Chest wont grow!! Help!!

[GoGetSwole]

So I've been training nearly a year now steady, and on and off in the earlier years, I've gained 25-30 pounds in this partial year btw. I have a few lagging muscles to isolate but my chest hasn't grown in months. I've tried low weight high reps12-15, heavy weight mid reps 8-10, on exercises including : flat db press, incline db press, cable flies, chest dips and some chest press machine on rare occasion. I have a strong diet , not clean, have been on a bulk since i was 6'1 143pds, now 6'1 170 and everything's been coming in strong but my chest. Anybody ran into this problem? Can anyone help?

[Rodja]

Have you gotten significantly stronger or are your weights about the same?

[GoGetSwole]

Have you gotten significantly stronger or are your weights about the same?

Yes I've went up in all u presses 40 pounds in the last... Say... 2 months?

So db's from 30's to 45-50's

[Rodja]

Yes I've went up in all u presses 40 pounds in the last... Say... 2 months?

Dips? For whatever reason, these get lost in the shuffle.

Also, what's your current max on flat and incline BB?

[GoGetSwole]

Dips? For whatever reason, these get lost in the shuffle.

Also, what's your current max on flat and incline BB?

Yep I do dips, not weighted though just body weight. And I haven't been able to do bb because my gym partner went to prison so I've only been comfortable with db, is that a problem?

[Rodja]

Yep I do dips, not weighted though just body weight. And I haven't been able to do bb because my gym partner went to prison so I've only been comfortable with db, is that a problem?

Taking out an entire group of exercises is a major problem.

[GoGetSwole]

Taking out an entire group of exercises is a major problem.

Well I do db press incline and flat does that not target basically the same besides incorporating stabilizing muscle parts?

[Rodja]

Well I do db press incline and flat does that not target basically the same besides incorporating stabilizing muscle parts?

There's different techniques and overload applied to the muscle with BB compared to DB.

[GoGetSwole]

There's different techniques and overload applied to the muscle with BB compared to DB.

So your idea for me to grow bigger chest is what? From what im getting from it: Incorporate db incline and flat 3-4 sets each AND bb incline and flat 3-4 sets each, every chest day?

[Rodja]

So your idea for me to grow bigger chest is what? From what im getting from it: Incorporate db incline and flat 3-4 sets each AND bb incline and flat 3-4 sets each, every chest day?

Considering you're not doing any BB movements, start there.

[GoGetSwole]

Considering you're not doing any BB movements, start there.

Sounds good. I'll try out 3-4 sets of incline and flat bb press next chest workout (72hours). Then switch back and forth from bb/db every other workout? Sound solid? Or should I just hit the bb for awhile?

[Rodja]

Sounds good. I'll try out 3-4 sets of incline and flat bb press next chest workout (72hours). Then switch back and forth from bb/db every other workout? Sound solid? Or should I just hit the bb for awhile?

Do both in each session. I see no purpose in having a strictly BB or DB workout (outside of rehabbing an injury).

[Patuba]

Make sure to squeeze the **** out of your chest at the top of the movement when lifting. Really get a good contraction. Also make sure to do slow negatives.

[rsnake21]

What has helped me is pinching my shoulder blades back as I bench. A lot of people overlook that technique.

[Rodja]

What has helped me is pinching my shoulder blades back as I bench. A lot of people overlook that technique.

That's because most people don't know how to bench properly and safely.

[ThunderHumper]

That's because most people don't know how to bench properly and safely.

lol way too true. how many pts suggest flat back and curved shoulders? too many

and btw op, dont stop the bb movements because your partner is gone now. lots of us train alone and still do those "dangerous" exercise. think about it, at worse someone will run over and get it off you if it was that bad

[EasyEJL]

Yes I've went up in all u presses 40 pounds in the last... Say... 2 months?

So db's from 30's to 45-50's

I just want to add on top of what Rodja said that if those are what you are doing for flat or decline bench with DBs, its not a ton of weight still. so although your pecs probably are growing, they just aren't growing as much as you'd like them to vs not growing at all. That is still a weight point where i'd be surprised if you did have big pecs. So incorporate the barbell, and be patient. the pecs aren't such a super visible in growth muscle as a quad or tricep

[chitown58]

Get ur mind/muscle connection going...r u getting a pump in ur chest when doing bench dips whatev chest exercise ur doing? Sum people iv trained had trouble actually feeling there chest being worked, got more shoulders and tri's than chest...had them stop worrying bout reps and had them concentrate on time under tension for hypertrophy, really focusing on squeezing and contracting the targeted muscle rather than just repping it out. Might take sum time but u should b feeling it more n more...that helped my guys.

[JoHNnyNuTZ]

When I first started training chest. I very seldom felt my pecs engage. I did Flat,inclin e decline, barbell dumbbell you name it.It wasnt until I started incorporating hammer machine chest press. For some reason after that 1 exercise. I felt my pecs. After Months of this, I c an now feel my pecs engage in every chest exercise

[Patuba]

Get ur mind/muscle connection going...r u getting a pump in ur chest when doing bench dips whatev chest exercise ur doing? Sum people iv trained had trouble actually feeling there chest being worked, got more shoulders and tri's than chest...had them stop worrying bout reps and had them concentrate on time under tension for hypertrophy, really focusing on squeezing and contracting the targeted muscle rather than just repping it out. Might take sum time but u should b feeling it more n more...that helped my guys.

Great post.