Originally posted by: RIGorous1
I did that for awhile, but it didn't help that much either... I used 125 lbs ( I know I suck) and was wondering which technique is better...
push the weight in fast repetitions or slow and steady reps.
use wide grip or tight grip
incline or decline...
and should I do my repetitions all the way down til I'm parallel with my chest or a few inches from it...
which does what?
Define "a while." It occurs to me that the problem is your push-up exercises only build muscle tone and endurance, which isn't bad but doesn't help with mass at all.
Also, it seems that your weight wasn't nearly enough. The only way to really build muscle is to rack on the weight. Aim for sets of 6-8 reps, and when you've hit a certain weight and are comfortable with it raise the weight again. The closer your grip is, the more the stress is shifted onto your triceps. Wider grip is advised. Also, incline press and decline press are essential to building upper chest and lower chest (pectoralis major and minor). Same principle with that - weight, weight, weight.
Dumbell flies are great at working your entire chest as well.
WARNING: keep your back straight and against the bench, as tempting as it is to put your back into it. If you start doing that, drop the weight until you stop. Also, lower the weight so it touches your chest or is incredibly close (1-2 inches) but DO NOT bounce it off your chest.
Finally...do yourself a favor and do a LOT of back exercises (hyperextension, lateral pulldown, upright row, etc.) so that the muscles on the front of your body don't start making you slouch. Eating a high-calorie diet also helps (i.e. not junk food).
Edit: I forgot genetics. For example, I'm Asian so there is virtually no chance I will EVER get what's called a "barrel chest" like Ah-nold had - instead, I've got what is called the "bird chest," something more along the lines of Bruce Lee's build, for lack of a better example (This is no suggestion that I look ANYTHING like him or are anywhere as strong).
There are some good tips in this thread, but there are also some very bad ones.
As others have said, you will need to do more than pushups to increase the size and strength of your chest.
Check here for a list of exercises that will work your chest muscle(s). I personally recommend bench, incline bench, chest dips, and a lying or standing fly. The links will show you the proper form for these exercises, which is crucial to seeing results as well as ensuring that you do not injure yourself.
The best piece of advice I can give you though is get the advice of a professional at your local gym. It may cost you a few bucks, but it will save you a lot of time and wasted energy. They can set you up on a program to meet the goals that you want, but they will also help you to develop a balanced program that includes more than just your chest. You aren't going to increase your bench by focusing only on your pecs. You need strong deltoids (shoulders) and triceps as well. The professionals will also ensure that you aren't going to tear up your body by using incorrect form.
As for the different sizes of your pecs, this is an unfortunate reality for some of us that don't have great symmetry. It is more or less a genetic barrier that can only be overcome with hard work, good form, and time. Stick with free weights so that you can't "cheat" by using one side of your body more than the other, as is often possible with weight machines.
Good luck!
As others have said, you will need to do more than pushups to increase the size and strength of your chest.
Check here for a list of exercises that will work your chest muscle(s). I personally recommend bench, incline bench, chest dips, and a lying or standing fly. The links will show you the proper form for these exercises, which is crucial to seeing results as well as ensuring that you do not injure yourself.
The best piece of advice I can give you though is get the advice of a professional at your local gym. It may cost you a few bucks, but it will save you a lot of time and wasted energy. They can set you up on a program to meet the goals that you want, but they will also help you to develop a balanced program that includes more than just your chest. You aren't going to increase your bench by focusing only on your pecs. You need strong deltoids (shoulders) and triceps as well. The professionals will also ensure that you aren't going to tear up your body by using incorrect form.
As for the different sizes of your pecs, this is an unfortunate reality for some of us that don't have great symmetry. It is more or less a genetic barrier that can only be overcome with hard work, good form, and time. Stick with free weights so that you can't "cheat" by using one side of your body more than the other, as is often possible with weight machines.
Good luck!
Muahah, you're still alive!
"Some people are born l33t, some have l33tness thrust upon them. My friend, we are both!"
ahahahahahah
dude 10 sets of 20 is not only weak but also stupid. other have already said that you should do, but simply benching and taking enough protein will help you build a bigger chest. if you had done that for the past 9 months instead of those pushups, you would have seen some decent results by now
Siddhartha
Lifer
- Oct 17, 1999
- 12,505
- 3
- 81
I vote for cedar...
Okay, do five sets of forty pushups and then progress to four sets of fifty.
TwiceOver
Lifer
- Dec 20, 2002
- 13,544
- 44
- 91
Strong Chest? Fast food, Laziness, and beer gives you a nice gut. I think I could prolly take a shot from any AT'er in the chest and have no problem except maybe getting the wind knocked out of me.
Of course I am prolly wrong, cause everyone acts like a body builder/gun expert/relationship expert/computer expert/car expert/carpet expter/animal expert/astronomy expert/grammar expert/etc. etc. <---forever.... here.
Of course I am prolly wrong, cause everyone acts like a body builder/gun expert/relationship expert/computer expert/car expert/carpet expter/animal expert/astronomy expert/grammar expert/etc. etc. <---forever.... here.
0roo0roo
No Lifer
- Sep 21, 2002
- 64,795
- 84
- 91
as others have said, working out everyday is no way to build mass. go buy a body building/workout book/guide so your not in the dark. you need adequate protien/nutrition, consistent increase in workout reps. daily doesn't allow body to recover, let alone build muscle. doubtful your working out to the point of failure anyways.
pull ups and chin ups if they havn't already been mentioned in this thread (do a few reps of 10 with each rep slowly bring your grip farther and farther apart). Try to add leg weights if ya got em.
0roo0roo
No Lifer
- Sep 21, 2002
- 64,795
- 84
- 91
success in weight training is 20% workouts, 80% eating.
You need approximately a gram of protein for each pound of body weight if you're serious about training. That's a LOT of protein when you get down to it. And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS eat (well) right after a workout. When you get done with a workout, your body hits an anabolic state which has the right spike of insulin to facilitate maximum muscle growth. Generally, you only have a 90 minute window after you workout to pound the protein. This is also a great time to take in carbs, as they help to replace glycogen stores.
Do NOT go on a low carb diet if you're hitting the gym and doing cardio regularly. It's extremely detrimental to active athletes.
Whey protein in the morning, after a workout, and in the afternoon, supplemented with creatine and glutamine seems to work best for me. Those are the three power hitters: protein, creatine, glutamine.
Basically, if you're just starting off and you're eating right and taking in enough protein, you'll get gains from just about ANY exercise you do. Experiment--different things work better for different people.
You need approximately a gram of protein for each pound of body weight if you're serious about training. That's a LOT of protein when you get down to it. And ALWAYS ALWAYS ALWAYS eat (well) right after a workout. When you get done with a workout, your body hits an anabolic state which has the right spike of insulin to facilitate maximum muscle growth. Generally, you only have a 90 minute window after you workout to pound the protein. This is also a great time to take in carbs, as they help to replace glycogen stores.
Do NOT go on a low carb diet if you're hitting the gym and doing cardio regularly. It's extremely detrimental to active athletes.
Whey protein in the morning, after a workout, and in the afternoon, supplemented with creatine and glutamine seems to work best for me. Those are the three power hitters: protein, creatine, glutamine.
Basically, if you're just starting off and you're eating right and taking in enough protein, you'll get gains from just about ANY exercise you do. Experiment--different things work better for different people.
flat bench (press)
incline bench (dumbbells)
decline bench (dumbbells)
incline cables
decline cables
incline press (machine)
decline press (machine)
lift till failure then 3+ assisted reps, go in the corner and do pushups till you can't hold yourself up anymore
protein protein protein
incline bench (dumbbells)
decline bench (dumbbells)
incline cables
decline cables
incline press (machine)
decline press (machine)
lift till failure then 3+ assisted reps, go in the corner and do pushups till you can't hold yourself up anymore
protein protein protein
Sonuva...i had a nice, long post written out, and then I forgot to log in before hitting submit. Dammit. Anyways, cliff's notes:
1) Decline press primarily works your lower chest, but also places some emphasis on your middle chest, shoulders, and triceps
2) Flies are performed like so. This shows in incline dumbbell fly, but they can also be done on a flat bench (usually what people mean when they say fly), or a decline bench, depending on which part of your chest you want to focus on.
You can also do cable flies, but try to avoid machines/the peck deck...especially those that have you place your forearms and elbows on a pad, and then bring these pads in front of you in the standard fly motion. This machine places a LOT of stress on your shoulders, and actually does little to work the chest itself.
You're better off with cables at first, as they will allow you to perfect your form without as great a chance of injuring yourself as with free weights. Don't let yourself stretch back too far, and if you feel your shoulders starting to hurt, stop immediately and examine your form. Go light at first until you get used to the feel, and then slowly add more weight.
Actually, just the opposite. Your body is in a catabolic state after an intense workout. Insulin transport is only 1 part of the equation. Without growth hormone (which is released when you sleep) to produce IGF, muscle growth is nil.
Rudee,
You're right about the catabolism. What i meant to say was that taking in carbs with high sucrose to fructose content such as grape juice directly after a workout brings your insulin levels up along with your blood sugar, thereby shifting your body into a state of muscle recovery and growth. Consuming a small, easily absorbed meal within 30 minutes keeps the body's insulin levels from plummeting again, and prevents catabolism from setting in.
Research has shown that cellular up-take and anabolic mechanisms are tremendously accelerated for three hours after intense training, provided you aren't running on low blood glucose and insulin levels. If that's the case, the body begins to secrete catabolic hormones, and it will attempt to use anything you take in to replace dimishing blood glucose levels.
You're right about the catabolism. What i meant to say was that taking in carbs with high sucrose to fructose content such as grape juice directly after a workout brings your insulin levels up along with your blood sugar, thereby shifting your body into a state of muscle recovery and growth. Consuming a small, easily absorbed meal within 30 minutes keeps the body's insulin levels from plummeting again, and prevents catabolism from setting in.
Research has shown that cellular up-take and anabolic mechanisms are tremendously accelerated for three hours after intense training, provided you aren't running on low blood glucose and insulin levels. If that's the case, the body begins to secrete catabolic hormones, and it will attempt to use anything you take in to replace dimishing blood glucose levels.
the key to your body is the core aka abs/stomach. work vigoriously on that and you will see results, plus don't over work the chest.
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