New to the scene.

[kylegb14]

I have been working out for just under a year. I'm 5'11" and around 175. Up until now I never really had goals or worked out for a reason. I'm trying to put on a few pounds. I have not made any progress with my chest. I can see my other body parts getting stronger but my chest is at a stand still. Any suggestions on new workouts that can take me to the next level?

 

[lastchance]

Well what does your current workout and diet look like?

 

[kylegb14]

I'm a healthy eater. Right now my chest workout is pretty basic. I do flat bench, incline, decline and flies. I switch off from the straight bar to dumbbells every week. I having a hard time getting past 155 of the flat bench. I tried a couple of different things but nothing is working. I've never had a big frame but I'm at a complete stand still.

 

[Dr Zoidberg]

First of all, I would cut out the decline bench. i have never met an advanced lifter that used this exercise. If you want a critique of your workout, you will need to provide more detail on sets and reps. also, we need to know more than "i tried a couple of things" to recommend something new. Different workouts have different effects on different people, so what have you tried already? Do you feel like you work chest hard and it just doesnt grow or do you not seem to be able to really exhaust your chest with simple exercises like bench?

 

[lastchance]

I agree with Zoidberg. Detail the exact workout reps, sets, etc. Another problem may be how you are actually lifting. My chest used to lack after researching and experimenting I found my chest responded better to slower controlled reps where I would really focus and emphasize on my chest rather than fast reps where I used more of momentum to move the weight than anything. On pressing movements I found with the way I was lifting I was also putting higher stress on my delts and triceps my swinging through a whole range. Where as now i bring the bar a dumbells down a couple inches above my chest and avoid a lockout to better stress the pecs, that doesn't mean do 1/56th of a rep and lift like a jackass like I see alot of guys doing but don't necessarily go full range more around the middle of the movement is where the pecs feel the greatest stress. Another thing that I feel most lifters lack is intensity in their workouts also. Intensity is something I feel does not come as a basic instinct as needs to be learned either by being pushed by others, watching others do it, or the sheer desire to grow. I think everyone hits a stale point where all they need to grow is to push themselves and take it to the next level of intensity. Just remember to train smart know your limits and to never overdo it. Another thing is diet. Without a good surplus in nutrients you're not going to grow period. You say you eat clean but in all honesty everyone says that crap when in reality 90% of them have no idea what they're talking about. You need to give us a layout of what kind of macros you're taking in with what kind of foods. And if you could a detailed routine

 

[kylegb14]

I did a chest work out yesterday

dumbbell press 50 x 10 reps
60 x 8 reps
65 x 8 reps
70 x 3 reps
60 x 6 reps
Incline dumbbell press 40 x 10
50 x 8
50 x 6
45 x 8
40 x 6
Fly machine 100 pounds x 12
110 x 8
115 x 8
115 x 5
90 x 12
Pushups 25
19
12
6

As far as diet, Breakfast could be anything from eggs to oatmeal. I have a piece of fruit (usually a banana or orange)
I have a muscle milk around 10:30 am
Lunch-My office gets lunch delivered so I get a chicken cutlet sandwich or tuna.
Most days I have those packets of steamed veggies or some more fruit around 2:30
Dinner, really anything. Pizza, chicken, Steak. I really try to load up on protein and veggies.
I have another protein shake right before I go to bed.
I know this is broad but my diet doesn't vary too much.

 

[Dr Zoidberg]

I count 19 sets of chest exercises. That is a ton... IMO way too much. I don't know what the volume for the rest of your body parts are, but I would cut this way down. For years I did 6 sets for chest. Now I do 9, but this is the most I have ever done. Don't be lured by pros who do 30 sets per body part, unfortunately we are not them... if you are going heavy, you will be exhausted after 3-4 sets of bb bench press. Try to sit down and calculate your daily macro intake, looking at it I guess its only around 2000, but it depends on how big your breakfast and dinner are...

 

[ZiR RED]

In my experience most people who have trouble developing pectoral size and bench press strength have inadequacies in the upper back musculature and postural deviations such as protracted shoulders and internally rotated humerus.

If you pecs overpower your mid traps and rhomboids, your shoulder blades will come forward, and the emphasis will be taken away from the pecs and compensated for by the anterior delts and triceps.

Br

 

[hugry4more]

In my experience most people who have trouble developing pectoral size and bench press strength have inadequacies in the upper back musculature and postural deviations such as protracted shoulders and internally rotated humerus.

If you pecs overpower your mid traps and rhomboids, your shoulder blades will come forward, and the emphasis will be taken away from the pecs and compensated for by the anterior delts and triceps.

Br

Thumbs up to this! Since I been strengthing my mid traps and back my chest workouts have been so much more productive.