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chest isolation
- Thread starter rfowler
- Start date
20ss02
New member
There isn't a universal answer to this question. It depends on your bone structure. I have friends who do very well with presses or dips. I have longer arms and tend to take a much bigger load on the shoulders and triceps with these movements. For me, I can really isolate the pecs with flyes and cable crossovers. I press first and then finish with these.
FWIW I have a 54" chest and can count on one hand the amount of times Ive done flat barbell bench presses in my life. Live and die by incline dumbell presses. They will add the most meat to your chest. However, EMG studies show that decline flyes are actually the most isolative exercise for pecs. I do them maybe a few times a year with moderate weight and 15-20 reps, usually pre-contest. Wouldn't base a routine on them that's for sure.
Also, dips are amazing. Go slow, deep, and add weight so you fail in the 6-8 rep range. IMO they're the best exercise to make your side chest pose all it can be.
Also, dips are amazing. Go slow, deep, and add weight so you fail in the 6-8 rep range. IMO they're the best exercise to make your side chest pose all it can be.
I agree 100% bro. I fucked my wrist up and couldn't do any kind of barbell press and I'll never go back since seeing the efffects of incline DB press in comparison. The incline DB press is definantly what has built my chest up and it use to be my 2nd most lagging part. I do very little for flat chest myself, its all based around upper chest movements with a flat press thrown in there from time to time. That and lots of real deep cable flys.
Chris
Chris
52_21_30 said:
c3bodybuilding
New member
I just use incline press and weighted dips. I hit them both twice a week. As others have said, just keep adding weight to the bar each week (2.5lb plates, a 1lb metal collar, it all adds up over time) or reps and make sure to eat plenty of good clean food and get sound rest each night. The rest is up to genetics, because solid training, nutrition and rest are about all you can do.
Don't worry, once you get to the point you can dip with a couple of 45's around your waist and incline a few plates a side, you won't have any chest problems. You can always throw in some cable flys or decline flys for variety every so often.
Good luck in whichever routine you choose. If you stop by the training board, you'll find lot's of great info there.
Don't worry, once you get to the point you can dip with a couple of 45's around your waist and incline a few plates a side, you won't have any chest problems. You can always throw in some cable flys or decline flys for variety every so often.
Good luck in whichever routine you choose. If you stop by the training board, you'll find lot's of great info there.
Building on what C3 was saying, when you add weight for dips, just make sure you never sacrifice form. I saw a guy (a "trainer" at one of the gyms i go to - what a fucking joke) doing weighted dips with 3 45 lb plates. He got 4 reps, and the reps basically conisted of him just unlocking his elbows and locking them up again. If it was 1/4 of a rep that would be generous. Obviously everyone has different flexibility around the shoulder joint, but its been my experience that you should go as deep as is safely possible for the maximal chest stimulation. Also, if you're using dips for chest, you really shouldn't lock out your elbows when you come to the top of the rep. When using dips for tris then I like to lock out and squeeze for a good second or so.
rfowler
New member
good info bros. My chest has always been my smallest muscle group. The rest of my body bounces back and fills out nicely but my chest never seems to match the rest of my body in hardness. I will stress the dips, I love decline bench and I will incorporate more incline dumbell presses. I just never feel the same burn in my pecs as I do everywhere else, does anyone else experience this? I just want my pecs to ache in soreness sometime instead of my front delts and tris. All my buddies say that it must be my form and I just dont see that being the case but I could be wrong.
rfowler said:
If you were only doing flat bench I could see that because there is a very specific technique for flat bench that almost nobody does properly, and is really only doable with the right amount of flexibility in your shoulders. But other than that, it has to be your form. Dont focus on just moving the weight, you need to establish a mind-muscle connection and actually feel your pecs contracting and THAT should be the main impetus for moving the weight. This is not an easy thing to do by any means, but once you get it you'll notice your chest start to feel, and eventually look, different. Moreover, you'll come to notice that most of the people in your gym are training improperly, but that goes without saying, especially if they're working with a "trainer".
Sorry, I just think that most (not all) of these "trainers" could fill volumes on what they dont know.
