How do I get a chest pump?

[Michael D]

My workout usually goes like this for the chest.

3 warmup sets of 10reps at about 50% of my max. I then move to 3 sets of 6 at about 90%. I can barely get the 6th one each time. Then 3 sets of flyes at around 10-12. This is on the flat bench. I cannot get a pump and I am worried about not making the progress I could be making. Do I need a pump? I have been getting a little stronger but I want to maximize this. I don't have gym access so basically I can only do a few exercises.

Thanks.

 

[P-funk]

3 sets of 6 at 90% of your 1RM????

90% of your 1RM is your 4RM. If you were truely working at 90% then you would barely be able to get four reps let alone six. You are probably working somewhere around 85% (6RM).

You have to choose what your goals are?

First you say you want the pump.....then you say you want to maxamize strength gains.

1) To get a better pump work at greater rep ranges like 8-12 (80%-70% of 1RM). In this rep range you are going to have much more sacomplasmic hypertrophy and thus gain more of that pumped feeling/look that bodybuilders go for. However, at these rep ranges there is less of a crossover to absolute strength strength (1RM)

2) If you want strength then 90% of 1RM or greater (hitting triples and doubles) is going to give you more myfibriliar hypertrophy (think powerlifter). You wont have that pumped/"puffy" look that bodybuilders have but this rep range (2-4) is going to really help you increase absolute strength (1RM)

You just need to prioritize.

No, just becasue you don't get pumped does not mean you are not making progress.

Hope that helps.

 

[tjwes]

Pyramid your sets adding weight and decreasing reps as you go along in the workout.
Example:
Bench- 10,8,6,6,12
To hell with percentages just use a weight that makes you work your ass off for the amount of reps that are your goal on each set.Don`t add to your confusion by overanalyzing! Good Luck!

 

[Tha Don]

Originally posted by P-funk
3 sets of 6 at 90% of your 1RM????

90% of your 1RM is your 4RM. If you were truely working at 90% then you would barely be able to get four reps let alone six. You are probably working somewhere around 85% (6RM).

You have to choose what your goals are?

First you say you want the pump.....then you say you want to maxamize strength gains.

1) To get a better pump work at greater rep ranges like 8-12 (80%-70% of 1RM). In this rep range you are going to have much more sacomplasmic hypertrophy and thus gain more of that pumped feeling/look that bodybuilders go for. However, at these rep ranges there is less of a crossover to absolute strength strength (1RM)

2) If you want strength then 90% of 1RM or greater (hitting triples and doubles) is going to give you more myfibriliar hypertrophy (think powerlifter). You wont have that pumped/"puffy" look that bodybuilders have but this rep range (2-4) is going to really help you increase absolute strength (1RM)

exellent advice

i dropped my weights slightly today, droped everything by about 10kg on the barbells and around 5kg on the dumbells (each), wow! it was tough... my rep range didn't go up by much, from about 6-8 to 10-12, but i go one hell of a pump!!! i've just eaten a meal and i was struggling to get the food in my mouth, my arms were shaking so much!!

anyway i think i'll rotate how heavy i go each session from now on, seems like the best way to add mass, rather than strength (i'm stronger than ever right now, but i'm not look that much bigger at all!)

anyway P, what rep ranges do you use? do you rotate? if so when and by how much?

oh and do you have that link to work out your 1 rep max bench?? i wanna make sure i've progressed, thanks!

peace

 

[Michael D]

Ok, I was under the impression that if I didn't get a pump, I wasn't doing anything.

I want a blend of strength and size so I guess I may be alright with what I am doing. I was just guessing about the 90%. You are right, it is probably more like 85.

Thanks.

 

[Deeznuts]

I don't normally worry about percentages (unless instructed to) I just use weight to where i'm on my last set it's nearly impossible to get.

 

[P-funk]

Originally posted by young d
exellent advice

i dropped my weights slightly today, droped everything by about 10kg on the barbells and around 5kg on the dumbells (each), wow! it was tough... my rep range didn't go up by much, from about 6-8 to 10-12, but i go one hell of a pump!!! i've just eaten a meal and i was struggling to get the food in my mouth, my arms were shaking so much!!

anyway i think i'll rotate how heavy i go each session from now on, seems like the best way to add mass, rather than strength (i'm stronger than ever right now, but i'm not look that much bigger at all!)

anyway P, what rep ranges do you use? do you rotate? if so when and by how much?

oh and do you have that link to work out your 1 rep max bench?? i wanna make sure i've progressed, thanks!

peace

My rep ranges really very a lot. Sometimes I hit doubles and triples. Other times I am in the 4-6 range or any where form 6-15. Occasionally 20 and sometimes 40!! It all depends on what is being worked. How it was worked the last time I did it and what the main goal of that day is. I really take the time to plan out my training and figure out a game plan/strategy to get the results I am looking for, be it strength or size (usually a hybrid of the two).

As far as 1RM goes. What do you mean a link??? Like you want to know a good way to warm up for doing it?

 

[Michael D]

As far as 1RM goes. What do you mean a link??? Like you want to know a good way to warm up for doing it? [/QUOTE]

I think he means how you figure it by plugging in your numbers. Say he was benching 250x5. Then plug them in and it gives you an estimated 1RM.

 

[P-funk]

oh!!

just do the math....250x5

If our 6RM is apox. 85% of our 1RM them we just need to do some division to find our aprox. 1RM

250/.85= 295lb (rounded up) 1RM

 

[camarosuper6]

If you just want a pump, do a 100 pushups

 

[nas]

I think it is important to get a pump on whatever you are training. Not every day will be a great workout, but you should always try to maximize the time you are using at the gym. For chest, I personally have always done flys last. They never have given me a great pump so I just do them to finish off the chest at the end. Try this:

Stretch
Flat bench: 1 warmup set of 10-12 reps. Then straight to heavy weight doing 6-8, but most importantly going to failure each time. Three sets. Then do 3 x 6-8 of incline bench, then 3 x 6-8 of decline. Finish it off with flies. I prefer the fly machine rather than free weights on this because of injury. If you don't have a pump by about halfway through incline press then you are probably either not focusing on your muscle group or not working out fast enough. You have to think about the muscle as you work it. Bench press is an easy one to get legs, deltoids, and all sorts of other body parts in for maximum press. When working out, however, you want to do the opposite: focus on isolating your chest.

Of course, this is what works for me. When I started working out I went jumped 40% on bench in 6 weeks. However, I mix it up. One week I do bar benching, the next machines, the next dumbells. By the time I get back to standard flat bar bench I have made serious gains. Its very encouraging. Good luck!