Chest workout question

My chest routine is as follows

Incline bench 4 sets
Bench 4 sets
Dips 4 sets
incline flies 4 sets

I have always had a flat chest and wide shoulders. I broke my collar bone about 15 years ago and when i bench i have to really focus on keeping my left shoulder planted on the bench, it has a tendency to roll forward.

I would like to build my upper chest thickness and width.
I have been doing dips for lower chest, is there something better that i can be doing instead of dips, because the problem i'm running into now is this. I'm using my body weight plus 35-50lbs and i cant keep my left shoulder back, it rolls forward and it hurts. When i'm doing dips for chest i keep my chest out and lean forward and try to keep my elbows out, is this the correct technique?

Thanks for any help!

You have an ideal chest routine IMO. Same as I do except I don't do incline and just do flat flyes.

Thats the right way to do dips for chest, but if its hurts maybe you would like to do decline bench for the lower pec.

Flat bench works both the bottom and top pec to the same intensity but if you are lagging in the upper pec you can build upper chest thickness slightly better by doing incline benches, as you already are.

So maybe just switch dips for decline bench. I've stretched my right shoulder to hell from an arm wrestling injury (huge range of motion in one plane but not the other!!!) and it too gives me pain when doing dips especially since I've now reached 45lbs like you. But, its just about alright for me to continue with them. Hope this helps...

Side note: kaptainkeezy04, is this still too technical for ya?? :lol: j/k

Quote:

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Originally Posted by Flexor

You have an ideal chest routine IMO. Same as I do except I don't do incline and just do flat flyes.

Thats the right way to do dips for chest, but if its hurts maybe you would like to do decline bench for the lower pec.

Flat bench works both the bottom and top pec to the same intensity but if you are lagging in the upper pec you can build upper chest thickness slightly better by doing incline benches, as you already are.

So maybe just switch dips for decline bench. I've stretched my right shoulder to hell from an arm wrestling injury (huge range of motion in one plane but not the other!!!) and it too gives me pain when doing dips especially since I've now reached 45lbs like you. But, its just about alright for me to continue with them. Hope this helps...

Side note: kaptainkeezy04, is this still too technical for ya?? :lol: j/k

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I appreciate the reply bro, i may try decline. I never liked that movement for some reason, but it may be worth a shot.

Would switching to db exercise be better than bb?

Quote:

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Originally Posted by G-13

I appreciate the reply bro, i may try decline. I never liked that movement for some reason, but it may be worth a shot.

Would switching to db exercise be better than bb?

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That would usually be a good idea but dumbells are less stable and you might find it a lot harder to keep your left shoulder from rolling forward. The range of motion is higher so it would probably be worse. My right shoulder goes so far behind my back with dumbells I'm sure its not good.

About decline, yah I know you mean about never liking it. It feels like my elbows are being forced un-naturally. But you could just do a slight decline, perhaps try some pullovers for the lower pec. Can't use the same mass though for pullovers, and that is why benching is so good but it would be a change from your routine.

Hope that helps, good luck