Building
The Show-Off Muscles
I thought I'd start things off with a bang, and although I don't feel
it is the most important bodypart, it is the one that I get the most questions
about. It is considered one of the "showy" muscles, and most definitely
the muscle group that most people try to develop to the fullest. Some of
you might be thinking biceps, but today we'll take a look at the chest,
or pectorals.
Everyone wants a huge chest, plain and simple. It is all too common
to see inexperienced lifters slaving away on endless sets of bench presses
and cable crossovers in search of full, thick pecs. It is also used as
a landmark for strength (although it shouldn't be). If I had a dime for
every time I've heard someone ask that question we've all heard a million
times, "how much do you bench?" I'd be rich. Anyway, the point is that
the chest is a very important upper body muscle group to give that look
of upper body thickness.
I am a huge believer in the basics. The bottom line for huge muscle
gains is sweat, blood and hours upon hours of battling the iron. There
are no shortcuts to any place worth going, and a huge chest is no exception.
Some are genetically blessed with well-developed pectorals, and for others
their chest lags behind. Either way, hard work and dedication is the most
important factor.
The
chest is made up of two main heads, the pectoralis major and the pectoralis
minor. To stimulate the chest using weights you will be using one of two
motions: a press or a fly. If you want the most out of your chest workouts,
the key lies in your pressing movements. Although flyes MAY have their
place every once in a while, the pressing movements are where your strength
lies. The more weight you can move through the range of motion, the more
muscle fibers you can recruit. There is absolutely no replacement for heavy
barbell presses, dumbbell presses and wide-grip dips. These are the core
lifts and should always be the cornerstones of your workouts. Save the
pec deck and cable crossovers for the pencil necked geeks on the treadmill;
real men train with real lifts. (you don't have to eliminate them altogether,
but use them sparingly).
Like I said before, it is very, very simple. There are no secrets, magic
formulas or killer techniques that will "shock" your chest into growth.
Stick to your basic presses, focus on overload and progression, and I promise
that you will see great chest gains. Here are the most effective and non-effective
lifts for packing muscle onto the chest:
Flat/Incline/Decline
Barbell Bench Press:
A standard barbell press is the meat and potatoes of any effective
chest routine. They are great compound movements that allow the lifter
to handle the most weight through the given range of motion. The incline
press will shift more of the stress to the upper region of the chest while
the decline does the opposite, targeting the lower/outer region. The flat
bench press works the upper and lower regions equally. I highly recommend
a standard barbell press as a part of your chest routine.
Flat/Incline/Decline
Dumbbell Press:
Dumbbell presses are another basic and highly effective movement for
stimulating chest development. The main advantage they have over the barbell
is that they allow you to move through a more natural range of motion,
helping to prevent shoulder injuries. They also prevent strength imbalances
from occurring since one arm can't cheat for the other. The only drawback
is that you are not able to handle as much weight. Overall, a standard
dumbbell press is an awesome movement that allows for great chest stimulation.
Dips:
An amazing movement for the chest that is often overlooked. Make sure
to use a wider grip and lean forward to shift the stress from the triceps
onto the pectorals. If the body weight is not sufficient then you can always
add weight using a weight belt. Dips are an excellent compound movement
for overall chest development.
Dumbbell
Flyes:
An isolation movement for the chest that doesn't allow the lifter to
use very much weight and limits overall muscle overload. Not the most effective
lift for chest development, but may be used on occasion for variety and
to keep things interesting. I would make sure to save this one for the
end in order to save the most strength for the big compound movements like
presses and dips.
Cable
Crossovers:
Basically a standing flye. Pretty much the same idea as the flat dumbbell
flye, and not the most effective lift. Save this one for last if at all.
Pec
Deck:
Places a lot of stress on the shoulders and doesn't allow for very
much chest overload. Overall the pec deck is not the most effective lift
and I would avoid it altogether.
Here are some
sample chest routines that are highly effective:
Flat Bench Press: 2 x 4-6
Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6
Incline Bench Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6
Flat Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6
Incline Dumbbell Press: 2 x 4-6
Dips: 2 x 4-6
Flat Dumbbell Press: 1 x 4-6
Dumbbell Flyes: 1 x 4-6
All sets should stay within the 4-6 rep range and be taken to complete
muscular failure.
So there you have it! That is all you need to know to make huge chest
gains. Nothing complicated, just basic, sensible lifts and routines concentrating
on compound movements and high intensity. There is nothing more to it than
that! Good luck!
About The Author
Sean Nalewanyj is a bodybuilding expert and writer of top-selling Internet Bodybuilding E-Book: The Truth About Building Muscle. You can find more information by visiting his website: MuscleGainTruth.com
