So tomorrow is Monday.......or as I call it 'International Chest Day' so for that exact reason, I train chest on Sundays or in fact any other day that isn't Monday!!
In doing this I get to watch a large number of people go nuts and blast chest on every piece of equipment in the gym every Monday, and I use this time to observe. There are a few common mistakes most people make, and I am in no way saying this in a way to make it sound like people don't know what they are doing, but more so to indicate some easily avoidable issues which will lead to a more productive chest workout and avoiding injury.
Firstly one that gets everyone is excessive shoulder rotation. As easy as a chest press may seem to preform if done incorrectly it will take emphasis away from putting the correct muscle under tension and stress, and end up smashing your shoulder girdle as you push up rolling your shoulders over to re-rack the weight. So when getting on the bench, bench press, incline, decline machine one of the first things you should be doing when getting into position is retracting you shoulder blades and nearly trying to pinch them together as you settle your back onto the bench, and keeping them in this position throughout the entire movement of the press.
Next, upper chest.....yes, in case you didn't know your pectorals are broken into 2 sections! And when you see someone with great overall chest development (or catch me flexing in the mirror) you can see the separation in between the 2 with a nice deep crevice dividing the muscle. So with this said do not exclude exercises such as incline bench press, incline dumbbell press and incline flyes from your workout, they all have their place.
The next common problem is partial reps.....I don't know what people think when doing partial reps, you don't do the full range of motion then you are obviously not going to engage the muscle you are trying to train. So to keep it simple lower the weight to your chest then all the way up and once at lockout give you elbows a little squeeze together to really flex and pump the chest full.
Also another handy tip is to incorporate pyramid sets and drop sets during your chest workout, we are not all power lifters so there is no need to load up the bar to try and get one rep out that has the potential to crush your throat when your spotter can't even help you when the bar is loaded to the brim! So, drop the weight after your final set, and throw in a double or a triple drop set to challenge yourself, and at the end when you are struggling to lift the 10kg dumbbells above your head just remember you will be getting more blood and nutrients delivered to that muscle group then the guy rubbing his shoulder after is attempt at 'the world record' bench press! :)
Lastly I just want to reiterate the fact to not neglect a thorough warm up and stretching routine. You are only going to cheat yourself if you walk into the gym and start on the 40kg dumbbells, all you are doing is open the door wide open for a nice pec tear or shoulder injury. It will help your training, keep your muscles warm throughout and reduce the risk of injury. I could write 100 different stretches and make you waste your time reading it all but instead do a quick search on line as they all tell you the same thing and find something that works for you!
And remember, it's all about the pump!! :)
In doing this I get to watch a large number of people go nuts and blast chest on every piece of equipment in the gym every Monday, and I use this time to observe. There are a few common mistakes most people make, and I am in no way saying this in a way to make it sound like people don't know what they are doing, but more so to indicate some easily avoidable issues which will lead to a more productive chest workout and avoiding injury.
Firstly one that gets everyone is excessive shoulder rotation. As easy as a chest press may seem to preform if done incorrectly it will take emphasis away from putting the correct muscle under tension and stress, and end up smashing your shoulder girdle as you push up rolling your shoulders over to re-rack the weight. So when getting on the bench, bench press, incline, decline machine one of the first things you should be doing when getting into position is retracting you shoulder blades and nearly trying to pinch them together as you settle your back onto the bench, and keeping them in this position throughout the entire movement of the press.
Next, upper chest.....yes, in case you didn't know your pectorals are broken into 2 sections! And when you see someone with great overall chest development (or catch me flexing in the mirror) you can see the separation in between the 2 with a nice deep crevice dividing the muscle. So with this said do not exclude exercises such as incline bench press, incline dumbbell press and incline flyes from your workout, they all have their place.
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| The best upper chest in the business! |
Also another handy tip is to incorporate pyramid sets and drop sets during your chest workout, we are not all power lifters so there is no need to load up the bar to try and get one rep out that has the potential to crush your throat when your spotter can't even help you when the bar is loaded to the brim! So, drop the weight after your final set, and throw in a double or a triple drop set to challenge yourself, and at the end when you are struggling to lift the 10kg dumbbells above your head just remember you will be getting more blood and nutrients delivered to that muscle group then the guy rubbing his shoulder after is attempt at 'the world record' bench press! :)
Lastly I just want to reiterate the fact to not neglect a thorough warm up and stretching routine. You are only going to cheat yourself if you walk into the gym and start on the 40kg dumbbells, all you are doing is open the door wide open for a nice pec tear or shoulder injury. It will help your training, keep your muscles warm throughout and reduce the risk of injury. I could write 100 different stretches and make you waste your time reading it all but instead do a quick search on line as they all tell you the same thing and find something that works for you!
And remember, it's all about the pump!! :)
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