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Help me feel the chest burn!

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  • 26-07-2013 10:38am
    #1
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭


    Every other muscle in my body progresses fine, and I can feel the burn in. Not the chest, not the stupid chest!!!

    I would usually do flat bench, incline and decline bench, cable press and a sitting up chest press on the machine. For some reason I can never ever feel a burn in my chest. The next day I will feel slightly to moderately sore in the chest so I know its working but it almost feels like an incidental pain.

    So I want to destroy my chest in a session this week.

    The large compound movements seem to have difficulty targeting the chest, even though I focus a lot on my form ie, on the flat bench ill squeeze the shoulder blades, arch the back and have my arms at a 45 degree angle to my body. But I accept I have difficulty with the mind-muscle connection for the chest.

    So what Im looking for is exercise that almost target the chest solely and not the arms because I think my arms take most of the effort when im doing my chest. Are there any stress positions that will tire my chest before I start my set or movements I can do that will tire my chest before I start. Or are there any other solutions?

    Has anyone any tips on mind-muscle connection for the chest?

    I should finally say that when I am doing bench press and im stopped between sets, if I remain lying on the bench, put my arms around the back of the bench and sort of pull myself into the bench, thats really the only time I REALLY feel my chest, I can really squeeze it when im doing that but no other time. Is there a way to take advantage of that movement? Every time I focus on squeezing my chest usually, I feel like im squeezing every other muscle around it, especially the armpits but just cant get the chest!

    Apologies for the ramble


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    #2
    xgtdec
    Registered Users Posts: 821 ✭✭✭xgtdec


    if i want serious chest pump/burn here my normal routine

    Ill warm up!!

    Ill bench my way up through the weight starting at 8 reps a set and ill superset that with clapping press ups.

    On the bench i keep the weight on all the time so i wont lock out the arms!

    Ill go heavy enough so that my first set is 8 and my last is around 3 reps

    After say 5 sets, ill start using partials at the top and bottom of the movement, say a 2 inch movement..so 10 at the top, 10 at the bottom, and then 10 full, ill also move the press ups from flat to feet on the bench. Ill also add maybe 20 reps of a powerband stretch,3 sets of that and my chest will be torched.

    Yours may not be....but how i get mine done might help ya!!


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    #3
    Antisocialiser
    Registered Users Posts: 1,375 ✭✭✭Antisocialiser


    Purely anecdotal so take from it what you will but I started seeing changes in my chest when I added / substituted regular bench press for floor press. Also was doing weighted pushups.


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    #4
    colman1212
    Registered Users Posts: 1,127 ✭✭✭colman1212


    Its not about any particular exercise, any particular rep range or any particular program.
    Its simply about learning to activate your pecs.
    Just because you are on a bench pushing a weight up and down, doesn't mean you are actually using your chest.
    Creating a mind muscle connection with a muscle is extremely important and often overlooked.


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    #5
    xgtdec
    Registered Users Posts: 821 ✭✭✭xgtdec


    As an aside OP do you have any issues activating your chest when say just sitting or standing?


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    #6
    JJayoo
    Registered Users Posts: 6,561 ✭✭✭JJayoo


    BB Bench is sh1te for working the chest IMO.


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    #7
    WrigleysExtra
    Registered Users Posts: 138 ✭✭WrigleysExtra


    Have you tried dumbell flys? Pin your shoulder blades together and then when you do the movement squeeze your chest. You could try putting your hands straight out in front of you and push your palms together. You should feel your chest activating


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    #8
    daRobot
    Registered Users Posts: 2,380 ✭✭✭daRobot


    WrigleysExtra wrote: »
    Have you tried dumbell flys? Pin your shoulder blades together and then when you do the movement squeeze your chest. You could try putting your hands straight out in front of you and push your palms together. You should feel your chest activating

    Just about to post that :pac: Heavy Dumbell flys, done slowly, and letting your arms drop quite deep (so you feel quite a stretch on the down part) will do the trick nicely.


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    #9
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,538 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    daRobot wrote: »
    Just about to post that :pac: Heavy Dumbell flys, done slowly, and letting your arms drop quite deep (so you feel quite a stretch on the down part) will do the trick nicely.

    Heavy dumbell presses, slow down fast up, neutral grip, elbows right into to your sides at all times.......takes the shoulders out of it a good bit.


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    #10
    ronanc15
    Registered Users Posts: 1,279 ✭✭✭ronanc15


    As the guys have said dumbell flyes something using tempo like 30X2 and really squeeze at the top for the pause. Really good to make sure you are activating the pecs and get that burn you're after.

    Also on the benchpress try slowing down the eccentric phase e.g. 40X0. I have found slowing down the eccentric really good


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    #11
    RidleyRider
    Registered Users Posts: 3,783 ✭✭✭RidleyRider


    ronanc15 wrote: »
    As the guys have said dumbell flyes something using tempo like 30X2 and really squeeze at the top for the pause. Really good to make sure you are activating the pecs and get that burn you're after.

    Also on the benchpress try slowing down the eccentric phase e.g. 40X0. I have found slowing down the eccentric really good

    Would you explain how the tempo works please? I never understood it.


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    #12
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,538 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    RidleyRider wrote: »
    Would you explain how the tempo works please? I never understood it.

    Lifted off the internet

    This is a short, sharp explanation of the numbers seen to show tempo of resistance/weights exercises. An example is 40X0 or 2011.
    The First number (as in 40X0) is the amount of time you should take to perform the Eccentric portion, or, the lowering of the weight or exercise.
    The Third number (as in 40X0) is the amount of time you should take to perform the Concentric portion or the raising of the exercise or weight. An X indicates as fast as possible, i.e. explosive (but still maintaining good form).
    The Second number (as in 40X0) is the amount of time to hold the weight/pause at the bottom of the exercise.
    The Fourth number (as in 40X0) is the amount of time to hold the weight/pause at the top of the exercise.
    Using 3010, you would perform a 3 second eccentric portion (lowering the weight), no pause at the bottom, a one second concentric portion and no pause at the top.


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    #13
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Thanks guys. I have done dumbell flys numerous times, all different kinds and its the same story as the benching.

    I think the problem is I cant seem to engage the pecs in my mind.

    If I do a benching movement with no weight and just focus on tensing the pecs, at the top of the movement when I squeeze, I feel like im squeezing my armpit (as in the connection from my pec to my anterior delt) more than anything.

    I cant squeece the centre of my pecs at all, I just cant get that mind connection. I still do think if there was some movement to exhaust the chest whilst avoiding the arms then that might help.

    Im sitting here doing isometric chest squeezes but there doesnt seem to be the same power in in than there would be should I try squeeze any other muscle on my body.


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    #14
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,538 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    I had exactly the same problem, chest day was more of a anterior deltoid, armpit exercise. I started really tucking my elbows in to my side so at the bottom of a chest press my elbows were touching my sides on the way down. Feels very unnatural at the start but you actually have more power on the push, but you have to control more on the way down. Certainly get your pecs a lot more, and you can feel your shoulder blades tucking together on the bench.

    Not like this
    78635008_XS.jpg?h=10000&w=270&keep_ratio=1

    Like this
    exc246a.gif


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    #15
    Doug Cartel
    Registered Users Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    Devin Brave Jacket wrote: »
    I started really tucking my elbows in to my side so at the bottom of a chest press my elbows were touching my sides on the way down. Feels very unnatural at the start but you actually have more power on the push, but you have to control more on the way down. Certainly get your pecs a lot more, and you can feel your shoulder blades tucking together on the bench.

    It is the way to do it if you want to push more, but actually it uses the pectorals less than having the elbows out wide.

    The main thing though is that burn/pump is not a reliable indicator of how much you have worked a muscle, so OP don't focus on it so much. Barbell bench might not be the best way to work the pecs, but there's better ways of deciding on what you are going to do than going with the thing that feels like it's giving the most pump.


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    #16
    ronanc15
    Registered Users Posts: 1,279 ✭✭✭ronanc15


    Devin Brave Jacket wrote: »
    I had exactly the same problem, chest day was more of a anterior deltoid, armpit exercise. I started really tucking my elbows in to my side so at the bottom of a chest press my elbows were touching my sides on the way down. Feels very unnatural at the start but you actually have more power on the push, but you have to control more on the way down. Certainly get your pecs a lot more, and you can feel your shoulder blades tucking together on the bench.

    Not like this
    78635008_XS.jpg?h=10000&w=270&keep_ratio=1

    Like this
    exc246a.gif

    Wouldn't that just be a tricep movement?


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    #17
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,538 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    ronanc15 wrote: »
    Wouldn't that just be a tricep movement?

    Nah,your chest is under huge tension throughout the movement, your triceps are under no more tension than with a shoulder heavy bench. See this youtube start at 20 minutes.....

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G8x-Te2J8Ao


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    #18
    ronanc15
    Registered Users Posts: 1,279 ✭✭✭ronanc15


    Can't watch that right now (in work).

    Anytime I have done the bench with the elbows tucked in it is to isolate my triceps (and the majority of tension is defo on the triceps), although that is with a narrow grip so that may be the difference? I'm not sure you're intending the OP using a narrow grip or not.


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    #19
    btkm8unsl0w5r4
    Closed Accounts Posts: 9,538 ✭✭✭btkm8unsl0w5r4


    Maybe the photo I put up above is a bit exaggerated, in the video they talk about bending the bar....I started doing this and I had chest doms for the first time in a long time. Work with pushups too. Its very subtle.


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    #20
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Just back from the gym now, I tried it with a close grip and most tension was on the triceps. Tried it with a normal grip and it was much more difficult to actually tuck in the elbows.

    I focused so much on the chest and squeezing it but still no real feeling of tightness or pump. A wide grip on the bench seemed to help a bit better and also cable raises like this seemed to help: http://www.bodybuilding.com/exercises/detail/view/name/low-cable-crossover

    Again, lying on my back on a bench and reaching around the back and pulling myself into the bench gives a great chest squeeze (or maybe its a great chest stretch) but just as if you were flexing your bicep for an hour, it pumps it a little bit but you need some weight to take advantage most so maybe I need to develop that movement whereby I can use some weights with it.

    @Doug, I do take that point, however in my particular circumstance, it seems that my chest is actually lagging behind the rest of the muscles in relation to development so if I was to get a pump, I'm sure it would help.

    Its so frustrating though, after chest I did my back and its just so easy to squeeze all the muscles in my back individually! Why not the chest!!!


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    #21
    Doug Cartel
    Registered Users Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    Pump doesn't mean anything.


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    #22
    NoQuarter
    Registered Users Posts: 4,632 ✭✭✭NoQuarter


    Doug Cartel wrote: »
    Pump doesn't mean anything.

    Surely it means that you have done a better job at isolating the muscle and have tired it out more than if there is no pump?


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    #23
    xgtdec
    Registered Users Posts: 821 ✭✭✭xgtdec


    Perhaps a session with one of the trainers on here to get you sorted?


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    #24
    Doug Cartel
    Registered Users Posts: 2,188 ✭✭✭Doug Cartel


    NoQuarter wrote: »
    Surely it means that you have done a better job at isolating the muscle and have tired it out more than if there is no pump?

    No, it's an entirely subjective thing.

    On my highest ever bench press, I felt like it was easy-peasy, no effort. (Then I completely failed with 2.5kg extra.) Yet, I've done a couple of push-ups and felt like there was a big pump in my chest. Sometimes you get it, sometimes you don't.


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