Need to build up my pecs, advice?

[North2005]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here, great site, lots of cool stuff!

I was wondering if anyone has any advice to offer to a guy who seems to be a hard gainer when it comes to adding size to his pecs. I'm 23, in excellent shape, my pecs, though not tiny, could be bigger. I've always struggled with them, compared to the rest of my body that always seems to grow faster. For equipment I have a Bowflex extreme and a conventional bench press &free weights. Can someone give me a little idea on how to go about really slamming my pecs?....maybe a little routine?

Thanks a lot!
-North

 

[jdynasty]

not sure about the rest of the bro's on here, but weighted dips have really help me put size on my chest

 

[Ozz2001]

Dips, the chest of champions!

 

[steig]

Try doing weighted dips before your bench. I used this before I started the 5x5 routine. I did 3 sets of weighted dips failing no later than the 10th rep. Then went to flat bb bench. I was still able to do a very similar weight on the bench but my chest was just pumped and sore that evening and the next couple of days.

 

[ruggermu]

Yeah bro there is really nothing specific, it takes time and a hell of a routine. It may be geneticsa that is making your chest seem to lag. Just get a solid routine and stick to it. There are many nice one's on here. Personally I really like this for chest day

Flat Bench
DBell Incline
Weighted Dips
Pull overs
Flies
dec Flies

 

[Ho0zie]

dips, dips, and more dips. just make sure that the parallel bars are far enough apart or else itll focus more on working out your triceps. Just dont put them too far apart or else u can get injured. try doing power sets btwn dips and pushups. ull feel the burn guaranteed haha good luck. dont make your chest work out totally based on benching because it focuses a lot of the stress on your anterior delts, altho including them as a small part of your routine can be beneficial. good luck! and make sure u have enough protein intake everyday and eat eat eat (good food lol)

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Don't listen to anyone who recommends the use of pullovers, flys, or the pec dec. Also, remember that a pump and soreness don't mean a god damn thing...ever! Never gauge a workout by those feelings.

You want a bigger chest? Increase your pressing weight, eat excess calories to sustain growth. That's it. Get a bigger bench press, a bigger incline bench press, increase the weight attached to you on dips. After that, if size is strictly your goal, and you've already made a lot of forward progress with your benching strength, try a program like HST - it will allow you to grow even without increasing your maximum weights through sub-maximal training with high frequency. Easily the best method out there for adding size on those who have stalled out for some time and are looking for a good routine to push them back into growing again.

 

[the good thief]

Don't listen to anyone who recommends the use of pullovers, flys, or the pec dec. Also, remember that a pump and soreness don't mean a god damn thing...ever! Never gauge a workout by those feelings.

You want a bigger chest? Increase your pressing weight, eat excess calories to sustain growth. That's it. Get a bigger bench press, a bigger incline bench press, increase the weight attached to you on dips. After that, if size is strictly your goal, and you've already made a lot of forward progress with your benching strength, try a program like HST - it will allow you to grow even without increasing your maximum weights through sub-maximal training with high frequency. Easily the best method out there for adding size on those who have stalled out for some time and are looking for a good routine to push them back into growing again.

Agree 100%. Keep it simple and just make sure your numbers consistently go up w/your compound movements. When you can flat press 405, your chest will look like it can hit 405...

 

[thelion2005]

Hey everyone, this is my first post here, great site, lots of cool stuff!

I was wondering if anyone has any advice to offer to a guy who seems to be a hard gainer when it comes to adding size to his pecs. I'm 23, in excellent shape, my pecs, though not tiny, could be bigger. I've always struggled with them, compared to the rest of my body that always seems to grow faster. For equipment I have a Bowflex extreme and a conventional bench press &free weights. Can someone give me a little idea on how to go about really slamming my pecs?....maybe a little routine?

Thanks a lot!
-North

Sent you a PM.

 

[d3track]

inclines
push press
steak

 

[deltreefitness]

It really boils down to genetics. I had a work out partner and we did the same routine and diet for a couple months. My arms grew larger than his while my chest lagged compared to his.

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Your arms could have grown due to form. If your grip was closer than his, you could have been working triceps more, placing the stimulus upon them. Also, he could have had arms further developed than you, or your chest could have been ahead of his - there are a lot of variables, you can't just pin it on genetics.

 

[WalkingBeast]

Build em the old fashioned way, with good old cement,steel and wood. Thats how we did it back in nam. KILL THAT SHIT!!

 

[WalkingBeast]

Agree 100%. Keep it simple and just make sure your numbers consistently go up w/your compound movements. When you can flat press 405, your chest will look like it can hit 405...

This depends on how one benches. For example my training partner could bench 455 at a bodyweight of 185 and raw. His chest was pretty flat. I was right around 400lbs on bench and had a good deal more size in the chest area. He benches more powerlifting style with a massive arch and worst possible form. Belt extremely tight. Where as I benched without a belt and much more flat backed, elbows flared out and not tucked in like him. I felt most of the pressure on my delts and chest, and triceps towards lockout. Where as he felt it in his lats more and chest didnt always get as sore. Also used that leg drive as well. Depends on your goals too really. My chest was never my best bodypart but at one point it was getting some good development. Id reccomend getting strong on inclines and flat bench, but making sure that your applying the tension to the chest more then the lats.
I prefer alot of volume for growth. Atleast 12 sets for chest, and in my case 40 plus which includes speed bench, and 2 sessions. One 20+ set session for flat bench and extras and another for inclines. Most all sets to failure. I find inclines and flat bench to be the best. I prefer barbells over dumbbells. In other words KILL THAT SHIT!!

 

[the good thief]

This depends on how one benches. For example my training partner could bench 455 at a bodyweight of 185 and raw. His chest was pretty flat. I was right around 400lbs on bench and had a good deal more size in the chest area. He benches more powerlifting style with a massive arch and worst possible form. Belt extremely tight. Where as I benched without a belt and much more flat backed, elbows flared out and not tucked in like him. I felt most of the pressure on my delts and chest, and triceps towards lockout. Where as he felt it in his lats more and chest didnt always get as sore. Also used that leg drive as well. Depends on your goals too really. My chest was never my best bodypart but at one point it was getting some good development. Id reccomend getting strong on inclines and flat bench, but making sure that your applying the tension to the chest more then the lats.
I prefer alot of volume for growth. Atleast 12 sets for chest, and in my case 40 plus which includes speed bench, and 2 sessions. One 20+ set session for flat bench and extras and another for inclines. Most all sets to failure. I find inclines and flat bench to be the best. I prefer barbells over dumbbells. In other words KILL THAT SHIT!!

Nicely put...

 

[North2005]

Lots of great advice, thanks a lot people! gave me a lot of good ideas. I think, as mentioned by some of you, when working my pecs, I might be hitting my arms a little more than I want to due to poor form, or failure to perform the excerises correctly. I will pay more close attention to this now, and add some of the excersises you have mentioned. As far as diet is concerned, Mine is exceptionally clean and balanced. I eat only fresh fruits, vegetables, lean beef probley twice a week cooked on a George Foreman grille (fat drips out), I take in a fair ammount of complex carbs, mostly from whole wheat bread, oats, &things like that, I drink mainly water, but sometimes fresh juice I make with a juicer, I have one cheat day a week wich is sunday, if I want pizza &soda, I have it that day. Besides that, I don't eat white breads, soda, &stuff made with white sugar, etc. My protien intake is good, about one gram per pound of bodyweight, and for supplements I used Mega-Men vitamins, Glucosamine (for my knees!), Omega-3-6-9, Instone intake performance for a meal replacement if I dont have time to make food, &Muscle Milk as a protien drink, 2-3 daily......
I would like to keep my bodyfat down, as it is summer &want to keep a chiseled look.

Thanks again! Will post my results

-North