# Chest training



## Ironman (Jul 12, 2005)

I was hoping fro some feedback on training chest -

Do people here look at the chest as one muscle or as upper chest lower outer inner etc which need to be trained individually. My question relates to my training - at the moment my chest routing comprises of incline work only - eg I do incline db presses incline machine press and then to finish I do incline flyes. I do these for no other reason than they seem to target my chest better than for example flat benches which bring my shoulders in to play alot more.

Do you think with this routine I will have an unbalanced chest ie alot of upper thickness and flat lower chest - or are you of the opinion that the chest can be regarded as one muscle which grows proportionatly no matter what you exersise you use?


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## samurai691436114498 (Jan 6, 2005)

Ironman said:


> I was hoping fro some feedback on training chest -
> 
> Do people here look at the chest as one muscle or as upper chest lower outer inner etc which need to be trained individually. My question relates to my training - at the moment my chest routing comprises of incline work only - eg I do incline db presses incline machine press and then to finish I do incline flyes. I do these for no other reason than they seem to target my chest better than for example flat benches which bring my shoulders in to play alot more.
> 
> Do you think with this routine I will have an unbalanced chest ie alot of upper thickness and flat lower chest - or are you of the opinion that the chest can be regarded as one muscle which grows proportionatly no matter what you exersise you use?


It should still work chest well, I do mostly incline stuff at the moment, but do occassionally mix it around with dips, flat bench even occassionally decline presses


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## DB (Oct 31, 2003)

IMHO u need flat barbell bench press in any chest routine mate...

like squats for legs..... its the bread and butter exercise of building chest...

what kind of sets and reps are u doing mate?

maybe your over training?

Or you routine is stale? if so switch it up abit

try just simple flat bench... 5x5 for a few weeks just to change it up


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## Ironman (Jul 12, 2005)

I do 2 set for each exercise in the 6 - 10 range. I'll do my main working set then i'll drop the weight slightly and repeat. Im thinking maybe at my stage now another exercise may be needed.

I dont think my routines stale as i my weights are going up.


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## JSM (Jul 21, 2005)

I have to agree with DB in that every chest routine needs a flat bench but i also agree that it is important to emphasize incline. I think in general it is far more difficult to build thickness in the upper chest than lower for anybody. Espically anybody natural. So most of the time I start my chest routines out with incline. Maybe you want to do two working sets and do just one exercise of incline and one exercise of flat. Try that sort of routine and volume for a little while. Rep range you are doing seems right to me


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## dk246 (Jun 19, 2004)

i would definatly put some form of flat bench in there. and try to stick with free weights not machines. and also u could try cables instead of flys if ur looking for a change. i personally dont see the need for you to be doing inclined db's and inclined machine.

i also do not beleive in the outter and inner chest the are to parts to the chest the minor pec and the mojor.


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## McRoNiX (Dec 22, 2004)

Is there a reason you put a chest training thread in the ladies section??  :rolleye11


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## big (Sep 14, 2004)

McRoNiX said:


> Is there a reason you put a chest training thread in the ladies section??  :rolleye11


Probably in the hope that DB would reply :rolleye11


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## SHAUN SMITH (Jan 23, 2006)

DB said:


> IMHO u need flat barbell bench press in any chest routine mate...
> 
> like squats for legs..... its the bread and butter exercise of building chest...
> 
> ...


Have a very strong chest but i seem to have a problems trying to build up the lower part of it i dont supose you could could sugest any new exercises thank you


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## DB (Oct 31, 2003)

weighted dips my friend.... nothing deals with lower chest like that imo


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## Lee1436114491 (Jun 6, 2004)

For lower chest i do decline barbell bench press, i found that i could bench upto 40kg each side and it would make no difference to the shape of my chest.

Lately i have lowered the weight (20kg each side) and started doing more reps (12-15), also added dips into my tricep work out and i can actually see its made a lot of difference to the shape.

might be something to try


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## Carnivore (Apr 7, 2004)

Lee said:


> For lower chest i do decline barbell bench press, i found that i could bench upto 40kg each side and it would make no difference to the shape of my chest.
> 
> Lately i have lowered the weight (20kg each side) and started doing more reps (12-15), also added dips into my tricep work out and i can actually see its made a lot of difference to the shape.
> 
> might be something to try


good stuff man, obviously working for you


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## trickymicky69 (Oct 1, 2004)

dips are the most underused exercise around. i love em. i thought i was good at them because i use 25kgs to weight myself(i weigh 80kgs). then some geezer walks in my gym chucks me a funny look and starts dipping with 50kgs on the belt


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## Keyser Soze (Dec 12, 2005)

Ironman said:


> I was hoping fro some feedback on training chest -


I've read your whole post - you remind me of exactly the position that I was in.



> Do people here look at the chest as one muscle or as upper chest lower outer inner etc which need to be trained individually. My question relates to my training - at the moment my chest routing comprises of incline work only - eg I do incline db presses incline machine press and then to finish I do incline flyes. I do these for no other reason than they seem to target my chest better than for example flat benches which bring my shoulders in to play alot more.


I agree completely - the bar bench does ZILCH for my chest, of course you can use a wide grip, but then you have to drop the weight - so you might as well stick with the DB bench, just make sure you take advantadge of the increased range, let the bells travel BELOW your nips before bringing them back up again. My chest looks pretty full, and I don't bar bench. Flys are the key - not just laterals, add DB Pullovers for that added dimension.

Now, I'm not recommending YOU forget bar-benching for chest - I admit, I hear a lot of conflicting opinions on its efficacy for chest development. Personally, I train at home, alone, so I can't go to failure on the bar bench, nowhere near. I consider it good only for building size in the front delts and triceps, as well as an excellent STRENGTH builder for the overall upper body. Also, review your bar-bench technique - are you pinning your shoulders into your body? Are you bringing the bar down to your nips? Ultimately, you must go with what works for you.



> Do you think with this routine I will have an unbalanced chest ie alot of upper thickness and flat lower chest - or are you of the opinion that the chest can be regarded as one muscle which grows proportionatly no matter what you exersise you use?


I do see them as different strands - and they can be worked accordingly, although certainly not in perfect isolation. One thing that glares at me in your routine - almost everything is incline. I trained that way for a long time, hoping to build a 'tall' chest (dare I mention 50 Cent's name here?!!??). Trouble is, that'll get you nowhere, because the upper strands are naturally smaller in proportion to the lower ones.

You're afraid that your lower chest will dwarf your upper chest, right? I was. But when you see how GREAT a good lower chest is, how it complements the upper, and when your FRIENDS start commenting on how muscular you're getting, you'll be singing it's praises. You're quite lucky, you've done a lot of the work, now you're going to get some results.

So....

Pre-chest tip: flex your pecs a few times (as you do at parties for laughs!) this gets them 'activated',

DB Press, flat, go LOW for best bite in the pecs, and as you come down, let the pecs take the strain, your elbows should only be for balance;

Flys, flat, go SLOW, so again you can feel your pecs working.

DB/BB Pullover - added dimension to your chest.

Get us some 'before' and 'After' pics, mate!

KS


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## EXTREME (Aug 5, 2005)

I think personally its good NOT to have a fixed routine, keep switching exercises and angles.

You cannot flex one part of your chest on its own and it is one muscle, pectoralis major (I know there is also a mectoralis minor which is not a muscle which is on show), some people have a naturally thick upper chest, lower chest, tall/long pecs, wide pecs and that is all down to genetics.

I know some guys with great genetics who are lucky enough to have pecs that just grow no matter what they seem to do, they have pretty solid unaltering routines and don't need to worry about it bcos their genetics pull them thru. For the rest of us I think variation is the key and train till your pecs are gonna burst and if you can bear moving your arms or anyone touching your pecs in the days that follow your chest workout then you haven't trained hard enough.

I believe in drop sets too to hit the fast and slow twitch fibres, I also think flat or incline dumbell presses give an added difficulty to pressing movements and cause the pecs to have to work to a higher degree. Dips are great if your body is at the right angle and flat bench will always be the daddy of upper body strength movements but angles and variation are the key to huge pecs (in my opinion of course).


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## CraigieBon (Oct 15, 2007)

I have the same problem... the flat bench seems to do nothing... NOTHING.. for my chest. I neither seem to feel it during the workout or get any benefit. Based on Jock's recommendation (see my thread), I have very recently taken his advice and really felt my pecs working during the workout. I was focusing on technique but nothing was happening, so Jock also suggested slowing the whole movement down - 2 seconds negative, pause, 2 seconds positve - and really think about the muscle you're working. This really seemed to work, although it's way way too early to see any results. Try slowing it down a see how it feels?

I don't know if flat bench is a must but it hasn't done anything for me so far. I'll probably keep in in the outskirts of my workout and focus on DB incline and DB incline flys for the moment.

As Extreme says, I totally believe (and have done for some time without even coming on this forum or reading about it) that chest development is largely genetic... BUT WE MUST BATTLE THROUGH!

EXTREME - other posts i've read conflict with your massive pump till you burst theory. They suggest this is overtraining? This has been my approach over the last 6 months and it has done nothing for my chest development. Although i'm quite cut elsewhere.


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