[Frustrated] Great Minds of ABC, widen my chest!

[l0stsheep]

So, I'm pretty frustrated right now. I can get a nice contraction and really build my inner chest with cables and flys. But I just cannot, for the life of me, get my chest to grow out like I want it to. So, I need some help with this. Here is a list of chest exercises I do (not all in one workout, obviously):

DB/BB incline, decline, flat press
Machine Press
Pullovers
Incline, decline, flat flys
Machine Flys
Standing Cable crossovers
Seated incline, decline, flat cable crossovers
Close grip presses

Specifically for my dumb outer chest:
Wide grip BB presses, flat and decline
Flys to half way
DB presses where I pause at the bottom and keep the DB's wide at the top.

So, am I missing some really cool exercise I could do?? I think I need Adam or Gabe to just come up with some freaky workout for my outer chest heh [img]/forum/images/graemlins/cool.gif[/img]

Thanks!!

[westlondonflex]

I didn't see dips on your list of exercises.

If you have access to equipment to do them, then wide grip dips will give your chest a nice looking wide flare out.

[l0stsheep]

Oops, yeah I do dips but I don't have the ability to widen the grips with my machine. hrmm

[God's_Warrior]

Implants
[img]/forum/images/graemlins/wink.gif[/img]

[Adam Knowlden]

Hi LW,

I don't think you are missing any exercises per say, but there may be some techniques you can do to really emphasize this area.I feel the outer chest is stimulated best during the bottom of the range of motion for a pressing movement (this is why dips work so good for outer chest).

Dips do work, however, dips are harder to control and I feel you can get overstretched easy and end up with an injury if you make them a staple in your training. I know someone will say they do them everyweek and they're fine. This isn't one of the 10 commandments just my opinion. Dips do have there place though. You are advanced so you may incorporate forced dips occassionally.

Here is a description of forced dips from my chest workout in JHR:

Forced Dips

We will be utilizing forced dips in this workout. In order to do these I like to place a block or bench below the dipping station. Place it behind you far enough so that you can dip all the way down without brushing against it, but just far enough out so that after failure you can use its assistance.

The way you will utilize it is simple. Simply use your leg to push your body weight back up to the top of the range of motion and fight the negative as hard as you can! That’s the key to any forced rep, but especially on forced dips or chin-ups. Even if you can’t do 1 dip unassisted, you can still fight hard against the negative. After failure with just your bodyweight, or even if you can’t do 1 dip on your own, set a goal for 3 forced dips.

For those who are more advanced and are doing dips with added weight, after failure you will need to remove the weight and continue the set with just your bodyweight for resistance. This will be extremely challenging, especially after we do some pre-exhaustion for the chest. You will also be doing 3 forced reps.

Whether you are doing the beginner forced rep method or the advanced one, I want your goal to be a slow 5 count for the descent portion of the forced dip. Really fight the negative hard and put as much of the stress as you can on your pecs. When you get to the bottom they will feel like they are being ripped of your torso if you’re performing them correctly.

Let me also explain the correct technique for getting maximum stress on your pectorals during dips. As you mount the dipping bars aim your body forward, so that if it you could see yourself from the side you would be close to a 45 degree angle.

This will keep the stress on your chest and not your tris. This angle could vary from person to person.

The best way to find your personal angle is to simple perform a dip and lean forward until you feel your pecs being stretched hard. Now stay in this same angle and do your dips. Once you find this angle you will get into a "groove" with this exercise that will burn the pecs like nothing else! Just remember to squeeze your pecs hard at the top of the range of motion on the dips.

When you press back up push off with your palms. This also aids in keeping the chest under maximum tension.


Pause-press dumbbell presses

I recommend Pause-press dumbbell presses for you.

Pause-press flat dumbbell presses are one of my favorite chest exercises. The concept is simple. Do a standard flat dumbbell press. The key is at the bottom of the range of motion; you will go to your natural stopping point, pause for a second in that position, and then a little deeper. Pause for two seconds in this stretched position before going back up.

When you are in the bottom position you should be feeling a real intense stretch across your chest. You need to go really deep here.

I’m talking as far down as you can. Now hold that stretch for two seconds, and then press back up contracting the chest hard. Also be forewarned you will have to use lighter dumbbells than you normally use for flat dumbbell presses. Pausing at the bottom like this will really strain your pecs hardcore.

One key point I want to make here. As you are in the stretched position of the exercise don’t think about the ascent. If you do you’ll take your mind off the stretch. Keep focused on the stretch. Once you feel the pull and hold it for a 2 count, then concentrate on the push. Keep that in mind because when you get into the bowels of the stretch your first instinct will be to push out of it. You really need to stay in the stretch and hold the weight there. After that you can focus on the positive portion.

Immediately after you complete your pause-press reps, grab two lighter dumbbells and perform 2 or 3 reps of neutral grip flys. Stretch your arms out far on these and go slow on the descent. The first rep is really going to be a killer. Don’t come all the way to a peak on these either. The main concept of these is to stretch the pectorals from a different angle. The idea behind these exercises is that we are super setting an over-emphasized pressing movement then topping off the super stretch with a over-emphasized fly movement. This will stretch your chest from every angle. I’m not going to candy coat this at all. You’re in for some serious pain with this superset. But the pump is incredible and so are the results it will produce!!

Go for a rep scheme of 10, 8, 6 on the pause-press dumbbell presses and only like 2 or 3 reps on the flys. Believe me 3 reps on the flys is all you’ll need!

Description for nuetral non-peak flys:

Neutral Non-grip flys

These are awesome for the outer pecs!

The motion is almost exactly the same on these as it is with the non-peak flys. Begin by lying on a flat bench, and placing your feet flat on the floor. Grasp a dumbbell in each hand and hold the weights straight up above your head. The dumbbells should face forward.

Lower the weights out and away until they are in line with your outer chest, keeping them balanced and under control. Let the dumbbells down as far as you can, being sure to get a full stretch in the pecs at the bottom. Now "hug" the weights back up and bring your arms straight Overhead and get a peak contraction on top. Remember to keep your elbows bent at the same angle throughout the entire rep. Your arms move out and in, but your elbow angle always stays fixed. Then repeat till you've finished your set. You should feel a strong contraction in your outer pecs as you ascend up from the negative position.

On these I like to stop when I am about 6 inches away from a peak contraction. So, they’re still non-peak flys, but you’ll get a little closer than the regular non-peak flys.

Neutral Flys:

I also like to do flys with my hands straight out, just like I'm doing a press. So you won't do the traditional fly with your hands in a facing in. They'll stay in a neutral position the entire time.

You have some serious artilery here now bro!

You may even consider an overreaching cycle that incorporates these exercises. [img]/forum/images/graemlins/grin.gif[/img]

[rootb33r]

after you do these, maybe some fascia stretching is in order?

back when I first started lifting, I did fascia in the fly-position really concentrating on stretching the outer chest, and now my outer chest is enormous... well, bigger than my inner. Could be genetics, could be the fascia- who knows.

[klosey]

weighted dips are right up there and imho are better at building a straight edged chest than bench press

[over eater]

I feel dips tremedously more in my triceps then in my chest...is that wrong or just a sign that my triceps are not as advanced as my chest? I'm pretty sure I DO lean forward as Adam suggests, though maybe not enough?

[klosey]

[ QUOTE ]
I feel dips tremedously more in my triceps then in my chest...is that wrong or just a sign that my triceps are not as advanced as my chest? I'm pretty sure I DO lean forward as Adam suggests, though maybe not enough?

[/ QUOTE ]
Leaning forward with legs under body there shouldnt really be that much strain on triceps

[westlondonflex]

[ QUOTE ]
I feel dips tremedously more in my triceps then in my chest...is that wrong or just a sign that my triceps are not as advanced as my chest? I'm pretty sure I DO lean forward as Adam suggests, though maybe not enough?

[/ QUOTE ]

Crossing your legs behind you will cause you to learn forward more.