Thread: A good chest workout

What are you goals, stats and how is your diet? Are you bulking? I will post my routine but I am bulking so it may not help you.
Week 1:
Flat bench x5
Incline DB x3

Week 2:
DB Press x5
Incline Bench x 3

Very Intense and heavy.

Age: 22
Height: 6ft
Weight: 156 pounds

Im trying to gain mass and my diet is pretty good, i am gaining weight but my chest needs some more work i think, normally my routine would be something like...

Flat dumbbell press 10 - 12 reps
Cable cross over 10 - 12 reps
Incline bench press (smith machine) 8 - 10 reps
Dips MAX

about 3 sets each

Originally Posted by Toughenuff

Age: 22
Height: 6ft
Weight: 156 pounds

Im trying to gain mass and my diet is pretty good, i am gaining weight but my chest needs some more work i think, normally my routine would be something like...

Flat dumbbell press 10 - 12 reps
Cable cross over 10 - 12 reps
Incline bench press (smith machine) 8 - 10 reps
Dips MAX

about 3 sets each

O lord. That is to much volume. To many reps. Post your diet. I want to see what you think is pretty good. You should concentrate more on your diet then your chest. 6' 156 is lean. You need some mass to build that chest up. Cut out the cable cross over's asap. The smith machine has got to go. Try some good old fashioned bench press and stick with the dips.

Morning Meal 1:

1 whole egg, 3 egg whites
Banana
Cereal

Meal 2:

2 scoops of protein powder
Flaxseed oil
Banana

Meal 3:

Chicken breast
4 slices of bread with spread
Grape juice

Meal 4:

Oatmeal
Apple
2 slices of toast, peanut butter
1 scoop of protein powder

Meal 5:

Fish
Pasta
Vegetables

Night time Meal 6:

1 Scoop of protein powder, 3 tbsp of Calcium Caesinate

-----------------------------------------------------------

So you suggest less reps and heavier weights?

im pretty sure my diet is okay cause 7 weeks ago i use to be 147 pounds and now im 156.

Originally Posted by Doublebase

Cut out the cable cross over's asap. The smith machine has got to go. Try some good old fashioned bench press and stick with the dips.

Why do you say this? I am not saying you are wrong but I dont particulary agree with you and want to know what your backing is for this. I do agree his volume was too high, the amount of reps should be lowered and possibly cut out one set, and only do two.

I have used the smith machine plenty of times, especially when on my own. I have gotten same results from smith machine as I have with regular bench. Also I feel that cable crosses aren't bad, try seated and using a ROM beginning with the handles at your sides and bring them upward together. If not, try some flye's incline or flat, both work just as well.

Originally Posted by Doublebase

What are you goals, stats and how is your diet? Are you bulking? I will post my routine but I am bulking so it may not help you.
Week 1:
Flat bench x5
Incline DB x3

Week 2:
DB Press x5
Incline Bench x 3

Very Intense and heavy.

This is a good workout
you also might try
week1: Flat bench 4 sets , Incline Bench 4 sets
week 2: Incline Bench 4 sets, Flat Bench 4 sets ( or this week do all DB )
In highschool I did 8 or 9 sets of chest like this 5-6 reps and maxed out at 385 the end of my senior year at a weight of 215. The thing I did wrong back then was do chest heavy 2x a week and stayed in the low rep range all the time ( i.e. 5 or 6 reps every day, month, year). I ended up tearing a pec( minor tear) and couldnt lift for about 12 weeks.

Originally Posted by ccr_bballer33

Why do you say this? I am not saying you are wrong but I dont particulary agree with you and want to know what your backing is for this. I do agree his volume was too high, the amount of reps should be lowered and possibly cut out one set, and only do two.

I have used the smith machine plenty of times, especially when on my own. I have gotten same results from smith machine as I have with regular bench. Also I feel that cable crosses aren't bad, try seated and using a ROM beginning with the handles at your sides and bring them upward together. If not, try some flye's incline or flat, both work just as well.

He wants to gain mass. Why would he do cable cross-overs. They are considered a "fluff" exercise and they isolate the chest. He barely has a chest. He is very lean and needs to use compound movements to gain overall mass. I am not totally against the smith machaine but again it isolates and makes it easy for you to balance the bar rather then you having to manage it yourself.

How is 12 sets for chest too much? Not everyone can train intensly enough to get a complete chest workout in 4 sets buddy. I could see 20 sets being way to much, but 12 seems just fine.

My chest is growing nicely with this routine:

Flat Bench 3 sets at 8,6,4 reps
Incline Bench 3 sets at 8,6,4 reps
Pec Deck 3 sets at 8,6,4 reps

I take that basic routine and change it up each workout, like BB instead of DB etc. (I don't change sets or reps, and I often throw in some dips)

Oh, and stop using the Smith for benching. Also, if you can do 10 reps, ADD WEIGHT!

Originally Posted by JoeR.

How is 12 sets for chest too much? Not everyone can train intensly enough to get a complete chest workout in 4 sets buddy. I could see 20 sets being way to much, but 12 seems just fine.

I do 8 sets.

I do 13 and im growing great...

Decline Barbell 12/6/6

Incline DB 6/6/6

Bench barbell 6/6/6

DB fly's 6/6/6

Bench DB 1x20

Okay hows this instead...

Week 1

Flat bench press x 3
Incline dumbbell press x 2
Flat dumbbell flyes x 3

Week 2

Incline bench press x 3
Flat dumbbell press x 2
Incline dumbbell flyes x 3

heavy weights 4 - 8 reps

sounds good. some people can train with that many sets, but i certainly wouldnt be able to. it is very common to overtrain and get no results. i personally use only 6 sets for my chest, but everyone is different. try what you have there and see what happens...

Looks good.

looks good, just go slow on the negative and always controlled

I have the same problem. My chest wont grow I think because I cant get a pump and the reason for that is my shoulders take to much control. Any tips on how to stop that?