Decades ago, bodybuilders didn’t use the bench press as a chest movement. They used it as THE chest movement. Men such as Surge Nubret would complete up to 20 straight sets of bench press in a single workout. Instead of Monday being chest day, it would be considered Bench day. Obviously, today we know enough about human kinesiology to realize that a wide variety of movements is required to develop a thick and complete chest. However, when you look back at photos of bodybuilders from the 60s and 70s, you might notice something – their chests were as good as, or better, than the chests we see on many bodybuilders today! They used a limited variety of movements, but they were able to develop thick chests with that incredible upper shelf that rivals those we ...

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You probably follow a traditional bodybuilding routine. Perhaps you hit chest on day 1, back on day 2, shoulders on day 3, arms on day 4, and legs on day 5. This is a very common, traditional workout which has yielded great results for bodybuilders for decades. You strive for symmetry, balance, and you employ an approach to lifting that takes all factors into account. However, despite your efforts to keep everything in balance, and everything in check, you’re seeing a problem develop. Your arms and chest are just growing slower than every other body part. Maybe you’re overtraining them. Maybe you’re undertraining them. There can be many reasons. Let’s look at a few solutions for bringing chest and arms up to par with the rest of your body parts. More ...

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Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the press, I would like to thank you for attending today’s press conference. We are here today to announce that the fan favorite and bodybuilding mainstay movement known as the Bench Press has officially retired from the sport of bodybuilding. In a statement released Friday, BP stated: “I had a long run, from the greats like Grimek and Pearl, through Schwarzenegger and Coleman. However, in light of emerging research and growing public opinion of my obsolescence, I have decided to officially remove my name from the ranks of the greats such as the squat, deadlift, and military press.” Here are the reasons that Mr. Press gave for his sudden retirement: Rotator Cuff Danger The bench press is notorious for dislodging the shoulder tendon. It has a fixed arc of motion which places a high degree of ...

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Ask any bodybuilder how he built up his chest, and your answer will vary. Some will credit heavy bench pressing. Others will cite the dumbbell work they enjoy. Some will point at the Hammer Strength machines. Others will tell you that some change to diet, sleep, or AAS patterns caused their positive change which resulted in their chest growth. Follow up your question with this one: “how important is feel when training the chest”? There is a very good chance that suddenly, the answers will become quite uniform. Nearly all bodybuilders agree that gains in pectoral muscle mass are a result of being able to “feel” the muscle being contracted. Most won’t answer that way, but when given that as an option, most will certainly choose it. Here are a few tips for ...

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If you’ve read any muscle magazine in the last ten years, you’ve probably noticed a trend when it comes to their chest training articles. They often detail workout routines which emphasize the upper pectorals. This is to be expected. After all, the upper chest is that thick shelf of muscle upon which the eyes land as one poses. Arnold Schwarzenegger could balance a full glass of water upon his upper pecs, and every bodybuilder since has emphasized incline movements as a means of developing this area. As a result, lower pecs are often neglected, and don’t receive a great deal of training attention from bodybuilders. Additionally, there are the logistical limitations. Most home gyms – including the Weider benches that we all started with in the garage or basement – possess both flat and incline bench ...

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When one thinks of the greatest chests in bodybuilding history, names like Arnold, Sergio, and Ronnie come to mind. These men possessed chests that were nearly perfect, in terms of genetic shape and thickness. While there is a very good chance you will never possess pecs which are as square, thick, and vascular as theirs, there is a good chance you have the potential to greatly increase the squareness and thickness of your own pectorals. All you need are some common sense training protocols. Initially, you will want to start with a standard bodybuilding chest routine. A nice mix of flat and incline movements will do, with a decline movement thrown in 2 to 4 times per month to ensure you are stimulating the lower pectoral fibers adequately. After 1 to 3 years of consistent training, ...

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Everyone knows how to do push-ups. From the moment we start PE class in elementary school, to the minute we are yelled at by our Army basic drill instructor, to those moments we wake up feeling overweight and fall to the floor for a wake-up session of push-ups and sit-ups, the push-up is the movement which is the symbol of “getting in shape”. However, most bodybuilders don’t use the movement in their routine in any meaningful way. They may drop to the ground and do a few reps when it’s time to pump up, for the beach or for a stage. But it’s extremely rare that you witness anyone, in any gym, using the push-up. This is a mistake. The push-up is actually a very useful movement, and one that can be used as ...

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