Post: #1

What are the best exercises to lift your chest? My body is coming together decent but my chests is saggy. Standard bench press/free weight chest? Incline/decline? Is there an exercise that specifically targets raising your chest. I understand losing weight will help too, but I'm probably around 12% body fat. Thoughts?

Post: #2

If you have gyno, surgery.

If not, any variations of dips, incline bench, regular bench, and pushups will help.

Post: #3

gyno?

Post: #4

(03-30-2015 08:00 PM)Mofasa Wrote:  What are the best exercises to lift your chest? My body is coming together decent but my chests is saggy. Standard bench press/free weight chest? Incline/decline? Is there an exercise that specifically targets raising your chest. I understand losing weight will help too, but I'm probably around 12% body fat. Thoughts?

Are you truly 12%? So you have an emerging six pack or at least a very strong 4 pack? Post a pick so that we can make the necessary recommendations.

Post: #5

(03-30-2015 08:41 PM)rhodey Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 08:00 PM)Mofasa Wrote:  What are the best exercises to lift your chest? My body is coming together decent but my chests is saggy. Standard bench press/free weight chest? Incline/decline? Is there an exercise that specifically targets raising your chest. I understand losing weight will help too, but I'm probably around 12% body fat. Thoughts?

Are you truly 12%? So you have an emerging six pack or at least a very strong 4 pack? Post a pick so that we can make the necessary recommendations.

I had a shoulder injury that put me out of the chest game for some time now. Some scapula/rotator cuff problems. It's been like at least a year since I've lifted chest on a solid basis. It's lacking big time. And I'm not sure if I'm around 12. Flexing abs in the pic hopefully it uploads correctly. its attached
   

Post: #6

I don't see any gyno.

You're plenty lean, and I'm not sure where you get the impression that your chest is saggy. Maybe it needs muscle, sure, but then any standard chest building routine from bodybuilding dot com should work no problem. The resources are out there, it's just up to you to apply them.

Post: #7

Dumb bell flys on your back.They do wonders for your chest.

Post: #8

(03-30-2015 09:00 PM)Mofasa Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 08:41 PM)rhodey Wrote:  

(03-30-2015 08:00 PM)Mofasa Wrote:  What are the best exercises to lift your chest? My body is coming together decent but my chests is saggy. Standard bench press/free weight chest? Incline/decline? Is there an exercise that specifically targets raising your chest. I understand losing weight will help too, but I'm probably around 12% body fat. Thoughts?

Are you truly 12%? So you have an emerging six pack or at least a very strong 4 pack? Post a pick so that we can make the necessary recommendations.

I had a shoulder injury that put me out of the chest game for some time now. Some scapula/rotator cuff problems. It's been like at least a year since I've lifted chest on a solid basis. It's lacking big time. And I'm not sure if I'm around 12. Flexing abs in the pic hopefully it uploads correctly. its attached

You may even be lower than 12%, hard to tell how someone stores fat from one picture alone, either way, it isn't actually all that relevant as you are, as Hades said, plenty lean.

The issue with your chest is that you are pretty skinny and don't seem to be carrying much chest muscle. You also seem to be relatively long between your shoulder and your rib cage, meaning you have quite a large space to fill.

As with most things training related, the answer is to eat more and gain some weight, and make this muscle group a priority for 12 weeks, even if that means going to maintenance on some of your other lifts (it shouldn't, you look to be at a stage where you should still be able to add muscle and strength to your whole body on a linear program). Look on any of the body building sites, and there will be countless programs for your chest.

You haven't really posted any useful training information, so it's hard to give you useful advice. If you're doing bench (particularly incline), flies, dumbbell work, and dips, in some sort of sensible program, and eating enough food, you are going to grow.

Post: #9

I reckon he's lower than 12%.

I don't really like guessing numbers from torso picks; everyone distributes fat differently.

For instance, my body keeps all my fat around my stomach and virtually none on my legs/back/arms.

The only true way to tell is a good old calliper test.

Post: #10

And yeah, hitting that chest 3 times per week with a good old bodybuilding routine will see it pop very quickly.

As long as your diet is ok.

Post: #11

You're extremely lean so you got the dieting part down correctly. My recommendation to you would be to go Heavy on Chest and Back movements for a while. Start off your routine with some the Incline Bench Press. If you have a spot do it on the barbell bench if not use the Smith Machine for about 4 sets of 6 to 8 reps.

For the first 2 do regular sets, and then the last 2 do the Rest Pause Technique: Stop for 30-35 seconds then go on until failure. This will Annihilate your Upper Chest, especially in the beginning, and it'll create that nice upper bump that you want on your Upper Chest :)Then for the rest of your body part it's just cruse control to keep them Balance. Just up the intensity on Upper Chest Training, and for the rest to train as usual. Also to go Very Heavy until your satisfied with your Chest. Always keep your training Balance for every Body Part. I know that I didn't fallow that advice for a long period and it cost me!

You posted pic is great but I got a feeling that you could bump up the weight big time on your arms to give you that veinsy look since your body fat is naturally low. That Lui Marco look!! I believe in not fucking up a working formula, so diet wise just up your protein intake of about 40-50g if you can afford it (Chicken Breast would be my recommendation)

If you don't mind adding a bit of Body Fat at the same time you can just up your overall calories by about 300-400 cals from a good carb source. You'll have that nice upper bump with those tips. Don't forget to hit the bottom part of your pecs as well. Your so lean naturally that you can afford to push the limit on your diet for added muscle mass for a short time and then easily lean down. Run with it! If I could write better this would half the length that it is!!

Post: #12

Agree with kinjitsu. Work out your wings alot, as your back expands it will help tighten up your skin. Plus building a large back is usually a quicker process than a larger chest (am not saying to neglect the chest of course).

Post: #13

I'd prioritise incline pressing over flat. Most people's middle and lower chest grows easily and outpaces growth of the clavicular portion, which can be really stubborn. I've done nothing but inclines for chest for the past year or so, and while I've still got some way to go, the upper portion is definitely thicker now making my chest look squarer. The rest of my chest didn't get any smaller to my eye either.

Post: #14

Yeah my upper torso- rib cage to neck is really long. I feel like I have a lot of potential to put some muscle on my chest. This is all really helpful info. Incline I guess is key to get that upper chest going. and that makes sense if I strengthen out my back its gonna pull my shoulders back, chest up, and give me better posture. Dope I appreciate it. I'm gonna hop on a 6-8 week chest program. One quick question. If the muscle group is sore (even minor muscle soreness) should wait to lift that group again until the soreness is gone? I'm young and just starting to take this fitness thing seriously. Just now interested in getting into the serious olympic lifts- squat, deadlift, etc. but need to make sure my form is good. Maybe I should hire a trainer for one session just to check form?

Post: #15

For the most part its ok to work out a muscle group if it is sore, so long as you have given it a couppe days to recover. Working through the soreness will help train your body so you won't be as sore next time. Just make sure you get enough sleep.

Post: #16

There is nothing wrong with your chest. Welcome to genetics. Doesn't matter how many incline db presses you do.

I'm not sure if I am the only one here that read"I am coming off a shoulder injury." If you start busting chest workouts 3 days a week, you'll be crippled real soon, I promise.

You need to call up a gym, ask the receptionist, who in building has a CSCS credential and sit down and speak with him. If no one at the gym does, call another gym.

All you need is a good old fashion compound exercise progressive routine and some food, not a bodybuilding spit from bodybuilding.com.

Post: #17

I found that doing lots of dips and medium weight high rep work on the bench gave my chest a nice pop and a cool ridge on the bottom part. Everyone is different, though. I know so many guys who grew off of doing super heavy bench for low reps, but that never worked much for me.

Post: #18

Incline chest exercises will make your chest pop.

You don't need to do it 3x a week, bad advice.

If I can't make it to the gym, I will do push-ups with my feet on the bed.

Post: #19

Post: #20

Copy/paste from another post of mine:

Use the butterfly machine if your gym has one or else cables and keep your arms completely straight, lower the weight if needed. Don't look at other guys who bend their arms (at the elbow) while doing this exercise and lift way more weight. That's not the proper way to grow with this exercise. Keep your arms straight as an arrow and give the muscles an extra squeeze when your touching your hands. Those upper pecs will grow fast.

Also make normal to slow movements, no swinging or using momentum. Control is the keyword.

Can be stressful on the shoulder. Be careful for injuries.

Post: #21

nvm

Post: #22

(04-03-2015 10:51 PM)rudebwoy Wrote:  You don't need to do it 3x a week, bad advice.

Is this just anecdotal or do you have any evidence that this is the case?

Of course, different approaches work differently for different body types and individuals; dismissing something that may not work for you but may work for others (most 70s bodybuilders trained 3xper week each body part) is silly.

University study showing 3 x per week results in more hypertrophy

Post: #23

I used to be pretty skinny growing up and as a result i had a flat chest with barely visible bones.

Dumb bell flies off your back, keeping the arms straight worked well for my outer upper chest (think outside the nipple to armpit)
Do lots of push ups. I hated diamond push ups but eventually i do them exclusively because they help the center of the chest along with your front delts and triceps.
Lastly incline bench press does help but I've found through experience that bench press doesn't increase the chest size as much as isolation movements. Bench press is more for gym ego lifting numbers. You can get a nice body without it.
Try out some "pike push ups" and see how hard they hit your upper chest. Do lots of them.