Stubborn Chest

[Swole2112]

My chest is my most stubborn muscle group. It doesn't respond at all like my other muscle groups do. I feel like I have to work it twice as hard to get it to grow 1/4 as fast... and that's at best. I've tried just about all the training methods there are for it: straight sets, super sets, trisets, pyramid, etc. I usually work it once/wk doing 9 sets at about 90% intensity or greater. Though, I have changed it up considerably in the past and it doesn't seem to respond any different. Any suggestions? All feedback is welcome and appreciated.

 

[Swole2112]

I forgot to mention my stats and diet. I'm 5' 10" 205 lbs. I usually got inbetween 180 and 200 grams of protein per day. I'd eat very healthy with lots of chicken, lean ground beef, tuna, and protein shakes. Also, I've been training for about 2.5 - 3 years.

 

[hitwarrior]

Okay give this atry, if it works message me and join my yahoo bodybuilding group.
you need to do pre ehaustion mentzer hit style. First wamup doing front raises , side laterals, small arm circles or whatever. On your lifting you need to first warmup on the incline bench press or seated nautilus press. Do the empty bar or lightest weight and another very light warmup set. then do a low rep moderately heavy warmup set. STOP.
THEN warmup on the pec deck fly or nautilus fly or flat dumbell fly, not press but fly. Do one very very light warmup set meaning 10 pounds just to get blood flowing. Do another light warmup set and then another moderately heavy warmup set. Like doing 6 reps where 12-15 or so would be failure is what i call moderately heavy warmup set. then after a couple minutes of rest. Do one set to failure in the fly around 8-12 reps where you cant perform another rep . use a normal rep speed, no jerking . then with no rest get up and do one set to failure on the compound exercise, which is the incline or nautilus press. already have your weight set after you do your last warmup set. use a rep speed of at least 3 up and 4 or 5 seconds down. Go to failure, . what this does is make your chest hit failure before your shoulders, arms, grip. THIS IS MENTZER HIT AND ALOT DONT KNOW IT. I would then do one drop set since beginners to this dont know what a hard lift is, so do one drop set with no rest. As soon as you hit failure take weight off and go to failure again. example for me would be 225 to failure, drop set 185 to failure. Then drink one pint of water and that is it for chest. No flat, decline or anything. then go home or do back training. my yahoo group is http://groups.yahoo.com/group/bluegrassfitness and my other is the same except HeavyDuty in place of bluegrassfitness.

 

[Swole2112]

Thanks alot. I'll give it a try.

 

[Prime Rib]

Inclines will build your chest light years ahead of flat bench. Remember that...

Try to mix up your training. Mix up a variety of Incline barbell, flat barbell, and dumbbell training. For example: Tonight i'll be doing Incline barbell press, and then flat dumbbell press, and finish off with a high rep set of flies. On my next chest day, i'll start out with Flat barbell press, and then go to incline dumbbell press, and finish off with the flies.

My chest if very stubbon, and probably the muscle on my body I am most ashamed off. However inclines have helped a TON. Building your upper chest is going to help a lot. Good luck

Josh

 

[bifteck]

check out the thread by IrishMobBoss further up the page, he's got the same problem and is getting some good suggestions

 

[Synpax]

Just posted this on Irish's thread; same question, my $0.02.
--
Heya,

I've gotten some good chest gains with my routine. I hit the chest every 4 days with:
flat bench 4x8
Incline bench 3x8
decline bench 3x8
assisted dips (lean forward for more chest) 3x12
cable cross overs 2x15

I follow this with additional tri work. Peace and good luck!