Favorite Chest Iso?

Training Bodybuilding
21

Wow,I used to think I was some kinda freak or I was doing something wrong,but it seems individual biomechanics and genetics count for something here.

I always feel bench presses work my shoulders and arms more,regardless of angle.
Flyes with cables or dumbells don’t seem to do it for me,despite experimenting with tempo,sets,reps,negatives,maximal contraction,etc.

I have experimented with so many different chest exercises because it appears to be my weakest link.
I noticed strength gains with many but not major size gains.

With regards to size,the three that seem to really stimulate the pecs and give me size and a ‘pump’ are-

Swiss ball push ups (feet raised on a bench,doing push ups with both hands on the ball)

Plyometric push ups (explosively pushing up from the floor,clap hands together,then control the catch,lower and repeat)

Spiderman push ups (feet raised on bench,bring one knee up to touch elbow on same side as you lower,then return and alternate.MUST BE CONTROLLED)

The pump I get with the spiderman push ups is better than any other exercise I have ever tried for my chest.seriously-I think they are very underrated and after trying them out a few times,was surprised they don’t ‘get around much’_

I mean I have only seen them in two articles/books everone was in Men’s Health magazine,one was on T-Nation-and even that one was about different types of push ups! I get a real pump on my shoulders too(really hits the shoulders,due to increased range of motion) both of which last for days.If you find it too easy,go a bit slower.

22

try this

a1: db flyes
a2: full range of motion feet elevated pushups
a3: dips
a4: incline db press

perform flyes slowly for like 12 reps, but to failure
this will prefatigue your muscles

if that doesn’t work just do db flyes on a different workout day in between EVERY SET for that day.

23

I would definitely throw my vote in for the pec deck - the old fashioned kind using handles, instead of elbow pads.

The form I’ve found to be the best is basically normal benching form - chest out, shoulders back, arched back. Putting the seat up as high up as it will go, leading BACK with the elbows rather than letting them casually point in any direction, i have found, takes the stretch and pull off of my shoulders and biceps and puts it right onto my chest.

Focusing on the stretch for a count, and the squeeze at the end, not letting your shoulders roll forward or your back flatten out.

24

And at what height would you have the plane of movement of your arms be in?

Right across the mid chest?

I think I get the best pump when the bottom of my fists align with the bottom of my pecs or even the top of my fists with the bottom of my pecs, if that makes sense. Then, it feels more like a properly executed cable cross-over, which I can usually feel.

25

I would agree that it should arc around the mid chest, and I would also add that some people have trouble because they have the handles set at mid chest level but aren’t arching their backs, or they then arch their back and now the handles are coming back up at shoulder level.

They end up getting the stretch in the wrong place or complaining that it hurts their joints.

That’s why I say it makes a difference putting the seat up to the highest level, so that by the time your shoulders are back and your back is arched, the handles should be at mid-to-lower chest level going back.

26

I just tried it like that and felt it much better this time.

I think since I my shoulders are ‘rounded’ forward - from sitting at a computer all day - I have a tendency to roll them forward during such a movement, so my anterior delt head picks up some of the work. I need to outsource the effort more to my chest where it belongs.

Still came home and did 4x10 narrow stance pushups on my pushup bars.

I think pullovers are phenomenal for this exact reason; shoulder and tris are far less likely to be involved.

27

OK …

Decline DB Flyes… these give one the full ROM in relation to tension.

On most DB fly moves, the tension drops at the top of the movement. However on these you get a good tension at the top of the movement too - in fact, when i added these and then went back to flat flyes i found i now have the proprioception/mind-muscle connection to enable me to get tension during the full ROM on the flat too!

Love it!

JJ