[musclesinmotion]

Quick question....I read about 3 weeks ago that for the first 6 years of arnolds training he hit chest every 48 hours....my chest has always been so small compared to everything else I started just doing incline db 100lb x 8 reps for 4 sets then incline BB for 3 sets then fit in light flat bench for 3 sets finishing with a fly routine...my chest was getting great pumps for a few weeks and was actually starting to grow a little when I was hitting chest every 48 hours but now I'm getting worried because my chest isnt getting sore anymore and I feel that my chest is just used to this routine and expects what I'm about to do to it....I dont want to stop doing incline though because I have absolutely no upper chest....maybe I'm over training...I just want to have that sore feeling again like I actually wripped some muscle....any advise? what could I do to shock my muscles? Also what do people think about wide grip vs. narrow grib when benching...which grip builds the chest the best??? Thanks!

[rpen22]

Most people say a wide grip is better for hitting the chest because the closer your hands are, the more the movement involves the triceps.

[Vitruvian]

decline dumbell shows the highest EMG rating of muscle involvement. something like 93% flat barbell was 90, i think. all these guys saying incline, its the lowest chest muscle fibre recruiter.

Gifted,

Where can I find further info about these EMG ratings?

[somewhatgifted]

Gifted,

Where can I find further info about these EMG ratings?

Ill look around, im sure it was a study i read about im MD.

[rake922]

Weighted Dips

[somewhatgifted]

TeenBodybuilding.com - Mark Raineri - EMG Studies Show Best Exercises!

Heres a link to some EMG results, turns out i was only half right about my previous statement, decline dumbell is the best but incline was surprisingly second when using dumbells. Glad ive rectified this for my own usage as well, some other good EMG info for other body parts too.

[littlemack]

incline dumbells always works too much shoulders for me? Maybe its technique?

[pistonpump]

incline db press and flyes, then flat barbell

[somewhatgifted]

Training Article of the Week


-Electromyographical Research and Maximum Muscle Fiber Stimulation
(Eric Knight B.A. Hon. Kinesiology, CPT)

Electromyographical (EMG) Research is an essential research tool allowing
physiologists to determine the role of muscles during specific movements. EMG is
a scientific method of measuring the level of excitation. This is done by
placing electrodes over your body and recording the level of muscle activity
induced by an exercise. A study was conducted to find which exercises cause the
greatest amount of activity within each muscle group and, as a consequence,
determine which exercises will produce the greatest gains in mass and strength.
This study was conducted by Tudor O. Bompa, PhD & Lorenzo J. Cornacchia. Both
men and women were used in the sudy and all subjects had at least two years
experience with resistance training.

Here are the results of that study:
(100% would signify maximum muscle fiber stimulation)

Pectoralis Major
Decline dumbbell bench press ----------------93%
Decline bench press, Olympic bar(OB)---------89
Push-ups between benches --------------------88
Flat dumbbell bench press -------------------87
Flat bench press (OB) -----------------------85
Flat dumbbell flyes --------------------------84

Pectoralis Minor
Incline dumbbell bench press ----------------91%
Incline bench press (OB) --------------------85
Incline dumbbell flyes -----------------------83
Incline bench press (smith machine) ---------81

[Oswizle]

so Decline movements are the best?

[jminis]

Hit the muscle from every angle, decline, incline and flat. End with some fly's and everyone is happy

[somewhatgifted]

Hit the muscle from every angle, decline, incline and flat. End with some fly's and everyone is happy

This is my training philosophy exactly, This information is crucial in justifying max chest strength with minimal assistance campared to other planes of movement. I start with flat/decline but if upper chest was my weakness id prioritize the lacking area. Makes more sense to fatigue the target muscle more than the supporting cast.

[Moyer]

Interesting though that flyes are about the same as flat olympic bar bench. Wish they would've tried chest dips. I love dips.

[Toon Army]

Keeping your chest routinue fresh is what works best. I've gone through periods where the declined barbell press was the best but now find I get the best results from the inclined barbell press.

I use a two week period were the first week I would do inclined barbell followed by flat dumbell and then maybe some flies. Week two I would do declined barbell followed by inclined dumbell etc and go from there. I just never found flat barbell to do anything for me.

[bLacKjAck.]

There is no single best chest developement exercise. Thats rediculous to even try to answer what it would be. Your chest is made up of several different muscles that are directly stimulated by several different exercises. When all those exercises are effectively intertwined, with PERFECT FORM, that is your best chest developer.

[somewhatgifted]

To each his own, in some cases with improper development or genetic muscle imbalances, there are certain movenments that are more beneficial than others however this changes with consistency and needs to be recognized.

[ItsHectic]

Look at exrx.net
Incline is mainly for the upper pecs and anterior delts.
I dont know how this can possibly be the best chest excercise? your shoulders will lag you.
Decline bench is a simular angle to dips, except it isolates the chest more.

Personally I think replacing any direct anterior delt work such as front raises, aswell as taking out flat bench and instead replacing them with both with Incline and decline bb/db press would be better then what most people do wich is military press and flat bench press, then doing lateral delts directly.
Otherwise just weighted dips if your into good compounds.

[kwyckemynd00]

There is no single best chest developement exercise. Thats rediculous to even try to answer what it would be. Your chest is made up of several different muscles that are directly stimulated by several different exercises. When all those exercises are effectively intertwined, with PERFECT FORM, that is your best chest developer.

There is the pectoralis major and pectoralis minor, of which the former is the one we think of as "pecs". Its one muscle.

But, there is some non-sense talk about any exercise with one given muscle working out the whole muscle. There is a clear indication you can focus on different portions of a muscle by altering the exercise, so you're right that good form and a variety of chest exercises being a sure bet to a well developed chest.

[kwyckemynd00]

Training Article of the Week


-Electromyographical Research and Maximum Muscle Fiber Stimulation
(Eric Knight B.A. Hon. Kinesiology, CPT)

Good post

[neoborn]

Holy bumpage batman!

I take it this post gets bumped once a year for posterity?

:P

Amor Est Vitae Essentia,

Neoborn

[Insidious1]

I like dips for mass, I dont see those anywhere.....

I'll definately 2nd this.... GREAT GREAT GREAT mass builder... especially when using a weight belt! Slap a 45 on and pump some of those out!

OOORAH!!!

[NP HUlK]

I think that the best exercise for full chest mass development is the Heavy db press on the exercise ball. If you have never tried it you will be impressed on how much this hammers your chest. Also good to use the ball for wide and deep db fly.

[Aggravated]

This thread is 5 years old lol. I like flat/incline/decline/then flyes.

[SteelEntity]

You know what has really added mass to my inner chest and getting that deep muscle cut between the pecs.. peck deck, just really focus on squeezing at the end of the movement and mentally focus on targeting that area. I love them. Flys and peck deck seems to add more mass to my chest then presses.

[glaze1353]

My chest preference is:
flat bench BB 3x8,
incline bench BB 3x8,
Dips 3/8,7,5
Push ups 3xfailure