How to build chest without press ups and access to a bench

eviltimeban

Hi there,

I'm trying to build up my chest in mass / tone but I have a few limitations: I can't do press ups and I don't have access to an exercise bench.

I work out at home with free weights, and do a combination of sets for arms, shoulders, neck, back etc, but I am missing the all important chest routines. The problem is I can never do more than 5 press ups at a time - I'm a pretty tall guy, 6'5", and I don't know if that has any impact, my arms are pretty big and toned and I'm certainly not lacking upper body strength. Its just something I can't do!

Nor do I have a bench to lie on with the weights and do the curl ups for chest / presses. I can lie on the floor and press up but I'm wondering is that enough, as I'm not getting to dip my arms under my body? Are there any other techniques to use while using free weights only?

itsallaboutheL

eviltimeban wrote: »

Hi there,



Nor do I have a bench to lie on with the weights and do the curl ups for chest / presses. I can lie on the floor and press up but I'm wondering is that enough, as I'm not getting to dip my arms under my body? Are there any other techniques to use while using free weights only?

i think im slightly retarded today but i cant make head nor tail of what your saying here!

dioltas

Sounds kinda mad that you can't do pushups. Is it that you get tired or it hurts or what? I'd try and build up the amount I could do if I was you, then start elevating your feet or maybe putting a bag on your back with some weight in it.

You could do dips. All you need is two chairs, a suitable ledge / railings, or maybe a gap between two tables.

eviltimeban wrote: »

Nor do I have a bench to lie on with the weights and do the curl ups for chest / presses. I can lie on the floor and press up but I'm wondering is that enough, as I'm not getting to dip my arms under my body? Are there any other techniques to use while using free weights only?

I think what you mean here is a floor press. Never really did them myself, but I'd say you'd need a lot heavier dumbells in each hand to make it worthwhile, as you're not getting the full range of motion.

Brian?

I'd be interested to know why you can't do pushups as well.

floggg

Actually, i've only tried the floor press once, but its a killer. It isoltates the chest much more then the bench. It takes you're back out of the equation and provided you're lying compelety flat, you can't use you're lower half for leverage.

Roper

Um, maybe I'm missing some vitally important piece of information here but from what I can glean, you can't do push ups. That is both the problem and the solution. You need to man up and do some more push ups. It's really that simple. When you can do 20 straight through ask again.

eviltimeban

floggg wrote: »

Actually, i've only tried the floor press once, but its a killer. It isoltates the chest much more then the bench. It takes you're back out of the equation and provided you're lying compelety flat, you can't use you're lower half for leverage.

Oh so they are of use? Yes, lying on my back, starting with dumbells in each hand at shoulder level, then just a straight lift to the ceiling (sorry if I was making it a bit confusing to read earlier).

Yes I get tired doing the press ups. I literally can't make it past five! Which is pretty pathetic. Maybe I need to start building up the ability to do it. Or start on my knees doing them and eventually build up? I'll try that along with the floor press and see how I get on.

itsallaboutheL

do i smell troll??:cool:

floggg

No, don't start at shoulders. Arms at your sides, elbows to the floor, with hands held up in front of you. Around nipple level or a bit below. Seriously though, if you can't do the press ups, i wouldn't worry about the floor press.

Brian?

eviltimeban wrote: »

Oh so they are of use? Yes, lying on my back, starting with dumbells in each hand at shoulder level, then just a straight lift to the ceiling (sorry if I was making it a bit confusing to read earlier).

Yes I get tired doing the press ups. I literally can't make it past five! Which is pretty pathetic. Maybe I need to start building up the ability to do it. Or start on my knees doing them and eventually build up? I'll try that along with the floor press and see how I get on.

Do the five, put your knees down and do as many as you can that way. Keep trying to add one full pushup at a time until you hit 20, you'll be surprised how soon you'll be doing 20.

dioltas

eviltimeban wrote: »

Yes I get tired doing the press ups. I literally can't make it past five! Which is pretty pathetic. Maybe I need to start building up the ability to do it. Or start on my knees doing them and eventually build up? I'll try that along with the floor press and see how I get on.

Ya, you're just gonna have to start building it up.

Procasinator

I have to agree with most posters, work on your press ups.

You could try the Hundred Pushup challenge (http://hundredpushups.com/) to start you off. Some techniques:

1) Do sets of pushups. 5 reps (push ups) for 5 sets if you can do it, or as close as you can get to that, will see your push ups increase.

2) Drops sets. Like someone suggested before, start off doing normal ones, and when you don't think you can get another one in, drop to your knees until you feel like you are spent doing them.

Have a look at http://hundredpushups.com/what.html for instructions on form and alternative pushups you could try http://hundredpushups.com/what.html.

rubadub

From the title I thought it was going to be "no pushups since I can do well over 50 so there is not enough resistance".

I do no benching anymore, just dips and inclined pushups. You can do pushups against a wall to make them even easier. No point even trying dips if you can only do 5 pushups.

Remmy

off topic but rubadub how do you find your chest development since you dropped your benchpress and just did bodyweight stuff?

TKD SC

Remmy wrote: »

off topic but rubadub how do you find your chest development since you dropped your benchpress and just did bodyweight stuff?

Was going to ask the same q's!

BossArky

off topic:

The thread title (How to build chest without press ups and access to a bench) reminded me of the following joke:

Wife: How do I make my breasts bigger?
Husband: Rub some toilet paper between them
Wife: How is that going to help?
Husband: I don't know. It worked for your ar$e though.

on topic:

Do more press ups.

rubadub

Remmy wrote: »

off topic but rubadub how do you find your chest development since you dropped your benchpress and just did bodyweight stuff?

Hard for me to gauge to be honest. I have gotten bigger no doubt, and for ME I have no doubt I have made more progress dipping than I would have benching. That is since it suits me so I stick to it more, I feel far more comfortable and safe doing heavy dips than heavy benching. I am doing weighted dips, so it is not solely bodyweight.

I know Transform also prefers dips over benching and no doubt he would have far more experience than me in being able to track gains or differences.

colly10

itsallaboutheL wrote: »

do i smell troll??:cool:

This ones certainly got potential :pac:

eviltimeban wrote: »

Yes I get tired doing the press ups. I literally can't make it past five! Which is pretty pathetic. Maybe I need to start building up the ability to do it.

Ye if your interested in building up your chest you do, even if you had access to a bench do you think you would be able to bench anything reasonable when ye can't do a few push ups.
As said above, keep at them till ye can do at least 20, theres nothing wrong with ye and theres no miracle cure thats going to build your chest

eviltimeban

I ain't no damn troll! Yes, its an odd one, my weights are dumbells and I'm able to do lots of reps and sets without getting too tired, and have decent tone on my arms, shoulders and neck. But as soon as I get down to do press ups I turn into an old granny with a suitcase on her back! Strange. I guess I just haven't built up the right areas. Also I used to try do them mid way through my work out, when my arms would be tired from the weights, so now I'll try doing them at the start.

So yes, I shall endeavour to do more and more. Thanks for the tips.

p to the e

Procasinator wrote: »

I have to agree with most posters, work on your press ups.

You could try the Hundred Pushup challenge (http://hundredpushups.com/) to start you off. Some techniques:
.

Have a look at http://hundredpushups.com/what.html for instructions on form and alternative pushups you could try http://hundredpushups.com/what.html.

wow this is a pretty decent site. i used to be able to fly through pressups but haven't done them in quite a while. this should get me back on track.

as for advice on pressups the only way to get better at them is to constantly build up the number you can do. i remember being able to do roughly about fifteen but did them every night. after a few months my record was 57 in 60 seconds. being roughly ten stone will help that but you should get my point.

Vain

eviltimeban wrote: »

I ain't no damn troll! Yes, its an odd one, my weights are dumbells and I'm able to do lots of reps and sets without getting too tired, and have decent tone on my arms, shoulders and neck. But as soon as I get down to do press ups I turn into an old granny with a suitcase on her back! Strange. I guess I just haven't built up the right areas. Also I used to try do them mid way through my work out, when my arms would be tired from the weights, so now I'll try doing them at the start.

So yes, I shall endeavour to do more and more. Thanks for the tips.

When are you trying to do your push ups? Is it after your work out? If so try doing them before your work out, if your trying to do them straight after your work out your muscles are tired and weak, maybe thats why you could only do 5.