Help me get size in my chest

Hi Guys,

I am struggling to pick up size in my chest and thought I would ask for any advice you have to give. I especially struggle to pick up size in my upper chest.

My rib cage is very large so it does tend to make my chest look smaller. My body fat is probably a bit high at the moment so I am not phased with the definition at the moment.

I was pretty sick during the winter so I haven't really picked up much size in the past 3 - 4 months. This picture is a bit old but pretty accurate as to how I look at the moment (I picked up about 1kg since then):

• I have tried different programs and just winging it
• I train my ass off on chest day.
• I alternate between lots of reps and heavy lifts.
• Form is my #1 priority.
• I do incline and flat presses (alternate between smith and dumbbell - my shoulders struggle with barbells).
• I always try to get a good squeeze when I fly or press.
• I do proper negatives, dips for chest, push ups, dumbbell pullovers etc.

I honestly don't know what to change. I am struggling to eat all the food in my diet so it might be that, but even when on a cycle where I eat like a fucking beast it still feels like my chest it lagging behind my shoulders, arms and back.

Give reverse grip bench presses on the incline bench a try, that helps for upper chest. Also, when training with dumbbells, at the top of the movement, rotate the dumbbells so that your palms face each other.

Tank wrote: Give reverse grip bench presses on the incline bench a try, that helps for upper chest.

I read somewhere about that today. Will definitely give it a try. Thanks

Tank wrote: Also, when training with dumbbells, at the top of the movement, rotate the dumbbells so that your palms face each other.

I have started doing this about 3 weeks ago. Hopefully I will get some results from this. You get a nice chest squeeze from this

Try and double train your chest in a week, make an extra day for your weak points.. i use a 4 day program so it allows me to do a 5th training session, i have used this method to bring up my lagging body parts, (rear delts, legs and calves) and has helped huge amounts..

Also to add to what tank said, i find a good exercise for upper chest is taking cables from the bottom, and doing cable flies upwards.

PoisonedPulse wrote: Try and double train your chest in a week, make an extra day for your weak points.. i use a 4 day program so it allows me to do a 5th training session, i have used this method to bring up my lagging body parts, (rear delts, legs and calves) and has helped huge amounts..

This might be an option. I currently train 4 days a week because I play Ice Hockey on Tuesdays. Looks like I need to start training Fridays as well :whistle:

Thanks for this idea.

PoisonedPulse wrote: Also to add to what tank said, i find a good exercise for upper chest is taking cables from the bottom, and doing cable flies upwards.

I have been doing this every second training session for the past 2 months. Think I will do it more regularly.

Just give it time. I also struggled with chest. Bang it hard twice a week. once on Monday. and once on Friday for several weeks. then a month just once a week. and then bang it twice again. I found this to stimulate the muscle well. and you have peroids of rest and recovery where a little less strain is put on the muscle. and then you bang it up again. Thats my 2cents on which route I follow for every lagging muscle. and it has worked for me

Ok so tonight I went quite a bit lighter and tried to focus on squeezing as much and tight as possible, and also tried a few different things. As I am sitting here typing this, my chest is fucked and still pumped.

Did the following:

• Warm Up: Incline Smith 3x10
• Super set: Incline Smith 7's 4x10 + Upward Cable Flies 4x15
• Super set: Reverse grip flat dumbbell press 4x10 + Push ups 4xMAX
• One arm cable fly 3x6
• Super set: Pec Deck 3x8 + Push ups 3x10 + Squeezing and stretching chest.

Good work. Perfect form is always important. It will grow. be patient

Kuifie wrote: Good work. Perfect form is always important. It will grow. be patient

Form > Anything else.

Luckily I am past that Ego phase where you have to go heavy and show off. Seeing other people do it now makes me see how stupid i was. Haha.

We all go through that phase. and most of us past it. However for my chest i believe im pushing as heavy as possible correct form will allow.

tramacet,I don't think there's anything wrong with the size of your chest....judging by the pic it's in proportion with the rest of your body.

But if you want you can try the pre-exhaustion technique.
Sometimes your smaller muscles f.e your triceps/shoulders, fail before your chest has really failed so actually you never worked the chest properly at all.