Stubborn Chest

[Dave311089]

hey every 1 i am new here so i thought i would say hey first am dave nice 2 be on this forum. Now for my problem no matter what i do i just cant seem 2 develop my chest aswell as other parts of my body, i know every 1 has weaker parts and develops differently but i could do with some advice please here is what i can tell you.

I am 19 years old 5ft 10 and i am 197 lb and 17% bodyfat

i dont really need 2 write my diet plan as i have been training for like 3 - 4 years now and i have no problem developing any other muscle they are coming along great.

i work my chest and biceps every monday and friday and my chest work out is

5 sets 6 reps at 160lb
5 sets 6 reps incline flyes cant remember the weight but i can barley to the 5 sets so the weight is about right

5 sets 6 reps dumbell press 60 - 70lb on each dumbell

then i do 5 sets 20 reps of pressups just 2 feel that tight chest after trainin.

but no matter what i cant train any heavier cos the weight i lift now is just on the line of pushing it but i dont get that ache the next day like i do with my other muscles. This problem is setting me back now because my back arms and shoulders are looking great but i dont want to get out of preportion. Any ideas would be much appreciated and i only have free weights i do not have a gym membership thank you.

[D7M]

welcome, bro.

first, you're young. development will come in time, so be patient.

also, don't train chest 2x/wk. Hit it hard once a week and let it recover.

and at 17%bf, I'm positive that if you shred some fat, you'd have a much more defined chest.

[Dave311089]

cheers i know i am shedding the body fat just taking time is i do it to fast then my stregnth goes down. my chest has never been great i just want a good chest lol. i did forget to mention i am all natural only things i do are protien shakes creatine and amino acids. i used to train chest once per week but i got abit impatient as i said i have been training along time and its always been weak. cheers again

[D7M]

good. you should be all natural at this time in your life.

you may want to head over to the diet forum, post up your diet and have some experts there take a look at it.

you're 19. you haven't been training that long. even if you started at 15. keep at it.

[FireGuy]

welcome, bro.

first, you're young. development will come in time, so be patient.

also, don't train chest 2x/wk. Hit it hard once a week and let it recover.

and at 17%bf, I'm positive that if you shred some fat, you'd have a much more defined chest.

Derek kinda stole my thunder here but he makes a great point. Until you get your body fat down a bit further it is really tough to tell if a body part is lagging or not. Once you get lean some areas you think are weak actually turn out to be developed pretty good and some areas you think are strong points actually need to most work. Just keep working hard and putting in your time and you will get results.

[CHAP]

Warm-up with 2set of 15 light weight pec-dec

Incline press 1/15 sets 2-6 increase weight by 10 or 20 pounds per set. Set 7 go back to the weight on set 1 and repeat for a pump set

Bench press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

decline press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

pullover press 4sets 12/10/10/8

dumbell flyes 4 sets 12/10/10/8

finish with cable crossovers or pec deck 4 sets 12/10/10/8

** NOTE that decline should only be done every other week . On the week you don't do decline sub weighted dips be sure to lean forward***

**This should be done 1 a week***

You should try to work body parts in this order

[CHAP]

chest, back,shoulders, rest, bi's + tri's, legs, rest

[FireGuy]

Warm-up with 2set of 15 light weight pec-dec

Incline press 1/15 sets 2-6 increase weight by 10 or 20 pounds per set. Set 7 go back to the weight on set 1 and repeat for a pump set

Bench press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

decline press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

pullover press 4sets 12/10/10/8

dumbell flyes 4 sets 12/10/10/8

finish with cable crossovers or pec deck 4 sets 12/10/10/8

** NOTE that decline should only be done every other week . On the week you don't do decline sub weighted dips be sure to lean forward***

**This should be done 1 a week***

You should try to work body parts in this order

Whatever you do please do not follow this program. 35 sets for your chest is beyond excessive.

[Dave311089]

just about to reply to that you got there just before me lol i know that if far 2 much i will keep training at what i am doin because i think what i am doing is right its just taking alot longer than i would like it to lol. I will post up my diet when i get some spare time i am just worried because my back shoulders and arms are growing well just dont want to look a fool thats all.

[D7M]

^ditto to fireguy.

I don't care for the below split either.....

chest, back,shoulders, rest, bi's + tri's, legs, rest

[CHAP]

That's funny that the owner of the gym that first trained Lee Haney wrote this chest workout for me . And is still close friends with Lee .But what do those two guys know .

[D7M]

I might be good for Lee Haney,

but I'm not suggesting it to the 19yr old OP.

(or even myself!)

[CHAP]

I was a hard gainer for the first 3 years I trained. I got with this gym he wrote my diets and programs free . I know everyone is different but most hard gainers need to train hard and heavy to break barriers . My chest very rarly gets sore . This workout might not be for you but if your fed up with your program try it for 1 session and call me tomarrow .

[Gaspari1255]

Warm-up with 2set of 15 light weight pec-dec

Incline press 1/15 sets 2-6 increase weight by 10 or 20 pounds per set. Set 7 go back to the weight on set 1 and repeat for a pump set

Bench press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

decline press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

pullover press 4sets 12/10/10/8

dumbell flyes 4 sets 12/10/10/8

finish with cable crossovers or pec deck 4 sets 12/10/10/8
** NOTE that decline should only be done every other week . On the week you don't do decline sub weighted dips be sure to lean forward***

**This should be done 1 a week***

You should try to work body parts in this order

They are the same exersizes. Do not follow that plan. I think the owner of your gym should join this forum.

[FireGuy]

I was a hard gainer for the first 3 years I trained. I got with this gym he wrote my diets and programs free . I know everyone is different but most hard gainers need to train hard and heavy to break barriers . My chest very rarly gets sore . This workout might not be for you but if your fed up with your program try it for 1 session and call me tomarrow .

How can I call you tomorrow when its going to take me two days to finish the chest workout?

Oh, he must have different views now...

Flex , July, 2005 by Lee Haney
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Q | I've been bodybuilding for a year and I'm trying to break the 300-pound barrier for my bench press. Any tips for getting there?

A | I'm flattered that you're consulting me, but I'm not sure I'm the right person to ask. My specialty is bodybuilding, not powerlifting, and while lifting heavy weights is part of the muscle-building process, it's not the ultimate goal.

You've been bodybuilding for a year, but your goal is to bench press 300 pounds. This seems like a conflict of interest.

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I have seen many young people get caught up in the quest to increase the weights they're using, only to fall prey to disillusionment or injury, or both. If you want to be a powerlifter, then there are specific training regimens you can follow to increase your poundage for your bench, squat and deadlift. There is plenty of good information available online and at bookstores for anyone who wishes to get involved in powerlifting.

Even though bodybuilders lift weights as part of their training process, just as powerlifters do, their end goal is not to lift the heaviest weight they can. Instead, they use the weights as tools to build muscle mass.

I know what you're saying to yourself: "But, Lee, isn't it true that the heavier I lift, the bigger my muscles will get?" The answer is yes and no. Of course, one of the first things we learn when we become bodybuilders is that lifting a weight puts stress on a muscle, which in turn forces the muscle to adapt to the stress by growing stronger and larger. The more weight we use, the greater the stress and the bigger and more powerful the muscle. Makes sense.

As we gain experience, we also learn that forcing a muscle to lift a weight several times in succession uses more muscle fibers than just lifting it once. That's because after each lift (or rep), a greater number of fibers within a muscle become fatigued, causing the remaining fibers to be recruited to help out. Your body will not use all of the fibers within a muscle to lift something once, but it will eventually recruit most of them to continue lifting something over time. This is why we have developed a system of training in bodybuilding that involves the use of sets and reps. This puts stress on as many muscle fibers as possible, which causes all of them to grow and results in bigger muscles.

For the most part, on a pound-for-pound basis, bodybuilders have larger muscles than powerlifters. However, powerlifters are usually able to lift heavier weights. Each type of athlete uses a different system of training and, not surprisingly, they get different results.

There's nothing wrong with testing your strength with a maximum lift attempt (with the safety of a spotter) every once in a while. But if you make lifting a specific weight your main goal, as opposed to achieving a certain look, then you might be missing the forest for the trees. Remember, the goal of the bodybuilder can be found within its very name. It is to build the body, regardless of the kind of weight used.

Since we're on the subject of benching, why not try my back-to-basics chest routine? In it, I incorporate a mix of low and high reps to stimulate both slow-twitch and fast-twitch muscle fibers and to build strength. It may meet all of your needs. Good luck.

LEE HANEY'S CHEST ROUTINE

EXERCISE SETS REPS

Barbell bench presses 4-5 6-8
Incline barbell presses 4-5 6-8
Dumbbell flyes 3-4 12-15
By Lee Haney
EIGHT-TIME MR. OLYMPIA

[Ronnie Rowland]

LEE HANEY'S CHEST ROUTINE

EXERCISE SETS REPS

Barbell bench presses 4-5 6-8
Incline barbell presses 4-5 6-8
Dumbbell flyes 3-4 12-15
By Lee Haney
EIGHT-TIME MR. OLYMPIA

Sounds about right!

[jbm]

Warm-up with 2set of 15 light weight pec-dec

Incline press 1/15 sets 2-6 increase weight by 10 or 20 pounds per set. Set 7 go back to the weight on set 1 and repeat for a pump set

Bench press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

decline press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

pullover press 4sets 12/10/10/8

dumbell flyes 4 sets 12/10/10/8

finish with cable crossovers or pec deck 4 sets 12/10/10/8

** NOTE that decline should only be done every other week . On the week you don't do decline sub weighted dips be sure to lean forward***

**This should be done 1 a week***

You should try to work body parts in this order

Sorry bro! but I think this is overkill too!

[Dobie-BOY]

Try some negative workouts. Also, do a few light warm up sets, then a few medium heavy warm up sets and then go right to the heaviest weight you can do for your desired rep range. I also think its important to utilize a few high rep sets to work the slow twitch muscle fibers and increase vascularity for improved blood supply increasing your ability to diffuse lactic acid and perform more reps.

[Nooomoto]

Warm-up with 2set of 15 light weight pec-dec

Incline press 1/15 sets 2-6 increase weight by 10 or 20 pounds per set. Set 7 go back to the weight on set 1 and repeat for a pump set

Bench press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

decline press 4 sets 12/10/10/8

pullover press 4sets 12/10/10/8

dumbell flyes 4 sets 12/10/10/8

finish with cable crossovers or pec deck 4 sets 12/10/10/8

** NOTE that decline should only be done every other week . On the week you don't do decline sub weighted dips be sure to lean forward***

**This should be done 1 a week***

You should try to work body parts in this order

Sorry dude...but that's a severely retarded chest routine. 4 sets of decline? Decline is useless, 4 sets of it is just detrimental in addition to all the other exercises.

[Gaspari1255]

Sorry dude...but that's a severely retarded chest routine. 4 sets of decline? Decline is useless, 4 sets of it is just detrimental in addition to all the other exercises.

That is the least of the worries with that routine, lol.

[FireGuy]

You mean you dont like the 15 sets of incline (17 counting warm up) to start off with?

[quadsofsteel]

i had a problem a lil while ago where my shoulders were growing and my chest wouldnt but i figured out the problem..... u gotta barbell bench press. there is nothing like it for shocking the chest into new growth. i used to just use dumbells and pushups and smith machine presses but for me, nothing works better than flat, incline, decline barbell presses.

[jamyjamjr]

Whatever you do please do not follow this program. 35 sets for your chest is beyond excessive.

ditto... i dont ever go over 19 sets, and that's borderline overtraining imo...

[Gaspari1255]

i had a problem a lil while ago where my shoulders were growing and my chest wouldnt but i figured out the problem..... u gotta barbell bench press. there is nothing like it for shocking the chest into new growth. i used to just use dumbells and pushups and smith machine presses but for me, nothing works better than flat, incline, decline barbell presses.

Disagree...it's good to rotate between BB and DB but if I had to choose one, DB ftw.

[jamyjamjr]

Disagree...it's good to rotate between BB and DB but if I had to choose one, DB ftw.

x2, db is the shit

[Friend]

I find having a training partner for chest makes a big difference. You are able to go heavier and push out atleast 2 more reps than you usually would if training alone. Not to mention all of the muscle fibres you are tearing on the negative reps (i think this is what they're called) when you have someone spotting the weight.

[youngerlion]

^a good workout partner is a great thing to have.^ that sounds like a monk like program tho. may work for him so im not hating. but i dont recommend chaps program for maximum hypertrophy and a body builder like body.

[Dave311089]

yer i used to train with my uncle but he has recived a sporting injury lately and so he cant train with me but i do agree i am not so confident pushing myself as far to the limit as i used to because if i do drop it then my mrs wont be able 2 lift the bar outta ma ribs lol she would take 10 mins taking the weights off it lmao. I think i am going to try the warm up sets then hit he hard heavy sets then i will finish off with some lighter db press and then finaly pushups to really feel the pump then hopefully i will get that very nice pain the next morinin. Thank you all for the feedback am getting really appreciate it keep it all coming lol cheers .