More gym/excersize advice..

[Technonotice]

I started going to the gym again about a month ago. I have put on a stone in weight, increased strength and my shoulders are noticeably bigger. However I still have a pigeon chest and would like some tips on what exercises I should be doing.


Unfortunately my gym does not have a bar, so I'm limited to the machines and dumbbells. Its not really practical to go elsewhere so I'm gonna have to make do with what's available.

I have an ectomorph body type so gaining weight is hard. But getting easier as I get older.

When working on my chest I do:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Chest press - machine
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell press

I read on another thread that deadlift and squats are vital, are there any similar exercises that I can do with just the dumbbells and machines?


My diet is good most of the time and I have cut out booze except on the weekend and hardly smoke any more.

Is it just a case of continuing to stuff my face and train hard. Or am I missing fundamental stuff which will hinder my growth?

cheers!

[BEN66]

A stone in a month?

[Technonotice]

BEN66 said:

A stone in a month?

I went through a very st 6 months before hand and I'm just getting back to my natural weight.

[Halb]

Technonotice said:

When working on my chest I do:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Chest press - machine
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell press


Is it just a case of continuing to stuff my face and train hard. Or am I missing fundamental stuff which will hinder my growth?

cheers!

Why so much? Do you overtrain?
How are your reps/sets broken down?

[Technonotice]

Halb said:

Technonotice said:

When working on my chest I do:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Chest press - machine
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell press


Is it just a case of continuing to stuff my face and train hard. Or am I missing fundamental stuff which will hinder my growth?

cheers!

Why so much? Do you overtrain?
How are your reps/sets broken down?

I tend to just pick 3 out of that lot at 5 x 5 reps.

[Henry Hawthorne]

Technonotice said:

Halb said:

Technonotice said:

When working on my chest I do:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Chest press - machine
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell press


Is it just a case of continuing to stuff my face and train hard. Or am I missing fundamental stuff which will hinder my growth?

cheers!

Why so much? Do you overtrain?
How are your reps/sets broken down?

I tend to just pick 3 out of that lot at 5 x 5 reps.

Do you do splits (e.g. chest and tris one day, back and bis another etc etc) or full body?

[Technonotice]

Henry Hawthorne said:

Technonotice said:

Halb said:

Technonotice said:

When working on my chest I do:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Chest press - machine
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell press


Is it just a case of continuing to stuff my face and train hard. Or am I missing fundamental stuff which will hinder my growth?

cheers!

Why so much? Do you overtrain?
How are your reps/sets broken down?

I tend to just pick 3 out of that lot at 5 x 5 reps.

Do you do splits (e.g. chest and tris one day, back and bis another etc etc) or full body?

legs one day
shoulders and arms the other
then chest and back the other day
With cardio on all 3 days

[sammyboy]

Bench press as well as the chest press on the machine, it will work more core muscles and not just your pectoral muscles than the machine can ever do. Just start with a comfortable weight and get your action sorted before you go heavier.

Machines are a good starting point but IMO you can only take it so far so free weights are better from then on in, but I see you have started that so good for you mate.

Edit: I see you dont have a bar... sorry.

Edited by sammyboy on Monday 7th September 16:35

Edited by sammyboy on Monday 7th September 16:35

[Dale19]

Whats the heaviest DB in the gym? I`m guesing not heavy if they havnt even got a barbell.

Your a bit limited without a barbell to be fair, db rows, chins and pull ups, clean and press, db snatch, shrugs, and the obvious press and curls, but nothing to really hit your lower back.

With squats and deads, its not like you wont grow without them, but they are such simple effective moves, its daft to not do them, plus they are good fun. Leg press could tide you over and give you a decent base level to start squating, but you`ll lack the tec and most probably flexibility to squat decently.

I`d really look at finding a decent gym once you`ve proved to yourself that you can stick at it.

[Technonotice]

Dale19 said:

Whats the heaviest DB in the gym? I`m guesing not heavy if they havnt even got a barbell.

Your a bit limited without a barbell to be fair, db rows, chins and pull ups, clean and press, db snatch, shrugs, and the obvious press and curls, but nothing to really hit your lower back.

With squats and deads, its not like you wont grow without them, but they are such simple effective moves, its daft to not do them, plus they are good fun. Leg press could tide you over and give you a decent base level to start squating, but you`ll lack the tec and most probably flexibility to squat decently.

I`d really look at finding a decent gym once you`ve proved to yourself that you can stick at it.

Not sure of the heaviest db is, but I think they are fairly hefty.

I'll try some of the things you suggested until I can get myself to a better gym.

Cheers!

[tricky69]

Technonotice said:

I started going to the gym again about a month ago. I have put on a stone in weight, increased strength and my shoulders are noticeably bigger. However I still have a pigeon chest and would like some tips on what exercises I should be doing.


Unfortunately my gym does not have a bar, so I'm limited to the machines and dumbbells. Its not really practical to go elsewhere so I'm gonna have to make do with what's available.

I have an ectomorph body type so gaining weight is hard. But getting easier as I get older.

When working on my chest I do:

Incline Dumbbell Flyes
Dumbbell Pullovers
Chest press - machine
Flat Bench Dumbbell Press
Incline Dumbbell press

I read on another thread that deadlift and squats are vital, are there any similar exercises that I can do with just the dumbbells and machines?


My diet is good most of the time and I have cut out booze except on the weekend and hardly smoke any more.

Is it just a case of continuing to stuff my face and train hard. Or am I missing fundamental stuff which will hinder my growth?

cheers!

maybe get some protein shakes in your diet... apart from that it might be technique, the chest is hard to work on from scratch as the arms and shoulders will compansate which sounds like what has happened to you.... Make sure when you do chest stuff you consentrate on squeezing your pecs in as you push and stretch out as much as possible this will help build muscle too

[Animal]

To stimulate sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (growing bigger muscles) you really need to be training within a rep range of 8-12.

As an example for someone just starting (or getting back into training) I'd suggest flat dumbbell presses and incline dumbbell flyes - say 3 to 4 sets of each exercise. As for frequency, maybe once per week or three times a fortnight depending on the rest of your training.

Make each rep count, including a good contraction at the top and you will grow!

[Technonotice]

tricky69 said:

maybe get some protein shakes in your diet... apart from that it might be technique, the chest is hard to work on from scratch as the arms and shoulders will compansate which sounds like what has happened to you.... Make sure when you do chest stuff you consentrate on squeezing your pecs in as you push and stretch out as much as possible this will help build muscle too

Already have 2 shakes on the days that I train, but I find they make be very bloated and nauseous for about 2 hours after I drink them. Maybe its just the brand I'm using. I don't go too heavy as my form just goes out the window towards the end of the set.

Animal said:

To stimulate sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (growing bigger muscles) you really need to be training within a rep range of 8-12.

As an example for someone just starting (or getting back into training) I'd suggest flat dumbbell presses and incline dumbbell flyes - say 3 to 4 sets of each exercise. As for frequency, maybe once per week or three times a fortnight depending on the rest of your training.

Make each rep count, including a good contraction at the top and you will grow!

Noted, Thanks guys!

[Digger]

If your shoulders are healthy have a go at the hundred push up challenge www.hundredpushups.com Will definitely re-shape, define, and challenge the chest.

[Animal]

Technonotice said:

Already have 2 shakes on the days that I train, but I find they make be very bloated and nauseous for about 2 hours after I drink them. Maybe its just the brand I'm using.

I had to try about 5 different brands before I found one that I can keep down without feeling sick!

[Technonotice]

Animal said:

Technonotice said:

Already have 2 shakes on the days that I train, but I find they make be very bloated and nauseous for about 2 hours after I drink them. Maybe its just the brand I'm using.

I had to try about 5 different brands before I found one that I can keep down without feeling sick!

Thats good to know!

Maximuscle makes me want to die after drinking it.

[Animal]

I thought they were one of the easiest to digest! You could try www.myprotein.co.uk -they do sample packs so you needn't waste a lot of money.

I don't know if you're having your protein shakes with anything else like a bagel etc, but it might be worthwhile having the protein on it's own and waiting 20-30 mins before eating anything else?

Trial and error, I'm afraid.

[Technonotice]

Animal said:

I thought they were one of the easiest to digest! You could try www.myprotein.co.uk -they do sample packs so you needn't waste a lot of money.

I don't know if you're having your protein shakes with anything else like a bagel etc, but it might be worthwhile having the protein on it's own and waiting 20-30 mins before eating anything else?

Trial and error, I'm afraid.

I was using cheap soya whey protein added to milk and nesquick. Felt fine afterwards.

But even using maximuscle on it own with water makes me retch.

[Dale19]

Animal said:

To stimulate sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (growing bigger muscles) you really need to be training within a rep range of 8-12.

Be careful when generalising like that.

How would you explain powerlifters, and olympic lifters then? They have lots of thick, dense muscle, and most wont ever go over 5 reps.

I agree with keeping reps higher for newbies though.

[Animal]

Dale19 said:

Animal said:

To stimulate sarcoplasmic hypertrophy (growing bigger muscles) you really need to be training within a rep range of 8-12.

Be careful when generalising like that.

How would you explain powerlifters, and olympic lifters then? They have lots of thick, dense muscle, and most wont ever go over 5 reps.

I agree with keeping reps higher for newbies though.

True, myofibrillar hypertrophy (i.e. that stimulated by training with high weights/low reps) does increase muscle growth - just look at Scot Mendelson he looks like something out of Jurassic Park! However, it's probably fair to say that it's more effective to train with lighter weights/higher reps if you want to build big muscles. One method will make you bigger and a lot stronger the other will make you much bigger (relatively speaking) and stronger although perhaps not proportionately so.

Like you said, high reps for those who are new to it!