Chest workout

Good everyone.

So I have been trying different excuses and different routines for my chest to try get it growing. In the passed I did the following :

Dumbbell bench press 8-12 x 4 sets
Cable Flies 3 sets to failure
Bench press 8-12 x 4 sets
Inclined Dumbbell press 8-12 x 5 sets
Low cable cross over 8-12 x 4 sets
Barbell inclined bench 8-12 x 3 sets

I did that probably for 12 weeks. Recently I've changed to this routine:



I'm getting shape but I feel I may be over doing it somewhat so after 7 or so weeks I am changing again to this:



The thing that bugs me is that I never feel sore anymore after a workout. Not the next day, or the day after. Am I being to lazy and not working hard enough? I try lift as heavy as I can while maintaining good form.

Any comments on my routine/s or how I might do something so different I actually feel sore again?

I think you're fine with around 5 exercises in a chest routine, don't think that's overdoing it. What i like to do, is start with cable cross overs, but very light, so you basically use that as your warm up and to get a pump going. then you go into your incline or flat bench presses. i like to do two pressing exercises(incline db, flat bench, decline bench or smith machine). then some flyes and end off with another isolation exercise(pec decks, etc). And also look to get a very good squeeze in your chest on isolation exercises

You won't always get sore as your body gets better at handling the punishment. Eventually you'll have to do something either totally different or you have to punish yourself really hard to get that pain. Just go with the feeling of muscle fatigue at the end of your workout. If your muscle is dead then you're good.

BTW sorry for the poor image... I was using my mobile to create the topic and didn't see it do that to the images. :blink:

So I tried the new chest routine last night, and I have got to say that it felt good when I was done. I didn't overly enjoy the dips as I feel it puts a lot of pressure on my hands and I typically stop cause my arms give in and not my chest. Also, it was the first time I did dips for chest, so I still need to get that mind-muscle link.

What I did add was some explosive push-ups after each set of 5 whilst doing bench press. I could only manage 10 reps so I stuck to it throughout. For the flies, I used a stability ball and did cable flies whilst lying on it.

Will stick to this routine for at least 6 weeks and give some updates. Thanks for the words guys

Just to look at...
Stick to your current programme for 6-8 weeks before changing.

www.allmaxnutrition.com/post-articles/4-...olossal-proportions/

I'm toying with the idea of doing a pre-exhaustive 2nd session of chest during the week. Thoughts?

I'd even consider the workout you sent the link to MM, but some how I think that might be better left for a single chest session per week split. :blink:

Head back to the basics.
It always works flat bench, incline, decline and flys

Lately i have been working out my 5 sets 8-10 reps

week 1
1 set Light weight to warm up
2 set normal weight
4 set go as heavy as possible
5 set go light again slow pace keep bar at bottom for 5 counts and go up

week 2 to the same but this time instead off doing your 4 set as heavy as possible do number 3 aswell so u doing 2 sets heavy

week 3 do your warm up light and last set light and further everything heavy

Will see how your strength progresses i have had amazing results with this method so far and my strength have gone up alot

Take two dumbells for presses. Not heavy...for instance I only use 20kg's.....u will see why..

Start with incline and press to failure. Immediately set to a low incline and press to failure. Immediately set to flat bench and press to failure. Immediately set to decline and press to failure. By the last 3 or 4 sets you will only be pushing 4 or 5 reps. This is one giant set. Do 3 of those and if u can finish off with flies.

If that doesn't make u sore after then there is something wrong with u lol. Great workout to shock your pecs and u will be pumped like a mo fo. Don't do this every week either.

The biggest problem with poor chest development is usually when either the triceps take over or the shoulders take over. This happens if your pressing motions have a narrow grip and if your shoulders roll forward at the top if a press. My advice would be to do a machine first such as pec deck or light cable cross overs where you concentrate on squeezing the pec at the contracted position for 3 seconds each rep so u can focus on the pec. The minute you start going to heavy u wont be able to concentrate on the pec for a 5 second squeeze.

Then move on to a smith machine for incline press. When doing presses arch your back slightly and try pull your shoulder blades back to take shoulders out of it,hands slightly wider than shoulder width.do 3- 4 Warm ups. Then do 3 working sets. 1set failure ar 10, then 2nd set failure at 8. Then 3rd set failure at 6 reps. Rack the weight take 10-15 deep breathes so another set to failure. Rack the weight take 10-15 deep breathes and perform a 3rd Set. Each to failure.

Then move on to a flat dumbell press 3 straigh sets of 8-10 reps.
follow with dips or assisted dips for 3 sets of failure followed by push ups on the aerobic blocks,try get your chest to touch the floor each rep.do that 3 sets of failure. should be more than enough

MCJ wrote: Take two dumbells for presses. Not heavy...for instance I only use 20kg's.....u will see why..

Start with incline and press to failure. Immediately set to a low incline and press to failure. Immediately set to flat bench and press to failure. Immediately set to decline and press to failure. By the last 3 or 4 sets you will only be pushing 4 or 5 reps. This is one giant set. Do 3 of those and if u can finish off with flies.

If that doesn't make u sore after then there is something wrong with u lol. Great workout to shock your pecs and u will be pumped like a mo fo. Don't do this every week either.

I do something similar exept that i do it via pushups in the smith mashine setting the bar up one notch each time, from flat ground pushups up to 3rd notch and then finish off with a reverse grip. Really exhausting stuff.

Lots of interesting info here.....you gonna have to toy around and see what works for you. Me personally, of all muscle groups, I find my chest to be the most sore yet I do the least for chest, 4 sets incline dumbell press, 2 sets incline flyes, 1 set flat dumbell press, 2 sets flat dumbell flyes superset with dumbell press. And a set of pull overs to end. On the other end, my longest workout is arms cos I feel they not growing....but my arms are never sore! Tried increasing sets, fewer sets, light weights, heavy weights....nothing...so...guess its just luck of the draw with that!

Thanks for all the info folks. There is indeed some interesting things which were mentioned that I will be looking into.

At the moment I am still doing the routine I mentioned in the first post (5x5 Bench one). I foolishly forgot that whilst on a cycle, you're recovery is completely different; personally I don't feel sore after a workout. Now that I'm off course, I'm starting to feel those pains after a good workout again. I'm going to stick with this routine for a few more weeks, then I'm game to try the workout from the link MM posted.

I think what is most annoying for me is that I can feel strength gains, but I can't see any size increase. Just need to find out what works I guess.

Thanks guys

NightFang wrote: I think what is most annoying for me is that I can feel strength gains, but I can't see any size increase. Just need to find out what works I guess.

So eat

True that. Diet is shambles again, need to sort that out.