chest better but not bigger

[ogabott]

what exercises/routines are good for shaping chest and not making it grow in size?

I don't care to extend these pesky stretch marks any further.

Any and all suggestions are helpful. thank you.

 

[LittleKid]

I don't really think its the exercise but its the intensity that determines if it grows bigger.

 

[ChrisROCK]

flyes, cables, seated pec deck... the main thing is lower the weights a bit and increase your reps... Don't train chest for bulk...if shaping it is your goal. Also, if it's definition you're lacking, it may be a matter of shedding a little bodyfat? Not sure without knowing your specifics...

 

[ihateschoolmt]

You can't define or shape a muscle. If you want to make it more defined, you have to cut.

 

[DeadBolt]

You can't define or shape a muscle. If you want to make it more defined, you have to cut.

Thank you....you can't shape it. You can't make muscle grow somewhere it is not already in...unless you have surgery. Your only hope it to add more mass to it in order to fill it out.

 

[KarlW]

Yes the common misconception that you can just shape up but not get bigger is actually a combo of 2 things:

1. Increasing lean body mass (ie the muscles) a little.
2. Decreasing body fat

Those 2 things will make you look more 'shapely'. Muscle looks better than fat because it has shape and doesn't ripple.

 

[ChrisROCK]

But you can strengthen and tone without adding mass... He says he does NOT want his chest bigger...just more shapely... Hence my recommendation to increase reps...and shed some bodyfat!

 

[KarlW]

But you can strengthen and tone without adding mass... He says he does NOT want his chest bigger...just more shapely... Hence my recommendation to increase reps...and shed some bodyfat!

OK, cept there's no reason why bench press can't be used to 'tone' (which is really just increase the size of a muscle slightly rather than a lot). The thing to do, as you have said is keep the weight down and the reps up.

If you lose body fat you will look more toned for the fact that your muscle's shape will be more visible. If you also lift, you'll look even more toned.

If you lift without losing bf you will also look more toned but bigger.

 

[ogabott]

when i said shape i was thinking lose fat increase muscle slightly. My muscle looks more dense and harder under that layer of fat/water every year.

So i have been cutting for a while. I was looking for good routine or combination to obtain this goal. flyes. dips maybe. etc.

thAnks for all the responses.

 

[Luke9583]

I don't really think its the exercise but its the intensity that determines if it grows bigger.

This is the long debated question

I personally think it's in your head. Alot of people equate that with intensity though

 

[KarlW]

It's more the rep scheme rather than the exercises that you need to look into. Something like:

Bench press 2x15
Cable flyes 1x15

or something along those lines.........

 

[Luke9583]

What's up with this 15 rep stuff

 

[KarlW]

What's up with this 15 rep stuff

What are you suggesting? 6-8 reps?

 

[DeadBolt]

There isn't really a need to go above 12 reps I believe....somewhere along those lines. Anything above 12 is more geared towards muscle endurance rather then size and strength.

When cutting you may want to increase the reps slightly but not to much or you risk losing strength and lbm....by keeping the reps somewhat lower it allows you to maintain both of those.

 

[Mudge]

tone without adding mass...

So he can lose bodyfat without gaining size? Yeah I suppose so.

 

[Mudge]

The thing to do, as you have said is keep the weight down and the reps up.

There is no requirement to be in a certain rep range, the only thing higher reps helps with is to expend more energy and elevate the heart rate acting similar to cardio.

 

[KarlW]

There is no requirement to be in a certain rep range, the only thing higher reps helps with is to expend more energy and elevate the heart rate acting similar to cardio.

But if you rep in the 6 or 8 range (and assuming the weight you use is challenging for that) aren't you going to get bigger?

I agree with DB that there's prob no reason to go over 12.

In other words, how do lift without adding much mass?