An obvious point being over looked here is that there is no 'upper' and 'lower' chest. The entire muscle contracts as one unit. To increase any part of the chest then you must increase the whole of the chest. The chest is made up of pectoralis major and pectoralis minor. Pectoralis major is the visible muscle , and the pectoralis minor is an underlying muscle neither afects upper or lower portions of the chest. Changing angles will recruit very few different fibres. All I can say in favour of angles is that the stretch of the muscle fascia at certain angles may allow for greater growth in this area, but there is no hard evidence for this. Another point is that anything beyond around 30 degrees incline will shift emphasis dramatically towards shoulders. I hope this post is taken as it is intended, as I would hate to see any more peope wasting hundreds of sets on incline bench with low weights or at too high an angle to achieve upper chest growth with no results.

29-04-2004, 12:51 PM	#9 (permalink)
OnePack UK-M's Mascot Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Staffordshire Posts: 1,494	well, i usually do shoulders with chest, so i guess it would all be wasted energy... __________________ Thank you.

29-04-2004, 02:19 PM	#10 (permalink)
Darryn Newbie Trainer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: near Glasgow Posts: 70	MatracaBergFan, I'm not sure what point you're making there. I train shoulders with chest myself, but as I do this I rarely use inclines as well. If you were to do 4 sets military press followed by 4 sets incline and 4 sets flat bench, then you have 12 sets with heavy shoulder involvement. Incline bench is not to be overlooked as a variation to stimulate growth throughout the entire chest, but as it involves the shoulders to an increased degree it would reduce focus on the pec. Once a person has a chest comfortably over 50 inches then the upper part of the chest should and almost definitely will be full. The shape and proportions of a muscle are mostly genetic, for example a peaked bicep with a large forearm gap as opposed to a long full bicep, or high tight calves as opposed to long thick calves. If someone can use inclines to improve specifically their upper chest and can show evidence of this then I'll hold my hands up and admit I'm wrong. But from all information and discussion I have seen there is no evidence to suggest isolation of upper/lower/inner/outer chest is possible. I do know however that using site enhancing oils can help compensate for genetics to som extent.

29-04-2004, 06:40 PM	#11 (permalink)
Panthro Getting HUGE! Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 1,508	good posts darryn, welcome to the board matey I too train shoulders and chest together.. its the best way by far IMO... __________________ "looking at picutres of half naked men dont get you strong. Lets get down to business and go to the gym" - Svend Karlson. 'Viking Power'

29-04-2004, 07:06 PM	#12 (permalink)
hackskii Super Moderator Join Date: Jul 2003 Location: Sunny Southern California U.S.A. Posts: 22,649	That is impressive Darryn, especially for only 2 posts. Oh welcome aboard. My twin has always done more in the upper chest and hits it harder than I do with more consistancy. His upper chest is bigger and stronger than mine. I am stronger than him in bench (my favorite lift) and my front delts are bigger than his. We are identical twins but our bodys dont look the same. Well, not exactly but really close. __________________ "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. Last edited by hackskii; 29-04-2004 at 07:09 PM.

30-04-2004, 07:45 AM	#14 (permalink)
Darryn Newbie Trainer Join Date: Apr 2004 Location: near Glasgow Posts: 70	Thanks for the welcome guys . I hope I can add a few useful posts , and learn a bit from others. I've been scanning as a guest for a while, and just felt I could add something here. Just to add more confusion to the thread, my training partner regularly hit's inclines, and as a result has excellent front delts. Whereas I almost never use them and my chest is overpowering my shoulders, which is the opposite of your brother and yourself Hackskii. I did find that using Dogg Crapp stretches with varied angles allowed my pecs to fill more, especially when pumped

30-04-2004, 02:17 PM	#15 (permalink)
Aftershock Super Moderator Join Date: Jan 2004 Posts: 3,898	I find that heavy dips work the chest along the collorbone and make them less prominant! __________________ "You are what you eat you can't possibly be anything else" or put another way "eat sht look like sht!!" Aftershock