Whats up? I never knew there was a fitness forum here. Anyways, I have been lifting on and off for the past 5 years and consistently for the past year (4-5 times a week). I have the biggest problem strengthening my chest, building mass and gaining definition. My goal is to gain strength and weight but not be too bulky. Try to imagine like a basketball players figure. I am 5'10, 163 lbs and would like to get somewhere between 165-170. On the days I work out my chest, I also do abs. Any tips on what I should do differently or try?

Here is my routine. Sometimes I switch to some other random chest exercise if the gym is busy and the machine/bench/bells are being used by someone else. I also prefer not to use the bar because my shoulder has been popping a lot lately and I dont have a spotter.

Incline Dumbbell press: 3 sets, 10,10,8
Flat Dumbbell press: 3 sets, 10,10,8
Decline Dumbbell press: 3 sets, 10,10,8
Pec Fly on machine: 3 sets. 12,10,8
Cable Machine with the D handle??? (highest point) where your hands start far away and meet in the middle. 3 sets, 12,10,8

Any suggestions? my chest sucks!

 

How many days a week are you doing your "chest"? If you are doing that routine more than once a week, I will tell you right now, to take a break from that. Your muscles need time to repair, and it is in that time that they get stronger and larger as they repair, not when you are tearing the muscle fibers apart (when lifting). As far as your shoulder popping, I would recommend taking a break from the heavy lifting/pressing movements, and spend some time working on joint integrity/stability to support the weights that you are trying to lift. It will allow you to do heavier weights down the road, and allow for greater increases in strength and size.

 

I target every muscle group once a week and rest on weekends or in between. For example:

Monday: Chest, abs
Tuesday: Back, cardio
Wed: Bi's, Tri's, Shoulders
Thur: Rest
Fri: Legs, abs,
sat: rest or finish up another body group if i didnt have time during the week
sun: rest or finish up another body group....

What are some integrity/stability exercises? Its only my right shoulder that pops. I was playing ball and my shoulder collided with someone else's body when my arm was extended going for the ball and ever since its been popping. Anywhere I can read up more about this or find some pictures for examples? Do the joint supplement stuff works? Like glucoamine or whatever its called i see at costco?

 

Shoulder pop? you using bar or dumbells? to ease the shoulder strain jump on a machine for chest for the next few workouts. this should isolate your chest more and cancel out you delts considerbly. once your shoulder is 100% stick with dumbells for a few weeks. hit inclines and flat sets, depending on what you need improvement on. (incline=upper cheast, flat=big middle, decline=lower...) make sure you include flys with your chest workouts. flat bench flys are great and keep the reps around 12-15 with all your sets. lemme know if you want a work out plan.

 

Slice your exercises.

Do about 3-4 chest excercise. Then, when its time to do chest again the next week change it up.

Like the first week do flat bench with a bar...next week do flat bench with dumbells.

Also try and increase your weight each week, even its only 2.5lbs.

You have to keep tricking your muscles, otherwise they get bored.

 

Switch your ab day to wed and do your bis on mon. After your first set of whatever chest exercise, do a bi workout. That way your chest stays fresh throughout the workout. Add dips with weights and damn I cant remember the name but basically you lie underneath a bench press and you pull yourself up, kinda like an upside down pushup.

 

Sometimes it feels like my shoulder wants to pop out of its joint and i feel it like halfway out. Usually happens when i least expect it and it hurts like a bitch. I usually use dumbbells for the first few exercises and then finish up on machine.

I understand that flat = mid, incline = upper, decline = lower, but what does the flat pec fly have over the incline pec fly and decline pec fly?

And it would be great if you can hook me up with a work out plan. My chest exercises are getting a bit monotonous.

 

haha yeah i just mentioned about those in the push up thread. except i just call them reverse push up haha.

https://acurazine.com/forums/showthr...=347071&page=3

 

you can hit em any angle you want..flat incline decline.. i feel it hit my chest the most just flat. make sure your gettng a huge strech at the bottom ofthe rep, thats where it counts.

watch that shoulder, if its painful, stop that lift and do something where it wont "pop out".