No chest, need help.

[sconoscuito]

My chest is lacking very much, my stregth has been going up very slowly but nowhere near where it should be. Everything else like squats, deads, cleans are in the normal weight range for my age and size but I dont know what to do about chest.

Anyone have any workouts specifically for chest, I remember fonz posting about 2 weeks of doing just the upper body. This would be my perfect time for something like that since I pulled my harmstring and cant really do squats or anything related to legs really, maybe calves.

 

[Prime Rib2]

What does your chest routine look like?

 

[sconoscuito]

http://www.drsquat.com/index.cfm?action=viewarticle&articleID=24

that's what I've been doinng for about 5 months or so

 

[wnt2bBeast]

flat bench 5x5 start with about 60-70%of your 1 rep max
incline dbell 2 x8-10
decline BB 2x 8-10

 

[InTraining]

Looking at that routine it doesn't seem that inclines are included...

IMHO prioritizing inclines would help a lot.

 

[sconoscuito]

alright thanks guys. I usually throw something in there but only done inclines about 1 or twice really

I'll get on it

 

[wootoom]

yes incline db are very good

 

[deltreefitness]

I remember fonz posting

 

[wootoom]

ya hes gay

 

[Dieharder]

if you really want growth in your chest i would suggest upping the frequency with which u hit chest. right now i hit chest 3x a week, 2-3 worksets per workout, rotating 3 exercises at varying rep ranges. One day ill hit incline dumbells, 2x12, another day Incline barbell presses 2x5, and another day hammer strength flat press 1x10, 1x5, 1x3

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Increased frequency.
Increased nutrition.
Increased load.

You'll grow.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

hes already hitting bench or some sort 3 times a week? how much more frequency could he add..i agree he needs to increase the load which is why i thought 5x5 would be a good way to go!!

 

[Tom Treutlein]

Oh, is he really? My bad, then. I think 3x a week is the most one should do. Didn't really read his post, just the responses to it.

 

[InTraining]

How are you 3x a week people able to hit a relatively big muscle like chest.....I'm at 2x a week now and feel like once my poundages rise I will be pushing overtraining...

Even with 2-3 worksets and relatively heavy poundages(assuming you are hitting failure) how would the muscle have a chance to heal and grow if one is hitting it 3x a week?

Don't get me wrong, I like higher frequency training, just don't understand how this would work.

 

[Dieharder]

How are you 3x a week people able to hit a relatively big muscle like chest.....I'm at 2x a week now and feel like once my poundages rise I will be pushing overtraining...

Even with 2-3 worksets and relatively heavy poundages(assuming you are hitting failure) how would the muscle have a chance to heal and grow if one is hitting it 3x a week?

Don't get me wrong, I like higher frequency training, just don't understand how this would work.

by lifting sub-max on worksets, not going to complete failure, and stretching...i believe anything can be hit 3x a week, provided you arent using a lot of volume.

 

[wnt2bBeast]

by lifting sub-max on worksets, not going to complete failure, and stretching...i believe anything can be hit 3x a week, provided you arent using a lot of volume.

i kinda like hitting it hard heavy and feeling the pain..i dont mind a pump but its gone in like an hour..i hit quads today they will be at their sorest tues nite/wed morn and start healingin time for some heavy deads on thurs

 

[Dieharder]

i still hit it hard, usually going to failure on last set, but to actually facilitate more growth faster, i feel like i need to hit the muscle, recover, then hit it again. i do increase the load each week as well, kind of going mostly by feel and it seems to be working now. i tried doing 5x5 each bp once a week and just hated it and got no growth out of it. im more of a low volume guy

and by no means do i train for a "pump"

 

[InTraining]

by lifting sub-max on worksets, not going to complete failure, and stretching...i believe anything can be hit 3x a week, provided you arent using a lot of volume.

So I guess failure is not much of an issue since you said you hit it on the last set...Do you think you will have a problem hitting chest 3x once your weights go up say 20-30 lbs per set?

Are the stretches weighted ala DC?


Sorry for all the questions just thinking if I could try this out myself...

 

[Dieharder]

So I guess failure is not much of an issue since you said you hit it on the last set...Do you think you will have a problem hitting chest 3x once your weights go up say 20-30 lbs per set?

Are the stretches weighted ala DC?


Sorry for all the questions just thinking if I could try this out myself...

I dont think i should have a problem hitting it 3x a week even at increased weight, as i feel the muscle adapting to the increased load will be able to take it. However, i also do believe in periodizing things, so if i stalled out i would either switch exercises or switch my training up. The reason im hitting chest 3x a week is to bring it up, im hitting all other bodyparts twice a week.

The stretches are weighted, taken right from DCs training. They definitely help in the recovery department.

 

[sconoscuito]

I'm probobly going to end up just hitting the chest 3 times a week for 3 weeks and see if theres any difference.

 

[WalkingBeast]

How are you 3x a week people able to hit a relatively big muscle like chest.....I'm at 2x a week now and feel like once my poundages rise I will be pushing overtraining...

Even with 2-3 worksets and relatively heavy poundages(assuming you are hitting failure) how would the muscle have a chance to heal and grow if one is hitting it 3x a week?

Don't get me wrong, I like higher frequency training, just don't understand how this would work.

Its the same way for me also. I hit chest 2X a week. Once for flat benches and another that focuses on inclines, with speed bench on either day. All together I hit 35-40+ sets of chest per week and with the weights Im using, and most sets to failure, 3X a week would be too much. I cant see low volume and high intensity doing anything for me, I need high volume and high intensity, but if something works well for you then stick with it until it stops working.

Im not sure what level your at in your training, are what your goals are exactly, but 6 working sets of inclines and 6 of flat bench spread out four days apart might be a good routine to hit your chest. You can add flies, and additional work in to each day also. 12-15 reps worked well for me for a long time, but you might want to mix in some lower rep sets also, like 6-10 reps. I always strive to get sore the next day also. Id take each working set to failure. Speed bench is also great to work explosiveness and speed and bring up your benching. Hope that helps!