Mar 19, 2007 4:07 AM GMT
I feel that the Pec Fly Machine and Dumb Bell Flies are not working to build up my inner chest. Any alternative exercises to really get that crease down the middle?
Inner chest Exercises
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Mar 19, 2007 4:07 AM GMT -
Mar 19, 2007 4:23 PM GMTYou have to have sort of low body fat to really get a visible crease, but more importantly you need to have the genes that give you a wider, visible separation. Even in body builders you'll see a lot of variation. Just look around at photos on this site and you'll see what I mean. -
Mar 19, 2007 9:10 PM GMTFirst, there is no "middle chest" - there are two main parts to the pecs - upper & lower. The answer about genetics is certainly true to a degree. But you can thicken the pecs, and that will give you whatever depth between the pecs is possible for you.
To suggest that you can selectively build the origin (center part) of the pecs is like saying you can hold a rubber band at two ends, pull apart, and only stretch one part of the band ---- the band stretches along its entire length. So it is with muscles. -
Mar 19, 2007 11:21 PM GMTI agree that you must work all muscles to get best definition, but talked with a buddy recently that gave me a pointer to help with the depth of your pecs, thereby making a more defined look in the center-he has been doing weights much longer than I and has a pretty good physique, so must know little about what he is doing-
Lie on your back on a bench, as when doing dumb-bell flys, but use only one dumb-bell of a moderate weight to begin with (8-15 lbs. is good). using both hands, with your palms upward, for a 'v' around the upper portion of the verticle dumb-bell. Make SURE you have a good grip about the weight..you don't want to drop it on you during the movement. Lift the verticle weight from your chest, clasping tightly as described in 'v'. place at about mid-ab level, with arms slightly bent at the elbows. Slowly bring the weight up and over your head and past horizontal toward the floor at the head of the bench. Hold for moment, then slowly, bring back up to the starting position. Repeat this movement 10-12 times to begin, building up to 2 sets of 25 reps. You can feel the "pull" in your chest...and abs..during this movement. I've only been doing this movement, in conjunction with the dumb-bell flys for a short period of time, but it seems that my chest is getting deeper with little better definition.
give it a shot, keeping good form, and moving slowly, to see if it helps in your development. And hold weight FIRMLY-
good luck, and let me know if it helps-Lynn
this movement probably has a name, but being fairly new to more serious weight training, unfamiliar with it- -
Mar 20, 2007 12:03 AM GMTSorry Fithot, but that's really confusing. Can anyone elaborate on this exercise.
BTW - I was always told that cable crossovers are good for developing the crease between your pecs. -
Mar 20, 2007 12:40 AM GMTtry doing flys, but at the apex of your lift (the starting point) rotate the dumbbells 90 degrees. When declining, rotate them 90 degrees. So that when you are looking up, they give the appearance of a barbell (end to end) and at the spread they are like typical fly's.
I've been doing this and can definitely feel it in my central chest. -
Mar 20, 2007 1:40 AM GMTA good alternative to the usual flyes is to:
--use a 2armed cable machine,like a FreeForm.
--stand
--put the arms of the machine down, pointing to the floor, and out away from you at a small angle, 10-20 degrees, so the handles are near the floor.
--grab the handles palms up
--contract your pecs to force your arms up and in.
--end with your palms still up, side by side, in front of you at chest level(no higher than your shoulders)
--REALLY concentrate on only using your pecs. Avoid using/stressing your front shoulders. You may have to use a lighter weight than you would think. And really squeeze the pecs together at the top.
When I was stuck in a rut and started doing this, it really pumped my pecs and used more muscle fibers. Helped me a lot; though I can't promise it will help your quest specifically, I would think if it develops your chest more, than that is a good thing and it will help you toward your goal.
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Mar 20, 2007 8:47 AM GMTThis post is a reaction to both FitNHot and CraigInDC.
Lynn, the notion that someone knows how to train because they have a good body is a bit of a leap. Some people are genetically blessed - they'll grow doing things that would be anywhere from ineffective to dangerous for the rest of us. 2 sets of 25 reps is a really unlikely mass builder.
CraigInDC raises a good point, though. Working the muscles well, going for that little extra squeeze, is very important for getting the most out of what you have. And that's the path to a thick chest. -
Mar 20, 2007 2:14 PM GMTBuilding up the elusive pec cleavage has been one of my goals for the last 14 months. I have come to realize that the biggest bang for your effort is going to be developing muscle mass high up on the chest nearer to the collarbones, where an open shirt will show off your hard work. Because the area is not heavily covered in fat your efforts also show up relatively quickly.
Most people (myself included) tend to neglect the upper pecs in favor of the more easily developed lower area. converting some of your flat bench chest work to incline bench, directs your work to the upper area of the pec muscle. Dumbell presses, flyes and low pully flyes all work at pumping up the upper part of your chest. Along with the shaping excersises I've just listed, basic heavy incline bench press will build the mass that will ultimately create the cleavage you're looking for. -
Mar 20, 2007 9:01 PM GMTIncline dumbbell presses, full range of motion. Repeat. -
Mar 22, 2007 1:15 PM GMTThanks for your help guys. -
Mar 22, 2007 3:16 PM GMTI agree with Chuckystud....I've seen alot of guys do incline bench presses, but they don't lower the weight all the way down to collar bone level...therefore, they are not attaining the full range of motion and fully stretching the muscle.
Also, don't let the weight drop, lower it slowly, kinda "fight" it a little on the way down.
Also, I always feel a great upper chest brun with dumbell flyes done in the STANDING position.
Just my 2 cents -
Apr 08, 2007 10:56 AM GMTYeah..it's true that muscles are muscles and if you do a chest exercise you're working the whole chest...but there are exercises that work one part...esp the larger groups ...more than the rest
To work the inner chest "the crease" as you call it you want to bring your hands in on any given exercise
on a bench press say...the further out your hands are away from each other (the wider the grip) the more your working your outer pecs and shoulders...well the opposite is true for the inner
also with your fly's
try this...bring the weights up then as you descend bring them down about 30 degrees and then back up again for one rep
this will double the work on the inner aspect of the pecs
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May 07, 2007 7:54 AM GMTDon't forget to do your back, especially posterior (rear) deltoids.
Two stupid exercises: bench press; shoulder presses with a bar on the anterior (front) side.
You're just asking for shoulder impingement.
I can't tell you the number of folks I see doing excessive anterior deltoid work. Don't do that. You'll end up with your shoulders hurting and look stupid, to boot.
Also, don't lift like a moron. If you can only move 40 pounds in good form, then so be it. There are 6.6 BILLION folks in the world. How much you lift improperly is not a world event. -
Jun 01, 2007 6:30 PM GMTusing a close grip on most chest exercises will work also diamond pushups. I've always been told changing the grip on many exercises will work medially or laterally depending on how wide or close. -
Oct 22, 2007 10:54 PM GMTI have found the key to this sort of chest work is squeezing. You want to really concentrate on squeezing the pec muscles together in all your fly movements, rather than having your front delts do the greater part of the work. For me, cables, dumbbells or pec dec all are excellent if done this way. A note here about pec dec. I like to do them one side at a time. I found that when I do both sides together, the mechanics of the machine stops me before I cross the center line of my chest. So, I do one side, turned a few degrees in the seat (if your seat allows) to the side which you are working. So, when you squeeze the armature, you can bring it past the centerline of your chest. I hold it for a beat, then let it return back to the starting point. It might be helpful to do the return more slowly than the squeeze (i.e., resistance).
