Chest growth problems

[Overdrive]

hi guys...

ok..i've been training seriously for about 2 months(and supplement with protein and creatine) and i'm making some good gains all round. However i find it reallia hard to make gains in the chest area...everytime i do a cardio, it just flattens out..really sucks man..anyway i had a completely flat pigeon chest when i started out

heres my routine (i change it a little from time to time...maybe incline flyes instead of flat..decline presses instead of incline presses)

5 sets Dumbbell press 12, 10, 8,8,6 pyramid
5 sets incline flyes (same as above)
3 sets chest dips
5 sets decline dumbbell press (same as above)

i hit this routine every friday, once a week

hope someone can give me a hand and some opinions...its really irritating to lift heavier and heavier but still look smaller than the next guy who doesn't train at all..

 

[kuso]

Too many sets!

I think you`ll find very few people that do more than 9 to 12 total sets for chest.....and there are those that do even less when more experienced.

 

[Pitboss]

Keep your working sets around 9 to 12 tops.

Stick with compound movements likes flat and incline press. Skip the flyes, maybe every 3 rd week or so. Declines, what are those? I haven't done these in almost a year and most will say they only do them to add variety.

 

[Mudge]

The chest isn't all that big or complex a group of muscles, so I would cut those sets way down, JMO.

Chest is not back, so no reason to do as many sets.

 

[Overdrive]

ok...looks like my whole training routine is screwed up...wat do you guys think of this:

present routine
sunday : shoulders (5 sets 5 exercises pyramid)
monday : Back 5 sets 5 exercises pyramid)
tuesday : biceps 5 sets 5 exercises pyramid)
wednesday: triceps 5 sets 5 exercises pyramid)
thursday : cardio
friday Chest 5 sets 5 exercises pyramid)
saturday : rest

should i be cutting all the sets down to 3?

 

[Triple Threat]

Cutting to three sets is a good start. Also, cut the number of exercises down to 2-3 for small body parts (biceps, triceps) and
to 3-4 for larger body parts. And where is the leg workout?

 

[Overdrive]

ok...this is gonna sound bad...there is no leg workout..
yep.....i don't train the legs at all..

 

[Pitboss]

Originally posted by Overdrive
ok...this is gonna sound bad...there is no leg workout..
yep.....i don't train the legs at all..

If you are going to admit that at least say somethign like...

Uh I lost my legs in the war or something like that!!!

Just kidding... make time!

Try Chest/tri
Back/bi
Legs
Shoulders/traps

or Chest/bi
Back/tri

 

[Overdrive]

thanks for the info pitboss..so is it a better idea to combine workouts instead of splitting them up like i do? wouldn't that be working each part less intensively?

 

[Pitboss]

Originally posted by Overdrive
thanks for the info pitboss..so is it a better idea to combine workouts instead of splitting them up like i do? wouldn't that be working each part less intensively?

As long as you work out each body part no more than once a week.
Working back and triceps on the same day shouldn't effect your intensity unless of course you aren't fueling your body enough and you run out of energy.

I choose to do back/bi and chest/tri.

 

[Overdrive]

just got back from the gym...chest day today and i did

3 sets flat bench 10-8-8
3 set incline dumbbell 12-10-8
3 sets incilne flyes 12-12-10
2 sets chest dips
3 sets decline press

i don't feel as much strain and fatigue in the pecs as i did doing my old chest workout...hmm is that a good sign or a bad sign?
should i be pyramiding the sets ?

 

[Yanks20]

your dips and declines are doing the same thing, drop one of them and you should do better!

your body wasn't as tired with the new routine and soreness doesn't mean your muscles are growing. stick with:

flat bench/inclines/dips/flies - and you will grow. give it time, Rome wasn't built in a Day!

 

[Overdrive]

thanks for the tip man

 

[JD_Boss]

Thought I'd chim in on this, because I too am experimenting with my pec routine.

I think everyone would agree that you got to go heavy to grow and I did just that. Sticking with the basics...flat and incline bench and dips. Didn't waste much time with flys, pec dec, etc.

I think my problem was putting too much in my flat bench. That is, of course, the exercise at draws the most attention! So, we would bench until diziness and not have anything left for a second exercise.

Currently, I work chest twice a week. Start with flat one day, and incline the next. (don't use dumbells simple because my current gym only have 85lb'ers)

I go:
FLAT
15 reps at 135 (warm up...especially my bad shoulders)
12 reps at 225
5 reps at 275 (just to fell the weight and test my shoulder)
10 reps at 315
8 reps at 365
4-6 reps at 405 (working to increase reps at this level)

Incline
10 reps at 225
8-10 reps at 275
2 sets 8-10 reps at 315

I reverse on the day that I begin with incline. On that day I can't go as heavy on flat obviously...usually ending w/ 365 and then a burnout set at 225 10-15 (once did 18 reps).

Since I've been following this routine, I added size to me upper pec region making my over pecs look much bigger.

To sum this up ;-)...safely go heave with the basic movements (flat and incline dumbells or bar) and don't waste too much time with the other stuff...AND never forget, full range of motion and STRETCH!

My 2 cents...

Let me know that you guys think?! I spark the next discussion on using the smith machine for pec work...

 

[Rissole]

Try this:
http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=9351
I did 3 weeks using Gopro's power, rep range, shock method for my whole workout. My chest measurment at the start was 1075mm and is now 1085mm for 3 weeks, i rekon that's ok

 

[JD_Boss]

Thanks! I'll give it a shot!

 

[Rissole]

Forgot to mention that i'm on a slow cut as well so i prob lost about 1 -1 1/2% bf which means i prob got a tad more growth than that.