Help with chest routine

[Ryno1980]

So I've been lifting most of my adult life, but didn't get serious about body building until 2 years ago. For the most part I'm pretty lucky in the sense that when I wanna drop 30 lbs I can easily.. whrn I want to bulk up I can also fairly easily... my biggest issue is with my chest and I guess my question is , can u really overwork a muscle group.in 1 session?
A typical chest day usually looks like this for me
Rotation between flat and incline, or flat and decline
Always 2 of those per chest day
I rotate between dumb bell, and barbell , occasionally I'll even use the smith machine but try to avoid it.
Usually looks like this
Pyramid 6 sets 14,12,10,8,6,4 flat
Same on incline or decline
Followed by cable or dumb bell Flys
Incline, decline or flat.. usually 2 of the 3 for the same ammount of sets higher reps lower weight..
So am I over doing it ? Not doing enough, or am I just genetically fucked in the chest department...
Current max on flat is 385 x2
Incline is closer to 355
Current body weight is 225 ish..
6 ft tall..

 

[Ryno1980]

8

 

[Ryno1980]

 

[Ryno1980]

I feel like my chest is not in proportion to the rest of my body.. atleast not my lower chest..

 

[CAswole]

U do any weighted dips?

 

[Ryno1980]

U do any weighted dips?

I don't do weighted dips but i do a shit load of dips on arm day...
I switched up and started doing arms on their own day..
So chest
Arms
Back
Shoulders repeat
Leg day every Saturday regardless of where I am in my rotation

 

[CAswole]

I don't do weighted dips but i do a shit load of dips on arm day...
I switched up and started doing arms on their own day..
So chest
Arms
Back
Shoulders repeat
Leg day every Saturday regardless of where I am in my rotation

Ok just a thought. I do them heavy on chest day, up to 3 plates x9. I have a raging man crush on this exercise. Also @Docd187123 gave me a great tip using a 3 second pause at the down postion on flat bench. Numbers are going up and it feels great. Maybe think outside the box a little and add variety.

 

[Skull]

Shit bro your chest is bigger than mine. Thats exactly where I lack. I always wanted to have the bog ol Arnold chest but with !y genetics its just not gunna happen lol. Let me get my big bro @gr8whitetrukker up in here. He has a !massive chest an I believe he's a firm believer in doing incline bench for building a huge chest. Da!n that was a bunch of beliving going on up in that last sentence bahaha....oknnow where was I at??? Oh yeah here I was.......I've seen him get his chest bigger an bigger over the years since I've known him here.....So I think its safe to say @Ryno1980 .....We both need more inclines in our lives to make us happy-er.

 

[Ryno1980]

Ok just a thought. I do them heavy on chest day, up to 3 plates x9. I have a raging man crush on this exercise. Also @Docd187123 gave me a great tip using a 3 second pause at the down postion on flat bench. Numbers are going up and it feels great. Maybe think outside the box a little and add variety.

Makes sense... thanks brother

 

[Ryno1980]

Shit bro your chest is bigger than mine. Thats exactly where I lack. I always wanted to have the bog ol Arnold chest but with !y genetics its just not gunna happen lol. Let me get my big bro @gr8whitetrukker up in here. He has a !massive chest an I believe he's a firm believer in doing incline bench for building a huge chest. Da!n that was a bunch of beliving going on up in that last sentence bahaha....oknnow where was I at??? Oh yeah here I was.......I've seen him get his chest bigger an bigger over the years since I've known him here.....So I think its safe to say @Ryno1980 .....We both need more inclines in our lives to make us happy-er.

I can dig it... makes sense...

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

View attachment 77887

Since were talking BB here and the desire to get a larger chest then lets talk working the pectorals.
Weight is not really that important. It is...but only when done correctly. Powerlifting for a big bench press isnt what im talking about. I want you to leave ego at the door. Execute the motion and use ONLY your pecs in the movement. Of course this sounds retarded trukk..you got your triceps, your shoulders, your lats, your biceps all involved...na stupid listen. WORK WITH INTENTION. All the big timers do it. They dont press big weight all the time. Why is it BB are ALWAYS bigger than their PL counterparts? Refer to the underlined sentence above.

For example grab you a set of dumbbells for the incline. I like 15° personally. Press with your PECS on PURPOSE. Not your triceps. Not a big violent bounce. Not ego. Not half way. Hold the stretch contraction for 3 sec each rep. Squeeze in on the way up. Bring it back to fundamentals. If you cant grasp the concept try guillotine presses. You wont have a choice then. Ego will send you to the hospital trying to load up a bar for a heavy guillotine press

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

You can also try preexhaustion techniques for the pecs---making the pecs temporarily weaker then moving right in to a compound exercise with no rest.

Pec dec flyes or pronated dumbbell flyes(incline or flat)
Superset
Hammer incline press (incline or flat)

Its key to have ZERO rest between that superset. The preexhaust technique is a great way to force overload on a muscle

 

[Ryno1980]

You can also try preexhaustion techniques for the pecs---making the pecs temporarily weaker then moving right in to a compound exercise with no rest.

Pec dec flyes or pronated dumbbell flyes(incline or flat)
Superset
Hammer incline press (incline or flat)

Its key to have ZERO rest between that superset. The preexhaust technique is a great way to force overload on a muscle

Thank you @gr8whitetrukker I'll give it a try... I sometimes forget that more isn't always better and im.quite sure when I've got 315 on the bar my form isn't what it should be.

 

[Thickneck]

throw out the set of 14 and 4 . And always flex your shoulder blades together thru out the set . that will stretch the shit out of you pecs and give a better contraction . 90 % of the time i start with barbell incline press. keep from bouncing at all ties . Next i do pec deck flies . Ive always considered my chest my best body part . I have not flat benched in 20 years . Its all an ego lift for me and ruins your shoulders eventually,not a get builder for me . Good luck

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Thank you @gr8whitetrukker I'll give it a try... I sometimes forget that more isn't always better and im.quite sure when I've got 315 on the bar my form isn't what it should be.

Watch this video between 2 IFBB pro heavyweights and tell me immediately what you notice about their workout....psh(there using less weight than you are )

Do you think its because your stronger than them and their weak?
Or do you think they just contract the pecs better and that is the best way to attack it?

 

[Wunderpus]

A few things to keep in mind, that have helped me:

- Form... Are you really engaging your chest properly? Or, are you using a lot of triceps and shoulders (my mistake for years)? Focus on the form, do just 135 for slow and controlled reps, really focus on how you feel... Get them right! Then, slowly work up to your "working sets"....

- Do a set of bench, then in between sets (not a super set, rest in between each set) do a set of light but controlled DB flys with a HARD contraction... This will help engage your pecs in a whole new way!

- Switch it up! Do a 5x5 one week, next week work up to where failure is 8 reps, the week after that train to where failure is 12 reps, then the week after that do some sort of conditioning training like drop sets/super sets...

- Don't be afraid to lift heavy, as long as the form is on point. My guess is you're lifting a bit heavy and compensating with your shoulders...

 

[Wunderpus]

If you want, try this routine:

Flat bench- Do 3-4 feeder sets working up to your 8 rep max. I want you failing at 8 reps, true failure. Take a rest, then lower the weight (not super set) and do a set where 12 or so reps is failure.

Incline DB's- Same methodology as above

Machine or cable flys: 3 sets of 15 with a 1-2 second SQUUEEEEZE at the contraction, and slowly lowered each rep. This shit should HURT!

Dips: Do 20 bodyweight dips for 4 sets (or failure). If you can hit more than 20 with good form and controlled movement, add weight.

Machine press: Work up to 8 rep max (4 feeder sets of 8-10 is fine). Knock out a HARD 8, rest then do a HARD 12.

Stretch pushups: Use either plyo board, dumbbells, something to increase the stretch and do 4 sets to failure




Honestly, if this workout doesn't murder your chest, it's time to evaluate how hard you're actually working your chest. If done properly, this should literally bring you close to death.

 

[Ryno1980]

Watch this video between 2 IFBB pro heavyweights and tell me immediately what you notice about their workout....psh(there using less weight than you are )

Do you think its because your stronger than them and their weak?
Or do you think they just contract the pecs better and that is the best way to attack it?

That's crazy!!! But why do I feel like your yelling at me

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

That's crazy!!! But why do I feel like your yelling at me

Lol, just some thing to think about. Gotta let that ego go man.
When some one asks me how much i bench i just say...not as much as you think. Because truly...TRULY it means nothing. I mean i guess it does. I can bench with the best of em if i choose to. But true hypertrophy work is usually lighter working sets with a crazy death squeeze. You have to put yourself in that state of mind. Because when you do and your doing the work with the intended muscle. Reps with 315 or 405 become suddenly way more impressive. And it wont be the weight or reps thats impressive. Itll be the size of them pecs!

 

[Ryno1980]

Lol, just some thing to think about. Gotta let that ego go man.
When some one asks me how much i bench i just say...not as much as you think. Because truly...TRULY it means nothing. I mean i guess it does. I can bench with the best of em if i choose to. But true hypertrophy work is usually lighter working sets with a crazy death squeeze. You have to put yourself in that state of mind. Because when you do and your doing the work with the intended muscle. Reps with 315 or 405 become suddenly way more impressive. And it wont be the weight or reps thats impressive. Itll be the size of them pecs!

Agree 100.. I don't care how much I lift.. I care how much it looks like I lift