New idea to maybe help chest grow/look better?

[diesel22]

My chest has been getting a lot stronger. With max bench and increasing reps but it doesn't seem to be growing or developing. I usually do flat bench with bar and then incline with bar or hammer strength. Sometimes switch it up and use dumbbells for both and then end with cable flies. Mid level and lower. I usually do chest Monday's was thinking of maybe adding some more Wednesday and do some decline and dumbbell flies. Will this help? Or do you guys suggest something else

I'm 27 weigh about 190.
Max flat BB 315 DB 130
Incline BB 245 DB 110

[Turkish Juicer]

What is your height?

What is your training history?

What does your nutritional intake look like?

Can we see some pictures to see what your genetics are like?

[AnabolicDoc]

My chest has been getting a lot stronger. With max bench and increasing reps but it doesn't seem to be growing or developing. I usually do flat bench with bar and then incline with bar or hammer strength. Sometimes switch it up and use dumbbells for both and then end with cable flies. Mid level and lower. I usually do chest Monday's was thinking of maybe adding some more Wednesday and do some decline and dumbbell flies. Will this help? Or do you guys suggest something else

I'm 27 weigh about 190.
Max flat BB 315 DB 130
Incline BB 245 DB 110

What about dips? I think this is one of the greatest chest and tricep building exercises. If you need more resistance, cross your ankles and place a dumbbell on top or get a belt with a chain.

[thehaas10]

I most recently switched from power lifting to what i would consider body building. I used less and less bars becasue i would say that is where injuries can be obtained. I was repping 405 December 2012. Was using the 150 lb dumbells on incline for sets of 8. I had the same problem. I do not have a big chest but i have strong numbers.

I found this out becuase of my form. I tend to keep my elbows at a smaller than 45 degree angle in relationship to my rib cage. It is becuase of this for me that i have big shulders and big triceps.

Now that i have switched i use negatives in my workouts and i use the 60lb dumbells on incline and 80lb on flat. I stick to the same routine with slow reps and my elbows almost perpendicular to my rib cage. the further out your elbows are the more your pectoralis major comes into play. However, and i do restate however you can get severly injured by doing reps this way. You can tear your teres minor your subscapularis your infraspinatus and your supraspinatus. So becareful if it feels heavy dont even do it. Take the hit to your self esteem and lower the weight and get more BLOOD INTO THAT MUSCLE.

[diesel22]

im 5'9'' ive been working out consistently for about the past 5 years, going heavier that past 2 by having a better and smarter diet and a more serious lifting buddy to help me put on a good 30 lbs of weight. within the past year ive tried a few cycles, i just started one up (on my 2nd week) so i want to try something different this time to get different results on my chest. everything else grows and gets stronger, and my chest gains some size, stregnth defenetly goes up. I have a couple pictures. goes roughtly 7/12...9/12...10/12. The last one i was a few weeks into my cycle as well

[Turkish Juicer]

^^^ Genetics, it is.

Here is a suggestion: Start your chest workout with isometric exercises. This will allow you to pre-exhaust your muscles and they will respond just about the same to lower weights once you introduce the press movements towards the end of your chest workout.

First, make sure you have properly warmed it up and blood is pumped to your chest.

1. Incline dumbell or cable flies at 35 degrees. 4x12-15 with max. 1 min. rest between sets.

2. Standing cable flies or dips. 4x12-15 with max. 1 min. rest between sets.

3. Incline dumbell or barbell chest press. You can go as heavy as you'd like with these as long as you maintain a good form and concentrate on negatives. Don't lock your elbows at the top, FRM of pressing movements should be about 3/4 of the entire range, tops. Determine your set and rep number accordingly.

4. Barbell or hammer strength chest press. Same as above. Finish with a drop set.

[cj111]

I used to be the same way, getting stronger but never bigger so I basically Re thought how I did chest. Dropped the weight down, focused more on actually using the chest(it's hard to do sometimes) focus on lowering the weight with your chest then blast it up like your trying to throw the bar through the ceiling.
This worked for me, sprouted a set of pecs finally.

[AnabolicDoc]

^^^ Genetics, it is.

Here is a suggestion: Start your chest workout with isometric exercises. This will allow you to pre-exhaust your muscles and they will respond just about the same to lower weights once you introduce the press movements towards the end of your chest workout.

First, make sure you have properly warmed it up and blood is pumped to your chest.

1. Incline dumbell or cable flies at 35 degrees. 4x12-15 with max. 1 min. rest between sets.

2. Standing cable flies or dips. 4x12-15 with max. 1 min. rest between sets.

3. Incline dumbell or barbell chest press. You can go as heavy as you'd like with these as long as you maintain a good form and concentrate on negatives. Don't lock your elbows at the top, FRM of pressing movements should be about 3/4 of the entire range, tops. Determine your set and rep number accordingly.

4. Barbell or hammer strength chest press. Same as above. Finish with a drop set.

Are the isometric exercises just to warm up?

[diesel22]

I'll have to try these out. I will probably still try and do cheat twice a week and add this into the routine. See what happens. Thanks for the advice guys. I'll have to add some progress pics in a couple months after giving this a shot

[auswest]

I hit chest twice a week and it blew up, I now train everything twice a week with alot of volume and intensity

[Turkish Juicer]

Are the isometric exercises just to warm up?

Read it over. It is already explained.

[diesel22]

I hit chest twice a week and it blew up, I now train everything twice a week with alot of volume and intensity

I'll try and do this. Combine muscle groups. Hit one heavy the other lower weight more concentrated excercizes. The the opposite the next time I hit them. Or just go hard all the time. Haha. For my second chest day I will try what was explained here. I'm happy with the size that I've gained every where else (minus traps but I've lost hope on those) just need to lose the winter bulk and get ready for summer

[cj111]

Incorporate some push ups also, not just your standard do as many as you can until failure push up.
5 seconds down, push up controlled with a big squeeze at the top... sometimes I'll rock 3 sets of push ups till failure and get as good of a pump as if I just hit the gym.

[bigsiv]

Incorporate some push ups also, not just your standard do as many as you can until failure push up.
5 seconds down, push up controlled with a big squeeze at the top... sometimes I'll rock 3 sets of push ups till failure and get as good of a pump as if I just hit the gym.

Agreed push ups are a staple for me also, wide grip for chest close grip for triceps. Class

[CMB]

For me, I found the best exercise for building chest (that is bodybuilding) is the dumbbell bench press on a slight incline... flat is good as well.

Like turkish said, control the negative portion of the rep down to when your elbow is at shoulder level (90 degrees). Then, push them right before your elbows lock out. A secret here is to push the dumbbells together towards the top... in other words you are not just pushing the dumbbells straight up.

In general, if you want to develop a muscle to its fullest... that is make it big, solid, and defined... Train mostly in the 7-12 rep range. Don't be afraid to train the 15 or the 5 repetition range from time to time.

Also, in my experience barbells are not as effective as dumbbells for bodybuilding - I AM CERTAIN of this. There are many reasons why. The barbell "connects" your hands together and therefore you have much more control of the weight you can push. This leads to injuries and can lead to imbalances in symmetry as well. Use barbells sure... but only 1/4 the amount of time using dumbbells.

Lastly, try dumbbell pullovers if you don't already.

Cheers

[phill82]

do press ups on a medicine ball, fly press with dunbells making sure your stretching the muscle ie go as low as possible! Change your chest routine every few weeks, shock the muscle! Worked for me