machines or free weights?

[Scotty the Body]

I feel the smith is the right machine to use for close grip as your less likly to use your chest to get the weight up because it limits you from bringing the bar further up your body.

The smith at my gym as a slight incline as it goes up so that at the bottom of the lift is below the chest and right at the middle at the top so maybe thats why I don't have a problem with its range of motion and using a reverse grip.

 

[Yanks20]

never seen a smith machine angled before!

actually when you are doing CG you are working not only the tri's very heavily but the inner chest as well. at the top of the movement when you squeeze out your inner chest is going to be taking the brunt of the movement.

i guess it is just that i prefer using free weights most of the time compared to machines. just my 2C

 

[Scotty the Body]

Originally posted by Yanks20
i guess it is just that i prefer using free weights most of the time compared to machines. just my 2C

I agree but they do have there place as well.

 

[Robboe]

"actually when you are doing CG you are working not only the tri's very heavily but the inner chest as well. at the top of the movement when you squeeze out your inner chest is going to be taking the brunt of the movement. "


Oh God, Gopro is gonna LOVE you man.

 

[Yanks20]

hey man it's the truth!

 

[Scotty the Body]

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy

Oh God, Gopro is gonna LOVE you man.

 

[Yanks20]

nice!

 

[Robboe]

Ironically, Scotty's sig is totally wrong IMO.

BTW, yanks, have you read arnold's encyclopedia?

 

[Yanks20]

nope! just keep learning new and better things as the years go by

 

[Robboe]

Oh God.

Who told you that close grip activates more inner chest?

 

[Yanks20]

anywhere you go or read for that matter will tell you that CG bench, cable crossovers & DB flies are the cornerstone for a strong inner chest

 

[Robboe]

fdlshlfk


Excuse me. My jaw just hit the keyboard.

What's your training experience Yanks?

 

[Yanks20]

been lifting now for the past 6 years, no supps or AS, just a clean diet. would have to say that for the past 2 1/2 years i have moved more from regular BB to Powelifting, which is now the nuts and bolts of my routine.

 

[Robboe]

Powerlifting you say. Nice one.

What are your big three lifts?

do you do westside?

what's your stats?

 

[Scotty the Body]

I agree that they work the chest as a Synergist muscle but I wouldn't use it as a chest exercise and wouldn't consider it to be a "cornerstone" for a strong inner chest.

 

[Yanks20]

5'11" - 206 - 10%BF

i would say that bench, squats and deads are the foudation movements. i have also started to get into cleans as well.

current stats:
bench - 375
squats - 405x6
deads - 450x6

i normally don't max out on squats or deads but i have entered a friendly competition with my buddy that will take place at the end of june! here are my goals by then:

bench - 425
squats - 505 (might even be able to get this now, not sure)
deads - 545

 

[Yanks20]

scott,

ok, do you work out tri's on the same day as chest?

if so try this, after completing your chest exercises (i.e. - flat, incline, flies). for your first tri workout do CG bench and as you complete the lift squeeze your chest really hard at the top. not only will you begin to work the tri's really well but burning the inner chest. guaranteed you will feel the burn!

 

[Scotty the Body]

I do work tri's on chest day, thats why I don't feel that the chest gets hit hard on the CG, but i'll pay more attention next time I do them and see if I feel any "burn" in the inner chest area.

 

[Scotty the Body]

I'm wondering if using a reverse grip on CG bench has anything to do with chest involvment or the lack there of?

 

[Yanks20]

 

[Yanks20]

i read about a month ago in muscle fitness someone promoting it for the chest but personally i feel more of a tri workout no matter how i do it. you are essentially lowering the weight below the chest area and the tri's figure more into that type of movement.

 

[Bob Bob]

free weights

 

[Yanks20]

free weights what?

 

[Robboe]

With lifts like them yanks you'd be a hit with the PLer's on wbb.

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy
"My body never knows whats coming!"

It never does anyway.

anyhoo, please elaborate on this "training cycle" por favore.

I train on a 4 week mini-cycle...
week 1- power week...reps 2-6...compound movements...slow negatives and explosive positives

week 2- eclectic training...reps 6-20...mixture of movements...various rep speeds

week 3- "shock training"...pre exaust supersets...drop sets...other intensity techniques...fast pace

week 4- "recovery"...no free weights, just machines and cables...constant motion not stressing the negative...no sets to failure

This is the basics of it. If you were interested I could post a sample workout for chest or something...

Since starting this method which I developed about 5 years ago I have gone from offseason 220 at 12 % BF to my current 250-255 at 12 % BF...

 

[gopro]

Originally posted by The_Chicken_Daddy
"actually when you are doing CG you are working not only the tri's very heavily but the inner chest as well. at the top of the movement when you squeeze out your inner chest is going to be taking the brunt of the movement. "


Oh God, Gopro is gonna LOVE you man.

1- yup, I love Yanks!!!
2- I hate ignorance
3- I hate those unwilling to learn
4- I love pizza
5- I love being huge
6- I love being strong
7- I hate close-mindedness
8- I hate making this list
9- Gonna stop now

 

[Robboe]

1. I'm not ignorant. I am tried and tested and wanting money back. I am also read up and decided and going a "better route".

2. I'm not unwilling to learn, i just don't need to hear a wrong answer to a question i already know the right answer to.

3. I'm not close-minded. see points 1 & 2.

4. yes, post a sample routine. I'd like to see.

 

[bubbasr]

Free weights rule it's raw power.

 

[urikaburi]

My friend ad I have free weights in his basement. Training 6 months now, planning to go to the gym soon.

 

[101Tazman]

I use both. I start with free weight and usally finish with the machines to isolate more