KillerRabbit
New Member
What would be the best way to hit up your whole chest. I've just been doing flat bench but i know i need to work upper and lower too
Total Chest
- Thread starter KillerRabbit
- Start date
Dips are supposed to be very good...wish I had the equipment to do them.
Honestly, flat bench (or maybe incline) is good enough. Before I started HST, my "regular" workout consisted of flat, incline, decline and sometimes db butterflies. THAT was a workout. With HST, I only do flat bench and you know...I can't tell the difference in terms of build.
Honestly, flat bench (or maybe incline) is good enough. Before I started HST, my "regular" workout consisted of flat, incline, decline and sometimes db butterflies. THAT was a workout. With HST, I only do flat bench and you know...I can't tell the difference in terms of build.
Joe.Muscle
Active Member
flat bench prob is enough for most...although, i still think you should switch it up
I have always preferred to do incline benches alternated with dips. Flat bench doesn't seem to do much for me.
I don't find flat bench a very comfortable position. A slight incline is best for me. Pair that with dips and you should be golden. Keep in mind that dips shouldn't be done year round, in my opinion and experience. Once you start adding a lot of weight, they can start to wear on you a bit.
If I had to pick just one, it would be incline bench.
If I had to pick just one, it would be incline bench.
go back to HST basic. vanilla. hit em high hit em low. incline and dips (or decline). That is the best...best..best.. Dips hit more of the pec meat than any other exercize... and incline hits the important hard to get upper pec.
It is fun to try to tweek HST... but vanilla is awesome
Bob. (aka shark hunter)
It is fun to try to tweek HST... but vanilla is awesome
Bob. (aka shark hunter)
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(Totentanz @ May 26 2006,20:20)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">A slight incline is best for me. Pair that with dips and you should be golden. Keep in mind that dips shouldn't be done year round, in my opinion and experience. Once you start adding a lot of weight, they can start to wear on you a bit.
If I had to pick just one, it would be incline bench.</div>
I agree with Tot,
Do some flat bench, but I would always try to concentrate on incline work as the primary focus. Most every bodybuilder would love to have more upper chest. Don't bother with declines, as the slight arching of the back during flat bascially works the lower chest anyway. Also you'll notice, when just standing (and chest is not flexed), the chest muscles will droop a bit, so again the more upper the better.
Omega
(Totentanz @ May 26 2006,20:20)</div><div id="QUOTEHEAD">QUOTE</div><div id="QUOTE">A slight incline is best for me. Pair that with dips and you should be golden. Keep in mind that dips shouldn't be done year round, in my opinion and experience. Once you start adding a lot of weight, they can start to wear on you a bit.
If I had to pick just one, it would be incline bench.</div>
I agree with Tot,
Do some flat bench, but I would always try to concentrate on incline work as the primary focus. Most every bodybuilder would love to have more upper chest. Don't bother with declines, as the slight arching of the back during flat bascially works the lower chest anyway. Also you'll notice, when just standing (and chest is not flexed), the chest muscles will droop a bit, so again the more upper the better.
Omega
Keep in mind that flat benching is more of a technique excersize more than anything else. It only got popular when it was included into powerlifting competition. Before that, everyone was overhead pressing, and yes their chests were impressive. Usually if your not built a certain way, ie: short arms wide shoulders, flat benching wont develop as much musculature as dips.
I personally think flyes are the ultimate chest exercise. The pec stretch you get from (almost) straight arm flyes is superior to anything else I've tried. I know DOMS don't tell much about growth overall, but after a long SD, ive experiemented with doing either flat barbell bench or flyes - my chest is incredibly sore from flyes after SD but only my tris and front delts are sore from bench after SD. (both about 12 rep max). Similar with bumbell bench vs barbell bench - you get more stretch with dumbbells because your elbows can come back further.
mostlyallan
New Member
I've totally dropped bench for dips now (only have a flat bench - not way to jack it up to incline). Besides, dips hit both tris and chest so that works well for me.
(DOMS have been a KILLER since I started by new cycle this week. Straight into the 10s and I'm dying!)
(DOMS have been a KILLER since I started by new cycle this week. Straight into the 10s and I'm dying!)
I've recently had a right shoulder issue that seems to have been caused by heavy flat benching. Dips don't appear to be the problem at all. I had to stop flat benching during 5s and continued with dips. After SD and now during 15s I tried re-introducing bench but my shoulder has flared up again.
So, for the rest of this cycle, weighted dips will be my only chest exercise. I think I prefer dips as a chest exercise anyway but I am a bit cheesed that bench is now out for the time being.
I would have to say that while flyes are a really good stretch point movement if performed correctly, heavy dips or bench just allow you to handle much greater loads to increase strain. This makes for a much better weight progression over a complete cycle.
Neebone: just get some timber and make a prop for one end of the bench. Even a slight incline is a good thing.
I would have to say that while flyes are a really good stretch point movement if performed correctly, heavy dips or bench just allow you to handle much greater loads to increase strain. This makes for a much better weight progression over a complete cycle.
Neebone: just get some timber and make a prop for one end of the bench. Even a slight incline is a good thing.
Fausto
HST Expert
Kungfu Joe
Try to hit a superset where you do 1 set incline bench and Immediately follwo with flyes, do not attempt to take big weights here either, keep a slight bend on your arms just short of straight and then do the flyes all the way and I mean all the way, at the tend of the set do some pulse stretching.
Make sense? Pulsing would be to move the weight only slightly from the widest possible position to within 15 cm or so and back again, do this for 1`5 reps or so, than repeat the whole procedure, keep going as you progress, but do this fly always with a much lighter weight, although you increase it as you progress.
I am sure your chest will start coming round.
For dips, I have seen once a guy suggesting using plumbing pipes for a home made contraption, against the wall, there are pipe holders with three or four bolts (usually round), then pipe for about 30 - 40 cm at the right distance from each other, then two pipe curves, then pipe to th floor, I think I am going to take this up myself so that I too get myself a dip stand.
Try to hit a superset where you do 1 set incline bench and Immediately follwo with flyes, do not attempt to take big weights here either, keep a slight bend on your arms just short of straight and then do the flyes all the way and I mean all the way, at the tend of the set do some pulse stretching.
Make sense? Pulsing would be to move the weight only slightly from the widest possible position to within 15 cm or so and back again, do this for 1`5 reps or so, than repeat the whole procedure, keep going as you progress, but do this fly always with a much lighter weight, although you increase it as you progress.
I am sure your chest will start coming round.
For dips, I have seen once a guy suggesting using plumbing pipes for a home made contraption, against the wall, there are pipe holders with three or four bolts (usually round), then pipe for about 30 - 40 cm at the right distance from each other, then two pipe curves, then pipe to th floor, I think I am going to take this up myself so that I too get myself a dip stand.
mostlyallan
New Member
Lol - at the rate I'm going, I'll have pretty much McGyver'ed my whole home gym!
Joe.Muscle
Active Member
Over at T-nation they have a advanced push up. Seems pretty cool.
You use two towels on a floor and push up and bring your arms in at the same time.
Its pretty tough...believe it or not.
You use two towels on a floor and push up and bring your arms in at the same time.
Its pretty tough...believe it or not.