Whether you were training your benches years ago or today, you have to agree with professionals that great benches mean stronger triceps. Or else how are you going to go through those weightlifting ordeals if your triceps are not strong enough to hold the weights in position through the resistance training? Shaping exercises are not the same as pushdowns and kickbacks. You have to learn the real thing even if it means doing exercises which lie outside the realm of bodybuilding. This is the only way of ensuring that the body gets used to the vigor that comes with being a serious body builder. Once you are through with this initial stage, what remains is ensuring that that you shape up the intricate parts of the body which are essentially very active during the body building movements. Train your triceps on ...

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For years, you’ve been putting around the gym, lifting fairly heavy, eating fairly big, and you have seen some decent growth as a result. You have seen your physique change from that of an untrained, average looking guy, into someone who is proud to take his shirt off – even if you don’t look like Mr. Olympia. You’ve become a lot stronger too. You’re definitely not one of the stronger guys in your gym, but among your untrained friends, you stand head and shoulders above them in terms of strength. You have evaluated your goals, and while you are one day interested in adding a great deal of size to your frame, you have come to the realization that the numbers you move – particularly on the bench press – are what is of the most interest ...

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There are times when you want to keep your training simple. One adjustable bench. A few sets of dumbbells. And of course, about 75 minutes to kill, and to kill chest doing it. Here is a sample routine. You can rearrange the movements to fit your preferences. This routine starts at the upper chest, moves to the lower chest, and then finishes things off with middle and outer pectorals. All you need to complete it is an adjustable bench, some dumbbells and of course, some hard work! Incline DB presses The upper chest should usually be emphasized first in any good chest routine. Many bodybuilders use between a 2-to-1 to a 3-to-1 ratio for upper chest. The idea is to build that upper shelf as much as possible. It is rumored Arnold ...

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The chest is probably the largest showpiece muscle group in the sport of bodybuilding- perhaps even more than the arms, especially when it comes to winning shows. Here are a few tips for kicking your chest training into gear and improving the efficiency and effectiveness of your weekly workouts. Stop singing the Monday blues Ever tried finding an available flat bench in your gym on a Monday at 6 pm? It’s not an easy task. Chest training is often the start of most bodybuilder’s training weeks. Ever since the beginning of time when man first learned he could tie two rocks to a branch and count his repetitions, Monday has been bench day. You should re-work your schedule so your Monday is either a rest day or Leg day. You’ll later discover you have the entire ...

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Perhaps your rotator cuffs need a break from the pain you inflict upon them on a weekly basis. Maybe you want to focus upon power and control, rather than pushing and balance, for a chest workout or two. Or, maybe you just don’t have access to a standard Olympic bar at the moment. Whatever the reason, you’re looking for a chest workout which allows you to fully stimulate the chest using means other than the standard flat and incline barbell presses. Let’s look at a sample workout which would thoroughly stimulate the chest without the use of barbells. Incline Smith bench press This is a good movement to push the pectorals to their maximum while you are still at your relative strongest point of the workout. Without the need to balance or control the weight, you can ...

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Pectoral training can be a very confusing ting, given the wide variety of exercises and routines out there. Here is a breakdown of the seven most effective exercises for building and shaping the pectorals. Other movements should be used occasionally, but these seven movements should be the cornerstone for your mass building chest routine. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press This is the granddaddy of all chest movements. Targeting the upper and middle pectorals while keeping the shoulders and triceps pumped, this exercise belongs in every chest routine, at least seven times every two months. Keep your rep range in the 7 to 12 area, and employ at least two warm-up sets to avoid injury. Flat Bench Press This movement is used most by bodybuilders, particularly in the beginning of their training. Many lifters evolve into powerlifters based upon their ...

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We have all heard for years that the Big 3, or the bench press, deadlift, and squat, are essential movements for building overall mass and establishing a foundation of muscle. It’s true, of course. The chances of running into any sort of accomplished bodybuilder who admits he has never used three exercises are pretty close to nil. However, there are many advanced bodybuilders who do lessen the use of these movements, or even eliminate them completely, in the later years of their careers. They often cite the need for detailing their muscle bases, but the truth is that many the physiques of many bodybuilders, as they advance in age, cannot stand up to the brunt trauma that these exercises deliver. The joints, tendons, and muscles do wear down over time, as does cartilage in your joints ...

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Bodybuilders love to bench press. It’s a movement which allows one to demonstrate his strength, and pump up most of the upper body at the same time. Chest, triceps, and shoulders all receive stimulation from this very useful movement, and body mass grows as a result of its use. In some individuals, however, the movement does lead to problems in chest development. Whether it be due to short arms, chest shape, muscle insertion locations, or just plain lifting technique and feel, many bodybuilders develop great shoulders and triceps, but poor triceps, as a result of using the bench press. When this occurs, it can be an irreversible problem. Great bodybuilders such as Lee Priest and Kevin Levrone, and more recently Phil Heath, all have suffered from a genetically narrow chest, which causes their triceps and shoulders to ...

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The pullover machine is a unique beast in the gym. Many bodybuilders will approach it, but won’t be quite sure where to place it in their workout week. If they use it at the conclusion of their workout on chest day, they can scorch their chest to oblivion. The stretch is superb, and the results are undeniable. Bodybuilders including Frank Zane and the great Arnold Schwarzenegger swear by pullovers for rib cage expansion and overall chest and torso development. However, they often combined their chest and back days, something that today’s bodybuilders usually do not do. Today’s judging requires such a level of chest thickness and back detail that the body parts usually require their own day. Therefore combining the movements is not a viable option. Using the movement on chest day ...

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Many beginner and intermediate bodybuilder have found great success with a push/pull training method.  It allows them to train half of their body’s muscles, twice per week.  This results in the training receiving a full-body workout twice each week, and gives them three full days of rest and recovery in which to grow.  This method is popular, especially among bodybuilders who are new to training and prefer to use machines in their training, as opposed to free weights.  Machines (Hammer Strength, Nautilus, and others) can provide a great foundation for teaching range of motion and allowing the bodybuilder to ‘feel’ the particular muscle group being targeted.  However, as one becomes more accustomed to these machines, their training gains begin to subside.  At this time, it’s essential to move to free weights and dumbbells.  This will keep growth constant, and will challenge ...

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