Can tight pec minor affect chest growth

[dbrodrive1211]

After trying everything I can think of, my chest is still having problems not just growing but contracting period..I've been working on form,mind muscle etc but still no luck..I stopped working out shoulders and arms a couple months ago so they would stop taking over but still no luck..been doing it of pulling movements especially face pulls and it pulls my frame back pretty well..yesterday I probably did the best on my chest but the contractions did not feel smooth and just felt wrong..I feel like maybe my pec minor is really tight but would that be a reason for the pec major not to work at all??even on stretches,my pec major has no tension

 

[ThunderHumper]

how big is your back or delts compared to your chest?

 

[dbrodrive1211]

Well I did boxing for a while so it was all pull-ups and overhead presses..if I could go back,definitely would've changed that but I've let my shoulders and lats go down significantly and focused on rhomboids,middle traps,all of the inner back but no widening exercises

 

[ZiR RED]

Yes, absolutely. Length tension relationship. The pecs attach the ribs/sternum/clavical to the humerus. The humerus is attached to the glenoid fossa in the scapula. When the scapula are retracted the length of the pecs increases a little bit, allow for more crossbridge interaction and greater force production. If you cannot retract your scapula or they are held in a state of protraction, then the length of the pec fibers will shorten (as well as not producing as much tension during training, thus less overload). The pec minor attaches to the scapula and protracts it. If its tight, it will throw off the whole relationship.

Strength and manual massage the pec minor, strengthen the mid traps and rhomboids. As I've said before, face pulls and band pull aparts are now your best friend in building the pecs.

 

[dbrodrive1211]

I feel like I can't strengthen any part of the pec because it doesn't get the tension it needs..the only exercise I haven't tried yet are pullovers but I'm not sure i thats gonna fix my problem..should I maybe lay off of pecs for a little while because I literally can't find any exercise to stimulate them or stretch them

 

[ZiR RED]

For starters: http://jasoncholewa.com/2012/07/22/toward-healthy-shoulders-in-2012/


And yes, lay off them. Focus on lengthening the pec minor and pec major, and strenghtening the scapula retractors. You should be doing about 3x as much back work as you do chest and shoulder work.

 

[dbrodrive1211]

Thanks for the link..that was a pretty good one..what are some good exercises for the lower and mid traps,also for the scapula protractors and what is a logical time frame to begin to feel my pecs..weeks months ??

 

[dbrodrive1211]

Whoops I meant retractors not protractors

 

[Creatine]

a tight pec minor can affect your rowing exercises.. If you have a weak back it can also contribute to a weak chest.

Make sure you are getting a chest pump. It might not lead to direct growth but it is a sign you are properly working the muscle and other muscles like your delts and triceps are not taking over the movement.

 

[dbrodrive1211]

That's the problem I don't get a pump in my chest but I know I'm not just pressing with my delts because I would feel it like I've felt it in the past so I can't figure out what's going on

 

[ZiR RED]

dbrodrive:

Really good ones for scap retraction are: wide grip straight bar seated pulley rows to chest, penlay rows, chinese dumbbell rows, lying supine scapula shrugs, supine chinese dumbbell rows, modified face pulls, band pull aparts

for depression: scapula dips, scapula depressions on lat pull down, supine scaption exercises (the Y's), dynamic black burns, reach roll and lift

Br

 

[chedapalooza]

Subd for the shoulder article later read

 

[chedapalooza]

For starters: http://jasoncholewa.com/2012/07/22/toward-healthy-shoulders-in-2012/

And yes, lay off them. Focus on lengthening the pec minor and pec major, and strenghtening the scapula retractors. You should be doing about 3x as much back work as you do chest and shoulder work.

Great read. But I don't know how to apply the advice/ alter my programs I'm an admitted program jumper/ADHD

And my need for only a few sets of chest makes it impossible to balance with vertical pulling- there will always be more vertical pulling in my routine bc of how I must train my chest to keep it from growing too much

 

[ZiR RED]

Nothing wrong with pulling > pushing.

 

[sheepdog.tx]

Length tension relationship.

+1

If youre doing front shoulders or incline bench youre hitting it, just for so brief a movement and time. Should width grip, lengthen the time your lowering of the weight, feel the minor at the bottom then squeeze as you come to the top, should feel it really tighten inside and close to the collarbone.