Chest workout problem

[Kickboxer]

Training upper chest, I have a trouble upper pec, I do incline press, but my chest is not developing, as I would like it to. I would appreciate any guidance on building a full chest

Thank you

 

[sawheet]

Try supersetting incline flys with flat barbell bench press(get a spotter or use a smith) That will hit the top of the chest big time and stimulate new growth for you. Do not do anymore flat dumbell or barbell presses for a while, and start your routing with heavy dumbell presses like this incline dumbell press five sets 15 reps 12 reps 10 reps 2 sets heavy 6 to 8 reps then superset incline dumbell flys with neck presses 4 sets non stop 12 to 15 reps. you can do 3 sets of heavy barbell incline at this time if you are an advanced lifter. after that superset flat dumbell flys with chin on chest dips, three sets non stop if you are advanced you can either do dumbell pullovers or high cable cross to failure for a finisher, only if you are advanced and have healthy shoulders

 

[TJohn]

How often do you work your pecs ??

TJohn

 

[Robboe]

What is your current chest routine?

 

[Yanks20]

i knew i smelt a chicken around!!

 

[Robboe]

Great. Good for you.

At least you're assured of one sense working properly.

 

[Yanks20]

Little testy today aren't we?

 

[Mudge]

Not everything works for everyone, so posting your current routine would definately assist.

I am like most people, who do not develop the upper chest like the lower, with just flat benches. So with that in mind, I would start my chest day with incline presses, wether barbell or dumbell. I happen to really like dumbells for alot of movements nowdays.

If you feel like it, every 3rd week or so you can start your chest day with flat instead of incline, or whatever.

 

[Preacher]

Give TCD a little credit for not flaming this one, will you.
The guy does know his stuff and could make for some sound advice ...

 

[Yanks20]

Guess you haven't been around long enough to know that anytime a thread comes up about inclines TCD jumps all over it. Me personally I swear by doing inclines to build the upper chest and have gone back and forth with TCD about this topic in the past many, many times.

 

[Arnold]

the only thing that TCD will offer in this thread is his opinion on not being able to isolate or emphasize the upper chest with incline presses.

 

[Yanks20]

and i'm all for a debate! yeah i know TCD doesn't think you can isolate the pectoral minor by doing inclines and how much his shoulders feel the brunt of doing inclines.

 

[Yanks20]

i would try any of the following exercises to help bring up the upper portion of your chest. adding one to two to each chest session. plus as everyone else has said what is your current chest routine?

start with incline presses (DB or BB)
incline flies
pullovers
high cable crossovers

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by Yanks20
and i'm all for a debate! yeah i know TCD doesn't think you can isolate the pectoral minor by doing inclines and how much his shoulders feel the brunt of doing inclines.

Are you trying to say that the upper portion of the pectorals is the pec minor?

If so you are very much mistaken. The pec minor is underneath the pec major and runs over the 3rd to 5th ribs. Doing a slight incline does stress this muscle slightly more, but will not cause enough grow to warrant doing such an insignificant exercise. Not to mention the fact that the pec minor can be stressed with any pushing movements. It's even recruited to assist in overhead pressing movements.


I'm not gonna suggest anything until i see what hasn't been working for him this far.

 

[Robboe]

Insignificant in reguards to flat and slightly declined presses or dips.

 

[ponyboy]

Simple fact is, there is only one pec major muscle. There is no such thing as an upper and lower pectoralis major muscle. Just like any other muscle, hitting it from different angles may stress different areas, but you can't take it section by section and expect each section to grow on their own. I would love to see the chest development of someone who ONLY does incline or decline pressing movements...their development overall would probably lag way behind someone who does flat bench as opposed to the other two. Anyone had this experience?

 

[john992]

Off topic for one second here: IS PONYBOY my man DAVETHEWONDERPONY?

 

[Mudge]

Vince Taylor is the only person I can recall who said that he got away with almost completely flat bench excersizes.

Even though its still the same muscle, you can still favor where the stress points are by varying your attack.

 

[TJohn]

I do medium incline presses exclusively because my lower chest is big enough and I want to work more on the upper portion. I don't do flat anymore and I find that I can do just as much weight on med. incline. TCD, you're saying that full incline is worthless for upper chest development ?

TJohn

 

[Mudge]

The bench I use is probably a 45º setup, certainly not a full incline like some that I've seen, I think it works out just fine, so far anyway.

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by ponyboy
I would love to see the chest development of someone who ONLY does incline or decline pressing movements...

It wouldn't help much cause genetics paly too much of a factor.

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by Mudge
Even though its still the same muscle, you can still favor where the stress points are by varying your attack.

But it won't cause significant growth in those areas.

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by TJohn
TCD, you're saying that full incline is worthless for upper chest development ?

Well there is no "upper chest" so from that sentence: yes.

If you said for "chest development" then i'd say they're not worthless, but they aren't necessary.

 

[TJohn]

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy



Well there is no "upper chest" so from that sentence: yes.

If you said for "chest development" then i'd say they're not worthless, but they aren't necessary.

Alright, what about a person that has an over large lower chest (not fat) and wants to creat the illusion of a more rounded chest. Wouldn't that person perform incline movements to put more emphasis on the top portion of the pecs ??

Also, what do you think about decline presses ??

TJohn

 

[Mudge]

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy


But it won't cause significant growth in those areas.

I disagree, because that is exactly how I get my upper chest in-line with the rest, by doing incline presses first and doing the lower stuff later, otherwise I definately have a much larger lower chest.

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by TJohn


Alright, what about a person that has an over large lower chest (not fat) and wants to creat the illusion of a more rounded chest. Wouldn't that person perform incline movements to put more emphasis on the top portion of the pecs ??

Also, what do you think about decline presses ??

TJohn

They can do incline presses until they're blue in the face, they won't cause significant difference.

Decline presses are ok. Bit of a buggar to get into a comfortable position though. I much prefer weighted dips.

 

[Robboe]

Originally posted by Mudge


I disagree, because that is exactly how I get my upper chest in-line with the rest, by doing incline presses first and doing the lower stuff later, otherwise I definately have a much larger lower chest.

And you've spent time NOT doing inclines and noticed your lower chest grow more have you?

You may just be lucky enough to have genetics that give the appearance of a good "all-over" chest.

 

[Mudge]

And you've spent time NOT doing inclines and noticed your lower chest grow more have you?

Yes, this is why I prefer inclines first over any flat or decline movement. I do not have Vince Taylor genetics, but my chest has always been pretty responsive.

 

[TJohn]

TCD,

Don't get me wrong, I do believe that genetic have a major part in the way we look and how our bodies develope. But this is all too much for me, why do we have all these different exercises that are supposed to hit different areas of a muscle when it supposedly doesn't matter what we do ?? Then we should all just do bb curls for bis, flat bench for chest, mil press for shoulders bla bla bla. I'm not likin' it

TJohn

 

[Mudge]

I think someone that gets all thier chest development from single angular training is a rare individual indeed. People have been changing foot position for calf excersizes (not met just yet), and etc for a long time, so I'm not ready to absorb your ideas just yet.

I know where I feel the stress, and I know where I see the results, and flat bench doesn't cover it all for me.