Pec Growth

[Mdlftr]

I am writing to all you "Pecxperts" out there, seeking advice on what is a good mass-builiding exercise for pecs for me.

Scenario:

I am tall, with long arms (6'3") I weigh 202-204# now, in my 40's, fairly low body fat. I have a VERY hard time gaining weight or size. I use Nature's Way low carb, lactose-free protein supplement. Most of my adult life I've weighed around 170-185#, then made a jump up to over 200# in the last two years since I've been working out consistently. I HAVE thickened up, slowly, especially in my chest, arms and legs, but nothing really "bulges" ---yet!

Issue: I love big, full pecs, and am trying my d--nest to build mine up. I have good triceps, my legs respond well, and I'm improving core strength all over.

I've worked with a personal trainer, and I got good grounding in the fundamentals for form, exercise selection, etc.

I start off my chest workouts with incline dumbbell press, then pushups, then either Hammerstrength seated incline bench press or flat bench.

Problem: I have a very hard time feeling flat barbell bench presses in my pecs. Incline DB presses--yup, can feel em. Ditto for dips with body weight, dumbbell or cable or machine flyes. When I do flat benches, I have to be careful or my front shoulder starts to hurt. To address that, I have increased the number of shoulder workouts I do, and I do rotator cuff exercises before each chest workout--really helps!

I can "sorta" feel flat DB bench presses. Questions: should I try to find an alternative "mass" exercise to flat bench to really beef up my pecs? SHould I just give myself "time" (lots and lots, sigh...) to build up using the other exercises I mentioned? Should I just not do flat BB Bench press?

So, you tall, lanky, non-steroid using, full-time-schedule types out there:
Do you have big full pecs, and, if so, what helped you get 'em??!

Tx,

Mdlftr

[RadRx]

MD.

Have you tried varying your workouts to include movements that don't involve as much shoulder/triceps such as cable crossovers, pec deck, or flyes (any one using drop sets). Push ups are a good afterburner for other exercises.

I won't tell you how many I'm up to before I give up because I don't know what a good number for a set of these is.

I'm pretty much a wimp when it comes to 'the burn,' but these exercises can really bring it on. Never one to have considered myself built in any case, I was surprised one day at work to find that I could 'bounce' what little I had in the chest area.

RadRx

[brent]

The flat bench press has to be the greatest movement ever (IMHO) so I will NEVER tell you not to do them. Keep them in your workout, PLEASE. However, My own bench presses used to be limited by my shoulder strength, and only time was able to solve that one. RadRx's cable fly idea is a great one, and I suggest you add them to your chest day too. The main point I want to mention is that the pecs are not one muscle group, they are 2. The pectorals major (the lower ones) give you mass & shape, but the smaller pectorals minor give your chest the 3D shape that makes your chest go POP! Try adding some more incline chest exercises.
I also agree with Rad's push up advice, they are a great all-round upper body exercise, and I use them as my "After-Burner" but I do at least half of them at an incline, to focus on the pectoral minors. Put your feet up on your sofa right now, and do a couple push ups. Feels great huh? And your pecs look like they are growing out towards the mirror already! See how great they are?
I hope you find some of this useful!

[glammaman2000]

you have long arms.you have to train differently than guys with average-short arms.do DB bench presses.the DB head should touch your deltoid at the bottom of the lift.you don't have to lock-out at the top,stop at about 2/3,3/4.KEEP YOUR CHIN DOWN!if you feel comfortable with balance,bend your knees&put your feet up on the bench.this should correct your shoulder angle.if your shoulders are already tender,i reccommend joint fuel liquid(twinlab).you may have to special order it.tastes like shit,but works(takes about 3 wks.)way cheaper than the pills.let me know how it works out.(keep your elbows"highish"i.e.don't push with your lats.)

[Mdlftr]

Radrx, Brent, Glam,


Thanks for all the suggestions. I actually do some cable work--the standing cable cross machine--can't think of the brand--with the adjustable arm locations which change the cable angles. I do feel those, and they feel great! So, I'm definitely keeping 'em!

The push-up afterburners--yep, I do them also. I do push ups second in my routine, after the incline DB press. I then do push-ups again, after my flyes. The flyes are done on either the standing cable cross machine or seated (HS, I think) or as db flyes on a flat bench, alternating with push ups.

Glam, your suggestions are particularly intriguing. I'm going to check GNC for the Twinlab joint fuel liquid. [If it tastes crappy, that means it works, right? Like medicine ]


Thanks, guys! I'll report back on my progress!

Mdlftr

[brent]

Originally Posted by glammaman2000

you have long arms.you have to train differently than guys with average-short arms.do DB bench presses.the DB head should touch your deltoid at the bottom of the lift.

Great point, that would be a great way for him to keep the bench press, yet make it work for his height/arm length. I didn't think about the effect of longer arms.

Also, I find that my joints hurt less when I take MSM. You can find MSM cheap at Trader Joe's, and Target. The side effect, is that your hair, nail, and muscles will start growing faster.

[RadRx]

Hey, Brent:

What does MSM stand for? Side effects are typically unintended/unwanted; so I am inclined to disagree with your categorization of muscle growth as such.

And with the hair and nail growth, I can't believe how fast mine do since my diet modifications last year. There was an article on MSNBC about how hair contains a lot of information about body chemistry similar to tree rings and aging.

RadRx

[glammaman2000]

just remembered another great chest exercise for guys with long arms.lie on a flat bench,2 DBs.do a flye movement,wide.at the bottom,bring DBs in close to your pecs&then a parallel press up.open wide,press up.you are essentially doing a flye on the negative;a press on the positive.this will allow you to greatly increase the weight you can use on negative flyes.take the usual flye precautions(don't lock elbows,don't push with your lats,etc)on the nutrition front,have you ever taken branched-chain amino acids?you have to cut your nails twice a week!

[Notbigenuff]

It's funny, I've noticed that it seems like I am always cutting my nails these days. I just didn't realize it might be because of changes in my diet! Hopefully it's a good sign...

[brent]

Originally Posted by RadRx

Hey, Brent:

What does MSM stand for?

MSM = Methyl-Sulfonyl-Methane

Originally Posted by RadRx

Side effects are typically unintended/unwanted; so I am inclined to disagree with your categorization of muscle growth as such.

I was joking, but I swear the stuff works.

Originally Posted by RadRx

And with the hair and nail growth, I can't believe how fast mine do since my diet modifications last year. There was an article on MSNBC about how hair contains a lot of information about body chemistry similar to tree rings and aging.
RadRx

I've heard the same thing. I think in a Discovery channel documentary.