I can't get that bloody muscle to develop...

I can't get that bloody muscle to develop...

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Legend83

Original Poster:

10,024 posts

224 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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Been doing the 100 press-up regime now for a few weeks (trying to get in shape for the wedding). The lower pecs are developing quite nicely now.

However, the muscles at the top of my chest don't seem to be (the ones that run across your collarbone from your chest to the top of your shoulder). I am not sure what kind of sets will get to them. Until they develop, I will continue to look scrawny and bony...not what I want.

Fitness gurus - how do I develop this muscle set?

Cupramax

10,489 posts

254 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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Sounds like you need to do some inclined bench presses smile


groucho

12,134 posts

248 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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yes with at least 100 kgs. biggrin

anonymous-user

56 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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You want to do some incline bench press with either dumbells or an olympic bar.

If you're really keen, you can do neck press. (same as normal bench except you take the bar down to your neck instead of your chest). Be careful though if you're not sure of what you're doing and always have someone spot you.

Slagathore

5,825 posts

194 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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http://www.exrx.net/Lists/ExList/BackWt.html#ancho...

That website should give you some ideas. If it's not that particular muscle, go back to the mainpage and select the right one!

2winscrew

50 posts

187 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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if you're just doing push-ups with your bodyweight on the floor, then start doing a few sets with your feet/legs elevated on a chair or couch as well....it'll emulate the incline bench

JamesM

3,114 posts

191 months

Monday 13th April 2009
quotequote all
you want to do incline bench press for a couple of sessions then hit some flys. then go back to incline beching but really up the weight to shock your muscle into growing. do shakes too.

worked for me. biggrin

stephen300o

15,464 posts

230 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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Variety needed, just doing pressups will make you a funny shape.

Droptheclutch

2,604 posts

227 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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2winscrew said:
if you're just doing push-ups with your bodyweight on the floor, then start doing a few sets with your feet/legs elevated on a chair or couch as well....it'll emulate the incline bench
Indeed. Also vary your hand positions from together in the middle of your chest to the standard width and then double width. Then repeat that process with your legs up on the couch or something higher. Try sets of 20 until they are all easy.

Jasandjules

70,014 posts

231 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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Benching is your friend. You also need to do heavier weights to build up build. Press-ups are good for definition.....

RJB_666

1,677 posts

197 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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You need to do incline presses as well like everyone had said. I always do these first and do 4 sets of 8. Upto around 60 degrees maximum but i always tend to do 45 degrees. After that i will do 4 sets of 8 flat and then 4 sets of 8 incline fly. If you want bulk quick then less reps and more weight.

Legend83

Original Poster:

10,024 posts

224 months

Monday 13th April 2009
quotequote all
Ok, think I should clarify things a bit...

...I don't have a gym membership, I have a set of dumbells, and am not planning on spending any more money....

...raised push-ups it is in then!

Presumably if I find something to incline on in the house then my dumbells will help a bit? Worried about this funny shape problem through only doing press-ups! It is literally all I am doing at the moment.

What will chin-ups help with? Am planning on rising early and using the children's play area facilties. hehe

jezb

302 posts

216 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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Mixed types of pressups too.

FoolOnTheHill

1,018 posts

213 months

Monday 13th April 2009
quotequote all
If you're not a member of a gym and don't have a bench try the following:

Get a strong, smallish rucksack.

Stick some weights in it.

Stick it on your back.

Do pressups while wearing it. To train the top of your chests put your feet on a chair, or the settee, something that makes your feet higher than your head.

It might sound daft but it works. There's been a few times in my life where I've been skint, or not been able to get to a gym or a bench (working away and staying in hotels) and needed to develop different ways of training.

Even now because I bench-press a fair bit of weight I hang the bar off chains suspended from the garage roof so I don't need a spotter or have to get it back onto the bench supports.

RJB_666

1,677 posts

197 months

Monday 13th April 2009
quotequote all
Legend83 said:
What will chin-ups help with? Am planning on rising early and using the children's play area facilties. hehe
Wide grip pull ups will help with your lats and your biceps. It's well worth doing these as well or you could overtrain your chest which could cause your shoulders to come foward. Saying nothing about where your training hehe

Also i would reccomend looking into training your core, this will give you a better posture. There are many ways such as planks and side planks to train this but i would say it would be easier to google it as they have pictures and better explanations.

The Ben

1,623 posts

219 months

Monday 13th April 2009
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you will always look scrawny until you bulk your shoulders and also widen your back. Pull ups will do this for your back and there is a variety of excercises that will sort your shoulders out, your clothes will look better and hang correctly with the top half of you sorted....


http://www.scoobysworkshop.com/


Check out this website, the bloke knows what he is talking about and shows you all the home excercises you can do...

bazking69

8,620 posts

192 months

Tuesday 14th April 2009
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I find Dwarf tossing quite effective for the pecs and shoulder muscles.

jammy_basturd

29,778 posts

214 months

Tuesday 14th April 2009
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bazking69 said:
I find Dwarf tossing quite effective for the pecs and shoulder muscles.
I started doing that but ended up with RSI on my wrist.

phumy

5,680 posts

239 months

Tuesday 14th April 2009
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bazking69 said:
I find Dwarf tossing quite effective for the pecs and shoulder muscles.
I would have thought tossing dwarfs might only build the right bicep :hehe;

mechsympathy

53,126 posts

257 months

Tuesday 14th April 2009
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RJB_666 said:
Wide grip pull ups will help with your lats and your biceps. It's well worth doing these as well or you could overtrain your chest which could cause your shoulders to come foward. Saying nothing about where your training hehe
Your lats attach to the front of your shoulders too, and pull ups also work your pec major. The OP needs to work pec minor with incline presses. To balance your back you need to do prone flies and rows.