Ok, just a real fast question, I tried to look for it in the archives. Whats better for getting chest mass… Barbell, dumbell, or flys… and why? Thanks for your help
Barbell Bench press is more of a Tri/delt exercise; Flyes are not a compound movement, so i would have to say DB press since you get a much better stretch in your chest.
Short answer, all of the above are important to chest development. Use all 3 lifts in different position (incline, decline, etc.), throw in dips and push-ups and you have hit everything you can with the chest. Also make sure to eat up or you’ll never gain any size anywhere. Here’s what I suggest, start with a barbell press at some angle (incline, decline, flat). Do a few sets at 4-6 reps per set. Move on to db press at some different angle and do a few sets at 8-12 reps. Finally, move on to db flyes at a different angle and do a few sets of 8-12 reps. Repeat weekly or twice a week, eat a lot and your chest will grow.
My chest routine looks like this…3x10 sets wide grip BP…3x10 sets incline dumbell press…3x10 sets decline dumbell press…1x10 set flat dumbell flys. it is important to do the flys while you are pumped to really stretch the muscles. I used to have nothing in the ways of chest until I started this program about 3 months ago but now it has grown considerably. one month = 5 reps per set…next month = 10 reps per set. Utilize all of them for good developement. people like Ron Harris don’t even do barbell press and look at that guys chest, it’s freakin huge. There is no simple answer.
What has always worked for me is a both bench presses and incline dumbbell presses. Always have seen results when I base my chest routine around these exercises.
My opinion was with the underdawg…dumbbell bench incorporates more stabilizer muscles than barbell…i think its good to mix it up…i like to do incline 2sets of 6, dips 2 sets of 8, dumbbell bench 2 sets of 10…next workout dumbbell bench 2 sets of 6, incline 3 sets of 10, decline flys 2 sets of 12…good to do a wide range of FREE WEIGHT exercises…if you throw a swiss ball in there you get even more benefits by incorporating more stablizer muscles.
hit the chest with full motion and stretch from all angles. that means dumbells all they way down and flyesto the full stretch position. good luck, laters pk
Bill Star recommends the incline bench press (barbell or dumbbell) for the best chest, shoulder and triceps development. He mentions that your incline strength carries over to the flat bench. Also, he says that doing incline benches as your main exercise will develop a full chest that will not appear droopy. As flat benches tend to give a droopy look to the pecs. So work on the incline benches!
I prefer Berardi’s heavy fork/spoon lifts to the mouth for all my mass gaining. I do about six or seven sets per day spread out at 2-3 hour intervals. The weight of the fork or spoon determines the number of reps like with all my lifts. I actually have a lucky spoon that I carry around with me at work. Looks pretty nasty after a set of cottage cheese lifts to the mouth when I don’t get a chance for a finisher set of Spoon-cleans.
Sorry, bro, I know you wanted a serious answer, but I’m in a sarcastic mood today.