Chest workout plan

Hey, you, sitting there doing all those reps of all those sets on the flat bench. Wondering why you are gradually getting a stronger, thicker chest, but not at the rate you had hoped? Come closer. You are going about it all wrong. A big part of what you need is maximizing weight with less repetitions. You say your friend does heavier weights for lower reps, but he also feels he is not getting the results he wants? Well, I said that was part of it, meaning that is not all of it. Spot me as I give some demonstrations and advice you on what to do. Soon you will find out about building chest muscles. Oh yes, your pec(toral)s will grow. You will get stronger too. Let us start with some bench presses, but not on that flat bench you have been using. No, I have a better starting point in mind. Follow me.

Here we are. The incline bench. What? No, this is not just a side bench for an added dimension to your chest. This is not something you do every once and again. That would better describe the decline bench, which we will mention later.

The incline bench is what serious bodybuilders use to gain muscle size on their chests. No exercise is more important. You spotting me? Good. Now, I am warming up using only about 40% of what I can max out. I am going to do about 10 - 12 reps for one to two sets.

Now with that done, I am going to start the real lifting. I will add enough weight so that I can only do three working sets of 6-10 reps fully by myself. If I get five reps, you help me do one or two more negative reps for a total of eight. If I do eight reps, you help me do two more negative reps for a total of for a total of 10. By negatives I mean I cannot get the weight all the way up by myself, so you, as my spotter, will place your hands under the bar as I reach the peak of where I can lift it, and you will pull up on it just enough to help me finish getting the bar to the top of the contraction, no more, no less.

That felt great! You did an excellent job spotting. Now, onto our next exercise: Incline dumbell flyes. Not that familiar with flyes? Do not worry! Unlike presses, where I brought my arms down and in, then press straight outwards, with flyes you pull your arms outwards. I will sort of letting bringing your hands together straight out in front of your chest, then letting each fall outwards to form a T shape. The only exceptions are I will have slight bends in my elbows and I will control my arms as you let them fall outwards. I am going for the same number of sets and reps as on the incline bench. Spot me the same way, forcing two negative reps at the end of each set. Perfect! You are an excellent spotter!

Whats next? Why some dips of course. Now the previous two exercises I recommend for each chest workout, but if you do not want to do dips every chest workout, do them every other chest day. Dips can help your lower pectoral region. If you feel your lower chest is too flat, even with the dips, or just are not doing the dips as often as recommended..tsk tsk...then you may want to do some decline bench presses every second or third chest workout. On those I would say you can do the same sets and reps as above, but you could drop off a set and just have your partner help you do a few more negative reps. That would be just as effective.

Back to the dips. I am strapping on a 45 lb weight plate using the special chain next to the dip bar. If you have not done these before start with a 10 or 25 lb dumbell first, or even try with no weight at all, to see how it feels to you. Notice my hands are placed firmly on the dip bar. I am bending my lower legs up behind me in an X shape. See? Now, this is important, I lean forward. If I stay straight most of the pressure will be on my triceps. On triceps workout days that is fine, but today is for chest. I now straighten my arms to lift my body upwards keeping my head and shoulders leaning forward. Got it? I am doing 6-8 reps of these for three sets.

I think we have made excellent progress today. You want to know more? Well, if you feel you need one more exercise, and if you have been doing this for a while you can add more, but not until you have gotten used to this routine, I would so do some flat dumbell flyes...just like the incline dumbbell flyes, only on a flat bench, some machine flyes, self explanatory, or some cable crossovers. What are cable crossovers? Find a cable pulley machine. Place a single handle on each cable and lock the pulleys up to top position. Now grabbing each handle, standing in the middle of the cable pulley machine place one foot about a foot behind your and one about a foot in front of you, shoulder width apart. Bend forward at the waist several inches. Now pull the cables and in front of you with your elbows slightly bent. Let your hands slightly pass each other. Slowly let the cables return enough so your arms are outstretched again. Use enough weight so that you can only do about 8-10 reps.

All done! Can't wait to get started? Great! I am positive it will work great for you.