Help with chest routine

[Iron Vett]

Agree 100.. I don't care how much I lift.. I care how much it looks like I lift

One more little tip that helped me get my muscle under strain better isolated was to begin to breathe properly. Breathe in on the negative and out on the power move without ever "holding" your breath. Popped my ego and gave a whole new meaning to isolation. Weights were considerably reduced

 

[FourOneDeuxFitt]

If you want, try this routine:

Flat bench- Do 3-4 feeder sets working up to your 8 rep max. I want you failing at 8 reps, true failure. Take a rest, then lower the weight (not super set) and do a set where 12 or so reps is failure.

Incline DB's- Same methodology as above

Machine or cable flys: 3 sets of 15 with a 1-2 second SQUUEEEEZE at the contraction, and slowly lowered each rep. This shit should HURT!

Dips: Do 20 bodyweight dips for 4 sets (or failure). If you can hit more than 20 with good form and controlled movement, add weight.

Machine press: Work up to 8 rep max (4 feeder sets of 8-10 is fine). Knock out a HARD 8, rest then do a HARD 12.

Stretch pushups: Use either plyo board, dumbbells, something to increase the stretch and do 4 sets to failure




Honestly, if this workout doesn't murder your chest, it's time to evaluate how hard you're actually working your chest. If done properly, this should literally bring you close to death.

You definitely hit the nail on the head with this in my opinion with this post and your previous one as well. This sounds like a Mountaindog Workout in a way. I used to lag in chest. I could move the weight but wasn’t targeting my chest correctly. Lowering the weight and focusing more on eccentric control and maximum contraction with the lighter weights ultimately led to optimal growth over a 6month period and numbers went up enough to prove the point of maximizing form and being “in control”. Two things I could think of to add which isn’t much because you hit the nail on the head is one Jordan Peters uses a method for benching where he will lower the barbell a few inches above chest emphasizing eccentric control of the weight, pause, lower to chest, and explode up. Working up to solid sets of 8 helped myself out tremendously. Second being a method I saw Seth Feroce use with dumbbell presses is to work with about 75% of your max hitting sets of 12 keeping a 3/4 rep range and pushing with the outer portion of your hands(towards pinky) again maintains good control on eccentric. After the set of 12 cutting the weight in half. No rest. And doubling with the second weight in reps what you hit with the starting weight (ex 90x12 straight into 45x24) and using as many 5-10second breaks you need to hit that 24 reps. But that’s me personally. Definitely gained good width and density from these methods. Along with some mountain dog workouts and as someone stated before weighted dips are money all day.

 

[anfee]

Change up your intensity. Either more weight with same reps. More reps with same weight. Or slower tempo.

I like the slower tempo a lot with a dropset. Tons of blood flow and a fucking pump from hell. I’ll do 335 for 5x5 and then on last set, immediately drop to 135 and do as many sets as possible with a 4 second down and 4 second up. It seems easy but it’s a killer.

Switch it up like that but use all the same exercises

 

[MoneyShot]

Haven't read the whole thread...but I would check on your benching FORM. Your form is going to effect what muscles get worked

My buddy had a a similar issue that turned out to be his form.

Remember when you bench, flex your lats, shoulders back, arched back, press through your traps. Check out some YouTube videos on benching form hmm mm mark bell, Dave tate come to mind off hand. I'd have to look them up again

 

[Digger]

I've been supersetting svend presses with machine fly's. The machine stretches you right open, the svend pushes mad blood into the pec. I do this at the end of my routine obviously

Edit: also I do underhand flys

 

[Docd187123]

You can also try preexhaustion techniques for the pecs---making the pecs temporarily weaker then moving right in to a compound exercise with no rest.

Pec dec flyes or pronated dumbbell flyes(incline or flat)
Superset
Hammer incline press (incline or flat)

Its key to have ZERO rest between that superset. The preexhaust technique is a great way to force overload on a muscle

I know this is an older post Trukk but I’ve come across research recently from my buddy RippedZilla that shows pre-exhaustion techniques done on chest before benching only makes the triceps work harder during the bench press and not the pec muscles.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

I know this is an older post Trukk but I’ve come across research recently from my buddy RippedZilla that shows pre-exhaustion techniques done on chest before benching only makes the triceps work harder during the bench press and not the pec muscles.

Well i figure even with that information the chest is being pushed beyond its momentary capability by taking advantage of the preexhaust technique. Even if it means increased tricep recruitment as a bye product. Right?

 

[Docd187123]

Well i figure even with that information the chest is being pushed beyond its momentary capability by taking advantage of the preexhaust technique. Even if it means increased tricep recruitment as a bye product. Right?

The problem is, that if I recall correctly, the chest doesn’t end up working more during the bench after pre-exhaustion. It might end up working less and the triceps pick up the rest of the slack. Sure you end up doing more chest work bc of the first exercise but I’m not sure how much better that is if at all then just doing more benching or another exercise completely besides a pre-exhaustive one. I’m not totally against the idea either it’s just interesting it doesn’t work like most ppl think it does. It would be a good way to overload the triceps though....do a chest pre-exhaust lift then follow it up with some heavy CG bench, floor press, incline press, etc and give your tris some extra work.

 

[Wunderpus]

The problem is, that if I recall correctly, the chest doesn’t end up working more during the bench after pre-exhaustion. It might end up working less and the triceps pick up the rest of the slack. Sure you end up doing more chest work bc of the first exercise but I’m not sure how much better that is if at all then just doing more benching or another exercise completely besides a pre-exhaustive one. I’m not totally against the idea either it’s just interesting it doesn’t work like most ppl think it does. It would be a good way to overload the triceps though....do a chest pre-exhaust lift then follow it up with some heavy CG bench, floor press, incline press, etc and give your tris some extra work.

I have had good results super setting LIGHT db flys w/ my bench to engage my pecs... I'm a "delt" bencher, for sure....

 

[MCFC]

@Wunderpus What is the purpose of all the feeder sets and one or two workings sets and how do you feel it works better than say 1 warmup set and 4 working sets 8-10 reps? Especially on the latter exercises. All the feeder sets ALMOST seem like a pre-exhaustive technique really rather than simply getting blood flow.

 

[Wunderpus]

@Wunderpus What is the purpose of all the feeder sets and one or two workings sets and how do you feel it works better than say 1 warmup set and 4 working sets 8-10 reps? Especially on the latter exercises. All the feeder sets ALMOST seem like a pre-exhaustive technique really rather than simply getting blood flow.

I feel it helps me really identify where my failure limit is.... I want absolute failure on that 8th rep. Not “almost” failure. It’s a technique I use to keep volume high, and weight high, too. A lot of these “metabolic” techniques are more useful when using insulin, too.

 

[GrizzlyMint]

Watch this video between 2 IFBB pro heavyweights and tell me immediately what you notice about their workout....psh(there using less weight than you are )

Do you think its because your stronger than them and their weak?
Or do you think they just contract the pecs better and that is the best way to attack it?

I love this video but watching meadows turn into a grape makes me laugh

 

[beameupscotty]

As someone else mentioned, a lot of it really comes down to genetics. I've always wanted huge, capped delts but they are damned near impossible for me to achieve. However, that doesn't stop me from trying.

With that, I'll offer some chest advice since chest and lats are by far my strong points. First, understand how to control your pecs. At a young age I learned how to flex my pecs like that Asian guy in Bloodsport. From doing this, I learned how to actually contract just my pecs in most of presses. Second, imagine you're ripping the bar in half when benching. Your shoulders should be pulled back and your back slightly (emphasis on slightly) arched. Third, I personally have found the greatest success with dumbbells. Barbell lifts have their purpose, but with dumbbells you can actually arch the weights to force a stronger contraction in your pecs. Finally, frequency usually overcomes genetic limitations. Meaning, don't be afraid to hit chest twice a week, or even do random pushups and dips throughout the week.

Of course there are various routines, rep ranges, and timings that you can play with, but learned how to activate your chest in the desired lifts I believe will aid you more than exercise order or volume. Oh, and I really advocate for cable flies with a FULL stretch on each rep, with only a slight bend in your elbows.

Lastly, weighted dips! Screw decline bench. Just do weightd dips for lower chest development.

I'm currently sitting at 6' 227
Chest 50" (no pump)