Pec tips?

[Shamrocked]

Alright guys I need some input. I haven't lifted in while and I've got some fireman training coming up, so I started back up today. I've always been able to meet my lifting goals in regards to shape and size except I've always had trouble developing my pecs. I can bench until the cows come home, but all that I ever accomplish is freakishly defined tricepts! I decided that by the time summer rolls around this year I'm going to need a training bra, so do any of you have any idea on some isolated excercises I can use to develope pecs of steel? I'm open to anything, excercises, number of reps, weight you tell me. I'm about 5'10" and a pretty solid 190 - 195lbs. Thanks in advance for any ideas.

[nhbfan8080]

Alright guys I need some input. I haven't lifted in while and I've got some fireman training coming up, so I started back up today. I've always been able to meet my lifting goals in regards to shape and size except I've always had trouble developing my pecs. I can bench until the cows come home, but all that I ever accomplish is freakishly defined tricepts! I decided that by the time summer rolls around this year I'm going to need a training bra, so do any of you have any idea on some isolated excercises I can use to develope pecs of steel? I'm open to anything, excercises, number of reps, weight you tell me. I'm about 5'10" and a pretty solid 190 - 195lbs. Thanks in advance for any ideas.


Hows your bench form? Elbows in or out? Sounds like your hitting the triceps (and possibly shoulders) more - which is not necessarily a bad thing. What is your grip on the bar? Pinky/ring finger on the knurling?How much do you max out usually?

Do you lean forward on dips?

[Ben lowry]

Bench press is good, make sure that when the bar is in the lowered position that your arms are at appoximatley 90 degrees. Also puch ups are good, hand stand push ups, push ups on chairs.

For your bench press of course your triceps will get worked because they are the secondary movers. It sounds like maybe your grip is a little narrow, try to widen it a bit and see if that helps. it might might help to start with push ups for a week or 2 maybe 2 sets of 50 every other day, if you haven't lifed in a while. Then if you are lifting for strength and not body builder physique, try doing five sets of five. Im around 5'7" and about 155 i do five sets of 5 with 175lbs pretty easily. So you should be able to do more, start with a weight and do teh sets if it was to lite then next time add weight. Or you can try german volume training, ONLY DONE ONCE A WEEK, it consists of ten sets of ten reps. Pretty rough but almost gauranteed to get your pecs working and then some.

[BruceLee]

Or you can try german volume training, ONLY DONE ONCE A WEEK, it consists of ten sets of ten reps. Pretty rough but almost gauranteed to get your pecs working and then some.

The biggest problem with German Volume training would be that you would have to go at off peak hours to your gym.

[BruceLee]

Alright guys I need some input. I haven't lifted in while and I've got some fireman training coming up, so I started back up today. I've always been able to meet my lifting goals in regards to shape and size except I've always had trouble developing my pecs. I can bench until the cows come home, but all that I ever accomplish is freakishly defined tricepts! I decided that by the time summer rolls around this year I'm going to need a training bra, so do any of you have any idea on some isolated excercises I can use to develope pecs of steel? I'm open to anything, excercises, number of reps, weight you tell me. I'm about 5'10" and a pretty solid 190 - 195lbs. Thanks in advance for any ideas.


It could be a technique problem. It could also be a nutritional/cardio problem. You're body type might be skinny arms and/or legs but thick trunk. If this is the case, you might have a small layer of fat that is hiding the chest definition. In that case, you would need increased cardio and better diet to get the definition you want.

How many sets do you do. Do you do incline, decline, flys and bench? Are you getting enough rest days between chest/tricep day to give the muscles a chance to rebuild?

[ACIDBATHBELFORT]

Try doing a flat bench press for 8-10 and then incline bench for about 8-10 reps. Three sets each. Then some standing cable flys and then incline flys for 15 reps. For the flies take less rest. Its more of a definition movement rather than a mass movement. Then try and do two light sets on a seated bench press. Also, like Bruce said, cardio and diet are just as important. Also, everyone has strong and weak bodyparts. Switch your training. Once and a while try and hit your chest hard and then a few days later hit again with less sets and lighter weights.

[Ben lowry]

The biggest problem with German Volume training would be that you would have to go at off peak hours to your gym.

Or you could go to Gart sports and get a 300 lb olympic set for 150$ including the bar. Thats what i did it is nice. But i suppose if you do have to go to a gym like ballys or some **** then people may gat mad but you can just tell to **** off right? LOL

[Shamrocked]

Hows your bench form? Elbows in or out? Sounds like your hitting the triceps (and possibly shoulders) more - which is not necessarily a bad thing. What is your grip on the bar? Pinky/ring finger on the knurling?How much do you max out usually?

Do you lean forward on dips?I generally grip the bar about shoulder width apart, but it's not uncommon for me to throw in a set or two really wide (with lighter weight) or even hands together on occasion. The last time I maxed it was around 235lbs, but that was quite a while ago. I'd be surprised if I'm maxing more than 205-210lbs at the moment.

[Shamrocked]

It could be a technique problem. It could also be a nutritional/cardio problem. You're body type might be skinny arms and/or legs but thick trunk. If this is the case, you might have a small layer of fat that is hiding the chest definition. In that case, you would need increased cardio and better diet to get the definition you want.

How many sets do you do. Do you do incline, decline, flys and bench? Are you getting enough rest days between chest/tricep day to give the muscles a chance to rebuild?I've got a fairly muscular body type (kind of like Wanderlei Silva with smaller pecs) and although my diet isn't what it should be I manage to stay pretty defined. I seem to have a larger space between the pec muscles (over the sternum) which I guess is the gap I'm trying to fill.

I generally do 3-4 sets from lighter weight to heavy. I'll usually start with 15 reps, 12, 10 and finally 8. If I'm feeling really good I'll take weight off and work my way back up.

I've never really focused on pec developement, because it's the one area that I never seem to see any gains. You'd think that would make me concentrate more on that area, but it usually just frustrates me into moving on to other body parts that do respond to training.

[Shamrocked]

Thanks for the help guys. I'm looking forward to mixing up my routine a little more than I have in the past. If nothing else I plan to dedicate myself to seeing some gains even if it's slow going at first.

[ACIDBATHBELFORT]

Try slightly widening your grip. The placement of your hands may be why you are feeling your tris more. Good luck.

[scott]

Pushups, pushups, pushups!

[cardinals_82_85]

Sometimes it doesn't matter how much you hit your chest. Some guys just have that certain type of "titty" chest, for lack of a better term.

[RHINO]

I know everyone's different,but I'm bulking right now and what I find works best is if you max yourself out between 4-8 reps.You gotta tear the muscle good so it'll heal up and grow.Put that weight on so you are at absolute failure by the 8'th rep.If you're going past 8,you aren't using enough weight.I do flatbench chest fly's 8RM,then 6,then 4.I've been doing this for 2 months now and it worked for me.Giv'r a try.

[FatGuy]

[QUOTE=Shamrocked]I've got a fairly muscular body type (kind of like Wanderlei Silva with smaller pecs) and although my diet isn't what it should be I manage to stay pretty defined. I seem to have a larger space between the pec muscles (over the sternum) which I guess is the gap I'm trying to fill.

QUOTE]

That's genetics, and there isn't much you can do about it.

[PREDATOR]

Like others have stated mix up your routine. Every 3 months or so is a good time to change. Everyone is different and certain exercises might work really well for some and not so well for others.

DO you use dumb bells? Cable flys might help out as well. Make sure you breath properly as well.

[Tony Montana]

Pushups, pushups, pushups!
Scott's right. Pushups are the best thing for defining your chest muscles. I too have very big triceps and biceps. For the size of my arms I should have a much bigger chest than I have. I lifted weights 4 times a week for 6 years straight. In the last four months I quit weight lifting and solely focused on Muay Thai. We do about 500 pushups every time we train. My chest muscles have grown and gotten defined more in the last 4 months than they did in the entire 6 years that I lifted weights!

Be patient of course, this stuff doesn't happen overnight. All good things come from hard work.