Chest development question

[wizard55]

Hey guys for some reason I can't get that rounded shape at the bottom of my pecs. It's basically the line that separates your chest from your abs. I am 12% bf right now so I don't really know what the issue is.

[F4iGuy]

What is your chest routine

[wizard55]

usually consists of incline dumbbell press, dumbbell flat, cable pull overs, dips..this isn't my solid routine I alternate exercises every week and I change from dumbbell to barbell sometimes however, I do not incorporate any decline movements..Could that be a reason?

[vanrosenberg]

Whats your upper chest look like? is it poking out?

Please show your exact routine.. how many sets.. reps etc.

also may not sound good but genetics plays a part as well

[F4iGuy]

If your goal is mass and you're training chest 1 time each week try alternating these two routines for chest:

Decline Barbell Bench sets:4 reps: 4-6, 8-10, 8-10, 12-15
Incline Smith Bench sets: 4 reps: 8-10
Flat dumbell flyes: sets: 4 reps: 8-10

Flat Dumbell Bench:4 reps: 4-6, 8-10, 8-10, 12-15
Incline Dumbell Beach: 4 reps: 8-10
Flat dumbell flyes: sets: 4 reps: 8-10

Do this for 4 weeks alternating each routine then switch it up. Lower the volume a bit for a week or two then hit it again.

[Reed]

Also you HAVE to focus in on your form to add muscle to that chest. Too many bounce the bar

Try to keep your front delts and triceps out of the movement as much as possible.

There are two type of benchers those with long arms and those with short arms. People with short arms are able to develop chest much more quickly than those with long arms that really have to focus in on isolating their chest

Focus in on the muscle more than the weight, contract, use flyes for that stretch!

[tonyz 716]

I've never had a problem with chest development and I think a major reason is that from the beginning I was given a simple but effective routine which is:

Flat bench press
Incline Press
Incline Dumbell Press
Flat Bench Dumbell Press
That routine always gave me results so I pretty much always went back to it at one point or another alternating it with Arnold's classic routine which I'm sure everyone knows:

Bench Press
Incline Press
Weighted Dips(tuck your chin to your chest and lean forward)
Flat Bench Fly
Really either routine should give you the results you're looking for because they both give the lower pecs plenty of work. Personally I like to do two different incline movements because that is what makes your chest stand out, I also always include a fly but my goals are different these days. I think crossbench dumbell pullovers are a good move to finish with but cable pullovers are more for back so I would definitely drop them or switch.

[wizard55]

thanks for all the replies guys! My chest workout usually consists of 12 sets. 3 sets per exercise with 4 exercises.

vanrosenberg my upper chest is not poking out.

f4iguy shouldn't I start out doing more reps in the beginning of my exercise and less reps as I add more weight?

[thai-lan]

I've never had a problem with chest development and I think a major reason is that from the beginning I was given a simple but effective routine which is:

Flat bench press
Incline Press
Incline Dumbell Press
Flat Bench Dumbell Press
That routine always gave me results so I pretty much always went back to it at one point or another alternating it with Arnold's classic routine which I'm sure everyone knows:

Bench Press
Incline Press
Weighted Dips(tuck your chin to your chest and lean forward)
Flat Bench Fly
Really either routine should give you the results you're looking for because they both give the lower pecs plenty of work. Personally I like to do two different incline movements because that is what makes your chest stand out, I also always include a fly but my goals are different these days. I think crossbench dumbell pullovers are a good move to finish with but cable pullovers are more for back so I would definitely drop them or switch.

i like doing incline before bench because of to me its easier to do bench than incline so whatever weight i use for incline press i can also bench press it but if i bench press first , there is no way i could use the same weight for incline press...

And why would you do barbell incline/bench then dumbell incline/bench back to back?

[Undercover]

Also you HAVE to focus in on your form to add muscle to that chest. Too many bounce the bar

Try to keep your front delts and triceps out of the movement as much as possible.

There are two type of benchers those with long arms and those with short arms. People with short arms are able to develop chest much more quickly than those with long arms that really have to focus in on isolating their chest

Focus in on the muscle more than the weight, contract, use flyes for that stretch!

I have the longest arms and of course chest development problems. I know it's bad form, do you have any tips you can give me for that? Like how to exactly keep my delts and triceps out of the equation.

Here's a sample of my workout:

Incline dumbbell press (alternate with barbell) 3 x 4-6, 6-8, 6-8, 6-8
Flat DB 3 sets
Dips 3
DB Flyes 3

Is 12 sets too much for chest?

[tonyz 716]

I guess it's a matter of preference I always get a good pump from doing flat benches plus when I tried doing inclines first i felt like my shoulders weren't warm enough yet and i was going to injure myself. The two inclines back to back are just something i've always done that way. As the workout progresses your strength starts to fade so if I were to split them up and moved the dumbell inclines(or hammer inclines) to last then I would have to use less weight. Now if I switch it up and do either dips, declines or a flat press as my third exercise I would do either incline flies or low cable crossovers for upper chest so in that case I finish with the incline. Interesting question I actually never thought of that.

[weightslinger]

Always work your weak areas first! You want lower then start of with decline barbell, then hit your incline, then hit some flyes followed up with flat bench for a great pump! Or you could do flat bench before the flyes. Either way you should be in for some growing. Also don't be afraid to do more than 4 sets for any exercise you feel benefits the particular area you want to grow. I commonly do up to 7 sets for any exercise that I feel benefits that lagging body part and then move on to the next. Dumbell pullovers, decline barbell, decline dumbells, dips all work the lower chest. Flat bench movements are close to it though so just play around with some routines. Also factor in your experience level and work ethic to gauge amount of total volume you can handle.

[weightslinger]

heck no, I've had success with as much as 19! High volume works for me!

[skolapper]

Is rate of development of power of movement influenced much by absolute strength I dont have book to look it up.

So if I squat with whatever 500N, but squat with 200N in 0.15 seconds, can I develop ability to squat with 300N in 0.15 seconds quicker than someone with 400N squat, if that makes sense?