Big Pecs

[TotalPackage]

I want to get my chest bigger. I changed my chest workout, i added more weight and less reps hopen that that would beef up my chest here is my workout what am i doing right or wrong. I want my inner and upper part of my chest bigger. I try to concentrate on incline and making my grip closer

incline bench
warm with 10 reps then 5x5 then drop the weight and do 10 reps with weight i warmed up with
Cable Crossovers
5x5 then lesser weight with 10 reps
incline dumbell press
5x5 then less weight 10 reps
flat dumbell flys
5x5
Bench press
5x5 then less weight with 10 reps

[sdf42450]

you are overtraining

[verbatimreturned]

i second that last opinion thats way to much to be doing your definatly overtraining, cut it down alot

[TotalPackage]

Then what do you suggest my work out should be? Thanks for the feedback.

[Darkhorse]

Here's my two cents. Flyes, cable cross-overs, pushups, ect are only good for either getting a decent pump and/or muscle fatigue. Heavy compound movements are meant for one thing: Size. Every time I workout, I always see one or two on that cable-crossover machine. Sometimes I asked them why the do the crossovers and they say, "To finish off my chest", or my favorite, "I want to shape my chest". The punchline is that if you want a different chest shape, go find a different set of parents because it's genetic. The point is, don't waste your time.

Chest-
1. Incline Dumbbell press (I recommend first in your routine because it's I feel the very best for a pronounced chest. People who focus entirely on flat bench have a "tear drop" chest-That means flat. I also think dumbbells for inclines are better because you can get a good stretch at the bottom of the movement, thereby recruiting more muscle fibers into the lift.
2. Flat Barbell press- I recommend a wide grip. Use more of a negative on this one to have more time under tension.
3. Dips- Reps should be higher for this exercise. Try 3 sets of 10-12 with your bodyweight and go from there.

Now, 5x5 is a good program and alot of people had great success. My suggestion is to do the first exercise using the 5x5 heavy with 2-3 minutes rest between sets. The second exercise up the reps to 6-8. Dips 10-12.
This way you work all the muscle fiber types instead of just II.

[BG5150]

I thought the upper pec was one muscle (one per side, that is). You cannot target a specific portion of a muscle to train. Therefore, "inclines help the upper chest" is a fallacy. The entire muscle moves as one...you cannot help specify which motor units move the muscle.

Or maybe I'm all turned around on the subject.

[Darkhorse]

Originally Posted by BradG

I thought the upper pec was one muscle (one per side, that is). You cannot target a specific portion of a muscle to train. Therefore, "inclines help the upper chest" is a fallacy. The entire muscle moves as one...you cannot help specify which motor units move the muscle.

Or maybe I'm all turned around on the subject.

Yes, the chest is one muscle, but you can shift the emphasis to a certain area. If I did nothing but inclines every day, my upper chest would be more pronounced than if I did declines all day. Makes sense? Arnold S. always said that when he shifted the focus on his upper pectorals, he was able after a while to balance a glass of water on his upper chest.

[BG5150]

I don't see how that is possible physiologically...can you train your upper quad as opposed to the lower quad?

[Darkhorse]

Plus, if what you said is true, then why not just do 5-6 sets of bench presses and leave. Why bother doing inclines, declines, ect. If you're doing incline press, does your lower pecs push up the weight? Or does your upper pectoralis portion do most of the heavy lifting? ;) Here's a diagram that could clear some of this: http://muscleblitz.com/173e4d60.jpg

Actually as of now, I'm doing DC training as you all know. I stopped doing flat bench altogether and my chest is growing considerably larger than when I used to do heavy bench press first (Max-OT).

Or we could both submit a picture of our chest to see who knows what's best jk....

[Darkhorse]

The pec minor actually lies beneath the pec major so you don’t actually see it. The pec minor attaches to the ribs and the coracoid process. The pec minor simply pulls the shoulder girdle forward. There is some benefit to doing incline bench because it seems to help build the clavicular portion of the pecs and the front delts. Nothing isolates the “inner” portion of chest. The myth arose out of the “sensation” that one feels as the pec becomes cramped while contracting it (with the arms brought close together in front of the body and flexed hard). Isolating the inner pec is like isolating one portion of a rubber band as you stretch it from either end. Now, there are differences in the way the muscle experiences stress due to the convergence of the fibers near the insertions at the musculo-tendonus junction...but that’s more detail than is necessary. One thing everyone should keep in mind.
Bryan Haycock