Monday...the start of the week...and for 99% of men in America who work out, it is CHEST day! And the routine never changes...more than a few sets of flat barbell bench press...a few sets of decline barbell press...more than a few sets of cable crossover...and back to flat bench to finish off the muscle. Amazing protocol for growth. What is even better is that this routine is performed 3x per week. What is even better is that your pecs never get to rest. Even better than that is that they never grow, and to combat the issue, you just add more volume...since volume is the answer. (HEAVY OVERTONE of SARCASM) I have seen men do at least 15 to 25 sets on chest day...on each of the 3x they do chest per week. Meanwhile in that same week, back and legs will receive less than 5 sets of work. If you are this MALE, you are not training effectively as your frame tapers into ZERO legs.
In reality you cannot over volumize your chest every week. You will make no progress. And I'm not forgetting my ladies...to lift and strengthen the muscles under the breast, chest work will benefit you too...you will not look like THIS. That requires TONS of SYNTHETIC TESTOSTERONE which you NEVER need to touch. Now I will get into some moves that should a part of your program.
1. Incline Press- The incline press is for some reason the forgotten chest move. Most men have chest that is not high, taut, and square but it is bulbous. This is from too much of the flat bench press. The incline press targets the upper chest. The press can be done with a barbell or with dumbbells. With the dumbbell version, you can get a deeper stretch on negative. The barbell will limit your range of motion, but you will be able to use more weight. Because of the angle of the move, you will not be using as much weight as you would on flat or decline. This is the toughest of the angles. Vary between dumbbells and the barbell to maximize your chest development.
2. Reverse Grip V-Bar Dip- This is a staple of the legendary Vince Gironda. For him, it was the ultimate chest move, and with good reason. The MOVE looks very awkward at first. You probably are wondering how you can get you arms into that postion...the key is the reversed grip...the guy in the video has great technique. It will take a little time to get used to, but once you get it down you will understand why it is so effective. The reverse grip and wide V Bar take the triceps out of the move more than a regular dip. Therefore the chest has to work harder to perform the move. Weight can be added as you get stronger in the move.
3. Flat Dumbbell Bench Press- I like the dumbbell version here more than the barbell version. You see, the barbell version limits range of motion and involves your front delts more than needed. The barbell version is not a bad move at all (OVERUSED THOUGH) but for better chest development, I would use the dumbbell version...you will get more of a stretch at the bottom of the movement because in the barbell version you will be forced to stop at the chest...in this verison, you can get a deeper stretch at the bottom and really open the pecs. I see guys do this move in classic meathead form...partial reps, 115lb dumbbells, and the heavy toss of the weights afterward...meanwhile their pecs are looking flabby and unsculpted. When will my fellow men learn...So how can we put this into practice?
Incline Barbell Press/Push Up Superset: You will perform these movements 23's style. 8 reps of incline followed by 15 push ups. 15 reps of incline followed by 8 push ups. And finally 8 reps of incline followed by 15 push ups. Now for insight...use your 12 rep max for the 8 rep sets. Use your 20 rep max for the 15 rep sets. You will need to add weight to the push ups if you are strong enough. You want to rest 45-60 seconds in between sets, not in between moves. The rest between the moves should be minimal. You will be able to fully hit your chest within 10 minutes if done correctly...muscle failure will occur due to time under tension and low rest periods.
Reverse Grip V-Bar Dips: We are going to perform these with Advanced German Volume Training. 10 sets of 5 reps. Now, for 5 reps, you will be using your weight belt to increase the load...if you are weak then you will not until you get stronger. Now this can be superset with an antagonistic move like a Pull Up. Your rest will be about 45-60 seconds after each superset is complete. This is very tough. 10 sets seems like an eternity when you are failed at set 5. Reduce the weight and keep the train rolling.
Dumbbell Bench Press: Perform Tabata Style...20 seconds of work, followed by 10 seconds of rest. You will repeat this pattern for 8 sets. Now, Tabata is not heavy lifting. So choose your weight accordingly. I underestimated this protocol the first time I tried and failed too early. The goal is to complete all 8 sets...Extremely hard to do, but it can be done. Excellent for muscle conditioning.
Now you have a few protocols to follow to train your chest properly. No more bench-a-thons fellas. Variation and scheme is the key to success. Insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results.
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