PushUps are the only way for me to get good chest pump

[dk1]

OK. So no matter what or how I do free weight chest exercises I cant get the same chest pump as with just a push-up. doesnt matter if its a dumbell or barbell. width grip doesnt matter. and it doesnt matter where bar hits chest. i feel the weight exercise more in delts and tris. anyone else have this happen? explanation? there must be a technique issue that i cant figure out.

 

[Hammer925]

Weird. Have you tried some flies? How about some exercises with cables? Some cable cross-overs usualy get me going. As for the free weight exercises, have you tried to lessen the weight and crank out more reps?

 

[blergs.]

dumbells while laying on a bench press.
i dotn even bother with pushups anymore unless just to warm up.

 

[ecot3c inside]

how much do you bench? if you can't bench too much I bet for some reason your localizing just your arms, you need to pinch your back and concentrate on just your pecks until you got it down.

 

[unclem]

push ups will only give you so much mass, you need to weekly increase your bench. if you do that the mass will come and you get pumps , after all, you cant pump a chest with no mass yet. you feel it, but, not when you got some pecs then it will explode on ya.

 

[Merkaba]

Ok but is "pump" all you care about? If so then keep doing that. if you're trying to get considerably bigger or stronger then you'll need some heavy weight and some progressive overload. Can't do but so much of that with pushups.

 

[Hubauer]

Focus on heavy incline and flat bench, either with BB or DB. If you're still not pumped at the end of your workout, throw in a set of machine or DB flyes and go to failure, shoot for at least 20 reps. That ought to do it.

 

[ExLe]

Just do push ups for the warm up and get your pump then hit the bench. I get a huge pump using dumbells.

How long are you waiting in between sets when doing bench? How many sets reps are you doing? Are you going untill failure?

 

[endurance724]

expand your rib cage while bench pressing, arch your lower back and stick your chest out. if you dont do this, front delt will take over the motion. drop the weight, full range of motion expan rib cage and concentrate on squeezing them pecs.

 

[dk1]

thanks for all of the suggestions. to the various posters:

i really am not just interested in the pump but feeling it in my chest to me means i worked the chest.

i havent maxed in a while (im old ) but i usually can get 10-12 reps with 225 at a body weight of 215.

i believe this is all technique. i didnt have this problem 20 years ago. will try the suggestions with respect to the rib cage and shoulder blades and dropping the weight.

thanks again

 

[Merkaba]

thanks for all of the suggestions. to the various posters:

i really am not just interested in the pump but feeling it in my chest to me means i worked the chest.

i havent maxed in a while (im old ) but i usually can get 10-12 reps with 225 at a body weight of 215.

i believe this is all technique. i didnt have this problem 20 years ago. will try the suggestions with respect to the rib cage and shoulder blades and dropping the weight.

thanks again

well 20 years ago is a long time. How old are you? I didn't have any problems at all 20 years ago I was 15! Diet is 50%. I can tell a difference when I eat crappy or don't get my proper macs.

 

[dk1]

50 soon.
i have done well on every other exercise after getting back at it so i dont think its diet.