how i drastically improved my chest!

**kaptainkeezy04** · 03-12-2006, 11:05 PM

my chest was once my weakest bodypart and obviously lagging behind the rest. after 5 months of trying all sorts of different things, i have finally found routines that work great for me. here it goes...

So i first of decided that i would hit my chest twice a week...one heavy day, straight sets, all free weights, and one light chest day 3 or 4 days later with mostly machines, high reps, and a lot of squeezing at the top of the movement...this worked at first because it shocked my body but results only came the first couple of weeks and then it seemed as though my chest was starting to flatten out and atrophying.

next plan of action...

one day a week heavy weights lots of barbell exercises...THIS DIDNT DO A DAMN THING FOR MY CHEST...i started out with incline press, then went to flat benchpress, then decline, then machine flyes. why didnt this work? when you do incline presses (or hell even flat bench presses), do you feel your chest actually does most of the work or your tris and delts? and are you ever scared of the fact that there is a huge ass bar hovering over you and you better be able to get that shit up because if you dont you are fvcked! its like you can hardly concentrate on ACTUALLY working the pectoral muscles. you are pushing straight up with your arms spread apart and not actually able to bring them together to squeeze the chest. this brought nothing to me except bigger frontal deltoids.

the final solution...

one day a week moderate-heavy weights...the routine switches up week to week but mostly it is 3 dumbell exercises and 1 machine exercise, or 2 dumbell exercises, 1 barbell exercise, 1 machine exercise...i wanted my new routine to completely eliminate involving my tris and delts and actually feel the chest doing the work...okay so i realize that no matter what you do, your delts are still gonna be doin some work...here are some example routines...

2 warmup sets 15-20 reps dumbell presses
3 working sets 8-12 reps dumbell presses
3 working sets 8-12 reps incline flyes
3 working sets 8-12 reps cable crossovers
3 working sets 8-12 reps flat bench dumbell flyes

2 warmup sets 15-20 reps flat bench flyes
3 working sets 8-12 reps flat bench flyes
3 working sets 8-12 reps incline machine press (most preferably one that brings your hands together at the top of the movement)
3 working sets decline dumbell presses (a personal favorite)
3 working sets flat bench dumbell presses

2 warmup sets 15-20 reps flat bench press
3 working sets 8-12 reps flat bench press(slow slow slow...get the mind-muscle connection...grab someone to spot you so you can REALLY focus on the chest doing the work and not about a bar loaded with plates that you better get up ASAP!)
3 working sets 8-12 reps (one of the mentioned incline chest exercises above)
3 working sets 8-12 reps decline bench press (apply same advice from flat bench press)
3 working sets 8-12 reps chest press

now of course you do not want to always be doing 8-12 straight reps. switch up your rep scheme ever now and then and do drop sets, giant sets, or even superset upper chest exercise with lower chest exercises. what i love about these routines is that almost all the exercises focus on bringing the hands together and being able to squeeze at the top of the movement and you are never worried about getting the weight up because you will be in danger if you dont. you are more focused on the contraction and squeezing of the chest the entire time..this program has brought my chest a lot of compliments from friends and people at my gym. i hope this can bring you great success too...thanks for taking the time to read.

**Liftnainez** · 03-13-2006, 02:11 PM

good job on your chest growth bro.. my chest has always been the lagging bodypart for me as well.. I started to do incline DB's first and it seemed to have helped a bit.. but i am def going to utilize some of the tactics you used.. thanks alot for the post and keep growing bro!!

**kaptainkeezy04** · 03-13-2006, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by Liftnainez

good job on your chest growth bro.. my chest has always been the lagging bodypart for me as well.. I started to do incline DB's first and it seemed to have helped a bit.. but i am def going to utilize some of the tactics you used.. thanks alot for the post and keep growing bro!!

try it out man...i truly believe it can do some great things to your chest.

**Liftnainez** · 03-13-2006, 02:30 PM

when i try it i will keep you updated with my results.. thanks again

**novastepp** · 03-13-2006, 06:52 PM

well i have to admit i am up for the keezy challenge. my chest makes me a very patient person due to the length of time it takes to grow. i can get stronger but it does not accompany size. so after my current 4 week routine, i am going to use your ideas here and implement them. i never used the squeeze motions and isolation exercises much so i think this could be what i've been looking for. thanks Kap'n...nOva

**kaptainkeezy04** · 03-13-2006, 08:28 PM

Originally Posted by novastepp

well i have to admit i am up for the keezy challenge. my chest makes me a very patient person due to the length of time it takes to grow. i can get stronger but it does not accompany size. so after my current 4 week routine, i am going to use your ideas here and implement them. i never used the squeeze motions and isolation exercises much so i think this could be what i've been looking for. thanks Kap'n...nOva

no prob bro...give it one month and you should start to notice obvious improvents.