# Best ways to build big pecs?



## NB89

Hi,

Just looking for some routines and techniques to build big pecs.

As I've been training hard of late (whole body), I've found my arms are now pretty big (15 and three quarter inches), and my abs show clearly. Yet my pecs aren't in great proportion. And I'd really like to build up big pecs.

At the moment I use the pectoral machine in the gym, chest incline machine and the chest press, sometimes I use dumbells for the pecs, but I prefer the machines. But to be honest I do not build muscle as quickly on my pecs as the rest of my body. Could it be to do with my age (turn 17 in december)? But I just really want to get nice big pecs so they are in proportion with my arms and abs.

Cheers for any help


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## Up and Under

Scrap the machines.

3 sets of Incline d/b press

3 sets of flat d/b press

3 sets of decline d/b press

Finish off with some dips.


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## NB89

What exactly are dips?

Also, is it better tot rain with dumbells rather than machines if you want bigger gains?

Cheers


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## Carlos901

yep stick to compounds. i would stick some benching in there, like matt said before, u never see someone who can bench big, but have small pecs.


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## NB89

Carlos901 said:


> yep stick to compounds. i would stick some benching in there, like matt said before, u never see someone who can bench big, but have small pecs.


Yeah I do bench at the moment, but my bench is sh!t at just 70kg (thats not my 1 rep max, thats 5 sets of 8 on a good bench day). I'll focus more on trying to build my bench press.

My pecs are by far the weakest muscle in my body and I think huge pecs look best in shirts so I'm on a mission to get 'em big.

How long am i looking at for significant increases? My diets sorted and I train 4 times a week, probably 5 weeks for decent gains?


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## big

As said above, work on your strength.

I have never in my life seen someone benching 150kg+ with small pecs (or arms, or delts for that matter). Huge pecs don't come overnight, let's face it - but if you work on your strength, the size will come.

I would say switch to 5x5 on bench, starting with your 70kg, and add 2.5kg to the bar each week. Once you stall, drop down to 3x3 with the same weight, and add 2.5kg each week. Once you stall on that, take a week off, then go back to the 5x5 weight you originally missed and start again.

Dips, as said above, are also an excellent mass builder.

Out of interest, when you fail on bench, whereabouts in the move do you fail (off the chest, halfway, at lockout, or what)?


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## Nameless

gangst said:


> Yeah I do bench at the moment, but my bench is sh!t at just 70kg (thats not my 1 rep max, thats 5 sets of 8 on a good bench day). I'll focus more on trying to build my bench press.
> 
> My pecs are by far the weakest muscle in my body and I think huge pecs look best in shirts so I'm on a mission to get 'em big.
> 
> How long am i looking at for significant increases? My diets sorted and I train 4 times a week, probably 5 weeks for decent gains?


Hey mate,

Ther problem is that you use machines for a muscle group like chest. Dumbbell and barbell chest press all the way, and maybe throw in hammer strength chest press (with forced negs and/or drop sets) and dips...

Also - do you have any pics? cus at age 16, with almost 16inch arms and visable abs is something to behold for sure, unless youre 6ft 5

Good Luck

Nameless


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## NB89

big said:


> As said above, work on your strength.
> 
> Out of interest, when you fail on bench, whereabouts in the move do you fail (off the chest, halfway, at lockout, or what)?


If I stall on a bench its usually just after I've taken the weight off my chest, so just about halfway. My arms and shoulders are probably my biggest strength atm.


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## NB89

Nameless said:


> Hey mate,
> 
> Ther problem is that you use machines for a muscle group like chest. Dumbbell and barbell chest press all the way, and maybe throw in hammer strength chest press (with forced negs and/or drop sets) and dips...
> 
> Also - do you have any pics? cus at age 16, with almost 16inch arms and visable abs is something to behold for sure, unless youre 6ft 5
> 
> Good Luck
> 
> Nameless


Yeah I'll get some pics tomo m8. I'm 6ft2, however, I wanna get bigger in my upper chest and arms.


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## NB89

here are some pics. to be honest phone pics are sh!t but i couldn't find my digi cam so they'll have to do, but they make me look smaller really.


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## Jimmy_Cricket

think barbell benching build bigger for me, db presses gives more shape imo.


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## LEWIS

same for me barbell benching


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## hackskii

Well, I dont think your chest looks all that bad but the place where it tyes into your chest is lacking some. I see the inside is developed probably from the pec deck.

I myself dont like the pec deck and not for an exercise to build strength or muscle but I use it only after I am done with chest to stretch out the fascia and get a pump.

If you are failing at the bottom of the lift this does not surprise me about the lagging body parts.

You have not stimulated the chest enough for growth.

If you want power at the bottom then do pauses.

This is where you lower the bar to your chest and without touching hold for a couple of seconds then blast it back up.

Big hit the nail on the head here.

I have never seen a big bencher have a small chest.

As said above, stick to compounds and if you can use bar or dumbells.

I would start out doing bench, then inclines then dips.

This should do it.

Try some pauses too like I mentioned, I bet the next day you will be super sore, but you will have to drop the weight to accomodate.

Power lifters do pauses for power, this probably would be a good idea.


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## NB89

Cheers I'm gonna give this all a try. It's mainly my upper chest/pecs which is lacking.

On days when I dont go down the gym, are push ups a good idea? Say 100 to 150ish?

Also as hackskii sadi, how can I develop where the pecs tie in witht eh chest?


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## hackskii

Id drop the pushups.

Do you mean where the delts tie into the chest?

Flys but you willl get some beneifts from the dips.

So, lets keep the compouond exercises in there and worry about the lagging parts down the road.


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## NB89

I meant where the lower pec ties in with the abs. So I can get good shape of the lower pecs, so it looks well raised.

Cheers for your help btw.


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## hackskii

gangst said:


> I meant where the lower pec ties in with the abs. So I can get good shape of the lower pecs, so it looks well raised.
> 
> Cheers for your help btw.


Bench, dips and declines for that one.


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## NB89

I'm gonna give these exercises a go tomo, when I go to the gym.

However, I'm not sure what kind of weight d/b I should use.

I can arm curl and bicep curl 20kg dumbells. But I always feel on chest inclines etc. my arms are shaky and i have to concentrate to keep the technique straight.

Is using 14 or 16kg d/b's enough?

cheers.


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## hackskii

What ever resistance you can use keeping the reps between 8-12 using some intensity.

Bar dips should be done with body weight to start out with.

Your bench would be what ever you doing right now and then take off some weight to do some pauses.

Pauses will be rough first go.


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## gym_smash

No one has put that much emphasis on fly's

dumbell fly's really put an emphasis on just your pecs plus you will get a more balanced workout on other muscles involved in performing the excersise (like grip, wrists, forearms etc.) which will miss out when using the machines.

Now your getting stronger try to stay away from machines. Free weights will build size alot faster.

do a basic 3 sets at about 60% your 1 rep max and you should start to see results within *2 - 3 weeks (* with proper rest, staggered with a well structured workout routine making sure you don't workout similar muscle groups straight after each other and don't forget diet, diet and nutrition is as important as lifting the weights)


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## Lost Soul

BigMatt1985 said:


> No one has put that much emphasis on fly's
> 
> dumbell fly's really put an emphasis on just your pecs plus you will get a more balanced workout on other muscles involved in performing the excersise (like grip, wrists, forearms etc.) which will miss out when using the machines.
> 
> Now your getting stronger try to stay away from machines. Free weights will build size alot faster.
> 
> do a basic 3 sets at about 60% your 1 rep max and you should start to see results within *2 - 3 weeks (* with proper rest, staggered with a well structured workout routine making sure you don't workout similar muscle groups straight after each other and don't forget diet, diet and nutrition is as important as lifting the weights)


I take it this months Mens health has just been published....


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## pea head

hackskii is spot on matey.stick to the basic compound movements.slow on the way down,dont plummet..then drive straight thru the ceiling so to speak.didnt do arnold any harm did they? i find incline smith machine work well for me.


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## dan-mel

I found that push ups helped for me, just change your hand position start narrow ish and keep getting wider after maby 8. I put weight plates in a backpack and do them so you have a good ammount of resistance rather than just bodyweight.

I don't know if that is too good for your back but it seems to work my pecs well lol. And barbell bench press


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## Yoshimo

I also lack in the pec department.. I also have 15 3/4 inch arms and I am 6ft and weigh 198lbs/90kgs.

Im doing all I can to try to get them to grow.. Each week I increase the weight and do between 8-12 reps to failure.

My last benchpress was 182lbs/82kgs at 13 reps(I usually do 11 but for some reason I was stronger than usual)

I also use the pec deck to try and get width..

Any advice?


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## MillionG

pea head said:


> hackskii is spot on matey.*stick to the basic compound movements.slow on the way down,dont plummet..then drive straight thru the ceiling so to speak*.didnt do arnold any harm did they? i find incline smith machine work well for me.


That. :thumbup1:


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## Earl-Hickey

I actually get pretty good results with good old fashioned press ups, as someone pointed out, you can weigh yourself down with a pack full of weights or some such contraption, then just do a lot of different types of press ups, I do sets twice a week actually, and the next day i have a nice ache on.


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## MillionG

Earl-Hickey said:


> I actually get pretty good results with good old fashioned press ups, as someone pointed out, you can weigh yourself down with a pack full of weights or some such contraption, then just do a lot of different types of press ups, I do sets twice a week actually, and the next day i have a nice ache on.


Pressups are just upside down bench.. but it's more difficult to add weight..

Surely?


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## fadel

I do pushups with my 9yo nephew sat on my back, gets a proper bo burn I tell thee

EDIT: Obviously not part of my routine lol but when messing around etc


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## MillionG

spike1 said:


> what have you people got against benching


It's hard :crying:


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## SK-XO

My best body feature is probs my chest, chest is pretty big. What I base this down to is compound movements almost fully, and heavy lifting. Only way to build big pecs. My routine.

Flat DB Press, 4 sets. Heavy as possible aiming for no more then 12 rep. By last set usually hit 6 reps.

Incline Smith - same as above.

Pec Flyes (proper form) 3 sets with 10-15 reps.

Wide grip dips are very good chest builders but unfortunatly my gym done away with them... Anyway, I think most is down to genetics alike with any body part. For example Con's back is huge, genetically has an advantage over the majority of bb'ers backs. I find my arms and chest are just good genetically so can build them fairly well but have to work extra hard on other muscle such as lats.

General consensus is for chest focus on compounds, go heavy as possible with good form, Switch up your routine every so often i.e. every 6-8 weeks.


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## Earl-Hickey

spike1 said:


> what have you people got against benching


What have you got against Press Ups?

how do you think cavemen used to get big chests before they invented bench press?

:thumb:


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## Bri

Earl-Hickey said:


> What have you got against Press Ups?
> 
> how do you think cavemen used to get big chests before they invented bench press?
> 
> :thumb:


This can't be a serious post?


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## suliktribal

Earl-Hickey said:


> What have you got against Press Ups?
> 
> how do you think cavemen used to get big chests before they invented bench press?
> 
> :thumb:


You know any cavemen then? Last I heard they went out in the last ice age.


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## ianuk

My Bench has been pretty stagnant for 3 weeks now with no noticeable gains in weight. I have problems mid section so pushing through the ceiling is a slower process for me. I start off at 65kg then do a set of 67.5 then finish up on 67.5 or do a half decent set on 70. But starting off at 70 the next time shatters me. I'm content with the steady gains on my other muscle groups. I do 3 sets of Flat BB Bench Press followed by 3 sets of Incline BB Bench Press and switch Incline for Dips every 3-4 weeks. Would changing my Bench routine benefit me after being a month back into training?


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## irishdude

my two cents - go heavy as you possibly can on flat db press, flat db flies and dips to failure. Find that builds pecs best for me, once you have some decent size, mix in some incline db press/flies and cable crossover work.


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## T.F.

*4 year old thread alert* :thumb:


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