Trouble with chest growth

[DjX18058]

I've always had problems getting my chest to grow and am still having serious problems doing so. I try to switch up my workouts and what not so the muscles don't get use to the same shit but nothing seems to work to well. This cycle I've been able to get my biceps and pretty much everything else to grow a decent amount but my chest just doesn't seem to wanna grow. Any suggestions on good chest workouts or anything I can try would be great thanks in advance

 

[evarthecaveman]

I've always had problems getting my chest to grow and am still having serious problems doing so. I try to switch up my workouts and what not so the muscles don't get use to the same shit but nothing seems to work to well. This cycle I've been able to get my biceps and pretty much everything else to grow a decent amount but my chest just doesn't seem to wanna grow. Any suggestions on good chest workouts or anything I can try would be great thanks in advance

I promise you bro your muscles do not get confused. Everyone has weak points. Hit chest more frequently or less frequently see what gets it bigger and stronger and stick with it. If It were me I would do a low volume strength day adding 5 lbs a week and then a high rep 30 sec rest high volume day once a week

 

[Maxlass]

I promise you bro your muscles do not get confused. Everyone has weak points. Hit chest more frequently or less frequently see what gets it bigger and stronger and stick with it. If It were me I would do a low volume strength day adding 5 lbs a week and then a high rep 30 sec rest high volume day once a week

I do chest similar to this as mine too is stubborn. I do heavy one day with 5 rep range usually to or three exercises finishing with an 8-10 rep exercise then the next time I do 12-15 range and sometimes finish with 3x20reps. My rests are longer though usually up to 90 secs. For the first time in my life I have seen results since starting this style 7-8 months ago.

 

[Docd187123]

Constantly Switching up workouts invariably leads to stopping soemthing that's working in favor of something that may not work as well or at all.

What are you currently doing for your chest?

 

[weighted chinup]

Stop changing workouts just for the sake of change, it's counter-productive.

Post up current exercise selection, along with how frequently you train them, and how much volume you are doing per movement, as well as intensity.

IME most lifters will benefit from doing the following if they are having these problems:

Reduce exercise selection and invest that volume into a smaller selection of exercises. Keep weekly volume for chest the same or close but simply invest it in a smaller selection of movements. Increased specificity in your training > faster progress in your main movements > more results.

 

[Docd187123]

Stop changing workouts just for the sake of change, it's counter-productive.

Post up current exercise selection, along with how frequently you train them, and how much volume you are doing per movement, as well as intensity.

IME most lifters will benefit from doing the following if they are having these problems:

Reduce exercise selection and invest that volume into a smaller selection of exercises. Keep weekly volume for chest the same or close but simply invest it in a smaller selection of movements. Increased specificity in your training > faster progress in your main movements > more results.

Glad you're back. We can all just sit back back and be lazy while you answer the questions now

 

[jJjburton]

Heavy push day. With upper chest and middle chest. 8-5 reps. Next time 3 days later work out chest with fly lifts. Outer and inner flys. Lower, upper, and middle chest. Stretching all the way. 10-8 reps.

 

[DjX18058]

Lots of good feedback posted guys thank you I really Appretiate it ...currently I do chest and tris every other day figures since I'm on cycle I can do that since I recover a lot quicker I may be wrong which could be my problem? First chest day of the week I use the Smith machine the chest press 230lbs for 3 sets of 8-10 reps then I do some tris and move back to chest and do some machine flys 170lbs 3 sets of 8-10 reps then more tris after those I fuck around with some free weight presses and overhead tricep extensions I usually don't have anybody to spot me so I hardly get to do barbell bench presses and when I do it's my brother and he's pretty small lol ...the next day I do chest and tris I use all free weights and some lower weight barbell bench presses along with most of the stuff I do for tris the previous chest day I almost always do high volume for 3 sets of 8-10 and usually throw in some drop sets here and there

 

[DjX18058]

Also some supersets once in awhile .sorry about not putting periods after each sentence I know that drives some people nuts and makes it harder to read

 

[Docd187123]

Is there a progression or plan to your chest workouts? It seems to be thrown together on the fly.

You do not need a spotter for a barbell bench press. You're not going to be working a max effort lift, unless you wanted to for some reason, and you shouldn't necessarily be going to failure. Bench press is one of the best compound movements to develop the whole upper body especially the chest and you're skipping it for an inferior lift in a a it machine press. I'd suggest dropping the weight some and going to the barbell not the smith machine. On e you get acclimated to it start going up in weight in moderate increments.

 

[DjX18058]

Is there a progression or plan to your chest workouts? It seems to be thrown together on the fly.

You do not need a spotter for a barbell bench press. You're not going to be working a max effort lift, unless you wanted to for some reason, and you shouldn't necessarily be going to failure. Bench press is one of the best compound movements to develop the whole upper body especially the chest and you're skipping it for an inferior lift in a a it machine press. I'd suggest dropping the weight some and going to the barbell not the smith machine. On e you get acclimated to it start going up in weight in moderate increments.

The progression and plan I guess u could say is to just keep adding weight as I get bigger and stronger which I have I've gone up about 50lbs on it since I started the cycle ...and alright I Will follow your recommendation with the Bench

 

[DjX18058]

I've always had a feeling my chest workouts were lacking something being that I don't get sore in the chest very often and every other muscle gets pretty sore the day after a workout

 

[Maxlass]

I've always had a feeling my chest workouts were lacking something being that I don't get sore in the chest very often and every other muscle gets pretty sore the day after a workout

I don't get sore after heavy sessions but rather with higher rep stuff but even then it's only mild. From what I keep reading soreness isn't really a good indicator of the effectiveness of a workout.

 

[DjX18058]

I don't get sore after heavy sessions but rather with higher rep stuff but even then it's only mild. From what I keep reading soreness isn't really a good indicator of the effectiveness of a workout.

Oh ok good that puts my mind at ease cuz I been getting pretty pissed off about not getting sore

 

[Docd187123]

Try working various rep ranges and intensities on barbell bench press. For example:

6x3 @ 80-85%
5x5 @ 70-75%
3-4x8 @ 65%

Do this as your first lift on chest day. you can switch it to later in the workout every now and then but understand fatigue built through your workout may not let you finish the sets and reps at the intensities I listed above those days.

Follow it up with your isolation and accessory lifts after that with lifts like incline barbell press, DB press, incline DB press, CG bench press, dips, floor presses, flys, etc. Do these lifts for 3-6 sets in the 8-12 rep range at an RPE of 8-9 meaning you could have done another 1-3 reps after you finish each set. The weight can change depending on the day but that's the beauty of using RPE. It allows you to tailor your workout to risky stresses.

Then after that if you want to use some machines like a pec deck or something do them for a few high rep burn out sets of 12-20 reps

 

[Maxlass]

Try working various rep ranges and intensities on barbell bench press. For example:

6x3 @ 80-85%
5x5 @ 70-75%
3-4x8 @ 65%

Do this as your first lift on chest day. you can switch it to later in the workout every now and then but understand fatigue built through your workout may not let you finish the sets and reps at the intensities I listed above those days.

Follow it up with your isolation and accessory lifts after that with lifts like incline barbell press, DB press, incline DB press, CG bench press, dips, floor presses, flys, etc. Do these lifts for 3-6 sets in the 8-12 rep range at an RPE of 8-9 meaning you could have done another 1-3 reps after you finish each set. The weight can change depending on the day but that's the beauty of using RPE. It allows you to tailor your workout to risky stresses.

Then after that if you want to use some machines like a pec deck or something do them for a few high rep burn out sets of 12-20 reps

Not wanting to hijack a thread but since yourself and WC are here thought I'd take advantage of it. My question is about elbow pain. I've been going great with strength increase in bench going from sets of 5 @ 100kg to 5x5 @ 120kg but my elbows are giving me grief. I dropped back to 100kg the other day and did sets of 10 but my right elbow was sore as Fuck afterwards. It's happened before and had to stay @ higher reps while they healed and massaged them everyday. I use good form but that doesn't seem to matter. Any tips on what I may be doing wrong or is this an inevitable side to lifting heavy?

 

[jJjburton]

Oh ok good that puts my mind at ease cuz I been getting pretty pissed off about not getting sore

Honestly. I think chest shouldn't be done with triceps. I do chest back, next day arms, next day legs. I feel Chest alone isn't the best either. But it would definatly focus your energy on chest. Other muscles get worked secondarily. Such as triceps and shoulders and back. But A Chest/back, or Chest/Shoulders Chest/ Biceps or Chest/legs(This one is a lot of exertion though). Might be better.

 

[Docd187123]

Not wanting to hijack a thread but since yourself and WC are here thought I'd take advantage of it. My question is about elbow pain. I've been going great with strength increase in bench going from sets of 5 @ 100kg to 5x5 @ 120kg but my elbows are giving me grief. I dropped back to 100kg the other day and did sets of 10 but my right elbow was sore as Fuck afterwards. It's happened before and had to stay @ higher reps while they healed and massaged them everyday. I use good form but that doesn't seem to matter. Any tips on what I may be doing wrong or is this an inevitable side to lifting heavy?

Is it actually your elbow, the joint itself, or they issue, ligaments, etc surrounding the elbow? Does the pain come from just below the elbow towards the forearm?

 

[Maxlass]

Is it actually your elbow, the joint itself, or they issue, ligaments, etc surrounding the elbow? Does the pain come from just below the elbow towards the forearm?

If I have my palm facing forward the pain comes from the outside and extends probably and inch or so up into the bottom of my bicep. Seems more joint related while lifting but ligament afterwards if that makes sense.

 

[Maxlass]

Is it actually your elbow, the joint itself, or they issue, ligaments, etc surrounding the elbow? Does the pain come from just below the elbow towards the forearm?

It is actually quite painful during squats as well due to the position of my elbows.