Better Chest Development

Bigger Stronger Leaner Competitive Bodybuilding
1

I will be bulking again (until I gain about 30-40lbs more, then I’ll see where I want to go from there), currently 207lbs (single digit bodyfat), 6 feet tall.

However, just looking for better exercise selection for chest. I’ve been obsessing over BB bench press most of my training. My triceps tend to take much of the movement with the BB bench press (so chest is somewhat lagging). I would like to develop my chest at the same sort of rate my back grows at - that’s not unreasonable is it? lol

I know it will grow when I bulk, but I think it could do with a little more specialisation compared to other muscle groups. I’m guessing that I should add dumbbell movements yeah? Should I replace the BB, or alternate, or just supplement the BB with DB’s?

Bench currently = 300lbs

Just looking for feedback before I jump in with both feet LOL

2

I vote use some DBs. My chest was never better when I supplemented DB’s for my chest. I mainly used them for incline press and got some pretty great results.

3

I used to bench a lot more than I do now, but I think I can honestly say that I look better now. Since abandoning Flat BB as the be-all-end-all of chest training, and intelligently using DB’s, different angles, and figuring out where cables can actually fit in and help, I think I’ve developed a much more well-rounded overall pectoral area.

Obviously BB work has it’s place, and even if you alternate every week (ie. flat BB and inc DB one week, then flat DB and inc BB then next), it will be something you’re unaccustomed to.

S

4

I’ve always been scared of loosing strength in the BB bench press…I guess that’s the reason why I’ve been fearful of “adventuring”…although the I’m bodybuilding, the ‘powerlifter’ within me won’t let me give it up lol

It makes me wonder whether alternating the DB and BB will lead to stagnation in strength (i.e. only doing the BB bench press every 8 or 9 days) because, although the target muscle is being strengthened each time, it’s not the same plane of motion?

If I alternated it would be something like

Mon: BB
Fri: DB
Wed: BB
Mon: DB

etc

5

I prefer low incline db press and HS flat press with a medium grip. Cable flys on a bench or standing are rotated into my routine also. I also do neck presses in the smith with a 45+ degree high incline.

Focusing on the contraction is of utmost importance for people whos triceps and front delts do a lot of work in pressing. Cut down on the top 1/3 of the ROM if you need to. Constant tension will stress the muscle better than locking out.

edit

You’re going to train chest 3 times in 5 days? Explain

6

I like floor presses. BB, DB, and even loading up the smith machine from time to time are nice changes in the chest routine.

btw bonez, diggin the seasonal avatar.

7

Thanks Bonez, I’ll have to try out the neck presses in the Smith sometime. Also, very good point on the cutting out the ROM if needed, a lot of people overlook that (OMGZ must do full ROM!~1!!!1!)

8
  1. HS or similar machines
  2. DB’s
  3. Paused bench (off the pins a few inches off the chest if your shoulders don’t like the very bottom part of the ROM)
9

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
You’re going to train chest 3 times in 5 days? Explain[/quote]

It’s not mon/wed/fri/mon

it’s

mon/fri/wed/mon

lol, I know it looks the same but it’s not. It’s the equivalent of doing chest every 4 or 5 days.

10

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:

  1. HS or similar machines
  2. DB’s
  3. Paused bench (off the pins a few inches off the chest if your shoulders don’t like the very bottom part of the ROM)

[/quote]

If only I had the smith machine and variants at home :frowning:

Looks like DB’s it is then (and maybe partial benching)

Can anyone enlighten me (before I try it) whether alternating DB’s/BB will lead to loss of strength in BB bench press due to using different neural pathways etc?

11

[quote]its_just_me wrote:
Can anyone enlighten me (before I try it) whether alternating DB’s/BB will lead to loss of strength in BB bench press due to using different neural pathways etc?[/quote]

Even if that was true, would it matter? You said you wanted better chest development, not a better BB bench.

12

Its_just_me, if I see you post another question on here before you’ve reached 230lb of bodyweight, I am going to feed you to my dogs.

13

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Its_just_me, if I see you post another question on here before you’ve reached 230lb of bodyweight, I am going to feed you to my dogs.

[/quote]

Can you just do it anyway?

14

If being so concerned over how much you bench has kept you unhappy with your physical progress (appearance wise), then why would you stikc with it so long… If you’re a powerlifter, then be concerned with numbers. If you’re training for asthetics, then numbers be damned (except as a indicator of weekly progress)

S

15

[quote]its_just_me wrote:

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:

  1. HS or similar machines
  2. DB’s
  3. Paused bench (off the pins a few inches off the chest if your shoulders don’t like the very bottom part of the ROM)

[/quote]

If only I had the smith machine and variants at home :frowning:

Looks like DB’s it is then (and maybe partial benching)

Can anyone enlighten me (before I try it) whether alternating DB’s/BB will lead to loss of strength in BB bench press due to using different neural pathways etc?[/quote]

Why would it lead to a loss of strength in the bench press if you alternated between DB’s and BB? If you stopped doing BB altogether for an extended period of time you might experience a slight loss in strength when you eventually went back to it, but that’d likely be due to a lack of practice, and you’d probably surpass your previous numbers pretty quickly. You’re only talking about having a 9 day period between repeating BB bench.

For example, if you take a look at a program like DC, you’ll see that they alternate between 3 exercises for each muscle group (repeating the same exercise every 2 weeks) and they are usually able to increase either weight or reps every time they repeat the same exercise. You’re only talking about alternating between 2.

16

[quote]its_just_me wrote:

[quote]BONEZ217 wrote:
You’re going to train chest 3 times in 5 days? Explain[/quote]

It’s not mon/wed/fri/mon

it’s

mon/fri/wed/mon

lol, I know it looks the same but it’s not. It’s the equivalent of doing chest every 4 or 5 days.[/quote]

I read that wrong, sorry

17

HS iso wide-chest

18

Thing that made biggest difference for my chest is making sure to get a good stretch at the bottom of whatever movement I am doing (and obviously getting stronger at it - but my delts were doing the large part of my chest work for a long time).

I mean I really don’t think there’s some big secret to chest growth… it’s just, IME, one of the harder muscle groups to get mind-muscle with and make sure its doing the brunt of the work.

19

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:
Its_just_me, if I see you post another question on here before you’ve reached 230lb of bodyweight, I am going to feed you to my dogs.

[/quote]

Haha…nae long then aye?

It would be better to feed me to them when I’m 230lbs - more to eat :wink:

20

Did my first dumbbell workout on Wednesday. Chest was “killing me”, along with muscles in my forearms, (as I expected from getting a good stretch and doing something new). Got that delayed onset muscle soreness thingy, still a bit sore now! Definitely a fan of DB benching now - totally hits the pecs well (they felt miles more pumped than normal).

After warmup/ramping (or whatever other fancy name you want to call it) I put 100lbs on each bar (got those crappy DIY screw on DB’s - not sure how heavy bars are, probably about 5lbs or so)…and was thinking initially, “this will be a peace of cake/easy” since I do about 70lbs more on the barbell bench press when totalling the DB’s…

…then the next minute, I knew things weren’t quite going to be all that easy when my brother handed me one of the DB’s (haven’t got the technique of hoisting these cheap bulky/pointy things up yet)…I nearly fell off the side of the bench! It didn’t really help with the fact that my bench is cheap and wobbly (another investment for me to make).

For incline and flat bench I did 2 sets each (e.g. flat banch I did 6 for first one, then went down to ~90lbs and did another 6)

[quote]Sentoguy wrote:

[quote]its_just_me wrote:

[quote]Cephalic_Carnage wrote:

  1. HS or similar machines
  2. DB’s
  3. Paused bench (off the pins a few inches off the chest if your shoulders don’t like the very bottom part of the ROM)

[/quote]

If only I had the smith machine and variants at home :frowning:

Looks like DB’s it is then (and maybe partial benching)

Can anyone enlighten me (before I try it) whether alternating DB’s/BB will lead to loss of strength in BB bench press due to using different neural pathways etc?[/quote]

Why would it lead to a loss of strength in the bench press if you alternated between DB’s and BB? If you stopped doing BB altogether for an extended period of time you might experience a slight loss in strength when you eventually went back to it, but that’d likely be due to a lack of practice, and you’d probably surpass your previous numbers pretty quickly. You’re only talking about having a 9 day period between repeating BB bench.

For example, if you take a look at a program like DC, you’ll see that they alternate between 3 exercises for each muscle group (repeating the same exercise every 2 weeks) and they are usually able to increase either weight or reps every time they repeat the same exercise. You’re only talking about alternating between 2.[/quote]

Yeah, was getting my head around it LOL. I understand :slight_smile: