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Getbig Bodybuilding Boards => Training Q&A => Topic started by: BiG_Bob on March 31, 2013, 08:30:32 PM
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Whats the best exercise for building upper chest
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(http://mattsiniscalchi.files.wordpress.com/2011/05/upright-rows-finish.jpg)
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Basketball
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Bench pressing your mom.
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I like incline db presses ...can feel it better. Try pre exhaust too with flyes...db flyes or cable. Flyes then presses...do not do flat bb press to neck gironda style..save your shoulders.
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Pec minor dip and reverse grip flat press using the smith machine unless you are comfortable with your balance using a barbell - have a spotter and thank me in 6 weeks time.
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Bicep curls in the squat rack.
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Bicep curls in the squat rack.
I don't trust your opinion from your pics I can see you don't know what you're talking about
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I don't trust your opinion from your pics I can see you don't know what you're talking about
;D
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i know a guy(not me,haha)who would injet his steroids straight into the lower and upper chest,hoping it will do something.
this was even before synthol was known or used on wide scale.
a true pioneer.
it didnt work,thoughj
fuck sake...LOL...
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low incline smith machine presses/ low incline db presses/ low incline flyes......30 degrees.
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Some crazy guys running around.... ;D
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I don't trust your opinion from your pics I can see you don't know what you're talking about
Lets see your pics juice monkey ???
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Great post Willie...30% spot on
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Bicep curls in the squat rack.
(http://25.media.tumblr.com/afac0aa2257b7cce375dcb2fe81a36f4/tumblr_mhlhymkpkL1r2n4czo1_500.png)
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Lets see your pics juice monkey ???
Juice monkey???? Jigga please. Ive never touched the stuff. Wtf you talking about
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lol @ going incline to improve your upper chest, the only thing that will improve by increasing the angle of the incline presses or flyes will be your deltoids ;)
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Train the whole chest the way that feels best and get to a lower bodyfat and pray that you have good upper pecs. Not much revolutionary things you can do with lagging parts in this world. I have friends who tries to get these 'upper chests' but everybody's shape does not change much.
But think of it like this. If incline hits your chest better, they are therefore better for you upper as well and maximal growths may make upper appear better even though the chest grows as a whole.
Also, if you front delts get more work, it may create a separation between chest and delts which makes the upper seem more prominent. Who knows.
Need to think about all aspects and try stuff to find the best solution.
Ps. I think BigBobs is a sort of gimmick. Despite my serious reply ;)
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lol @ going incline to improve your upper chest, the only thing that will improve by increasing the angle of the incline presses or flyes will be your deltoids ;)
not if you use 30 degrees like willie wrote. when people use like 45 then yes delts are hit too much.
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Genetics..
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Choosing the right parents. Gear, food & training will do the rest.
(http://www.onestopmuscle.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/11/Haney91-Coleman93.jpg)
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not if you use 30 degrees like willie wrote. when people use like 45 then yes delts are hit too much.
yes this is what they say
however i wonder
a lot of people arch their backs on the incline so their chest seems far from 30 degree....
this all seems like epic broscience
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FLAT bench press with high bar position(almost touching your chin).
It took 20yrs to realize that.
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FLAT bench press with high bar position(almost touching your chin).
It took 20yrs to realize that.
rotator cuff of peace
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not if you use 30 degrees like willie wrote. when people use like 45 then yes delts are hit too much.
I gave you the two exercises that are superior to developing upper pecs - EMS studies have shown that incline work activates the area of the upper portion of chest at 5 % only where as the reverse grip flat bench works it 30% more than any incline work - add in pec minor work which will "lift" the pectorals up and voila you now have upper chest superior to doing inclines. ;)
People who get huge development from inclines geneticly have more fibres in the area and would get upper pecs from any sort of chest work - Franco and Serge are prime examples
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rotator cuff of peace
Ironicaly, i discover this because of not being able to perform incline press due to my shoulder problem
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donīt know if you can read this but each lift was measured and DECLINE press was shown to give best OVERALL development... makes you think.... however did Guys like Arnold do inclines for no reason??
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;D
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OK itīs in German... but the results were::
Decline press 15 degrees 82,0
Flat press 79,5
incline 25 degree bank 79,3
incline 45 degrees 71,8
measured in xKmax other measurments which i do not understand my self and this was written by 2 sport Doctors sport school Köln Germany.. which is very well known here.
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FLAT bench press with high bar position(almost touching your chin).
It took 20yrs to realize that.
Ye old Gironda bench press to the neck. Years later my right shoulder still isn't right.
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donīt know if you can read this but each lift was measured and DECLINE press was shown to give best OVERALL development... makes you think.... however did Guys like Arnold do inclines for no reason??
Is that EMS studies where the pulse is read via monitors :D - Arnold is not your genetic average, he had huge upper pecs from benching before he looked more at Incline work ;) Ken waller from the same era did countless Incline based work and had no upper chest :D , a new study done on the very movements I talk of done in Australia last year shows reverse flat is still 30 % more effective than Inclines for developing upper pec size.
I put a guy onto these movements - he was doing nothing but incline work and had no upper pecs - 6 months of reverse benching on the flat plus incline cable flyes (he dropped all other incline work) pec minor dips he now has upper pecs popping over the top of his tank top and there was nothing there before from doing incline work ;)
And what is this measuring in your study ? chest development or upper pec activation ?
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OK itīs in German... but the results were::
Decline press 15 degrees 82,0
Flat press 79,5
incline 25 degree bank 79,3
incline 45 degrees 71,8
measured in xKmax other measurments which i do not understand my self and this was written by 2 sport Doctors sport school Köln Germany.. which is very well known here.
hey thanks
dorian claims decline is by far the best mass building press for pecs
so i started doing it
but always wondered if there was any proof to his claim
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Good thread. Having read & been told 'incline for upper chest' ad nauseum I now have good front delts and lagging upper chest. Interesting info ^
Not sure why that guy in the video's voice breaks at the start of every sentence though
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Power cleans
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Is that EMS studies where the pulse is read via monitors :D - Arnold is not your genetic average, he had huge upper pecs from benching before he looked more at Incline work ;) Ken waller from the same era did countless Incline based work and had no upper chest :D , a new study done on the very movements I talk of done in Australia last year shows reverse flat is still 30 % more effective than Inclines for developing upper pec size.
I put a guy onto these movements - he was doing nothing but incline work and had no upper pecs - 6 months of reverse benching on the flat plus incline cable flyes (he dropped all other incline work) pec minor dips he now has upper pecs popping over the top of his tank top and there was nothing there before from doing incline work ;)
And what is this measuring in your study ? chest development or upper pec activation ?
they measured the overall muscle activity of all 3 areas , they measured each exercise to find out if each area was hit best with the "standard" exercises.. Decline 15 degrees (pars abdominalis) the Flat Bench (pars sternocostalis) and incline (pars clavicularis). measuring the EMG activity. (xemg) The info is in a book Fitness kraft training ISBN 3-499-19481-3 itīs in German but a very good read if you can read it or maybe get it in English not sure. I canīt write some of the measurement data because i do not have the keyboard with all the correct keys. they did tests in the book on all muscle groups.
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they measured the overall muscle activity of all 3 areas , they measured each exercise to find out if each area was hit best with the "standard" exercises.. Decline 15 degrees (pars abdominalis) the Flat Bench (pars sternocostalis) and incline (pars clavicularis). measuring the EMG activity. (xemg) The info is in a book Fitness kraft training ISBN 3-499-19481-3 itīs in German but a very good read if you can read it or maybe get it in English not sure. I canīt write some of the measurement data because i do not have the keyboard with all the correct keys. they did tests in the book on all muscle groups.
Interesting , as current measurement studies are showing that incline work only activates the upper fibres 5 % more than standard flat pressing where as pressing on the flat but using a reverse grip activates the upper fibres by 30 % more so 25% more activation than incline work.
By twisting your hands around you put your upper pectoral region in a better position to fire more - it also puts less stress on your shoulder region and thickens your triceps like a M/Fucker :D
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not if you use 30 degrees like willie wrote. when people use like 45 then yes delts are hit too much.
This x 10!
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Pre-exhaust with pull-overs followed by Incline Db presses.
Your upper pecs will explode, trust me!
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my favs: the flat bench with bar up to the neck; incline flies
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OK itīs in German... but the results were::
Decline press 15 degrees 82,0
Flat press 79,5
incline 25 degree bank 79,3
incline 45 degrees 71,8
measured in xKmax other measurments which i do not understand my self and this was written by 2 sport Doctors sport school Köln Germany.. which is very well known here.
Yes, I remember those EMG studies. I don't have the same experience with all scores, for example, I feel front raises much more intense in my front delts, compared with shoulder presses, but these findings are a good rule of thumb when you want to select effective exercises.
Here's a resume of the findings:
Electromyographical (EMG) Research is an essential research tool allowing physiologists to determine the role of muscles during specific movements. EMG is a scientific method of measuring the level of excitation. This is done by placing electrodes over your body and recording the level of muscle activity induced by an exercise. A study was conducted to find which exercises cause the greatest amount of activity within each muscle group and, as a consequence, determine which exercises will produce the greatest gains in mass and strength. This study was conducted by Tudor O. Bompa, PhD & Lorenzo J. Cornacchia. Both men and women were used in the study and all subjects had at least two years experience with resistance training.
Here are the results of the best workout exercises study::
(100% would signify maximum muscle fiber stimulation)
Pectoralis Major (Chest)
Decline dumbbell bench press ----------------93%
Decline bench press, Olympic bar(OB)---------89
Push-ups between benches --------------------88
Flat dumbbell bench press -------------------87
Flat bench press (OB) -----------------------85
Flat dumbbell flyes --------------------------84
Pectoralis Minor (Chest)
Incline dumbbell bench press ----------------91%
Incline bench press (OB) --------------------85
Incline dumbbell flyes -----------------------83
Incline bench press (smith machine) ---------81
Medial Deltoids (Shoulder)
Incline dumbbell (db) side laterals ----- 66%
Standing db side laterals -------63
Seated db side laterals -----62
Cable side laterals -----47
Posterior Deltoids
Standing db bent laterals ----- 85%
Seated db bent laterals -----83
Standing cable bent laterals -----77
Anterior Deltoids
Seated front db press -----79%
Standing front db raises -----73
Seated front barbell press -----61
Biceps brachii (long head)
Preacher curls (Ob) -------------------- 90%
Incline seated Db curls (alternate) ------ 88
Standing biceps curls (Ob/narrow grip)--- 86
Standing Db curls (alternate) ----------- 84
Concentration Db curls ------------------ 80
Standing curls (Ob/wide grip)------------ 63
Sta
ding E-Z curls (wide grip) ----------- 61
Triceps brachii (outer head)
Decline extensions (Ob) ------------------ 92%
Triceps pressdowns (angled bar) ----------- 90
Dips with a bench --------------------------87
One-arm cable extensions (reverse grip) - 85
Overhead rope extensions ------------------ 85
Seated one-arm Db extensions (neutral grip)- 82
Close-grip bench press (Ob) --------------- 72
Latissimus dorsi (back)
Bent-over Bb rows ---------------------------93%
One-arm Db rows -----------------------------91
T-bar rows ----------------------------------89
Lat pulldowns to the front ------------------86
Seated pulley rows --------------------------83
Rectus femoris (quads)
Safety squats (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance) ----88%
seated leg extensions (toes straight) -------86
Hack squats (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance) ----78
Leg press (110 degree angle) ----------------76
Smith machine (90 degree angle, shoulder width stance) ----60
Biceps femoris (hamstring)
Standing leg curls --------------------------82%
Lying leg curls -----------------------------71
Seated leg curls ----------------------------58
Modified hamstring deads --------------------56
Semitendinosus (inner hamstring)
Seated leg curls ----------------------------88
Standing leg curls --------------------------79
Lying leg curls -----------------------------70
Modified hamstring deads --------------------63
Gastrocnemius (calf muscle)
Donkey raises -------------------------------80
Standing one-leg raises ---------------------79
Standing two-leg raises ---------------------68
Seated raises -------------------------------61
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I'll dig out these latest studies I'm talking about to share :)
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Pre-exhaust with pull-overs followed by Incline Db presses.
Your upper pecs will explode, trust me!
::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
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(http://makefun.cn/wp-content/uploads/2009/05/051509-0908-18kilograms11.png)
Ask her.
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::) ::) ::) ::) ::)
Maybe your mind-muscle connection is just not good enough.
You can pull either with your lats or your upper pecs doing pull-overs, but you have to be pretty advanced to have control over that I gotta admit.
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pullover is a lat movement... i have better pecs than you also, hope this helps...
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pullover is a lat movement... i have better pecs than you also, hope this helps...
Then you're not doing it right. I feel pullovers solely in my pecs.
Maybe you can learn a thing or two from Kai regarding form, he explains it pretty goot there:
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i feel my pecs working on biceps curls and shrugs also, doesnt change the fact that the primary mover for a pullover is the lats
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Maybe your mind-muscle connection is just not good enough.
You can pull either with your lats or your upper pecs doing pull-overs, but you have to be pretty advanced to have control over that I gotta admit.
Damn. Must be shitty advice since this dude was banned.
Anyway.... pullovers are certainly a lat exercise.
As stated by another poster, pec minor dips are the best way to thicken the upper chest. The pec minor is sort of like the brachialis for the biceps. If you build the brachialis up enough it will "lift" the bicep up and make it appear bigger. Same thing with the upper chest.
Dorian advocates decline presses as the best. Lee Haney (when I worked out at his gym for years in Atlanta) always advocated slight incline presses. Specifically he praised this hammer strength machine :
http://www.lifefitness.com/commercial/hammerstrength/plateloaded/isolateralupperbody/isolateralhorizontalbenchpress.html
But he always said that the best angle for chest was the angle where you could feel the best contraction. Some people simply can not target the chest sufficiently with flat bench because they divert stress to the delts, triceps, and use momentum and elbow leverage to power through the movement (ego training) so if you can get a better contraction with less secondary muscles involved from incline or decline, then you should stick with them.
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Then you're not doing it right. I feel pullovers solely in my pecs.
Maybe you can learn a thing or two from Kai regarding form, he explains it pretty goot there:
Someone should email that video to Branch.
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Someone should email that video to Branch.
That bald midget beaver is too stubborn to take any advice
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Ok OK .. you getbig boys are eager for big pecs so iīll let you know the secret to Mr O pecs...
;D
and donīt lie i bet a few here had this Bullworker at home... ;D ;D
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Believe it or not, reverse grip bench press is the best exercise I have found to get the upper pecs.
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Believe it or not, reverse grip bench press is the best exercise I have found to get the upper pecs.
this was also found in some sort of study
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Bottom line is if it works do it...the mirror does not lie..
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Yates never really had a good upper chest...so that decline for upper chest is bullshit in my opinion
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Yates never really had a good upper chest...so that decline for upper chest is bullshit in my opinion
he also did incline 4 plates like nothing
so does that mean incline is also bs for upper chest?
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he also did incline 4 plates like nothing
so does that mean incline is also bs for upper chest?
I know..but I guess its more genetics than anything...but I could be wrong..hard question to answer so many factors that play into it
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I know..but I guess its more genetics than anything...but I could be wrong..hard question to answer so many factors that play into it
most likely
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Incline hammer strength machine, and genetics.
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The best incline press machine I have ever used is made by flex equipment! It had about a 30 degree angled seat and went up to about 350 pounds! It was awesome did not burn shoulders out pumped upper chest to the max! I always die them as my first exercise for chest, followed by flat benches on smith machine.Would then do incline flyes ,again with 30 degree angle folowed by cable crossovers or pec dec
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I finally figured out how to target the upper pecs with very slow, slight incline free-motion smith (3d smith machine) incline presses.. my chest burned like never before after a few sets done with a light weight and the magic angle.
i did this for 6 months and my upper chest still looks just as shit as it did when I only did flat and dips.
Parents + drug response >>>> everything else
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I finally figured out how to target the upper pecs with very slow, slight incline free-motion smith (3d smith machine) incline presses.. my chest burned like never before after a few sets done with a light weight and the magic angle.
i did this for 6 months and my upper chest still looks just as shit as it did when I only did flat and dips.
Parents + drug response >>>> everything else
Spot on
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I finally figured out how to target the upper pecs with very slow, slight incline free-motion smith (3d smith machine) incline presses.. my chest burned like never before after a few sets done with a light weight and the magic angle.
i did this for 6 months and my upper chest still looks just as shit as it did when I only did flat and dips.
Parents + drug response >>>> everything else
A+ ;D ;D
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Lots of conflicting opinions here. Wonder what the truth is
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A good thread....
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Thank you.
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Lots of conflicting opinions here. Wonder what the truth is
It starts with good genetics, everything else is debatable
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It starts with good genetics, everything else is debatable
True
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Lots of conflicting opinions here. Wonder what the truth is
Synthol....
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Synthol....
Shnthol looks like shit no matter what
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Synthol....
Synthol in pecs = bad idea
(http://www.archiv.posedown.de/meisterschaften/2004/2004-05_nac_dm-asperg/pics/andreas-frey.jpg)
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Lots of conflicting opinions here. Wonder what the truth is
Legit Kigs
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(http://www.musclelegion.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/07/Dexter-Jackson-3.jpg)
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Ok OK .. you getbig boys are eager for big pecs so iīll let you know the secret to Mr O pecs...
;D
and donīt lie i bet a few here had this Bullworker at home... ;D ;D
I had one bought it a long time ago, used it every day!
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Can you work your chest 2 days apart
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Can you work your chest 2 days apart
you can but not with much intensity i assume you mean training then a break of 2 days. Or do you mean trying to train diffrent areas/lifts over 2 workouts. some do this with full body say flat press monday and incline wed. If you train chest hard you will need more than 2 days rest, itīs a question of intensity and volume.
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I'm beginning to believe that inclines don't target the upper chest. It does involve more delts. I don't believe now you can isolate the middle, lower or upper chest.
When Dorian competed I never heard of him using decline presses. He does promote it now. Without a doubt it's easier on the shoulder joint. Just dangerous to do without a spotter. If you have the typical bench shoulder problems try declines.
When I do whole body routines I pick one at the most maybe two exercises per body part. My main chest was flat dumbbell presses and I never thought or felt my upper chest wasn't getting hit hard.
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Agree with OldTimer1.
Suggest that dips are that much easier on the shoulder joints, pressing down and along side the body. Declines seems kinder to the shoulder girdle, also. Try DB's on declines, or any other chest pressing exercise. Allow a more nature motion for the pressing muscles. And better stretch. Try using a narrower bench width for chest work (there are different width's).
Even BB military presses hit the upper pecs, but not to the extreme that they would be considered a actual focus movement. Good Luck.