Chest Workouts

[jfarnsworth]

Once again I'm curious to know what others do to work out the pectoral muscles? How did you find the workout that works best for you? What exercises/sets/reps did you find give you the results your looking for? My chest routine is as follows.
5 sets of decline barbell presses. 2 warm up sets then 3 hard ones. In between the 3 working sets I immediately go do 3 sets of incline dumbell flies.
Next I perform 3 sets of incline barbell presses with 3 sets of decline dumbell flies.
From here I perform 3 sets on the fly machine. Then last I do 3 sets of cable crossovers. If there's any time left then I might do some flat bench presses.
Once every 4 to 5 weeks I change the routine, instead of using the barbell presses I use dumbell bunch presses.
Any other exercises or thoughts on my routine?

 

[arnisador]

I have one of those flexible spring-bars and I really like it. I get great results with it--better than the stuff on my home gym (e.g. seated bench press). I'm really happy with it. Of course, I'm looking just for tone, not major muscle development.

 

[Elfan]

One set of dips to failure.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Do you find that dips give you the results that your looking for? We don't have a dip bar at the gym I work out in.

 

[Elfan]

No I'm not completly satisfied with dips but more so then I was with bench presseing.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Originally posted by Elfan
No I'm not completly satisfied with dips but more so then I was with bench presseing.

Very interesting. Have you tried varying angles on the incline bench or decline bench presses? My chest is usually sore for two or 3 days after my chest day. I find alternating the incline & decline together with the dumbell flies most satisfying.

 

[Kalicombat]

It all depends on what you are trying to achieve. Your workout looks good for bodybuilding, but has no real power faculties incorporated. Cables and flies are great for shaping the chest, but good old flat bench presses, in a pyramid set/rep scheme cannot be matched by any other excercise. Also, medicine ball throws will give you explosiveness in your bench. Have someone stand above you and drop the ball toward your chest, catch it, bring it to your chest and explode it up. Do two sets of 25 reps at the end of your workout.
My lifting workouts are all powerbased, ie; bench press, squats, deadlifts, powercleans, lying tricep extensions, bent over barbell rows, flat bar curls, and heavy bent over dumbell rows. No cables, no machines, no light weights. Obviously, I am trying to gain strength and power. I bench twice a week, once heavy, once moderate. I deadlift and squat once a week. Ive also just started incorporating olympic lifts in, but right now I am mainly trying to get my form down. Olympic lifting form is very important.
If your gym doesnt have a dip station, use two chairs and a bench. Put your feet on the bench, and put the chairs on either side of you to support your arms, then just do a dip. Works the chest, triceps, and shoulders great.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Thanks for the info. Gary. You give some things to think about as far as changing in the work outs.

 

[jfarnsworth]

Bump

 

[Scout_379]

I don't have access to a gym, or excercise equipment, so I do a whole lotta push-ups and it works great for me. I'm working on developing a faster, more explosive stregth, ie faster push-ups, clapping. To make sure I work my other muscles, I do different positions for my hands and different motions of the body. Right now I am trying to get the One handed push-ups down, but my strength isn't there...yet

 

[lonecoyote]

I workout for muscular endurance as well as strength and I'll do supersets alternating between chest and upper back, like dumbbell bench press to dumbbell bent over rows, could do it with a barbell too, just dont have one set up for bent over rows, push ups to chin ups, wide grip curl to bench press or push ups , etc. It works for me. I don't rest between changing exercises, like, dumbell bench press, then stand up immediately and do bent over rows.

 

[SMP]

When I was serious about lifting for power. I like doing pyramids for major lifts and 3 sets of 50+ for auxillary lifts. I got up to benching 2 X 465 at the end of a work out so for me it worked pretty good.

 

[fightingfrenzy]

That sounds like a pretty impresive workout schedule, I really dont know what else you could do to better enhance your pecs but, that sounds pretty darn good

 

[fightingfrenzy]

All that equipment is kinda expensive to purchase for results you might not even get. I admire the fact that your not relying on various kinds of equipment to gain the desired strength you need. Push-ups are fast and easy to do, and with all the variety it offers, you can gain alot of strength in a short amount of time-keep up the good work!

 

[bassplayer]

My lifting workouts are all powerbased, ie; bench press, squats, deadlifts, powercleans, lying tricep extensions, bent over barbell rows, flat bar curls, and heavy bent over dumbell rows. No cables, no machines, no light weights. Obviously, I am trying to gain strength and power. I bench twice a week, once heavy, once moderate. I deadlift and squat once a week.

Kali, if you're benching like that (twice a week,) its most likely too much. The more intense your workout is, the more rest time you will need. If your workouts are getting progressively more intense, then your periods of rest will also need to increase. Without that extra rest, your muscles will not develop as much as they possibly could. IMO if you're going to go for an intense workout, the hit it, but the moderate one isnt doing much for you - it could be better spent on the more explosive workouts like the med ball or pushups, if you really feel that you need to get the extra time in there.
when you train, train hard! train hard every time, but not all the time.
just my .02!