4leafclover
New Member
My chest (and calves, which you don't suffer from) are my weak points, I did a lot to develop the upper chest this year, and what worked for me, was to consistently put incline bench first. I start (I do volume training, and each week I change the type of volume work I do) with mass building ranges, 8x8, then next week head into slight definition work doing 30,15,12,10,8, then the next week, 30,10,8,6,4, then back to 8x8, then the next month, start in the lower ranges for strength, and continue mass work. That week, 10x4 then 8x8, then 10x4, then 10x6. Also, since I am used to volume training at this point, I use all my shocking principles on the incline movement, either going for strip sets (usually on the 10x4 movements, when I do strip sets, I either go down by 10 lbs or 5 at a time, giving at least an additional 6 sets of fast work), 2RM (usually just modify one of the 30 rep ranges, 30,8,6,4,2, then strip a few plates, do as many reps as possible, drop more plates and continue, I give more rest here, as I put on more weight than the normal progression), or decreasing rest between sets to 20 seconds (usually on the 8x8 sets), you may also go 1RM, but since I train solo a lot, this is the reason you see the 2RM, much easier to do solo. This work I combine with 3 other exercises of similar volume, always including flies and flat bench. I finish with either overhead chest pulls, or cable cross over. On cable work, I have gone into the higher rep ranges such as 5x20. I was able to this year, raise my upper chest past my collar bone, putting on about an inch of thickness in the upper pectoral range over the last 10 months.
My back is fairly strong, so I have a lot more freedom here in terms of what exercises I chose, I am less strict here. For center thickness, good mornings (lower back), deadlifts (lower back, and center line), tbar rows (center), cable rows (center and traps depending on angle of attack), lots of chin ups (lats and overall thickness), I also use a free weight machine that I don't know the name of, but it allows 6 different grip positions to hit whatever angle I feel like working that day. The only thing consistent here, is that I always start with chin ups, wide grip, 4 sets to failure one month, then 50 reps total (I try to get these done in 3 sets if possible, it will really burn you out trying it that way).
Whenever I am working a weak point, I put it first, or if my recovery will allow, I will also do sets of that part on my other training days, going every other exercise, to an upper chest movement. Usually I can only achieve the latter when cycle is in full swing, and doses are fairly high, or else I risk breaking down the muscle too fast from the previous workout. I also work each body part at least 2x a week, in full cycle with moderate to higher doses, I switch to 3x a week, but this is hard to maintain for longer than 2 months, as the time requirements in the gym destroy my personal life.
