Training the chest

[Heathwood]

Hi folks,

I've been weight training for 3 or 4 months now, using a bench and free weights at home. I was initially training to preserve muscle whilst dropping my fat percentage but am now at the stage where I want to start building myself back up a little.

One of the main area I'd like to improve is my chest. The problem is that my arms and shoulders give out way before my chest, which often doesn't feel like it's done much of a workout. Even fly's, which, if my understanding is correct are good at isolating the chest, seem to fatigue my arms / shoulders before my chest.

So, has anyone got any tips, or is this just the way it is? I'm guessing that my chest is actually getting a decent workout (even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes) and that hard work and perseverance will produce results over the longer term?

Thanks for any help / advice.

[CrabDan]

Try to concentrate on your chest when doing the exercises. It sounds stupid but just by thinking about the muscles you're trying to work, you'll subconsciously involve them more. Also, you might be using too heavy a weight if your form is so bad that you're getting your shoulders overly involved. First rule of the weight room - Leave your ego at the door! Doing really deep, slow press ups is also a good one for initially getting used to what a decent stretch across the chest actually feels like and builds a pretty decent foundation for lifting weights.

[Heathwood]

Thanks Dan, some good tips there. I'm going to try dropping the weight a bit, make sure I follow a full range of movement and really focus on those chest muscles.

[BenM77]

Wide grip flat bench and incline bench with barbell and/or dumbbell's are great for building the chest. If your goal is to put on size then I would have a chest day with plenty of volume. IMO

[mattikake]

Heathwood said:

The problem is that my arms and shoulders give out way before my chest, which often doesn't feel like it's done much of a workout.

As is usually the way, you have the solution to your problem yourself - you need to strengthen your arms. Take a good few weeks out to soley build up your arm (and shoulder) strength, working your chest and with more variety, will be easy afterwards. In the long run, this strategy will be far more effective than any other recommendation you will get.

There are other strategies however;

[attempt to] Pre-exhaust your chest, then do a compound exercise. E.g. Flyes or Pec Dec BEFORE any sort of Bench Press. This will make sure your chest is as tired as possible before you have to start engaging your arms. Your chest will get an extra workout, but the danger is your arms may get used to dominating the exercise.

Try all kinds of Pec exercises - Cable Flyes, Dumbbell Flyes, Pec Dec, Dips (rule out weak biceps), Pull-ups (rule our weak triceps), try as many as possible inclined/flat/declined such as with Bench Pressing.

Try different rep methods, such as the squeeze technique - e.g. do a DB Bench Press but at the top of each rep, aim to protract your shoulders and hold it for a second or so, so that you are squeezing your Pecs at the end of each rep. NB: This will also strengthen your Serratus Anterior, which may also be weak (see below).

Superslow sets and Negative reps can also help rule out weaknesses in certain Range Of Movement (ROM) in your arms.

Heathwood said:

Even fly's, which, if my understanding is correct are good at isolating the chest, seem to fatigue my arms / shoulders before my chest.

If your form is correct and you have a 'W' shape to your arms while doing Flyes, this is probably your Serratus Anterior failing. It's under your shoulder and the body isn't very good at identifying pain/exertion, so you could be misinterpreting that as your arms or Delts etc. If your form is incorrect it could also be your Subscapularis failing if you are rolling your arms as you fly. It's a small muscle that will tire quickly.

Heathwood said:

I'm guessing that my chest is actually getting a decent workout (even if it doesn't feel like it sometimes) and that hard work and perseverance will produce results over the longer term?

Again, answered by yourself. If you kept it up and your arms really are the weakest link, they will build the most and will catch-up. Once balanced, your chest will start to get more of a workout. But this is the slow way to do things. You'll need patience or help/spotting/motivation/a PT... etc.

[mattikake]

CrabDan said:

It sounds stupid but just by thinking about the muscles you're trying to work, you'll subconsciously involve them more.

Ignoring the weirdness of a conscious thought being a subconscious one (?!), you what?

[didelydoo]

Keep it simple- bench more, bench heavier, bench with varying grips- it really is the daddy exercise for building a chest- I'd not even bother with accessory exercises until you are proficient with bench. Flies, DB pressing, pec deck etc are all just assistance chest exercises- important to remember. Don't major in the minors.

[Hoofy]

mattikake said:

Again, answered by yourself. If you kept it up and your arms really are the weakest link, they will build the most and will catch-up. Once balanced, your chest will start to get more of a workout. But this is the slow way to do things. You'll need patience or help/spotting/motivation/a PT... etc.

That makes the most sense to avoid injury. I've got a lot of experience of injury.

But also as previously mentioned, do dips to work the triceps as bench press involves the triceps as well as the pecs.

[Cheib]

Don't forget your back or you could end up like one of those people whose done loads of work on the chest and has awful rounded shoulders where the chest museles are over powering the back muscles.........not only does it look hideous it's going to lead to lots of problems in later life.

[LordGrover]

didelydoo said:

Keep it simple- bench more, bench heavier, bench with varying grips- it really is the daddy exercise for building a chest- I'd not even bother with accessory exercises until you are proficient with bench. Flies, DB pressing, pec deck etc are all just assistance chest exercises- important to remember. Don't major in the minors.

Although I'd include dips before any of the others.

[didelydoo]

LordGrover said:

Although I'd include dips before any of the others.

Agreed- I'd not put the assistance in any kind of order, just examples.

Simple is often best.

[Heathwood]

Thanks for the help and advice folks.

It seems I'm doing quite a bit right, but plenty of room for improvement.

Thanks again

[Halb]

The good old fashioned press-up will give you a lot of what you want.
BMW has been experimenting with them recently.
http://hundredpushups.com/

[mcelliott]

I would definitely recommend dips and press ups - I always include these in my chest programme, resulting in 100's for each exercise on any given session, and my chest is fking massive






by the way, that last bit is complete bks, it's merely well proportioned

[IanCormac]

mattikake said:

Ignoring the weirdness of a conscious thought being a subconscious one (?!), you what?

It's true. If you focus on a muscle while working it, then you find that you engage the muscle more than if you just try and get the weight up. Try it sometime.

[mattikake]

IanCormac said:

mattikake said:

Ignoring the weirdness of a conscious thought being a subconscious one (?!), you what?

It's true. If you focus on a muscle while working it, then you find that you engage the muscle more than if you just try and get the weight up. Try it sometime.

Isn't that just called "concentrating"?

[LordGrover]

IanCormac said:

mattikake said:

Ignoring the weirdness of a conscious thought being a subconscious one (?!), you what?

It's true. If you focus on a muscle while working it, then you find that you engage the muscle more than if you just try and get the weight up. Try it sometime.

What I found weird was having partner/PT tap the muscle(s) being worked. Really helps you focus on what should be working.

[Halb]

LordGrover said:

What I found kinky was having the male PT massage lovingly the muscle(s) being worked. Really helps you focus on what should be working.

EFA.

[Hoofy]

Halb said:

LordGrover said:

What I found kinky was having the male PT massage lovingly the muscle(s) being worked. Really helps you focus on what should be working.

EFA.

Works in the bedroom, too, I should imagine.

[mattikake]

Oh you're talking about Associative learning (such as external stimuli or conscious concentration) for people with inefficient motor neuron control. Being a man full of natural talent, I've never had a problem myself.