# Upper chest routine



## pwloiacano (Sep 28, 2010)

Has anyone tried the reverse grip bench press?  I have read that this exercise is better for your upper chest than Incline Bench Press.

Also, is there any advantage to doing Incline Flyes vs Flat Flyes?  I do both, but am not sure if it is really necessary.

If anyone has a good example routine for upper chest, I would love to see it.  Thanks.


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## Marat (Sep 28, 2010)

pwloiacano said:


> Has anyone tried the reverse grip bench press?  I have read that this exercise is better for your upper chest than Incline Bench Press.



Where'd you read that?

Also, what's your current 5RM for a flat bench?


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## pwloiacano (Sep 28, 2010)

I read on bodybuilding.com and flex magazine.

If by 5RM, you mean how much weight can I do for 5 reps.   315 on a flat bench.  I can just barely get the fifth rep, but I can get them all on my own.


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## Marat (Sep 28, 2010)

Sounds good. What's your current routine look like?


Oh, and I recommend taking the information you get from bb.com and those magazines with a grain of salt.


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## nova1970sb (Sep 28, 2010)

where's merkaba at?  he knows alot about working different sections of the chest!


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## Marat (Sep 28, 2010)

Yeah, haha I didn't want to get into that conversation.


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## Merkaba (Sep 28, 2010)

nova1970sb said:


> where's merkaba at?  he knows alot about working different sections of the chest!



haha....

GODDAMMIT MAN!!!!

Anyone care to explain how one can contract the "upper" pectoralis major ?
oh...BB.com....no wonder


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## cshea2 (Sep 28, 2010)

Reverse grip bp is for your triceps, usually done with a close grip. I've never done it, but it i spotted my buddy the other day on it and it looks like it really bombs your triceps. I'm a big fan of the floor press...


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## unclem (Sep 28, 2010)

do, inclin bp and db inclines, incline db flys. dont make it complicated. if u do reverse grip benches u cant really go heavy as the weight rests on the thumb and palm and limits the weight. plus the guys right its for tris. dont try to re-invent the wheel.


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## pwloiacano (Sep 29, 2010)

To answer Marat...

I did an upper chest workout today...

Inclines: 6 sets -- 4 with barbell (5 - 8 reps) ; 2 with dumbell (high reps 10-12)
Incline Flyes: 3 sets
Cable Crossovers: 3 sets

My Incline is NOWHERE near what I can do on the flat bench.  So, I am really concentrating on my form first, and I am sure that I will get stronger as time goes on.

My plan is to alternate my chest workouts.  The next time I do chest, I will do flat bench/dumbells, flat flyes, and dips.  This way, my shoulder and elbow tendons and joints get a break.  I am 44 and sometimes really feel them ache after heavy workouts for a couple of days!

This is definately something different that I am trying.  I am trying to take the advice of the majority of people who have been good enough to offer me feedback.  Less sets, more intensity.


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## pwloiacano (Sep 30, 2010)

Looking for feedback on my last post.  Any advice is welcome.  Thanx....


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## Silver Back (Sep 30, 2010)

**Puts on flame retardant suit**

OK, I'm a strength guy at heart. Big compound free weight exercises are my true love. I have found a pretty good upper chest exercise that is working well for me. I've been doing these after flat BB for a while now and my upper chest is starting to pop. 

Low incline smith press with a wide grip. Use a three count eccentric and an explosive concentric. Here's the trick. Line the bar up where in the bottom of the lift it is just below your throat. Do not bring the bar all the way down. Stop just as your elbows break parallel and stop short of lockout and pause. Keeping constant tension is key. I do these for 8-12 reps. I don't try to move big weights here. Usually just two plates per side on the smith. These burn me up.


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## Marat (Sep 30, 2010)

pwl, how often do you deload?

What other movements do you do that pertain to the upper body?


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## pwloiacano (Oct 1, 2010)

I am not sure what you mean by deload??

Besides the compound movements for chest I described earlier, here are other compounf movements that I do...

Shoulders: Smith Machine Military Press ; Arnold style dumbell presses
Back: T-Bar Rows ; Dumbell Rows ; Cable Rows (switch variation every other workout)
Triceps: Close-Grip Bench

I do do deadlifts...  Stiff legged ones on leg day...

What I am afraid of with the new chest routine that I am trying is that I may not be hitting hard enough.

Let me know what you think.


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## HeavyBomber (Oct 1, 2010)

ha you said "do do".


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## sjlouisbiz (Oct 1, 2010)

*CHEST ROUTINE need HELP!*

My chest has been the hardest muscle to develop. Please give me some advice about this routine.

Chest Excersize , trying to bulk up as much as possible.  
I am 6' 2"  223 lbs , was 210lbs July 30th. Now 223 lbs 10-1-10


*Chest    Sets    Reps    lbs    Max lbs.*

Flat         1      12      180    
Barbell      2      8       200    
              3      7        220    
              4      4       240    
              5      3        240    *265*


Incl          1      9      160    
Barbell      2       6     180    
              3       5      180    
              4       4      220
              5       3      240    * 270*

Decl         1     12     160    
Barbell      2     8      180    
               3     4      240    *275*


Flat         1    15      70    
Dumbell    2    10      85    
              3    8       90    
              4    5       95    *115*


Incl         1    12    70    
Dumbell    2    9     85    
              3    5     90    
              4    4     95    *110*


Dumbell    1    20    30    
Flys         2    15    35    
              3     9     45    
              4     8     45    *65*


Push Ups
              1    25    
              2    25    
              3    25


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## pwloiacano (Oct 1, 2010)

You are in the same boat that I was in.  Way too many sets for one routine.

It has been difficult for me to cut down on sets, but I am doing it and I believe that it will help me tremedously.  I was over training and was lucky that I did not get injured.

I would do 12 sets tops for chest.  Flats, Inclines, Flyes, & dips.

Also, most importantly.  Eat, Eat, Eat!!!  It is important to fuel your body.  

Sounds like you have made some good gains.

Cutting down on the sets will make the food you are eating work better for your body.  Each set should be as intense as possible.  If you do that, 12 sets will be more than enough.  Good luck to you.


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## MMAWannabe (Oct 1, 2010)

unclem said:


> do, inclin bp and db inclines, incline db flys. dont make it complicated. if u do reverse grip benches u cant really go heavy as the weight rests on the thumb and palm and limits the weight. plus the guys right its for tris. dont try to re-invent the wheel.




x2


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## pwloiacano (Oct 2, 2010)

Marat.  What do you mean by deload??


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## gtbmed (Oct 2, 2010)

Deloading is intentionally dropping the amount of lifting, the weight lifted, or both in order to allow the body to recover and adapt to previous training.

I think doing a 1 week deload after 3 weeks of hard training is a pretty good strategy.  You actually see a lot of gains after you come back from a deload if you do it properly.


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## sjlouisbiz (Oct 2, 2010)

Yeah, you are right, deloading also hels you recover from any joint or tendon soarness you may have encountered while weight training. Those nagging injuries.

I wll take you advice, Im on 24 week train, eat and sleep regiment so we will see how it goes.
I need my Bench max to hit the 300's by Feb.


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## gtbmed (Oct 2, 2010)

sjlouisbiz said:


> Yeah, you are right, deloading also hels you recover from any joint or tendon soarness you may have encountered while weight training. Those nagging injuries.
> 
> I wll take you advice, Im on 24 week train, eat and sleep regiment so we will see how it goes.
> I need my Bench max to hit the 300's by Feb.



Why do you "need" to be able to bench 300 by February?  Are you in a meet or something?


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## pwloiacano (Oct 3, 2010)

Thanks for clearing that up for me.

I guess my question is that I only did inclines on my last chest workout.  My Incline Bench is nowhere near what I can hit on a flatbench.  So, I did not do anywhere near the weight I would have done had I done flats...  Would that be considered deloading?  Or do I need to do that for all bodyparts??

Also, another question on inclines.  What is the best angle to do them at??  I have seen and heard people doing them on a very high incline where I personally think it hits the delts more, and also see and have tried a slight incline (first notch moved up from flat on a free bench).  Does anyone have an opinion here?


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## cshea2 (Oct 3, 2010)

sjlouisbiz said:


> Yeah, you are right, deloading also hels you recover from any joint or tendon soarness you may have encountered while weight training. Those nagging injuries.
> 
> I wll take you advice, Im on 24 week train, eat and sleep regiment so we will see how it goes.
> I need my Bench max to hit the 300's by Feb.



What's your max as of now? You have to be realistic about your goals, don't expect to add 10 pounds to your bench every month.


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## cshea2 (Oct 3, 2010)

pwloiacano said:


> Thanks for clearing that up for me.
> 
> I guess my question is that I only did inclines on my last chest workout.  My Incline Bench is nowhere near what I can hit on a flatbench.  So, I did not do anywhere near the weight I would have done had I done flats...  Would that be considered deloading?  Or do I need to do that for all bodyparts??
> 
> Also, another question on inclines.  What is the best angle to do them at??  I have seen and heard people doing them on a very high incline where I personally think it hits the delts more, and also see and have tried a slight incline (first notch moved up from flat on a free bench).  Does anyone have an opinion here?



I like the 30-35 degree angle inclines best. I even think 45 is too much delts, but I've seen a lot of people doing very high inclines.


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## pwloiacano (Oct 4, 2010)

How many notches up on the adjustable bench is 30-35 degrees??


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## cshea2 (Oct 4, 2010)

The ones at my gym, 2 notches up would be 30degrees, and I believe 4 notches up would be 45degrees.


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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 4, 2010)

pwloiacano said:


> Has anyone tried the reverse grip bench press?  I have read that this exercise is better for your upper chest than Incline Bench Press.
> 
> Also, is there any advantage to doing Incline Flyes vs Flat Flyes?  I do both, but am not sure if it is really necessary.
> 
> If anyone has a good example routine for upper chest, I would love to see it.  Thanks.



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T NATION | Building a Bodybuilder Chest


Building a Bodybuilder Chest
by Dr. Clay Hyght

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"all or none" principle of muscle contraction./ clavicular pectoralis is actually a separate muscle with a separate nerve innervation.

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pectoralis major receives dual motor innervation

Pectoralis major muscle - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia



Innervation

The pectoralis major receives dual motor innervation by the medial pectoral nerve and the lateral pectoral nerve, also known as the lateral anterior thoracic nerve. One route of innervation of the pectoralis major originates in the C7, C8 and T1 nerve roots which merge to form the lower trunk of the brachial plexus. 

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 multiplicity of innervation of pectoralis major

http://www.scielo.cl/pdf/ijmorphol/v27n4/art40.pdf
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Variations In The Bench Press

Variations In The Bench Press
by
Tom McCullough MEd.
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T NATION | Building a Bodybuilder Chest


Building a Bodybuilder Chest
by Dr. Clay Hyght


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People who believe in noncontiguous innervation, / say it takes only one exercise to stimulate a muscle completely / I say that???s a bunch of bull./ September 17, 2004 by Greg Zulak in Chest, Training

Best Upper Chest | Iron Man Magazine | www.ironmanmagazine.com

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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 4, 2010)

Can you really change the shape of a muscle?
by Mike Meija

T NATION | Made to Order Muscle

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The Muscles Connecting the Upper Extremity to the Anterior and Lateral Thoracic Walls - Gray's Anatomy of the Human Body - Yahoo! Education
The Muscles Connecting the Upper Extremity to the Anterior and Lateral Thoracic Walls


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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 4, 2010)

pwloiacano said:


> Has anyone tried the reverse grip bench press?  I have read that this exercise is better for your upper chest than Incline Bench Press.
> 
> Also, is there any advantage to doing Incline Flyes vs Flat Flyes?  I do both, but am not sure if it is really necessary.
> 
> If anyone has a good example routine for upper chest, I would love to see it.  Thanks.


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Incline Dumbbell Flys Video & Instructions Video & Instructions | Muscle & Strength


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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 4, 2010)

Chest Master: How Arnold Schwarzenegger Built The Best Chest Of All Time

    Stretching the tape at an incredible 58″, Arnold Schwarzenegger???s chest had it all: size, shape, balance and definition. When he hit a side chest pose, his pecs arched so high that a glass of water could rest atop them.

Chest Master: How Arnold Schwarzenegger Built The Best Chest Of All Time | SimplyShredded.com

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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 4, 2010)

The incline bench press targets the clavicular portion of the pectoralis major muscle. The clavicular head of the pectoralis major develops the most during incline press work. The clavicular attachment is the upper chest. The sternal attachment is the lower chest.
Anatomy of the Pectoralis Major

The clavicular portion of the pectoralis muscle originates on the anterior medial side of the clavicle. The insertion of this muscle is on the anterior humerus. The sternal attachment originates on the anterior sternum and on the 2nd and 6th ribs and inserts on the upper anterior portion of the humerus.

Function of the Pectoralis Major (Clavicular)

The primary movements of the upper chest are transverse flexion, transverse adduction, internal rotation, adduction, flexion and abduction.
Hand Spacing

A 1995 study published in the "Journal of Strength of Conditioning Research" looked at the effects of bench press exercises on the five shoulder muscle groups. The researchers concluded that the clavicular head is activated with a narrow hand spacing during an incline press. Within the same study, the researchers also found the incline press stimulated a higher motor unit recruitment in the upper chest but not in the lower chest.
Types of Incline Bench Press

Two of the most common incline bench press exercises are barbells and dumbbells. Other types of incline machines often seen at gyms are incline cable, Smith machine with incline bench, and lever-loaded incline press.
Considerations

A decline bench press with a wide grip engages overall pectoral muscles more effectively than incline and flat bench.


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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 5, 2010)

*Arnie upper chest photos*

arnie had amazing upper pecs


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## pwloiacano (Oct 5, 2010)

Thank you arnie1947 for that great information.  

What is your opionion on the angle of incline that should be used??  30 degrees ?? 45 degrees ?? a variation of a couple different angles ??

Also, what is your opinion on how I now do my chest workout??  My current routine is 4 days on (chest on day 1), one to two days off depending on how my joints and tendons feel.  One chest workout is just incline work (barbell press, dumbell, press, flyes, & cable crossovers) ; one chest workout is just flat work (barbell press, dumbell press, flyes, & dips).  I alternate each time I start a new 4 day on, one to two day off cycle...

Lastly, where should I incorporate declines into this routine???  on flat or incline day??


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## ARNIE1947 (Oct 5, 2010)

pwloiacano said:


> Thank you arnie1947 for that great information.
> 
> What is your opionion on the angle of incline that should be used??  30 degrees ?? 45 degrees ?? a variation of a couple different angles ??
> 
> ...



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 @ pwloiacano

TRAIN ACCORDING TO BODYTYPE , AND FIND OUT IF YOU HAVE ANY WEAK POINTS , IF THE BASIC BARBELL BENCH PRESS , HAS NOT BEEN EFFECTIVE IN BRINGING GAINS MASS GAINS IN YOUR UPPER CHEST AREA , THEN , 

CHECK OUT arnolds encyclopedia ,

since training equipment and bodytype , shoulder length , gripping stance and bodytype variations are different for different individuals , it's better if you ''individualize your upper chest training , find out , what works for you..

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Our forum members want to give you a competitive edge regardless of your body type. Get comprehensive details about Ectomorphs, Endomorphs, Mesomorphs, how to design and use an effective program and much more! Sample programs included.

Bodybuilding.com - How Can You Design A Workout According To Your Body Type? - Workout Of The Week

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What Is The Best Workout Scheme To Focus On A Lagging Body Part?

Bodybuilding.com - What Is The Best Workout Scheme To Focus On A Lagging Body Part? - Workout Of The Week

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If you feel that you're not reaching your goals of having a firm upper chest with your current workout then try this new take on the bench press from Jim Stoppani, the Senior Science Editor of "Muscle And Fitness" and "Flex" magazines! 

Bodybuilding.com - Jim Stoppani, PhD Video Article: Are You Using The Wrong Chest Exercise? - Video Articles


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Video Article: The Anatomy Of The Chest With Jim Stoppani

( REVERSE GRIP BENCH  PRESS )

Bodybuilding.com Videos - Video Article: The Anatomy Of The Chest With Jim Stoppani

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GOOD LUCK !


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## pwloiacano (Oct 6, 2010)

Thank you for all of the great information resources!


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## ALBOB (Oct 6, 2010)

You're all focusing on the wrong aspect.  It's not the exercises you do that will build your upper pecs, it's the supplements you take.  Muscletech!  Lots and lots of Muscletech!!! Didn't you see what they did for Greg Kovaks?


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