Chest

[Cowboy1185]

Is there a such thing as some people who have muscle groups that just don't seem to want to grow? I think that's my problem with my chest, it gets stronger but won't really grow to much. Does that mean I need to hit it differently, or approach from a different exercise such as decline. I want it to stick out a bunch and look like its hanging there....

[beefcake]

Most people do have a lagging body part or one that just won't do what you want it to. Mine are my biceps. Everything else grows better than them. The strength gains are there, the anabolism just isn't where I want it to be. Lot of people tell me i'm tripping and that my arms are proportionate to my body, but I think that's mostly the triceps giving the illusion. You just have to hit it with different stuff.

[coffee-guy]

Is there a such thing as some people who have muscle groups that just don't seem to want to grow? I think that's my problem with my chest, it gets stronger but won't really grow to much. Does that mean I need to hit it differently, or approach from a different exercise such as decline. I want it to stick out a bunch and look like its hanging there....

The only way to get those results is with time. You've left too many variables laying on the table though to really answer the question correctly.

A ton of muscle development originates from perfect form etc. If you are not isolating the chest muscles you are working anterior delts, triceps and serratus anterior in most cases. You need to make sure that you adduct your scapula anytime you are performing a pressing motion.

Also, strength comes from reps of 2-6 with heavy weight. Hypertrophy comes from (in addition to isolation etc) reps of 8-12 with total failure near your last rep. You also need to ensure that there is not too much rest in between sets to ensure optimal muscle growth (for hypertrophy - typically 60 seconds). Keep reading in the training section and you should find plenty of additional information. There are almost 100 variables depending on your workout, form, reps, sets etc.

Last but not least - diet plays a huge role.

If you can re-direct your question with more details it may help too.

[Cowboy1185]

Ok, thanks a bunch....

The only way I can think of re-directing the question would be...

My chest has a hard time growing, my strength improves but size isn't really noticable.

So from the previous post if I want strength but not much growth, I'd want to do 2-6 reps with heavy weight and for muscle growth and hypertrophy I'd want to do 8-12 reps with moderate weight?

[coffee-guy]

Ok, thanks a bunch....

The only way I can think of re-directing the question would be...

My chest has a hard time growing, my strength improves but size isn't really noticable.

So from the previous post if I want strength but not much growth, I'd want to do 2-6 reps with heavy weight and for muscle growth and hypertrophy I'd want to do 8-12 reps with moderate weight?

Just a few questions for you that may help answer your pending question.

1. Do you do barbell benchpresses or dumbell benchpresses as your main mass builder?

2. Are you isolating the muscle by pulling your shoulder blades in a limiting your ROM to solely contract the chest muscles?

3. Are you incorporating dumbell flyes or cable flyes?

4. Do you rely on freeweights over machines like Hammer Strength?

5. How long do you rest between sets?

As for strength - heavy as possible for 2-6 reps...

As for growth - heavy as possible for 8-12 reps...

[Cowboy1185]

ok, that helps a bit...

I primarily do barbell bench for my mass builder, i try to do 4-5 sets of 8+ reps...then i go to incline dumbell 2-3 sets of 8 reps, then after that i go to decline because the bottom of my chest needs work..i usually do 3-4 sets of 8 reps...then last for chest i do cable flies (from top and bottom) 3 sets of 6 reps from top then switch to 6 reps from bottom.

for part 2, i do believe i don't contract the chest muscles enough...i think i try to push it up with my tris a little to much.

i do cable flies....and i love freeweights over machines. I like machines but i prefer freeweights

my rests in between are about a minute give or take a couple seconds...

[wheyman]

You might be overtraining your chest...everyone is different though..here is what I do for chest..

Incline Bench 3 x 10,8,8
Flat Bench 3 x 10,8,8
Decline flys 3 x 8-12

I mix things up from week to week, but that's a basic outline of it. Some people do more, some less; It's all about your body.

[twizzbeats]

My back and chest grow like mad but my arms are totally lagging, I got the nice tri ceps but the bis take a pounding to grow. I basically have to work them until I cry to get them to grow.

I have a friend and his chest won't grow. just got to keep doing it and get pissed at genetics.

[coffee-guy]

ok, that helps a bit...

I primarily do barbell bench for my mass builder, i try to do 4-5 sets of 8+ reps...then i go to incline dumbell 2-3 sets of 8 reps, then after that i go to decline because the bottom of my chest needs work..i usually do 3-4 sets of 8 reps...then last for chest i do cable flies (from top and bottom) 3 sets of 6 reps from top then switch to 6 reps from bottom.

for part 2, i do believe i don't contract the chest muscles enough...i think i try to push it up with my tris a little to much.

i do cable flies....and i love freeweights over machines. I like machines but i prefer freeweights

my rests in between are about a minute give or take a couple seconds...

I agree with Wheyman on his idea that you may be overtraining and that you may need to do what works best for you. However, what you have been doing obviously hasn't done for you what you've wanted it to do. Here's a few suggestions.

1. In order to get the most results (for chest only) on the barbell benchpress you need to understand the muscles involved. If you do the typical benchpress with your shoulders flat on the backrest and use a full range of motion (ROM) you are only working your chest about the last 1/3 of the way down and the first 1/3 of the way up. The 2/3 (up or down) is your front delts and the last 1/3 is your triceps and occasionally your serratus anterior (the small muscles than line your upper ribs).

You need to isolate the chest to get optimal results. Do this by tucking your shoulders back on the bench and forcing your shoulder blades together (you'll most likely need the bar on the lowest setting in order to get the weight off the rack unless you have a spotter). This action will ensure that your chest muscles are isolated to the fullest. Also, make sure that your hands are placed on the bar so that when the bar is near your chest your forearms are at a 90 degree angle to your body or 180 degrees in relationship to the floor. Your typical ROM in this position is going to be about halfway down and then to your chest and then halfway back up. If you go too far up you will force your shoulders to separate and it's very difficult to finish the exercise this way. To start out, use a much lighter weight (ballpark 185) and really concentrate your actions to only include your chest muscles. If you are doing this correctly you will really feel the muscles being used.

By the way, incline tends to be the best mass builder because it allows for more of your chest fibers to be involved. I would recommend that you leave the decline out of your exercises until you have achieved the mass you are looking for overall. It's very hard to define and sculpt a muscle that is not that developed.

2. Dumbell benchpresses follow the same pattern but because the natural movement of your arms is not restricted by some silly bar you can really concentrate on the chest muscle. (To see what I mean by a silly bar restricting your arms do this: using just the barbell itself put your hands together and do a benchpress - where does the stress of the weight go? put your hands farther out and perform the motion - where does the stress of the weight go? Using a bar restricts the natural movement of your arms and shoulders thus reducing the effect on the chest).

3. Stick with the cables as opposed to free weights when performing flyes. The Laws of Physics don't apply to cables to such a great extent as when you are performing dumbell flyes (I can explain that in detail but only if you don't understand - there are tons of exercises you see people do that limit their results in terms of physics).

4. I prefer freeweights for heavy weight movements but if I am trying to isolate a muscle in order to make it catch up with the rest of my body I use machines. The machines are designed to eliminate cheat movements and poor form which typically enhances isolated movements. If your gym has Hammer Strength or Cybex Eagle machines for chest, use those in order to really focus on the chest muscle.

5. Lastly, use a new workout program that consists of three different workouts max. The first exercise can be 4-5 sets and then the last two exercises need to be 2-3 sets per exercise. Use as much weight as you possibly can for 8-12 reps but YOU MUST ENSURE PROPER FORM AND USE SLOW CONTROLLED MOTIONS. This means that you will not be able to use the same weights that you are used to but the amount of weight you lift is not what you should be concerned with if you are trying to build up your chest. You should be concerned about isolating that muscle and gaining some mass. (Don't worry - as you get used to using proper form the strength will catch up quickly so you won't have to feel so self concious in a few weeks - remember - you're "bodybuilding" not throwing weights around like most meatheads in the gym nowadays).

Try this for 6-8 weeks and take before/after pictures and as long as your exercise form and your diet are PERFECT you will be thanking yourself in a few weeks.

[Cowboy1185]

Hey thanks a shitload...I never thought i would of been overtraining my chest. Actually I thought you were supposed to do:
10-12 sets for chest
12-15 sets for legs
8-10 sets for back
8-10 sets for shoulders
7-8 sets for arms

....something like is what I try to hit at the gym, ha is that to much for everything?

thanks a bunch for the tips....

[coffee-guy]

Hey thanks a shitload...I never thought i would of been overtraining my chest. Actually I thought you were supposed to do:
10-12 sets for chest
12-15 sets for legs
8-10 sets for back
8-10 sets for shoulders
7-8 sets for arms

....something like is what I try to hit at the gym, ha is that to much for everything?

thanks a bunch for the tips....

That doesn't look bad bro but you were doing 12-15 sets for chest in the #6 post so that's what sparked the "overtraining" tip. Shoot for 2-3 solid growth exercises and then finish the muscle off with a burnout/isolation exercise. Work on form and concentrate on the muscle at all costs - you'll be fine.

[Timma]

One thing I notice that helps my chest grow is dumbbell presses instead of barbell. Barbell makes it wider where the dumbbells give it depth. As for strength or size go with what the others say.

[babyblues]

I agree with Wheyman on his idea that you may be overtraining and that you may need to do what works best for you. However, what you have been doing obviously hasn't done for you what you've wanted it to do. Here's a few suggestions.

1. In order to get the most results (for chest only) on the barbell benchpress you need to understand the muscles involved. If you do the typical benchpress with your shoulders flat on the backrest and use a full range of motion (ROM) you are only working your chest about the last 1/3 of the way down and the first 1/3 of the way up. The 2/3 (up or down) is your front delts and the last 1/3 is your triceps and occasionally your serratus anterior (the small muscles than line your upper ribs).

You need to isolate the chest to get optimal results. Do this by tucking your shoulders back on the bench and forcing your shoulder blades together (you'll most likely need the bar on the lowest setting in order to get the weight off the rack unless you have a spotter). This action will ensure that your chest muscles are isolated to the fullest. Also, make sure that your hands are placed on the bar so that when the bar is near your chest your forearms are at a 90 degree angle to your body or 180 degrees in relationship to the floor. Your typical ROM in this position is going to be about halfway down and then to your chest and then halfway back up. If you go too far up you will force your shoulders to separate and it's very difficult to finish the exercise this way. To start out, use a much lighter weight (ballpark 185) and really concentrate your actions to only include your chest muscles. If you are doing this correctly you will really feel the muscles being used.

By the way, incline tends to be the best mass builder because it allows for more of your chest fibers to be involved. I would recommend that you leave the decline out of your exercises until you have achieved the mass you are looking for overall. It's very hard to define and sculpt a muscle that is not that developed.

2. Dumbell benchpresses follow the same pattern but because the natural movement of your arms is not restricted by some silly bar you can really concentrate on the chest muscle. (To see what I mean by a silly bar restricting your arms do this: using just the barbell itself put your hands together and do a benchpress - where does the stress of the weight go? put your hands farther out and perform the motion - where does the stress of the weight go? Using a bar restricts the natural movement of your arms and shoulders thus reducing the effect on the chest).

3. Stick with the cables as opposed to free weights when performing flyes. The Laws of Physics don't apply to cables to such a great extent as when you are performing dumbell flyes (I can explain that in detail but only if you don't understand - there are tons of exercises you see people do that limit their results in terms of physics).

4. I prefer freeweights for heavy weight movements but if I am trying to isolate a muscle in order to make it catch up with the rest of my body I use machines. The machines are designed to eliminate cheat movements and poor form which typically enhances isolated movements. If your gym has Hammer Strength or Cybex Eagle machines for chest, use those in order to really focus on the chest muscle.

5. Lastly, use a new workout program that consists of three different workouts max. The first exercise can be 4-5 sets and then the last two exercises need to be 2-3 sets per exercise. Use as much weight as you possibly can for 8-12 reps but YOU MUST ENSURE PROPER FORM AND USE SLOW CONTROLLED MOTIONS. This means that you will not be able to use the same weights that you are used to but the amount of weight you lift is not what you should be concerned with if you are trying to build up your chest. You should be concerned about isolating that muscle and gaining some mass. (Don't worry - as you get used to using proper form the strength will catch up quickly so you won't have to feel so self concious in a few weeks - remember - you're "bodybuilding" not throwing weights around like most meatheads in the gym nowadays).

Try this for 6-8 weeks and take before/after pictures and as long as your exercise form and your diet are PERFECT you will be thanking yourself in a few weeks.

Excellent post. You're right on bro.

I've found that your first exercise should be a mass builder. I usually switch it up between flat and incline barbell benchpress. Your secondary exercises should be isolating exercises that sear definition into the muscle. If you're looking to build mass, for the time being you might find it effective to just stick with a couple of mass builders and leave off the isolating exercises like flyes for a while. Unless you're an advanced bodybuilder, you're not going to be able to fully recover from both mass building exercises and defining exercises. Like fog_hat said about decline bench, you can't define and shape a muscle that doesn't have mass to define and shape. Concentrate on building mass for now and then worry about shaping it later. Stick with flat, incline and dumbell presses for now.

[Cowboy1185]

Alright sounds good, i appreciate all the help...Thanks a bunch