shoulders overcoming pecs

[boggy]

This is last w/o of first cycle and I'm plannig the next one.
My problem is that in every pec exercise I can feel my shoulders (front delts) working like crazy but not the pecs.
This cycle I did flat bench and weighted dips and both seems to hit mainly my shoulders,during 10s and 15s I was also alternating flat and incline bench but I drop incline because everyone says that involves shoulders more than flat.
I tryed dumbel presses but I feel them pretty the same of BenchPress.
Up to now the movement that I feel more on the pecs are dips but only in the outer part of pecs so I will keep them for sure but I need another pes exercise.
Also I find very strange that I can do 5 dip reps with 50lbs+bodyweight but only 5 rep of bench press with 155lbs
also considering that i can squat 5x265 and deads 6x308.

What should I do to make pecs catch up shoulders?

 

[njuwb]

mhh,

you have to post your complete routine, otherwise its difficult to offer you good advice... maybe you could do flyings OR butterfly before flat bench...

furthermore I dont agree in the point, that incline bench works more on the shoulder than flat bench, normaly incline bench works more on the chest and less on the shoulders than flat bench.

 

[Haiyai]

Maybe work on your form. Instead of 'pushing' the weight during bench/incline, think about raising your bicpes upward. Don't focus on triceps pushing the weight upward. The other thing form-wise is to keep your chest sticking out as much as you can through the entire movement. Especially while moving the weight upward. That's two small tweaks that can easily be incorporated into your form.

 

[boggy]

Quote[/b] ]Instead of 'pushing' the weight during bench/incline, think about raising your bicpes upward. Don't focus on triceps pushing the weight upward. The other thing form-wise is to keep your chest sticking out as much as you can through the entire movement. Especially while moving the weight upward.

Triceps are not a problem as I dont feel them fatigued at all after bench press and even when doing direct triceps work (close grip bench) I can still feel shoulders a lot involved.
I also already use the chest trick and I mentally focus on pecs while benching but as soon as weight get close to my 5Rm I cant really pay much attentin at the muscles involved or focus ona particular one.After all bench press is a compound and when things get heavy it makes no sense trying to isolate a muscle group,I mean if I feel shoulders too charged maybe benching is not my movement.

Quote[/b] ]you have to post your complete routine, otherwise its difficult to offer you good advice... maybe you could do flyings OR butterfly before flat bench...

my routine was as follow:
A:
Squat 2set
Leg curl 2set
Bench press(flat) 2set
Lat pulldown(bar touching chest) 2set (chins during 5s)
Weighted dips 2set
Cable row 2set
Close grip bench 2set
Preacher curl 2set
B:
Trap bar deads 2set
Bench press(flat) 2set
Leg press(45°) 2set
Leg curl 2set
Weighted dips 2set
Lat pulldown(reverse grip) 2set (pullups during 5s)
Close grip bench 2set
Barbell curl 2set

A and B alternated every other w/o;Standing calves,abs,and grip work on off days (no need for direct shoulder work because delts are always sore and moreover my best developed upper part).
I'm planning my next cycle so any advice will be appreciated.About pecs I was thinking to add some cable flyes keeping dips (maybe 1set flyes+1set incline bench)..

 

[JimmyV]

boggy,
I had the same problem. I was killing my shoulders and not getting the pump I wanted in my pecs. One easy way to be sure you are hitting your pecs is while doing, let's say, flat bench, while you're laying on the bench try to pull your shoulder blades back and together. Try to make them touch. This will make sure you are hitting the pecs. I made this change and I was very pleased with the results.

 

[boggy]

I will try it ,thanx for input.

 

[Solvo Reputo]

The triceps and delts will always fail before the pecs in bench presses because they are the weak links. Using a wide grip and lowering the bar high on the chest* puts more emphasis on the pecs but the tris and delts are still going to fail first. Keeping your shoulder blades retracted puts more emphasis on the pec major, less on the pec minor and serratus.

IMO, the best chest bodybuilding exercises are the flying type movements, ideally with cables.

*Long-armed ppl are at risk of damaging their shoulders with this variant, especially for loads under 5RM.

 

[Fausto]

Boggy

Shoulder invariably get involved no matter which exercise you choose, but have you tried pre-exhausting the shoulder and triceps?

Try flyes before bench no rest between, or close grip followed by wide grip, both without rest.

Be careful of the maximum ROM, touching the chest is not what I could call safe, most people's maximum ROM for chest with the barbel is about a fist away from the chest, else you rotator cuffs are gonna squeek and probably give in at some stage.

Fausto