Chest Help

[ChiSuave]

I have had a lot of problems building my chest mass. My strength has increased, but I fear that my front delts are doing all the work. I keep on getting bigger in the outter and upper parts of my chest, but can't build the bottom or middle. Also, my arms continue to grow and they are too big compared to my chest. When I do a hard chest workout, I really feel it near my armpit/delts (rotator cuff maybe??) and tris...not so much in my chest. I currently have been switching up my routine, but this is what I used to do:

4 sets of 8-10 reps flat bench
4 sets of 8-10 reps decline bench
5 sets of 8-12 decline flyes
3 sets of seated pec deck
3 sets of cable crossovers
dips to failure

I stopped doing incline, since I do not want to build my upper chest anymore...except for the middle upper. I am basically the opposite of everyone else. I can build upper and outter chest, but not middle and lower. Any advice or suggestions will be greatly appreciated!!!

[BIG TEXAN]

When you bench do you squeeze your shoulder blades together? It sounds like your rolling your shoulders forward when you lift causing your arms, shoulders to do most of the work.

[BIG TEXAN]

When you bench do you squeeze your shoulder blades together? It sounds like your rolling your shoulders forward when you lift causing your arms, shoulders to do most of the work.

[CrazyRussian]

have you ever tried doing negatives... they may not always be called negatives, but thats what i know them as... they are lets say you are doing bench and you take like 5 seconds down and 3 seconds up, basically going slow to work out your muscles that way, it worked for me, so maybe give that a try.

[Warrior]

First impression: too many movements (not necessary IMO) and you are not working through enough rep ranges. For strength training a positions of flexion workout works well - you should start with something explosive for low reps, something that concentrates more on isolation for mid range reps and then a higher rep exercise to totally fatigue the bodypart.

For example (I know nothing of your background or current progress - so the number of exercises and sets is just an example),

4 sets, 2-5 reps, Flat Barbell Bench Press (RI = 2-3 minutes)
3 sets, 8-10 reps, Incline Dumbell Bench Press (RI = 2-3 minutes)
3 sets of 12-15, Machine Decline Flyes (RI = 2 minutes)

For hypertrophy training you need to work in some more advanced techniques if you have a good foundation already (super sets, giant sets, negatives, drop sets, short RI's ...). Strength training will give good hypertrophy for beginners and most intermediates - but when you advance, your routine must advance too. You need to raise the intensity if size is your ultimate goal.

What are your stats? How about filling out your profile?

[ChiSuave]

Thanks for all your suggestions...I am 5'5" and weigh about 195 lbs. I have 13.1% bodyfat, but a good portion of that is a beer gut that I've been slowing working off with cardio. In addition to my shoulders, my arms are getting to the point where they are too big in comparison to my chest...and not just bigger, I mean BIGGER....won't doing the pressing movements continue to build my tricpes, therefore building my arms?? Thanks again for taking time to help me out.

[Bobbo]

ChiSuave,

_________________________________
"Thanks for all your
suggestions...I am 5'5" and
weigh about 195 lbs. I
have 13.1% bodyfat, but a
good portion of that is a
beer gut that I've been
slowing working off with
cardio. In addition to my
shoulders, my arms are
getting to the point where
they are too big in
comparison to my
chest...and not just bigger,
I mean BIGGER....won't
doing the pressing
movements continue to
build my tricpes, therefore
building my arms?? Thanks
again for taking time to
help me out."
_________________________________

I was close to where you are. 5' 5" tall and 197 lbs. I did allot of walking and biking, while lifting free-weights. I slowly worked my way up with the weights. As I lost fat in my arms my mucles grew. The pressing will make the muscles in your arm bigger but the fat will come off at the same time and your chest will get bigger. In about 6 to 8 months my waiste went from 40" to 30". I went down to 137 lb. at one point, stopped cardio and added more to free-weights. I went up to 145 lbs, chest/arms/legs, etc. got bigger and my waiste dropped to 29". I'm not going to tell you it's easy. You must be determined. It is well worth it in the end. I also dropped way back on sugar and saturated fat.

Bobbo

[Yung Wun]

try using the exhaust principle
if your unfamiliar with the term
it just means to isolate the chest first with cable crossovers for example then moving on to compound movements like the press
this way your chest will give out before your tri's or shoulders do
more burn for chest and less on the assisting muscles

[RealMenBench]

Yung Wun is on a good track with his suggestion, also ......

I've found that doing DB work and Machine work allow me to feel the "squeeze" on the inner part of my chest .....

Something else I do,

I take a bench over to the cables with me and do my decline fly's, incline fly's, and flat fly's on the bench with the cable .... I'm really able to concentrate on the squeeze rather than worrying about the weight ....

Also, if you are feeling it in your arms then you need to concentrate on your form ... if you're arms are giving out first, then your form is off ...