Three-quarter movements for chest

[jc95605]

I was curious to see what you guys think of doing benchpress three-quarters of the way up, "three-quarters" method. I was reading Arnold's book and he says that this method provides mass and strength and gives you a hard dense look. What are your guys' experiences with it? What you think?

[stevey_6t9]

Im a HUGE fan of the three quarters, i do it for all bench and dumbell pressing movements. Great for keeping the tension on the muscle and not locking out.

The top quarter of the movement is mostly triceps anyway i feel.

[jc95605]

What were your results? How long did you use this style of program?

[jc95605]

Did you get mostly strength, size, or was it both? Was your chest looking "full and hard?" I'm reading Arnold's book and he's saying that when he tried three-quarter movements that he got a real full, dense, hard look from his chest. Also strength was went up considerably.

[stevey_6t9]

Did you get mostly strength, size, or was it both? Was your chest looking "full and hard?" I'm reading Arnold's book and he's saying that when he tried three-quarter movements that he got a real full, dense, hard look from his chest. Also strength was went up considerably.

Goth strength and size. Whilst i did change my style to 3/4 movement at the start of my first test cycle, i went up a good 30lbs each hand on the dumbells and got some nice shape and fullness.

[jc95605]

I'm assuming that you were talking about barbell bench? Thanks for for telling me your results. Anybody else?

[stevey_6t9]

I'm assuming that you were talking about barbell bench? Thanks for for telling me your results. Anybody else?

nah dumbells mate. went from 90lbs to 120's.

[The_Irish_Dave]

If you want your muscles and bones used to lifting heavy you have to do partial reps. These are only an assisted exercise though. You can do them after your regular lifts or a few days after. It's a good way to increase weights. With dumbbells it's harder of course because you have to lift a very heavy weight up to begin with so I don't know about doing it with them so much. Try it on the floor and not on a bench at least then you don't have to lift them up so high and drop them so much. It would be easier too for someone to hand them to you if you are lower down or help you out that way.

[morty]

I was getting good results fro 3/4 reps on the bench but never tried it with the dumbbells. Strength was increasing fast

[BigJuice777]

I agree with most. The last 1/4 doesn't really feel like it even hits the chest. Plus this keeps constant tension on the muscle. Slow and controlled down.... Quick going up to 3/4... then back down. Works great for me

[stevey_6t9]

I agree with most. The last 1/4 doesn't really feel like it even hits the chest. Plus this keeps constant tension on the muscle. Slow and controlled down.... Quick going up to 3/4... then back down. Works great for me

im stevey_6t9, and i approve this.

[zaggahamma]

so these 3/4's are done with heavier weight than you can normally do to the top but you go 3/4 up with a spotter?

[FireGuy]

^^No, I think you will find you have to lighten the weight if anything.

[zaggahamma]

^^No, I think you will find you have to lighten the weight if anything.

but yet it will cause hypertrophy and strength gain? but correct you go up 3/4 long before lock out? and usual reps for thes are 10 as well? do you pros mix these up with regular press to activate different fibers? sorry if been asked b4

[baseline_9]

I dont do these

I prefer full ROM on most exercises, including presses

The bench press is a compound movement, lets keep it tht way IMO

[FireGuy]

You are not changing the fact it is still a compound movement, you are just maintaining tension on the target muscle. Remember, by stopping at 3/4 you are still getting full range of motion on the target muscle (chest), you are just not transferring the tension to the triceps at the top.

[FireGuy]

Let me clarify even further. I am a HUGE fan of full range of motion lifts. The failure to get full range of motion is almost always due to not getting a full stretch on the eccentric portion of a movement. I am also a huge fan of not locking out your movements. Locking out causes more stress on the joints and tendons and more often than not is just used as a "pause" to give the muscle a slight rest. Next time you squat, get a full stretch at the bottom but stop about 3-4 inches from locking out and start your decent slowly but immediately from there. You wont be using as much weight and your quads will be burning like crazy cause they are working harder and not gettin that "break" at the top.

[weknowbobbito]

hmm im gonna start trying this out

[zaggahamma]

is everyone in aggreance that you use lighter weight to perform these 3/4's? yet it makes your bench stronger?

[l2elapse]

Let me clarify even further. I am a HUGE fan of full range of motion lifts. The failure to get full range of motion is almost always due to not getting a full stretch on the eccentric portion of a movement. I am also a huge fan of not locking out your movements. Locking out causes more stress on the joints and tendons and more often than not is just used as a "pause" to give the muscle a slight rest. Next time you squat, get a full stretch at the bottom but stop about 3-4 inches from locking out and start your decent slowly but immediately from there. You wont be using as much weight and your quads will be burning like crazy cause they are working harder and not gettin that "break" at the top.

i recently tried this and youre right..the burn is amazing

[stevey_6t9]

Let me clarify even further. I am a HUGE fan of full range of motion lifts. The failure to get full range of motion is almost always due to not getting a full stretch on the eccentric portion of a movement. I am also a huge fan of not locking out your movements. Locking out causes more stress on the joints and tendons and more often than not is just used as a "pause" to give the muscle a slight rest. Next time you squat, get a full stretch at the bottom but stop about 3-4 inches from locking out and start your decent slowly but immediately from there. You wont be using as much weight and your quads will be burning like crazy cause they are working harder and not gettin that "break" at the top.

dont understand this?

[baseline_9]

You are not changing the fact it is still a compound movement, you are just maintaining tension on the target muscle. Remember, by stopping at 3/4 you are still getting full range of motion on the target muscle (chest), you are just not transferring the tension to the triceps at the top.

I agree with what you are saying

I understand tht it is still a compound movement, what i mean by keep it a compound movement is;

Compound movements are used because they involve larger muscle recruitment leading to more growth, why take stress off the triceps at the top of a benchpress? Its a compound movement that hits chest delts and triceps, i know the target muscle group is the pec's, but if u want to do a compound movement but limit tricep involvement what is the point in doing a compound movement

I know what u are saying, i understand 100% but to get full ROM on the benchpress you cannot do 3/4 reps since pec's are involed in the last 1/4 of the movement, be it to a lesser degree

[baseline_9]

dont understand this?

An example would be people who lower the bar in a benchpress and are still 6 inches off there chest

Or squating 6 inches deep

[ithunk]

I was curious to see what you guys think of doing benchpress three-quarters of the way up, "three-quarters" method. I was reading Arnold's book and he says that this method provides mass and strength and gives you a hard dense look. What are your guys' experiences with it? What you think?

yes it does build mass drugs or no drugs

[baseline_9]

yes it does build mass drugs or no drugs

wtf...

[zaggahamma]

wtf...

i thought the same at first but just think he meant the 3/4 work regardless of being on AAS or not

[baseline_9]

i thought the same at first but just think he meant the 3/4 work regardless of being on AAS or not

Where did AAS's come into this LOL

I must have mised it

[zaggahamma]

Where did AAS's come into this LOL

I must have mised it

I thought the very same thing...just think it was his way or wording things...that he endorses the 3/4 method PERIOD and felt the need to say with or without AAS...

ithunk...r u subscribed to this thread???

[growing1]

he left quickly? LOL

[growing1]

He sure left quickly?

[growing1]

sorry double post i thought it didn't go the first time

[growing1]

I do 3/4 but never on a barbell movement. Only with dumbells because that's what db's are for? That's what I've always been taught. I agree about the compound movement. If you want some size do heavy negatives with barbells at the end of each of your barbell routines. They worked for me and it exagerates the muscle fiber on the way down since that direction of movement retains strength longer after depletion of the press movement.