Gaining chest strength

[acclu97]

I am having a hard time gaining strength with my chest. While I happy with my strength in my other body parts, my chest seems to be my weakest link. I have been working out for the last ten weeks after not working out for a couple of years. I gained alot of fat during those two years, (balooned to 273..check out my post in picture gallery) so naturally I am trying to lose some fat. Within the last few weeks I have lost thirty-some punds but have still managed to continuously increase strength on most exercises (I guess because I was out for two years). BUT, chest just sucks

My current chest workout is:
flat bench 3x6 @ 135lbs
Incline bench 3x6 @115lbs
Cable cross 3x8 @65lbs

I do this once per week. Anyone have any suggestions?

 

[Freeman]

Don't get so "weighted" down by the numbers. By that, I mean, don't let your mind mess with you. Put 140lbs on there instead of 135 and just do it! Try to increase each week, but if you don't, don't stress over it. Don't let yourself get stuck in a groove or routine of always lifting hte same amounts of weight. If you only get 140lbs for 5 reps, so be it. You need to lift heavy to get stronger. If you are getting 3 sets of 135 for 6 reps a piece, my guess is you aren't going heavy enough because you could pyramid up, and maybe do 145 for 4 or 5 reps on your 2nd and 3rd sets. make any sense?

chest is my weakest part too....But, I've noticed improvements when I just say to myself "keep the weight moving..throw it up there"...185 used to scare me, now I just go for it, and if I get it I get it, if not..there's always next week..

 

[jadakris31]

i have the same problem.. chets is a nice size and good tone but not that strong.. i can do like 165 6 times if its my first set after a warmup... im gonna start doing next week .. 10 8 6 4 on my reps then the week after that do 8 6 4 2 .. then maybe a max .. see if i can more stregth in my chest as i still build mass....

 

[Mudge]

How about less cables and more pressing.

 

[acclu97]

Very true, I guess I do worry about numbers a little too much, it's just that the numbers dont change while the other body parts do and the bench press is like the trademark of bodybuilding ... I guess the only way is to slowly try to increase the wieght but I am not sure how to go about doing it. Should I increase to 140 for 4/5 reps, 145 for 3 reps.... and then do I keep it at three reps until I can do 6 or so, then increasing it yet again. I am just afraid that since I haven't really moved from 135x6, I will just be stuck at 145x3..... Damn chest is pissing me off!

 

[acclu97]

Mudge, do you think I should consider eliminating the cables and increasing the number of sets I do with the bench. The reason I do the cables is because I thought it was a good way of hitting the lower chest, I use incline for upper....but then again, I guess I could do decline for lower.... hmmm Am I doing enough sets, 9?
I usually go to failure with the press exercises.

 

[Nate]

http://www.musclemedia.com/training/bench/benchintro.asp

I have seen countless people add 25 lbs+ using this program.

 

[Mudge]

9 may or may not be enough, you have to judge that one. I would rather do dips than cable stuff if your trying for lower chest. but I would sooner do 5 flat, 4 incline.

 

[jadakris31]

so your saying replace my chest workout.. with 5 sets of chest maybe in 10 8 6 4 2 range? and then 4 sets of incline 8 6 4 2? .. change it up dumbell and barbell?

 

[Mudge]

I didn't say anything about reps but you can do that if you wish, I just dont think 3 and 3 is enough pressing.

 

[jadakris31]

mudge was that to me? i had listed 9 sets .. 5 of flat (reps 10 8 6 4 2) and 4 of incline (8 6 4 2)

 

[Mudge]

I lost track of who is who, the original poster is doing 3/3/3.

If your looking for strength I see, not counting the warm ups, powerlifters using 8 reps and then going down to 2-3, with a perhaps once monthly or so max effort.

 

[jadakris31]

thanks.. i need to get alot stronger before i can start purley working on mass... so you think this would be ok..

flat (dumbell or bar.. switch every week) 10,8,6,4,2 reps
incline(dumbell or bar.. opposite of flat) 8 6 4 2 reps
2 sets of flyes/decline/cable crosses... switch every week.. so a total of 11 sets..

 

[P-funk]

Why not try switchong the plane of motion you are working in. Bench press and incline bench press are both transverse planes of motion (although incline can be viewed as in between transverse and frontal) and cable cross over is a single joint movement in the transverse plane, but depending on the angle at wich you are coming from it can also be in between transverse and frontal). Typicaly if you strengthen the muscle in all planes it will lead to greater joint stability and greater strength. Not to mention the fact that it is going to completely change the stimulus.

Try this:
bench press

decline or incline dumbell bench press with a neutral grip (palms facing each other). Make sure that you keep your elbows in close to your bodo so that you are working in the sagital plane. Flaring your elbows outward is going to move you back into the transverse plane.

dumbell flyes or cable cross over.

 

[acclu97]

I have never tried doing dumbells with the palms facing each other, I will definately give that a shot.

 

[P-funk]

Just remember it is not the palms facing each other that makes the exercise. What really is important is keeping your elbows in close to your side because that is what is going to effect your shoulder joint and make it perfrom sagital plane flexion as opposed to horizontal flexion.

 

[TapRackBang]

I'm also wondering how many sets to do for chest. It is a big problem area for me.

I'm currently doing 2X8 flat, 2X8 incline, and 2X8 dips (assisted for now). This is only my second week of lifting so I'm being a little impatient, but chest is my biggest problem area.

I'll try adding a set to each exercise and see how that goes.

TapRackBang

 

[Mudge]

It takes me about 5-6 weeks to come up to a full routine without making myself sore as heck anyway, give it some time.

 

[P-funk]

three sets for each exercises is okay. This is only your second week lifting!!!! You can't expect gains to come that quickly. Typically the first six weeks of weight training are strength gains because your central nervous system is begining to formulate motor patterns for the exercises and learn how to effeciently move weight. There is a lag time between strength and size gains. After about 6 weeks your body will then start to adapt to the stimulus and respond by growing. Be patient. It will come.

 

[TapRackBang]

I'm trying to be patient, but it just pisses me off that I'm so freaking weak in the chest.

I've always had a much easier time gaining with legs than with chest.

 

[Mudge]

http://www.ironmagazineforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11158

 

[bludevil]

OK Mudge, here's one for ya, I have the exact opposite problem, I have decent strenght in my chest but no size.
Right now I'm doing OVT training (Optimized Volume Training). It's basically the same as German Volume Training except you switch up exercises and you use supersets.

Right now I'm doing:
5x5 Bench Press 270 superset with 5x5 incline flyes @ 40 (6 seconds up and 2 down for TUT).
5x5 Incline Press at 85 superset with pec dec @80 (6 seconds up and 2 down for TUT).

I've been gaining good strength with this routine but my mass is just not coming. I hope it's not all genetics.

 

[Mudge]

If your saying 5 reps, then go higher, 8-12. I like flat benching, and incline dumbell pressing, I find dumbells give me more chest stimulation than just pressing, pressing is more of a compound movement.

 

[bludevil]

I am saying 5 sets of 5 reps. With the supersets it's a total of 100 reps for chest. Shouldn't that suffice.

 

[ZECH]

BD, your low reps will give you strength. Add a few more reps for each set for several months and see what that does!

 

[Mudge]

Originally posted by bludevil
I am saying 5 sets of 5 reps. With the supersets it's a total of 100 reps for chest. Shouldn't that suffice.

The reps are too low IMO.

 

[acclu97]

Just to make sure I understand,

To gain strength, keep your reps low, but you want so much change as far as mass

To gain mass, keep your reps higher (8-12), but strenght change wont be as good as doing low reps

If this is the case, what would be best for someone trying to lean up. Would low reps or 8-12 reps be best for maintaining muscle mass?

 

[Freeman]

I say stay on the lower end..."leaning" up is all about diet. go for 6-8 reps....

with that said, leaning up being diet and all, it will be hard to increase your strength much...many actually find that they lose strength...you'll just have to play around with it for a bit until you find what works best with you.

 

[CJB]

Use both high and low reps. You'll work both Type I and Type II fibers equally that way. In general, I've found that the 5-8 rep range (not too high, not too low) gives me a good balance of strength and size.

Also - and I'll probably catch hell for this - Barbell benching never gave me any significant chest size gains. I got strong at it, but my chest didn't develop until I switched to using dumbells exclusively. Flat barbell benching is way overrated if you ask me.

However, if you insist on using barbell movements, try inclines and declines.

 

[Mudge]

Originally posted by acclu97
To gain mass, keep your reps higher (8-12), but strenght change wont be as good as doing low reps

If this is the case, what would be best for someone trying to lean up. Would low reps or 8-12 reps be best for maintaining muscle mass?

For mass somewhere between 6-10 is typical, if you look at Dorian and Mike Francois it was typically 6-8 reps on almost every upper body excersize. So you could say powerlifter influenced, but no it is not a PL rep range, they work 8 down generally meaning they go down into the 3s and 2s.

If you want to lean up then you do that in the kitchen. If you want to keep the heart rate elevated as a sort of cardio in the gym, then drop your rest periods to 30 seconds, you wont be able to lift as much from set to set though.