Gaining Chest Mass

MityMax96 wrote: »

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.

blakejohn wrote: »

stanmann571 wrote: »

blakejohn 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?

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.

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-press

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.