chest not keeping up...please help.

[madogz1n2]

I've been training hard for about a year and a half, 20 yrs. old. 5'8" 165lbs, low bf... My legs, back, and tris are sick. My back is thick and suprisingly wide for my weight, but my chest is not coming in as well as I'd like. I do have a chest, but not thick muscle like my back. Especially the lower outer part of my pecs...I train chest once a week.. workout usually goes like this:

Flat BB, or DB bench: 5 sets, 5-10 reps
Incline BB, or DB Bench: 5 sets, 5-10 reps
Decline BB bench: 4-5 sets, 5-12 reps
Incline DB flyes: 3 sets of 12
Decline DB flyes: 3 sets of 12
3x20 pushups -----workout takes about an hour for me------

I take CEX by VPX, and NoXplode before i train, Prolab N LargeII after training.

I eat about 6x a day, get about 200g protein a day. Can someone help me out, I don't understand how my back can kick ass, when I train chest in the same way and don't get the same results....Also, my tris kick ass, but my bis are lacking....Someone please through some tips my way..

 

[trez]

Does this look like overtraining to anyone else?

(not a super response but I have no time to go into it more, am sure if I'm right someone will back me up)

Peace

 

[tommymac]

Does this look like overtraining to anyone else?

(not a super response but I have no time to go into it more, am sure if I'm right someone will back me up)

Peace

im with him on this, my chest workout is

incline dumbell/barbell 3sets
flat bench dumbell/barbell 3 sets
weighted dips 3 sets
and occasionally 1 arm pec deck

usually when i do the pec deck as well i feel overtrained so i hardly ever do it

you seem to do alot more than me but i guess it depends on the individual

 

[Ozz2001]

DIPS will give you big pec! Keep in mind cuz this is happening to me..As your shoulders traps arms grow your chest will start to look some what smaller..
Event when its actually goten bigger..Well mind did i think....Hit them dips and some dumbell flys these should help out...Myself just heavy as hell bench works for me...Then a lite day in the week..GL

 

[Lonsdale]

While a year and a half is quite a bit of training time, I don't think that's long enough to warrant so many sets. It looks like possible overtraining to me.

I think you could successfully alternate the incline movements for the decline movements every other week, and this way you would reduce your total number of sets.

Flat barbell bench presses are generally acknowledged to be the bess overall mass developer - you say you want your chest to be thicker, so if i were you i would really give it my all in these sets - hard and heavy, ensuring that you have a good contraction on each rep. there is a useful Milos Sarcev video link somewhere on this site...

Also, have you tried wide grip dips? The wide grip places more of an emphasis on the area of the pec that you think is lagging most, so i would give that a shot for three or four weeks - the usual routine, 3 or 4 sets * 8 reps, or whatever rep range you think works best for you. This exercise is highly regarded by commentators such as Robert Kennedy and Vince Gironda.

Also, if i were you i would drop the pushups. For someone that's quite far into his training, they won't give you much of a workout - the best they could hope to achieve is to give you a pump, and you could do this better by just tensing your pecs hard for a few mins on and off after you finish your weights routine.

Another thing - i would say cable work can really help bring out the definition in pecs, so maybe you should incorporate a movement into your routine and take away one of the flyes? at least once every other week maybe?

best of luck!

 

[Extra_Strong]

How many time a week are you doing this workout ???

 

[AEKDB]

Great advice from everyone.

Looking at your workout I would drop all the decline moves. Do incline DB press and flat BB press. Drop the pushups and add dips. Add military press if not done on another day. Finish the routine with heavy flys. I would split this routine 2x a week. For example:

Monday
BB Bench
Military
Flys

Thursday
Incline Bench
Dips
Flys


Do you work your tricepts on another day? If so this could be limiting your bench gains and chest development.

 

[madogz1n2]

thanks for all the replys....I train legs on Mon., chest: tues, back: wed., Bis/tris: thursday, and shoulders and calves on friday....
So basically most of you think I should go down to 3 sets instead of 5 and drop the decline presses and add dips??? Thanks for all the help guys...I'll change things up and let you all know how it's going in a few weeks

 

[Extra_Strong]

thanks for all the replys....I train legs on Mon., chest: tues, back: wed., Bis/tris: thursday, and shoulders and calves on friday....
So basically most of you think I should go down to 3 sets instead of 5 and drop the decline presses and add dips??? Thanks for all the help guys...I'll change things up and let you all know how it's going in a few weeks

I agree with the 2x a week.

If you are doing that once a week though i do not think you are over training.

what are your stats? arms size chest size ??

 

[madogz1n2]

My arms are 16", never measured my chest. Final set on BB bench is usually 225x5....Never been too strong on bench.
bench max prob. around 240
squat: 225x8
Been trying to keep most of my reps around 6----trying to bulk and add strength..

IF I'm doing it 2x a week do I go heavy on both days, or a heavy/moderate...heavy/light...?????

Also, would you put all the presses on one day, and flys on the other, or mix both in on each day?

thnx for the help

 

[markshark]

My arms are 16", never measured my chest. Final set on BB bench is usually 225x5....Never been too strong on bench.
bench max prob. around 240
squat: 225x8
Been trying to keep most of my reps around 6----trying to bulk and add strength..

IF I'm doing it 2x a week do I go heavy on both days, or a heavy/moderate...heavy/light...?????

Also, would you put all the presses on one day, and flys on the other, or mix both in on each day

everyone will tell you something different with what exercises to do but i think that 2 press exercises is enough for one chest workout, just hit them hard. other than that i like to do some flyes and pushups to finish out. shouldnt take more than 45 minutes. just my 2 cents.

 

[Micker]

Way to much volume in that workout. Like the guy above recommended, cut out the decline sets. Try to make sure you are getting good stress on your chest. Change up hand position on the bar from normal to wide for a set. Make sure your normal grip width isn't too wide or narrow. I like flat db flies instead of incline. I find incline work delts/shoulders more. Make sure you concentrate on contracting/squeezing the chest muscle at the top of the rep, it really helps. Also, using heavy weights/lower reps seem to help stimulate chest growth for me more then the lighter/higher reps for some reason.

 

[AhMadKooL]

Also Adding Pull overs would be good; They stress the whole chest plus the abdominal area

 

[Guinness5.0]

My arms are 16", never measured my chest. Final set on BB bench is usually 225x5....Never been too strong on bench.

That's your problem. You need to up the weights progressively or you'll never grow. Try a solid program like SF 5x5 or something, where you'll focus on strength. As long as you eat enough, you'll grow.

 

[Extra_Strong]

Post some pics.. and measure your chest.. lest us decide if you are out of preportion..

It could also be genetic...

 

[madogz1n2]

Post some pics.. and measure your chest.. lest us decide if you are out of preportion..

It could also be genetic...

I'LL TRY TO GET SOME PICS UP TOM. NIGHT...THANKS FOR THE HELP GUYS

 

[camshaft]

i had/have the same dilemma. my chest is my worst attribute by far. when i was a sr in high school i could hardly bench the bar. i have horrible genetics in my chest.

anyway, in the past 6 months i have gone from 185 to 245 on the bench, natty. i do a LOT of heavy work, and i max every time. works for me! i hope to hit 315 by spring.

 

[Extra_Strong]

i had/have the same dilemma. my chest is my worst attribute by far. when i was a sr in high school i could hardly bench the bar. i have horrible genetics in my chest.

anyway, in the past 6 months i have gone from 185 to 245 on the bench, natty. i do a LOT of heavy work, and i max every time. works for me! i hope to hit 315 by spring.

Like i say If it workes keep doing it..

I sure remember starting out myself.. I was so fired up..
In high school i bench 175 1 rep max..
I remember how awsome i felt when i did 185 5 times..
then later .. 225 5 times.. i remember thinking about how much weight 2plates on each side looked and sounded








HEY LOOKING FOR THEM Pics..

 

[tay1506]

yeah and i would also sugest 2x a week even though uve already been told that enough

 

[chicknlegs]

A lot of people suffer from lack of chest growth because they don't bench properly.
To get the full impact on benchpress, roll your shoulders back and under when you are lying on the bench - and keep them there through the movement - which should stop you from benching with your shoulders and arms. And your lower back should NOT be on the bench, but your bum and shoulders should be. And lastly, keep your feet FLAT ON THE FLOOR.

 

[trez]

A lot of people suffer from lack of chest growth because they don't bench properly.
To get the full impact on benchpress, roll your shoulders back and under when you are lying on the bench - and keep them there through the movement - which should stop you from benching with your shoulders and arms. And your lower back should NOT be on the bench, but your bum and shoulders should be. And lastly, keep your feet FLAT ON THE FLOOR.

Are you suggesting that the lower back should be arched up off of the bench? Isn't that a bad thing? (I don't actually know but I heard something about it)

 

[Extra_Strong]

Are you suggesting that the lower back should be arched up off of the bench? Isn't that a bad thing? (I don't actually know but I heard something about it)

no that is a good thing... you should arch your back..
only your Butt and traps touching the benc.. shoulder blades pulled together..

this puts your back in a contracted state..

 

[chicknlegs]

Try benching as per my last post - with your shoulders rolled down and under and don't move them through the press. When people do this, they generally can't bench as much - because they start using their chest only and stop using shoulders and arms.