How to Build a Thick, Powerful and Balanced Chest
By: Andre Rzazewski
Do you want to finally add some serious, quality inches to your chest? You may have to ditch the idea that adding “impressive” poundages to the “almighty” bench is the way. After 14+ years of training I have finally been able to discover the secret to building serious chest size and thickness.
Everyone who is introduced to weight training is always drawn to the benchpress. Young and old alike are mystified by the guys who throw around gargantuan stacks of plates and are hypnotized by the clanging of the metal on each successive upward stroke. Although many gyms have recently replaced the iron plates with rubber ones, the glory and notoriety behind heavy benching still exists.
The most common question anyone asks a bodybuilder is always "hey man, whadaya bench?". When I started training seriously at 18, my buddy Derrek and I trained chest and bis after school 5 days a week, Monday to Friday for 3 months before summer break. We only trained the “money makers” and we usually started with one warm up set with a plate and moved on to our max lift and went down from there.
"Everyone who is introduced to weight training is always drawn to the benchpress. Young and old alike are mystified by the guys who throw around gargantuan stacks of plates and are hypnotized by the clanging of the metal on each successive upward stroke."
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The strength gains plateaued within a month and then started to drop off by the end. Size gains were minimal and I started to feel pain in my shoulders. After that I started to do chest once a week all through college and University. I trained with a couple of my friends who played football and I became my strongest ever. I got up to a bodyweight of 249lbs and had a max bench of 445lbs and could do 405 for reps. However, my chest always lagged behind my other bodyparts and was a weak point for me every time I got into contest shape and stepped onstage. In addition to this, I suffered from tendonitis in both bicep tendons and often had to take time away from heavy pressing. |
Unfortunately for me, I wasn’t willing to make the connection between heavy flat bench pressing, chronic tendonitis and my lagging chest development on an otherwise constantly progressing physique. Bodybuilding is the art of developing the physique with balanced and symmetrical proportions. I was training my chest for strength, like a powerlifter, using low rep ranges and almost always performing my single rep max every week. The rest of my body I trained for size, like a bodybuilder-using a 12-15 rep range and focusing on perfect form. Heading into the gym on chest day, I would bring my ego and leave my brains at the door.
Chest training for growth should encompass the same principals as any other body part, using a full range of motion-a full stretch at the bottom of each repetition and a peak contraction at the top and always trying to get the fullest possible pump. Training for growth should definitely involve working to failure in the targeted muscle and should use heavy weight, but not so heavy as to sacrifice form or that you reach failure before pumping the muscle full of blood.
Chest training for growth should encompass the same principals as any other body part, using a full range of motion-a full stretch at the bottom of each repetition and a peak contraction at the top and always trying to get the fullest possible pump.
| I have abandoned the flat bench altogether and have opted for dumbells exclusively over the last few years. With the addition of a variety of dumbell presses, flyes and most recently another method I call the modified alternating isometric hold/press technique, (I will explain this method further along in the article.) I have been able to make greater improvements to my chest in a period of a few months in terms of thickness, width and striations, than I have over years of training. |
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An Isometric hold is when the trainer resists against an object for an extended period of time or until complete muscle failure. In this modified version, I will take a set of dumbells and press up a single rep and hold both arms in the extended position creating a peak contraction in the pectoralis major muscle. Next, while holding the weight with one arm in the fully contracted position, the opposite arm lowers the dumbell through a full range of motion. As the dumbell of the working arm is returned to the top and contracts the pectoralis major, the opposite arm will then lower and work while the other remains tightly contracted. These alternating repetitions should be performed with close attention paid to proper form (this means control the weight carefully on the upward and the downward motion), a full range of motion and within a rep range of 12-15 each side.
Unilateral exercises are also quite benneficial in terms of balancing out any weaknesses in symetry. The vast majority of people have an imbalance of strength, from one side to the other. Typically, when performing any type of bilateral movement (both arms fixed on a single bar/machine), the stronger side usually is able to press a little harder than the weaker side, consequently creating a further imbalance of strength and stimulation of growth. Over the long term, if left unchecked, the individual can develop a distinguishable imbalance from one side to the other. This however, can be overcome by training in a unilateral (both arms working independantly) fashion, thereby forcing the weaker side to work against the same amount of resistance. Unfortunately, imbalances may still occur using this method if proper attention is not payed to form. The body may subconsciously alter form to allow the weaker side to maintain pace with the stronger side. This obstacle can be overcome by employing the modified alternating isometric hold/press technique, since each side is working independantly of each other, closer attention can be paid to full range of motion and flawless form, thereby causing equal stimulation to both sides of the body and working toward balancing strength and muscular development evenly, over time.
Adequately warm up and stretch your chest for 5 min before training. This will elongate the muscles and prepare them for the workload you are about to place on them. Stretching is also important between every set as this will keep muscles loose to avoid injury while also facilitating growth. It should be noted that one should not over stretch, but lightly pull the muscle until it feels tight, then hold this stretch for 10 seconds.
The body may subconsciously alter form to allow the weaker side to maintain pace with the stronger side. This obstacle can be overcome by employing the modified alternating isometric hold/press technique
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Each set should begin with a warm up weight (something you can easily do 30 times, but do this for 15). Next, select a weight that you can do for 20 reps but only do 15. Your third set will be a working set and you should choose a weight that will achieve failure in the muscles by 12-15 repetitions. The fourth set should be a drop set where you want to fully fatigue the target muscle. Select a weight that will reach failure by 8-10 reps, then immediately cut the weight to just above half, perform another 8-10 reps and drop the weight one final time to just above half and work until absolute failure. Then hold the last rep in a static contraction (for as long as possible). |
These "static contractions" although extremely difficult and painful bring out the extra detail in your chest. It should also be noted that you should not select a weight that is so heavy that your form is compromised. Since some of these sets can take up to 3 min to complete, take adequate time to rest between sets in order to recuperate enough to perform the next set with full intensity. If you are trying to focus on adding mass, take up to 2 min rest from the completion of one set to the beginning of the next. Pre-contest, you should rest only 45 seconds to 1 min between sets in order to keep your heart rate elevated, so you can burn additional body fat while training. Always focus on the peak contraction at the top of the motion and pause in this position for a half second after every repetition.
Primary muscles targeted are the Pectoralis major. Secondary muscles working synergistically with the primary are the Anterior Deltoid, Triceps Brachii, Pectoralis Minor, Rhomboids, Levator Scapulae, Latissimus Dorsi and Teres Major.
Below is a list of my recommended exercises with accompanying video demonstrations.
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• Modified Isometric Alternating Unilateral Incline dumbell press (targeting upper pecs). As detailed above, lay on an incline bench and press both dumbells up together for the first repetition and pause once both arms are extended in a fully contracted position. Alternate arms, keeping one in the fully contracted position, while the other is working through the motion. |
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• Incline dumbell flyes (Targeting upper pecs). Lay on an incline bench at a low incline, lying back with the dumbells resting on the chest. Press the weight up for the first repetition turning the palms to face eachother at the top. Next, lower the dumbells in an arcing motion, slightly and gradually bending the elbows at the bottom of the motion-thereby decreasing the overall stress to the rotator cuff and increasing the stretch in the pectoralis major and minor. Once a full stretch has been achieved at the bottom of the motion, return the dumbells to the starting position by raising them in an upward arcing motion. Squeeze the dumbells together creating a peak contraction in the pecs and pause for a half second at the top of each repetition. It should be noted that this is a flye (arching) motion and palms should remain facing each other throughout the movement. A lower weight may be required to maintain proper form as compared to pressing motions. |
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• 45 degree Incline Arnold Press (targeting upper pecs and anterior deltoids) - (Using modified Alternating Isometric hold/press technique). Lay on an incline bench set to roughly 45 degrees. Take both dumbells and press until fully extended overhead with palms facing away from the body. While keeping one arm in a fully extended, contracted position, lower the opposite arm and gradually rotate the dumbell until the palm is facing the body and there is a full stretch in the chest. Then raise the dumbell an gradually rotate the dumbell in the opposite direction, returning to the starting position with the palm facing away from the body, thereby creating a peak contraction in the pectoralis major and the anterior deltoid. Alternate arms for 12-15 repetitions per side. |
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• Bodyweight Dips (Targeting mid and lower pecs). Grasp two parallel bars approximately shoulder width apart. Begin the exercise by fully extending the arms and contracting the pecs while supporting the weight of the body. Keep your knees bent and slightly angle your body forward, so that the focus of the motion is on the chest rather than the triceps. Slowly descend, until there is a full stretch in the pecs and that the elbows are at a 90 degree angle. Next press against the bars until the body has returned to the starting position, with the arms fully extended and the pecs fully contracted. Pause for a half second for each rep and aim for failure within the 12-15 rep range. If 15 reps is easily achieved with the trainers own bodyweight, added resistance is possible through the use of a weight belt and plates. |
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• Cable Flyes (Targeting upper and lower pecs). Stand in the center of a cable crossover machine, grasp the handles and with one foot forward begin the motion by extending both arms forward with palms facing each other in an arcing motion. Next, lower the handles in a controlled fashion until there is a full stretch in the pecs. Once at the bottom of the motion return to the starting position by raising the arms forward against the resistance of the cables until the handles are touching and you have achieved a peak contraction in the pecs. |
Unfortunately, many believe that real size will only come through the pressing of massive poundages and this is especially true of the benchpress due to its history and prominence since the inception of resistance training. Unfortunately, in most cases, proper form is not learned and secondary muscles often take the brunt of the workload, resulting in slow pectoral development and very often resulting in injuries. Bodybuilders no longer need to fit the “meat head” stereotype, intent only on impressing other guys with the amount of weight they can bench. Instead you can impress the judges, your peers and yourself with a fully developed chest, round and full from top to bottom. For years I opted to train like a dumbell, rather than press them and made few significant gains in chest size. By radically changing your chest workouts as I have with the exercises listed above, paying close attention to form and working through a full range of motion, you too can raise the bar on your progress without ever pressing one again.
Any training article would be incomplete without mentioning the importance of effective diet and supplementation, to back up your workouts. Anyone who knows me knows that I’ve always used ALLMAX products, even before I became a part of Team ALLMAX. I’ve sworn by them and recommended them to my clients and seen consistent and predictable results. Recently, I’ve added TestoFX Hardcore and LEUTOR-70 to my supplement stack and I’ve noticed a major improvement in my strength, conditioning and size. Combined with the training I’ve written about here, I’ve seen some real and impressive changes. I am pleasantly surprised that I have seen the gains that I have, considering I maintain close to competition condition, year round.
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Andre is a successful certified personal trainer, competitive bodybuilder and fitness model. He has been featured in MuscleMag International and Planet Muscle. He was also the 2006 Fame Heavyweight North American Champion, as well as MuscleMania Pro Champion. Andre is a proud sponsor of the ALLMAX line of products and regularly consumes ISOFLEX shakes and Glutamine to speed up recovery from his intense workouts. You can find out more about Andre on his personal website at http://www.totrainer.com/ or you can reach him via email at andre@totrainer.com. |
