upper chest...slouching...

**DaGCHILD** · 10-10-2005, 02:32 AM

ok, no matter what i do, i cant seem to get my upper chest to develop....so i was wondering could slouching be a cause? i do not have good posture and slouch causing my shoulders to lean forward. Does anyone know if this could be the cause of my upper chest bascially being non-existent? It seems logical to me because due to my posture, when i bench, my chest sort of caves in....anyone have any input on this i know its kinda of a weird question....thanks

**JasperJ** · 10-10-2005, 10:35 AM

Upper chest is one of the hardest areas to reach. It took a long time to figure out how to train them well. Now people come up to me in the gym sometimes and ask what I do for upper chest. Slouching shouldn't be a problem if you're using proper form. Here are some tips that worked for me.

1-Use dumbells, they give you greater range of motion and allow you to isolate more easily.

2-Feel the muscles in your upper chest working. This means concentrating. If you can't feel them doing the work, don't bother trying to improve them. That usually means slowing way down, which may mean you'll have to drop the weight you're using a bit to compensate. It is worth it.

3-Use incline on various levels. Most benches have settings from 1-5. 5 being straight up. Use 1 and 2. Put a plate underneath the bench to get additional angles.

4- Use a full range of motion, especially on lower part of the movement. You can go much lower with dumbells so take advatage of it and get the full stretch out of it.

5- Only work upper chest. This is a sacrifice, but the results will start to pay off when your chest looks more like a man's chest than a pair of tits.

**Flexor** · 10-10-2005, 11:20 AM

Originally Posted by JasperJ

Upper chest is one of the hardest areas to reach. It took a long time to figure out how to train them well. Now people come up to me in the gym sometimes and ask what I do for upper chest. Slouching shouldn't be a problem if you're using proper form. Here are some tips that worked for me.

1-Use dumbells, they give you greater range of motion and allow you to isolate more easily.

2-Feel the muscles in your upper chest working. This means concentrating. If you can't feel them doing the work, don't bother trying to improve them. That usually means slowing way down, which may mean you'll have to drop the weight you're using a bit to compensate. It is worth it.

3-Use incline on various levels. Most benches have settings from 1-5. 5 being straight up. Use 1 and 2. Put a plate underneath the bench to get additional angles.

4- Use a full range of motion, especially on lower part of the movement. You can go much lower with dumbells so take advatage of it and get the full stretch out of it.

5- Only work upper chest. This is a sacrifice, but the results will start to pay off when your chest looks more like a man's chest than a pair of tits.

That's all good advice which will help your lower chest grow as well.

But as I say on a regular basis, your upper chest is lagging because of genetics. You aren't doing anything wrong because the upper chest is worked just as much as the lower chest in benching. My upper chest is equal to my lower chest even though I've never touched an incline bench. Incline brings the shoulders into play but it should help you achieve your goal.

**DaGCHILD** · 10-10-2005, 02:23 PM

thanks for the tips....at this point i feel like flexor is right, i guess i dont have an upper chest gene lol i have friends also who have NEVER lifted weights and have a perfect chest...i dont know what else to do.....i;ve done and tried every exericse there is, even tried doing the neck/throat press. I guess i just gotta keep trying.

**Flexor** · 10-10-2005, 03:25 PM

Originally Posted by DaGCHILD

even tried doing the neck/throat press. I guess i just gotta keep trying.

The fabled guillotine press, good in principle but in practise it feels horrible. What you can do is just lower the bar a few inches above your nipples with a wide grip without going fully to the neck and that way its more comfortable. That hits the upper chest without working the shoulders too much, so its more effective at isolating the chest whilst the incline doesn't isolate.

Don't worry too much man, I've got no inner chest part because of my genetics. But I've noticed that slowly just through working it normally, the inner portion has started to catch up. What your doing already is great and that is all you can do, and know that you are trying your best.

**JasperJ** · 10-11-2005, 12:24 AM

Originally Posted by Flexor

That's all good advice which will help your lower chest grow as well.

But as I say on a regular basis, your upper chest is lagging because of genetics.

My upper chest was lagging for over two years untill I changed my rountine. If someone were to look at me then they would have said this guy has bad genetics for his upper chest.

Feel the muscle working and it will grow.

**Flexor** · 10-11-2005, 08:07 AM

Originally Posted by JasperJ

My upper chest was lagging for over two years untill I changed my rountine. If someone were to look at me then they would have said this guy has bad genetics for his upper chest.

Feel the muscle working and it will grow.

The upper chest and the inner portion of both upper and bottom is always slow to develop but in time it comes with most people. I'm not saying that if someone has no upper chest that is just genetics, because its likely that they are not nearing full development of the muscles. Full development means genetic shape.

Changing the routine means you get better development, but if that person doesn't get the shape they want even then? Then its tough, thats the way it is.

In the meantime, flex