Planning my first HST cycle, need some guidance

[maximusAF]

I need some advice with choosing exercises that would be most beneficial to me for a HST routine. I've been lifting for over a year now, starting out with All Pro's beginner routine (from BB.com), Madcow's 5x5, etc. I'm coming off of a cut in which I lost too much weight too quickly and more strength and size that I had wanted. I'm currently running another cycle of Madcow's 5x5 to get my strength back up to speed. I've been pleased with my growth on my quads and arms to an extent. My shoulders, chest, and traps are really lacking. My "outer" chest has developed some, but my inner chest is non-existent. I say all of this because I want to choose the best exercises for HST that will help me with adding mass to these main areas that I'm lacking now:

Shoulders
Inner chest/overall chest

I just feel like my chest, shoulder, and neck areas are not indicative of someone who's been lifting consistently for a year at all. Basically, they need help.

I'd like to run at least 2 HST cycles (both on a bulk) and see what happens.

Any advice on what I should add to the routine? Of course, I'll still have the normal squats, rows, etc. Just looking for what can really improve my shoulders and chest, etc.

Thanks.

 

[grunt11]

Shoulders
Inner chest/overall chest

While everyone is different I’ve gotten the best chest development out of doing both Dips and Incline BB Presses.

The above exercises will hit your shoulders but I also like to do Seated Incline Shoulder Presses which I feel are easier on my shoulders than pressing straight up and also keeps me from cheating. I like Lateral Raises for the middle delt and don’t do anything special for the rear delts, I just do my DB rows with a slight lean so it also hits the rear delts.

One thing to consider is that you might just not be genetically meant to have a big chest. I’m blessed with pretty good genetic potential in my shoulders but not so much my chest, however the two chest exercises I mentioned have really helped.

 

[tdawg_33]

Welcome to the site.

Incline Bench will help you build the upper section of your pecs which will make them look much fuller almost 3-D like.
Dips and Bench Press will focus the attention towards the middle and lower portion of your pecs.

Any overhead press paired with lateral raises will give you good overall deltoid development.

Shrugs/upright rows/deadlifts all add size to the traps. Deadlifts are key in building mass through the entire posterior chain and have given me the best gains. HA G11 beat me to it. As he stated not everyone has genetics for a barrell chest, but keep at it and you can maximize your potential

 

[maximusAF]

While everyone is different I’ve gotten the best chest development out of doing both Dips and Incline BB Presses.

The above exercises will hit your shoulders but I also like to do Seated Incline Shoulder Presses which I feel are easier on my shoulders than pressing straight up and also keeps me from cheating. I like Lateral Raises for the middle delt and don’t do anything special for the rear delts, I just do my DB rows with a slight lean so it also hits the rear delts.

One thing to consider is that you might just not be genetically meant to have a big chest. I’m blessed with pretty good genetic potential in my shoulders but not so much my chest, however the two chest exercises I mentioned have really helped.

Yes, that's one thing that I'm afraid of (genetics). Over the past year, flat BB bench press has been my main chest exercise. I have tried adding dips to my routine in the past, but for some reason I have a hard time with them. I know I probably just need to work through that issue instead of continuing to avoid it.

What about the pec-deck?

 

[maximusAF]

Welcome to the site.

Incline Bench will help you build the upper section of your pecs which will make them look much fuller almost 3-D like.
Dips and Bench Press will focus the attention towards the middle and lower portion of your pecs.

Any overhead press paired with lateral raises will give you good overall deltoid development.

Shrugs/upright rows/deadlifts all add size to the traps. Deadlifts are key in building mass through the entire posterior chain and have given me the best gains. HA G11 beat me to it.

So, for my HST exercises, no problem with doing 3 chest exercises (flat bench, incline bench, dips)? Also, I usually have squats in my routine. How would I do both squats and deadlifts? Or, should I just pick one?

 

[grunt11]

Over the past year, flat BB bench press has been my main chest exercise.

Personally, I would ditch the Flat Bench unless you plan to powerlift. It’s really not a very good exercise for chest development, Dips and Incline are better. Hell I would do Pec-Deck, Flyes or cable crossovers for chest before doing Flat Bench. But really I would just stick to Incline and Dips for a while and just do more of them.

As for Squats and Deadlifts it all depends on how much you can handle. Some people can do them both every time, others alternate between them, more probably do 2 Squat to 1 Deadlift each week if doing three full body workouts.

 

[maximusAF]

Personally, I would ditch the Flat Bench unless you plan to powerlift. It’s really not a very good exercise for chest development, Dips and Incline are better. Hell I would do Pec-Deck, Flyes or cable crossovers for chest before doing Flat Bench. But really I would just stick to Incline and Dips for a while and just do more of them.

As for Squats and Deadlifts it all depends on how much you can handle. Some people can do them both every time, others alternate between them, more probably do 2 Squat to 1 Deadlift each week if doing three full body workouts.

I have no plans to powerlift. I'm mostly doing it just for aesthetics. I've mainly stuck to flat bench because of the routines that I've been on until now. The full-body beginner routines and the 5x5 used flat bench. But, I obviously need to mix it up in order to improve my chest.

Squats have helped me alot I think. I feel good about my progress in my posterior chain (compared to where I was before I started). It's just my chest and shoulders that have me down.

 

[grunt11]

I think you’ll see much better results in your chest and shoulders from Inclines and Dips than from Flat Bench. Like tdawg said the Inclines will give you a much fuller look.

 

[maximusAF]

Hi,I'm bumping my own thread from a few months back. I'm finally at the point where I'm ready to start HST. As mentioned in this thread, I really want to target my chest and shoulders. Would the following exercises/routine work?SquatsIncline BB pressPullups/ChinsTricep pressdownsShrugsShoulder pressDipsBicep curlsLateral raisesThe above are not listed in any particular order. So, what's the best order for doing those in my workout? Thanks.

 

[grunt11]

I’m not a big fan of isolation movements unless for a specific purpose, however with your stated goal I would ditch the Triceps Press Downs for Pecdeck or some other Pec isolation movement since you already have three pressing movements which will all hit your Triceps. I would also consider adding in some sort of rowing movement. It’s always good to hit the back from multiple angles and with at least as many if not more exercises than chest/shoulders just to maintain muscle balance including strength. My preference is DB rows because of the range of motion which IMO is better for hypertrophy.