Building Lower Chest

trotter_inc

Hey guys!

Can someone recommend a weights exercise for building the lower chest area? I'm currently benching just over my body weight and am pretty happy with the weight and my strength. However, I find that my lower chest area (just under my nipple area I suppose) is not developing in size at all; I find that most of my chest muscle is building is taking place in the upper chest area.

Basically, I follow 2 different chest programmes which I alternate:

Number 1:

1. Flat bench press with bar
2. Cable flies

Number 2:

1. Inclinded dumbell press
2. Seated chest press (resistance machine)
3. Cable flies

When benching, I normally do something along the lines of 50 kg x 8, 65 kg x 8, 70 kg x 6, 75 kg x 4, 75 kg x 4. I weigh 69 kg and am pretty happy with the weight I'm lifting.

Can someone suggest how to vary the programme a bit? And, more specifically develop the lower chest a little more? From looking at what other guys do in the gym (in term of developing the chest), this seems to be what everyone does.

Thanks!!

Inspector Coptoor

Incline bench hits upper chest, flies while bring hands high hits upper chest.
Regular flat bench, push ups & regular flies hit middle chest.

Try decline benching and decline flies
If you;re happy with upper chest, drop all the incline work in favour of decline work and when doing cable flies, bring your hands low.

try something like
Decline Bench press or Decline DB Press - 4 sets of 8-10
Decline DB Flies or cable flies bringing the hands low - 3 sets of 12-15.

try it and see if it makes a difference.

Im just glad you never mentioned "inner" chest.

nbrady20009

Weighted chest dips might be worth incorporating.

john t

Too hit wrk lower chest you have too do decline exercises and try push bar or dumbells slightly forward so they end up over lower chest,

Hanley

Am I the only one who thinks decline pressing is essentially just a tricep movement?

COH

Hanley wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks decline pressing is essentially just a tricep movement?

More of an ego movement.

Am I the only one who thinks focusing on your 'lower' pecs is a complete waste of time altogether?

Hanley

COH wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks focusing on your 'lower' pecs is a complete waste of time altogether?

No. But I think tonight we're supposed to give reasons for stuff.

I'll go first - "lower" chest is about as good a term as "inner" pec.

Any form of decline press typically is a shorter range of ROM bench, like a heavily arched flat benched, which is probably gonna be more tricep dominant, especially since you need to tuck your elbows so you don't crush your larynx.

Sometimes I wonder if the only reason why decline benching is good for your lower pecs, supposedly, is because incline benching preferentially targets your upper pec area, and since they're the opposite, it must work?

COH

Hanley wrote: »

No. But I think tonight we're supposed to give reasons for stuff.

I'll go first - "lower" chest is about as good a term as "inner" pec.

Any form of decline press typically is a shorter range of ROM bench, like a heavily arched flat benched, which is probably gonna be more tricep dominant, especially since you need to tuck your elbows so you don't crush your larynx.

Sometimes I wonder if the only reason why decline benching is good for your lower pecs, supposedly, is because incline benching preferentially targets your upper pec area, and since they're the opposite, it must work?

I guess pressing at a decline is 'good' for your pecs (in general) because of the reduced ROM you can handle a heavier load, thus providing a different stimulus.. but I doubt very much if that stimulus targets any specific part of the chest. Genetics for the most part determine the shape of a muscle, training detremines the size.

john t

As said in previous posts before being knocked, dumbell flyes and dumbell presses wrk lower pec..

nice_guy80

Weighted Dips
if unable for them then weighted bench dips

Hanley

nice_guy80 wrote: »

Weighted Dips
if unable for them then weighted bench dips

I’m sorry, but no, NEVER do bench dips.

The only purpose they serve is absolutely WRECKING your shoulder. They’re up there with upright rows in the “exercises that should never have been invented” category for me.

They’re pretty much all tricep, and they internally rotate your shoulder to a terrible position. If you want to mimic them just do a DB floor press or close grip bench or something. There’s no way anyone should do bench dips. Ever.

Inspector Coptoor

Id agree with Hanley and COH, generally people give out about the "lower" part of the chest not being defined because there;s a layer of fat there.
Most of the time, all you need to do is mix up heavy and light incline and flat work while running a slight (-10%) calorie deficit.

john_cappa

Hanley wrote: »

Am I the only one who thinks decline pressing is essentially just a tricep movement?

Agree!

COH wrote: »

More of an ego movement.

Am I the only one who thinks focusing on your 'lower' pecs is a complete waste of time altogether?

X 2 on the ego

X235648 on pointless of working upper, lower, middle. Not possible

If ye want a laugh read the first post in this thread lol!!!

http://anabolicminds.com/forum/exercise-science/132253-how-many-heads.html