Tips for building my pectoral muscles?

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Sem

Sem

Sem

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Hi
I've been training my pectoral muscles for the last 6-8 months
and while my strength has increased significantly
definition hasn't changed much at all

so maybe i'm doing something wrong
my main exercises for this area are push ups, bench presses
and using a pectoral machine (your arms starting outward then pushing them inwards)


anyone got any tips on how i can develop the corner section (near the armpits)
and the upper section (around the shoulders) and the middle section


thanks :)
 
Sem said:
Hi
I've been training my pectoral muscles for the last 6-8 months
and while my strength has increased significantly
definition hasn't changed much at all

so maybe i'm doing something wrong
my main exercises for this area are push ups, bench presses
and using a pectoral machine (your arms starting outward then pushing them inwards)


anyone got any tips on how i can develop the corner section (near the armpits)
and the upper section (around the shoulders) and the middle section


thanks :)
Click to expand...


Incline Bench press or Incline Dumbell press.Id go for incline dumbells using proper form.

Also dips work ya chest real good.
 
Tony Soprano said:
Bodyfat and genetics are both factors in this. Do you know you bodyfat percentage? :)
Click to expand...

dont know my bodyfat % how can i find out?
im sure its pretty low as im slim


Makaveli said:
Incline Bench press or Incline Dumbell press.Id go for incline dumbells using proper form.
Click to expand...

thanks for the tip but do you have any pics of how this exercise is performed :o
 
as mentioned, first you need to find out what your bf% is. get yourself to a gym and ask them to do some caliper measurements (the more measurements the more accurate), of if you have the cash, a floatation tank is more accurate.

the lower the bf% the better.

aswell as incline chest press, i would also offer dumbell flyes with good form (rather than a pec dec stack).
also, if your looking for definition around the armpit, you will need to have good bicep/tricep and shoulders (front/side and rear), also to complete the look, lats, big lats!
 
How many reps do you do? Low reps with High weights? I presume you're eating a lot of protein and more calories than your expending? If you arn't then read Gordy's Faq, if you are then you could try adding 500 calories more to your diet to see if your mass increases (and thus your pecs size).

Are you doing a balanced full body regime because weakness in other areas (legs for example) will detract from muscle growth in your pecs. Furthermore you should also try adding some new excersises and variety (like dips as already said) to stimulate growth and adaption in your body. :)
 
I have found the following routine pretty good each time I work out my Chest at the gym:

3 sets of 8 reps on the bench press
3 sets of 8 reps on the incline bench press
3 sets of 8 reps on decline bench press (get the decline by raising the front end of the bench with a block or one of those steppers)

3 sets of 8 reps doing dips (none assisted this is difficult at first but its something you get used too very quickly make sure form is good, get the chest pointing in and doing all the work)

3 sets of 8 reps doing dumbell flys
3 sets of 8 reps doing incline dumbell flys

By this stage your really going to feel the chest tightening up, so I then finish up with some cable pulls where you bring the two cables across your body using the chest.

The final exercise is more of a burnout exercise just get on the seated chest machine at the gym, set the weight to a level where you will be able to do 12 just about then imeadiately after each set lower the weight but keep trying to push out 10 - 12 without taking any breaks inbetween sets, after about 4 - 5 sets you will reach a weight that offers little to no resistance this is when you know your done and can pat yourself on the back for a good chest work out then go off and do some arms and leave the chest for another week :D

8 reps per set is good enough if you use a weight that your really pushing out the last 1 or 2 reps. Its also good to have a spotter so that they can give you a gentle touch on the last 1 or 2 reps of the last set as this is still better than doing 6 on your own because you still have to control the weight as its lowered then push it back up again, after a few months you will notice more strength and better definition as you are hitting the chest from all angles and giving it a really good all round workout.

The guy that I train with has seen massive gains in his chest, I myself have not been so lucky but it does show that 2 people doing the same routine one has made significantly more gains than the other so its a lot to do with genetics.
 
Chest day 1 - 5 x 5 supersets of dips and flys
Chest day 2 - 5 x 5 wide grip incline BB press

Seperate each day by at least 48 hours. Worked a treat for me.
 
J.D.K said:
I have found the following routine pretty good each time I work out my Chest at the gym:
Click to expand...

18 sets for one bodypart is too much in my view. If you're doing your exercises hard enough, you wouldn't be able to manage all that lot.
 
Thanks for all the tips

After reading your posts I think my main problem is I’ve been doing high reps with less weights
(5 sets of 20 on the bench press/pec machine)

ill try 5 sets of 5 with really heavy weights

also ill add the incline/decline Bench press to my routine

I think my shoulders are being neglected which is adding to the problem with the pecs

Anyone got any tips on them?

thanks
 
Sem said:
Thanks for all the tips

After reading your posts I think my main problem is I’ve been doing high reps with less weights
(5 sets of 20 on the bench press/pec machine)

ill try 5 sets of 5 with really heavy weights

also ill add the incline/decline Bench press to my routine

I think my shoulders are being neglected which is adding to the problem with the pecs

Anyone got any tips on them?

thanks
Click to expand...
post your whole routine
 
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