Trouble developing chest

[zikan]

Hi guys, I seem to have a lot of trouble to gain muscle in my chest area, It looks like I am very weak because according to what I read for a guy that weights 200lb to do 1rep max of only 200lb is waaay to low.

My chest is very small, do you think that i need to focus on gaining strength in order to gain more mass and aim to bench 280lb or so in order to fully develop my chest? I also do dips, I can do about 4 series of 10 without any weight, I just started those because I have read they are just as good if not better than bench press.

Another thing to ask to veteran lifters, I used to be able to bench 205lb X 4, my pecs were decent but still lacking the balance compared to all my other body parts, lack of consistancy surely plays a big role but my question is, if I lift long enough and maintain one level of strength for say, 1 or 2 years, would that make my muscle more retain-able even if I stop training for 6 months or so?

Last question, I read it helps a lot to develop the back in order to also develop big strong chest, is that true?

I am:
200lb
20%BF
5 feet 10 inches

 

[George Spellwin]

Welcome to the forums zikan! First off, how long have you been training? I mainly ask because you bring up that a 200lb bench press for your weight is low, but this is also highly relative to your training experience.

As for general advice on building your chest up, dips are certainly a good place to start. I'm also a big fan of mixing lots of chest exercises into my routine with both dumbbells and barbells. Again, I'm not sure on your experience, but rather than focusing on the 280lb bench right now, I'd just worry about getting your form right (smooth, controlled) on different chest exercises, and setting gradual goals - i.e. bench 210 by [blank] date.

A stronger back will certainly help improve your bench. But so too will developing your biceps, triceps and shoulders, so make sure you're working everything each week.

 

[supbraz]

Experiment with grip positions and planes of movement.

My training partner had plateaued on the bench so we videoed his reps and analysed them in slow motion and made adjustments to make sure we were maximising his muscle power and his bench increased by 5% immediately. We found that he wasnt bringing the weight down to his chest exactly straight and that he was bringing it down too low on his chest, thereby reducing his maximum power. That could be something that you play around with.

Other than that - if you dont have a training partner then I would suggest you find one immediately! Even if you dont have one, just ask someone at the gym for a spot. It will give you the confidence to lay it all out on the bar knowing someone is there to make sure it doesnt fall on your head! Muscle grows by pushing it past its current limits - forcing it to grow back bigger and stronger. If you aren't 'failing' on power lifts like the bench then its common for progress to slow or stop completely.

I'm not a doctor. I'm not a physio. I'm not a personal trainer. I'm just a gym rat whose been doing this for 7 years trial and error style so bear that in mind - what works for me may not work for you but its worth a shot!

Good luck hitting that magical 220lb!

 

[zikan]

Thanks a lot for your answers guys, I have been lifting for 4 years but really, I am pretty sure my problem is lack of consistency, I stop 4 months and almost everything is gone size and strength (mainly strength). I think my form and posture is correct by now, I have been investigating since I posted this question and most seem to agree that I need to push the weights to make myself stronger and then the size will come.

My shoulders and back are underdeveloped compared to arms and chest and legs, I suppose that's another thing making me go slow.

Seems like all guys that can do 5 reps of 275+ have very well developed chest.

 

[George Spellwin]

Yeah, stopping for extended time periods will certainly halt your gains. You'll get those gains back faster when you start again, thanks to muscle memory, but the extended breaks make it hard to ever break through plateaus, like the 200lb bench you talk about.

A short break is good every 10-16 weeks - I usually take a week off every 12-14 weeks (off cycle). But it sounds like you have trouble getting started again if you take time off. I guess the key is to just find what pumps you up and gets you back in the gym after a short break from serious training. I like to watch YouTube videos of bodybuilders doing workouts to get pumped up again and give me some new workout ideas that get me excited.

Also, make sure to try and learn new exercises (even if it means going away from the bench sometimes) so that you don't get bored and want to stop training.