Gaining Chest Mass
kevinf2380
Posts: 256 Member
I've tried just benching and flies and also tried push ups and incline/decline bench. It seems like my chest gets stronger but I get no mass. I do see a difference in my shoulders and arms. I'm guessing they are taking more of the load than my chest. I'm doing bench press currently and I'm wondering if maybe my grip is too far out and that is working my arms and shoulders more than my chest I don't know. The grip feels comfortable so I keep using it.
I remember as a teenager I used to do chest exercises until I couldn't touch my elbows together and that was my gauge. I figured that was just an immature way to gauge how your pump was similar to trying to touch your thumb to your shoulder after doing arm exercises. Do some people still do that?
I remember as a teenager I used to do chest exercises until I couldn't touch my elbows together and that was my gauge. I figured that was just an immature way to gauge how your pump was similar to trying to touch your thumb to your shoulder after doing arm exercises. Do some people still do that?
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What are your stats and average weight gain per month?0
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5'10, 178. Just started so I don't really know what my gains are per month.0
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You'll see some mass when your nearing 200 lbs with correct programming and eating in a surplus.
Strength will always come easy when just starting out compared to mass. You should gain strength every session for a couple months at least. You certainly shouldn't expect noticable mass if you are just started though.3 -
You'll see some mass when your nearing 200 lbs with correct programming and eating in a surplus.
Strength will always come easy when just starting out compared to mass. You should gain strength every session for a couple months at least. You certainly shouldn't expect noticable mass if you are just started though.
I vote this^ too. You'll need to get your volume up for chest too. You can prioritize your chest by doing those exercises first, but if that's really a focus for you do some extra sets of 8-12 at 60-75% 1RM and see how your recovery goes. If you can't do the same thing the next week, increase until you fail, then you found approximately the upper end of the volume range for you. It will vary quite a bit but you might need to figure out if its 10, 15 or 20 sets per week on average, then bounce up and down around that range, while slowly adding weight to the bar.0 -
with any muscle group I always seen the best results when failure is achieved. After a warm up, I start heavy and then pyramid down, raising the reps. When I can't do any more I do negatives till failure. I do not workout that muscle group again for at least 7 to 10days5
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with any muscle group I always seen the best results when failure is achieved. After a warm up, I start heavy and then pyramid down, raising the reps. When I can't do any more I do negatives till failure. I do not workout that muscle group again for at least 7 to 10days
There are exactly 0 professional trainers who suggest working out so hard that 7 days rest is required...
Furthermore, 7-10 days rest almost ensures that you will go backward and not forward in progression.4 -
stanmann571 wrote: »with any muscle group I always seen the best results when failure is achieved. After a warm up, I start heavy and then pyramid down, raising the reps. When I can't do any more I do negatives till failure. I do not workout that muscle group again for at least 7 to 10days
There are exactly 0 professional trainers who suggest working out so hard that 7 days rest is required...
Furthermore, 7-10 days rest almost ensures that you will go backward and not forward in progression.
it's been working for me the past 15 years and it's was part of the training I did to stand on stage in a bodybuilding show. Took home first place for my age class
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A muscle pump is temporary and not indicative of actual muscle gain.
Have you been tracking progress with a tape measure? You may gained a little and not visibly seen it yet.
Don't get frustrated!0 -
Not to be a downer, but genetics can also come into play. My brother couldn't develop his chest for crap. Had huge shoulders & traps tho. I was the opposite, just looking at the bench press gave me a decent chest,(I kid) but I struggled to build my shoulders.0
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You have to teach yourself to contract your chest. It's really easy to let your delt and triceps to take over in any chest exercise if you are not concentrating on a contraction in your chest.0
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Not to be a downer, but genetics can also come into play. My brother couldn't develop his chest for crap. Had huge shoulders & traps tho. I was the opposite, just looking at the bench press gave me a decent chest,(I kid) but I struggled to build my shoulders.
I've definitely thought about this. I've had friends like that. They seem to have massive gains in their chest while we were doing the same workouts and my gains were always in my lats and shoulders.
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RAD_Fitness wrote: »You have to teach yourself to contract your chest. It's really easy to let your delt and triceps to take over in any chest exercise if you are not concentrating on a contraction in your chest.
I get what you're saying and I've tried to focus more on that. What's interesting is I feel like I'm contracting my chest the most when doing tricep push downs.0 -
kevinf2380 wrote: »RAD_Fitness wrote: »You have to teach yourself to contract your chest. It's really easy to let your delt and triceps to take over in any chest exercise if you are not concentrating on a contraction in your chest.
I get what you're saying and I've tried to focus more on that. What's interesting is I feel like I'm contracting my chest the most when doing tricep push downs.
Have you tried Dumbell flat presses?
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kevinf2380 wrote: »Just started so I don't really know what my gains are per month.
There's the answer, right there.0 -
I know I'm gaining muscle because of my strength going up. But of course you will lift more if you weigh more. It takes a while to figure out what works for you. There's a whole lot of things contributing to mass in that area. What you eat, how much you eat, supplements, whether you lift heavy or light. This is my 15 year old nephew he's gained 25 lbs in 7 months on diet, and supplements and 2 a days. Of course he's been lifting since he was 10, started doing lower reps when he reached 12.
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with any muscle group I always seen the best results when failure is achieved. After a warm up, I start heavy and then pyramid down, raising the reps. When I can't do any more I do negatives till failure. I do not workout that muscle group again for at least 7 to 10days
I don't say this to be rude, but I don't personally believe your physique is something to aspire to. Studies prove muscle protein synthesis in a muscle returns to normal at a max of 48 hours, therefore muscle growth does not occur after that time. If you work a muscle group too hard, most of the time will be spent on recovery for that muscle, thereby limiting growth. Working to complete failure and resting 7-10 days is no where near optimal. Optimal growth will occur working a muscle group 2-3 times/week. Body building splits, focusing on particular muscle groups each session, work better for enhanced athletes.0 -
kevinf2380 wrote: »RAD_Fitness wrote: »You have to teach yourself to contract your chest. It's really easy to let your delt and triceps to take over in any chest exercise if you are not concentrating on a contraction in your chest.
I get what you're saying and I've tried to focus more on that. What's interesting is I feel like I'm contracting my chest the most when doing tricep push downs.
Whenever you're doing a pressing exercises keep your shoulders blades pulled back and you can even try doing underhand presses to help feel the contraction better.
I'd say go down a bit in weight and concentrate every single rep. Your chest doesn't care or know the number of pounds your lifting. It know's the stress you're putting on it. If you are able to concentrate and contract your chest more with 50lb dumbbell presses compared to 70lb dumbbell presses, where you're only really contracting enough to put up 40lb but your triceps and shoulders are helping with the additional 30lb, then you'll get more work to your chest obviously doing the 50lb presses.
It will take time. I am the opposite. My back and chest grow crazy, and my arms and shoulders lag, so I have to tailor my training around that (for aesthetics) to be able to contract my biceps, triceps and shoulders rather than letting the stronger muscle groups take over.0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »kevinf2380 wrote: »RAD_Fitness wrote: »You have to teach yourself to contract your chest. It's really easy to let your delt and triceps to take over in any chest exercise if you are not concentrating on a contraction in your chest.
I get what you're saying and I've tried to focus more on that. What's interesting is I feel like I'm contracting my chest the most when doing tricep push downs.
Have you tried Dumbell flat presses?
I have tried that as well as incline dumbbell press. I do have some upper chest growth but nothing in the outer or inner chest really.
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kevinf2380 wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »kevinf2380 wrote: »RAD_Fitness wrote: »You have to teach yourself to contract your chest. It's really easy to let your delt and triceps to take over in any chest exercise if you are not concentrating on a contraction in your chest.
I get what you're saying and I've tried to focus more on that. What's interesting is I feel like I'm contracting my chest the most when doing tricep push downs.
Have you tried Dumbell flat presses?
I have tried that as well as incline dumbbell press. I do have some upper chest growth but nothing in the outer or inner chest really.
Underhand presses will help to work your upper chest much more than incline presses. Something like 40% more activation in the underhand press compared to an 10 or 15% increase with an incline Press. Either way, if you aren't contracting your chest, it means nothing.
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@op
Could be genetics in the end.
I know for me. My upper chest development sux.
I'm 6'1" @ ~168 lbs.
I can incline bench 235 x 4
I can flat bench 255 x 5
I can do flat bench DB using 100 for 6-8 reps.
Inclines at 80+ lbs.
I vary rep and set ranges as well.
And in the end. My upper chest doesn't get bigger.
Just keep grinding.
Try not to flare ur elbows also. Sounds like this may be what ur doing since u noted that ur arms and shoulders appear to be developing.0 -
Try not to flare ur elbows also. Sounds like this may be what ur doing since u noted that ur arms and shoulders appear to be developing.
I don't barbell bench so forgive me if I wrong but I thought it was the other way around.
Elbows flared, lowering the bar to the upper chest / neck puts more emphasis on pecs
Elbows tucked, lowering bar to lower chest, puts more emphasis on front delts and tris.
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If OP has long arms, doesn't that make it likely his arms would take more strain than his chest?
OP could try dbell flyes immediately before benching, to pre-exhaust his pecs (Arthur Jones Nautilus style).0 -
stanmann571 wrote: »with any muscle group I always seen the best results when failure is achieved. After a warm up, I start heavy and then pyramid down, raising the reps. When I can't do any more I do negatives till failure. I do not workout that muscle group again for at least 7 to 10days
There are exactly 0 professional trainers who suggest working out so hard that 7 days rest is required...
Furthermore, 7-10 days rest almost ensures that you will go backward and not forward in progression.
it's been working for me the past 15 years and it's was part of the training I did to stand on stage in a bodybuilding show. Took home first place for my age class
Cant see how this program works. 7 days I half understand but 10 days would then throw out the following weeks programe. I must be missing something. Plus what can you be doing that your sore for that long a period?0 -
Try not to flare ur elbows also. Sounds like this may be what ur doing since u noted that ur arms and shoulders appear to be developing.
I don't barbell bench so forgive me if I wrong but I thought it was the other way around.
Elbows flared, lowering the bar to the upper chest / neck puts more emphasis on pecs
Elbows tucked, lowering bar to lower chest, puts more emphasis on front delts and tris.
I have always seen and noted with my own personal workouts...
That if my arms are more out at 90 degrees, I feel it more on my shoulders.
If I bring my elbows in, while slightly turning my grip inwards on the bar, I feel it more on my chest....
But that is me.
I have had to adopt this posture because doing the 90 degree flare out, put a ton of stress on my elbows.
But going based on the OP's mention of his shoulders and triceps getting more of the stimulation, leads me to believe his grip/technique/posture is incorrect.0 -
If you feel like you are getting more results on your tris and shoulders you may be bringing the bar down too far up on your chest. Pinch your shoulder blades and bring the bar down at or just below your nipples. Also don't flare your arms out.1
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Try not to flare ur elbows also. Sounds like this may be what ur doing since u noted that ur arms and shoulders appear to be developing.
I don't barbell bench so forgive me if I wrong but I thought it was the other way around.
Elbows flared, lowering the bar to the upper chest / neck puts more emphasis on pecs
Elbows tucked, lowering bar to lower chest, puts more emphasis on front delts and tris.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mEdUrbn82yE 0 -
What does it mean to "flare your elbows" on bench press?
When people say "flare the elbows" they mean that the elbows themselves are out away from the sides of the body. Obviously, in order to flare your elbows far out, you would need to have a wider grip, and many bodybuilders and some powerlifters adopt this elbows-out position for the bench press, some so that the upper arms come close to being perpendicular to the body.
The reason bodybuilders do it is because it emphasizes the pectorals more, and they only do the bench press to grow their chest. Since both the upper and lower portions of the pectoralis major are very strong adductors of the shoulder, but especially the upper fibers, keeping the arms out brings to bear the pecs by calling on them to adduct the arms/shoulder joint more so than if the elbows were tucked into the body....
The very opposite of that is having the elbows/arms tucked tight into the sides, which would of course mean you'd need to bring the grip in closer, maybe even closer than shoulder width. Having your arms tucked tight to your sides is a very uncomfortable way to bench and it is actually hard on the shoulders in its own way. It also makes the pectorals less efficient since there is MORE shoulder extension but less adduction. The upper pecs are actually good extensors, but the lower fibers not so much and the deltoids have to do more than their fair share. The overall affect of this, without getting too complicated, is that an arms tucked tight in style means most will lift less weight and stress the shoulders.
It is quite normal for these dichotomies to be set up in strength training. If having your arms flared out bodybuilder style is incorrect and dangerous, then having your arms tucked tight into your sides must be correct, right? Wrong.
The more efficient and safest way to bench press, for most, is to have the arms come out from the body to just around 45 degrees or so..although it does not need to be perfect…whatever angle is most comfortable. So, if having your arms right against your sides is zero degrees, bringing them out about halfway between that and 90°, which would be at right angles to your torso, should be right. For most trainees this will mean a grip width of around shoulder-width, give or take.
http://www.gustrength.com/eric-troy:bench-press-elbows-in-out-and-incline-press0 -
blackcomaro wrote: »stanmann571 wrote: »with any muscle group I always seen the best results when failure is achieved. After a warm up, I start heavy and then pyramid down, raising the reps. When I can't do any more I do negatives till failure. I do not workout that muscle group again for at least 7 to 10days
There are exactly 0 professional trainers who suggest working out so hard that 7 days rest is required...
Furthermore, 7-10 days rest almost ensures that you will go backward and not forward in progression.
it's been working for me the past 15 years and it's was part of the training I did to stand on stage in a bodybuilding show. Took home first place for my age class
Cant see how this program works. 7 days I half understand but 10 days would then throw out the following weeks programe. I must be missing something. Plus what can you be doing that your sore for that long a period?
Idk man u should read Jim Stoppanis book Encyclopedia of Muscle and Strength. There's tons of ways to trains and days of rest that most ppl don't know if I knew how to post a pic I could post a paragraph that I screenshot specifically saying to rest 7 days2 -
I'm 51, 250 lbs 6'3, Powerlifted for 12 years, had a 505 flat 405 incline. I started back at 46, I have a 400 flat, 355 incline. I do heavy dumbell hammer grip incline presses, also cables crossovers, one arm peck deck, everything with emphasis on angle for upper chest. Also flex while lifting and not just go through the motions. I mix routines up from low to med to high to super hi. In the end if you have poor genetics you'll only get so far.0
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