Weak Chest

[Crystal234]

Chest has always been my weak point due to not training enough but I've noticed lately that when I do go heavy on BB flat bench, my shoulders overcompensate for my weak chest muscles. I end up leaving the bench with a nice shoulder pump, lol.

Any tips on how to fix this?

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Preexhaust the chest with flyes whether it be incline or flat then move right in to presses. No rest

Inclines at 15°. Preferably dumbbells

Flat bench press isnt ever on my wo list. Flat dumbbell press is better

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

In all honesty if you havent been training them enough you just dont have a properly developed pectoral which means poor contractions. But rest assured their getting worked. If you want to get better at flat bench you need to do it more often but for BB purposes dumbbells are superior for working chest

 

[Crystal234]

Preexhaust the chest with flyes whether it be incline or flat then move right in to presses. No rest

Inclines at 15°. Preferably dumbbells

Flat bench press isnt ever on my wo list. Flat dumbbell press is better

Sweet. Thanks, Trukk. Will try this tomorrow.

 

[Crystal234]

In all honesty if you havent been training them enough you just dont have a properly developed pectoral which means poor contractions. But rest assured their getting worked. If you want to get better at flat bench you need to do it more often but for BB purposes dumbbells are superior for working chest

Makes sense. My back, shoulders and arms are very strong but I really lack in the chest department.

Like you said, it's hard to feel the contractions and I can feel it more in my shoulders.

 

[gr8whitetrukker]

Makes sense. My back, shoulders and arms are very strong but I really lack in the chest department.

Like you said, it's hard to feel the contractions and I can feel it more in my shoulders.

My wife says the same thing. More in the shoulders. We just keep the course. Shes in the beginner stages and i encourage her to build her dumbbell flat and incline bench up as she goes. Let the exercise cadence be slow on the negative and as powerful as you can make those handles move on the way up. If you cannot focus on these things. Take some weight off. Allow the pecs to "curl" in as you contract. I assume your training for BB goals? In that case contractions are key

 

[Perrin Aybara]

You might be bringing the bar down too high on your chest. I feel it in my shoulders when I do that.

 

[Crystal234]

You might be bringing the bar down too high on your chest. I feel it in my shoulders when I do that.

I do have a tendency to do that and have to keep reminding myself not to bring it down so high.

 

[G2Ready]

^^^ u already got some good advice up there.

Also consider a suicide grip, I don't use it often but keep it in tool bag----

With reg grip u have a tendency to "twist" wrist, forcing elbows out... and allowing for more shoulder stress---

I mainly use thumbless grip if my shoulder is acting up... and it doesn't create additional shoulder pain, so I believe it takes shoulders out a little. At least in my experience.

Good luck

Edit: with it being called suicide grip for a reason, maybe have a spot, or better yet don't do anything ur not comfortable with

 

[Mauricio]

try drop sets, its helped me grow a lot

 

[Docd187123]

Chest has always been my weak point due to not training enough but I've noticed lately that when I do go heavy on BB flat bench, my shoulders overcompensate for my weak chest muscles. I end up leaving the bench with a nice shoulder pump, lol.

Any tips on how to fix this?

Or it could mean your shoulders are a weak point in your bench press.

 

[Halfthor]

^^^ u already got some good advice up there.

Also consider a suicide grip, I don't use it often but keep it in tool bag----

With reg grip u have a tendency to "twist" wrist, forcing elbows out... and allowing for more shoulder stress---

I mainly use thumbless grip if my shoulder is acting up... and it doesn't create additional shoulder pain, so I believe it takes shoulders out a little. At least in my experience.

Good luck

Edit: with it being called suicide grip for a reason, maybe have a spot, or better yet don't do anything ur not comfortable with

Used suicide grip forever until last week was on my first set with 315 and the bar rolled right off my palm. Almost ate it in the teeth no spotter. Scared the shit out of me me. Had to go sit in the corner and let my balls drop back down.

 

[G2Ready]

Used suicide grip forever until last week was on my first set with 315 and the bar rolled right off my palm. Almost ate it in the teeth no spotter. Scared the shit out of me me. Had to go sit in the corner and let my balls drop back down.

Yeah I'm lucky I'm more powerful with reg grip, and I'm not in power lifting competing-- so I only use it for slow, low weight controlled reps..... a lot of people have went down from it, but hell Arnold does it never dropped on bench... but I've dropped weight on chest from doing skull crushers, no bueno

 

[Halfthor]

I find that I just need wrist wraps sometimes when I wrap my thumb and going heavy