jjm
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Is my chest supposed to look like this? The lower absolutely sucks. I'm at 14.2% bf.
Electronic calculations are worth crap IMO. You can get a decent idea through formulations and standard calipers but to get an accurate reading you need to get tested in a water tank.Right now I do 3x8 flat and incline bench, then I do pec deck fly's. Next I do an exercise on the cable crossover machine. I'm not too sure what it's called, but I use the low pulley, then bring the arms up to about my head level and squeeze my chest together. I hope that makes sense. After that sometimes I'll throw in dips.
I got my bf taken 2 seperate times and it came up 14.2% both times. The guy used an electronic caliper that took measurements from my bi, tri, lat, and stomach.
definately go with a wider grip if you want to use the chest muscles mainly.Sometime you should try some benches using a smith machine with a very wide grip. I don't think the flys are going to add a lot of size. Some people may disagree, but I don't grow from doing such isolation excercises, just heavy compound movements.
How wide are we talkin here? I grip so that my thumbs line up with the little divets. Should I go wider?definately go with a wider grip if you want to use the chest muscles mainly.
more then any advice on form and diet everyone says do what works...well this works regardless of whether or not it makes sense, so try it, it will work...it worked for my friend and it worked for me. Besides, whats the worst that could happen?This is the first time I've ever heard of someone pre-fatiguing the smaller muscles to hit the bigger one better. I'm still not sure how that works out really, but if you're triceps and shoulders are doing the work, not the chest, then it sounds like you really need to change your form. Oh and bump on the Scapular Retraction, it really does work well to take your shoulders out and make the chest do the bulk of the work.
I'm not saying don't do it because it won't work, because it obviously works for you, I was just saying that that was the first I've ever heard of it. Also, it just seems like his form is probably off if he's not feeling his chest working.more then any advice on form and diet everyone says do what works...well this works regardless of whether or not it makes sense, so try it, it will work...it worked for my friend and it worked for me. Besides, whats the worst that could happen?
Actually this is completely wrong. The BP is a compound movement and in order to overload the Chest you need to utilize all anchillery groups to their fullest. If your tris are prefatigued you will be unable to lock out the heavier weights. If your shoulders are fatigue the whole movement will be affected. Stick with Heavy BP, non prefatigued and other compound movements (SmithMachine=not compound) like squats and DLs, you'll grow.I have always thought the same as R Alan, fatigue the triceps and you should have more chest work as it will take over the weight that cant be carried by the tris due to fatigue. I think form is the best way. closer works arms more for me (i have long arms) I would agree with jomi too you look so lean you might not be feeding the muscles enough to gain mass.... just by looking your arms are more developed anyway so they will bear most the work on the bench.
Your chest development will suffer greatly because there isn't enough tricep strength to push the type of weight you need to grow a great chest?Besides, whats the worst that could happen?
Thank you. I thought we stopped in insano land where everything is backwards and I wasn't notified.Actually this is completely wrong. The BP is a compound movement and in order to overload the Chest you need to utilize all anchillery groups to their fullest. If your tris are prefatigued you will be unable to lock out the heavier weights. If your shoulders are fatigue the whole movement will be affected. Stick with Heavy BP, non prefatigued and other compound movements (SmithMachine=not compound) like squats and DLs, you'll grow.
Well actually, you are completely wrong because it works. You can't argue with results. And for someone who weighs 160 or 170 starting out there is no heavy benching. This is simply a way for your chest to catch up with your arms, not a method to you for the rest of your bodybuilding efforts; you do it for 3-4 chest rotations and then you stop because it then becomes a natural motion.Actually this is completely wrong. The BP is a compound movement and in order to overload the Chest you need to utilize all anchillery groups to their fullest. If your tris are prefatigued you will be unable to lock out the heavier weights. If your shoulders are fatigue the whole movement will be affected. Stick with Heavy BP, non prefatigued and other compound movements (SmithMachine=not compound) like squats and DLs, you'll grow.
Actually this is completely wrong. The BP is a compound movement and in order to overload the Chest you need to utilize all anchillery groups to their fullest. If your tris are prefatigued you will be unable to lock out the heavier weights. If your shoulders are fatigue the whole movement will be affected. Stick with Heavy BP, non prefatigued and other compound movements (SmithMachine=not compound) like squats and DLs, you'll grow.
Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that doesn't work, but some people don't start in a situation to even do that so what i am suggesting is a way to get them there. i'm sure once you get past the beginning stages of lifting that will work great but this is strictly to get past a specific problem that a lot people don't understand and haven't experienced. And as someone who has experienced it, gotten past it, and has seen it work for other people nobody can say i'm wrong because results don't lieI second this. Works for me well. In 3 months I jumped 20pounds on bench alone. Doesnt seem like a lot, but at this rate, I will be very happy in another year. I started the starting strength program after overtraining for nearly a year. I was sick every month, i couldnt grow, and my poundages halted. I am sticking with this program until all my core lifts are in the 300-400 range.
Whatever works for ya!Well actually, you are completely wrong because it works. You can't argue with results. And for someone who weighs 160 or 170 starting out there is no heavy benching. This is simply a way for your chest to catch up with your arms, not a method to you for the rest of your bodybuilding efforts; you do it for 3-4 chest rotations and then you stop because it then becomes a natural motion.
I've tried doing the pre exhaustion method with doin a set of light fly's before I bench, and it just made me rely on my tri's even more. It was one of the worst chest workouts i've ever had.
I've actually thought about doing my tricep routine before my chest routine, so that way my tri's would be fatigued and I'd have to rely on my chest.
Anyone ever try that?
Basso knows. To make muscles grow, you have to lift heavy. Using any technique that limits the weight you can lift is going to also limit the amount of growth you get. It so simple. Not easy, but simple. Lift heavy and eat big. In order to move heavy weights you have to do compound excercises like BP, squats etc. Work on the mass part and the shape will come with it, especialy with someone starting out thin.
same here. calories are everything to me and timing them just as important. if i start slacking for one day i will see the diminishing results of that the next day. I tell people that diet is number one, then training(as long as you know what youre doing), then supps. IMOOnce again, I concur. I dont say a word to people in the gym. To, be honest I dont want to wait on the squat rack. I just keep doing what I am doing. If they catch on, they catch on. I see the results in the mirror.
I am also a thinner guy, I had to eat and eat to get to this 184 i am at now. If i dont eat and eat, I lose it.
This was my thoughts on that approach too. It will push chest to max failure. But both ways will work, i just have always thought to pre fatigue chest if you want to target it more.If you try it again, and really pre-exhaust the chest, not just one light set of flys, but a complete 4 set workout heavy, you might like the results. You will not be able to move quite as much weight on the BP but the goal is not to move weight but to kick the SH*T out of your chest. Don't rely on your tris, if you can't move any more weight, without using your tris, then you have come to chest absolute failure. That, my friend is the goal. If you have a spotter, even better, let him assist a rep or two and use "just your chest" to move the weight.
Also, from you pics, I agree that you should attempt to up your caloric input.
I worded my post wrong. I did 3x15 of light fly's. I didn't go heavy. But like I said, once I got to bench I had to rely on my tri's even more to get the weight up. My chest was not the least bit tight afterwards. It was the worst chest workout I've ever had.If you try it again, and really pre-exhaust the chest, not just one light set of flys, but a complete 4 set workout heavy, you might like the results. You will not be able to move quite as much weight on the BP but the goal is not to move weight but to kick the SH*T out of your chest. Don't rely on your tris, if you can't move any more weight, without using your tris, then you have come to chest absolute failure. That, my friend is the goal. If you have a spotter, even better, let him assist a rep or two and use "just your chest" to move the weight.
Also, from you pics, I agree that you should attempt to up your caloric input.
Everyone starts out where you are. So, basically we ALL not only understand where you are coming from, but we have all been there and wore out that T-shirt.Don't get me wrong, I'm not saying that doesn't work, but some people don't start in a situation to even do that so what i am suggesting is a way to get them there. i'm sure once you get past the beginning stages of lifting that will work great but this is strictly to get past a specific problem that a lot people don't understand and haven't experienced. And as someone who has experienced it, gotten past it, and has seen it work for other people nobody can say i'm wrong because results don't lie
that is what he has been doing lately. why do you suggest incline over flat? In a poll i read a while back the most popular exercise for chest mass was incline dumbells....4) Consider incline before flat bench
I think I might actually try this out, but I'm not sure how to work it into my current routine.Try cycling your routine between heavier, power lifting style chest training and more hypertrophy-specific training every 3 weeks or so.
For example, a Max-OT style chest routine for the 1st 3 weeks:
Barbell Bench Press:
Set 1: Warmup 15 reps 30% of your 4-6 rep max
Set 2: Warmup 8 reps 50% of your 4-6 rep max
Set 3: Warmup 1 rep 80% of your 4-6 rep max
Set 4: Bench Press, 4-6 reps
Set 5: Bench Press, 4-6 reps
Set 6: Bench Press, 4-6 reps
Incline Dumbell Press:
Set 1: 4-6 reps
Set 2: 4-6 reps
Dips:
Bodyweight x 15
Weighted - 4-6 Reps
Weighted - 4-6 Reps
Maybe some light cardio, then LEAVE THE GYM, and go home and eat. Work chest every 5 days. This will mess up your split a bit but you can deal with it.
Try to add 5- 10lbs every week. This routine has never failed breaking me through a plateau as long as I had the discipline to stick with it. After 3 weeks, you should have gained at least 15-20 lbs on your bench and look noticeably thicker.
For the next 3 weeks, focus on more hypertrophy-specific movements, but keep the core movement heavy, 4-6 reps. An example:
Barbell Bench Press:
Warmup, 15 reps
4-6 reps
4-6 reps
4-6 reps
Then onto TUT-style movements:
Incline DB:
10 reps, 3-1-3 count (1 sec pause at the bottom)
8 reps, 3-1-3 count
8 reps, 3-1-3 count
Decline Bench or Weighted Dips:
10 reps, 3-1-3 count
8 reps, 3-1-3 count
8 reps, 3-1-3 count
Incline Flyes:
12 reps, 3-1-3 count (pause and stretch at the bottom)
10 reps, 3-1-3
8 reps, 3-1-3
Bench Pull Overs
10 reps
10 reps
8 reps
You do this and eat right, your chest will grow. When you do hit a plateau, you can start incorporating shocking techniques like multi-angles, drop sets, fox sets, strip sets, etc, etc, etc.
BV
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