Training Your Chest for Massive Pecs


TLDR

Warm Up
30 cals Air Bike
Various Rotator Cuff Exercises
2 x 20 reps Flat Dumbbell Press @ 50lbs

Strength Training
Flat Dumbbell Press
3 x 12-15 reps @60/70/80lbs
1 x of 6 reps @ 90lbs
Incline, Close-Grip Dumbbell Press
3 x 12-15 @ 50lbs

Conditioning
3 RFT (Round For Time)
15/12/9 Bench Press @ 185lbs (65-70% 1RM)
15/12/9 Dumbbell Snatch @ 60lbs
25 Double-Unders

WARM UP

Start your warm-up with 5-7 minutes or 30 - 50 calories (however you prefer to track these things) on a row machine, air bike, or treadmill.

It’s very important to get your shoulders warmed up prior to any of the movements. I typically do a lot of the basic rotator cuff exercises and a high rep set or two of whatever I’m training for the day.

You can use the bands from the Gym In A Bag to warm up your anything and do it anywhere! I’m telling you, I use these bad boys EVERY DAY. They are so worth it.

 

STRENGTH TRAINING

Flat Dumbbell Bench Press

Warm up
2 x 20 reps @ 50lbs
Working Sets
3 x 12-15 reps @60/70/80lbs
1 x of 6 reps @ 90lbs

We’ve been doing a lot of barbell work in preparation for the lifting competition this weekend so we got back to the dumbbells. I typically like to alternate between barbell one day and dumbbell the next. The first “working set” is typically a little higher in the rep range and the last is closer to the low end of the range. This is typical when applying the progressive overload principle as described in my muscle growth blog. If you haven’t read that one yet, check it out!

Incline, Close-Grip Dumbbell Bench Press

Working Sets
3 x 12-15 @ 50lbs

These incline dumbbell presses are one of my absolute FAVORITES. You want to blast your upper chest and get a massive pump? Add these to your routine today. You can thank me later.

CONDITIONING

3 RFT (Round For Time)
15/12/9 Bench Press @ 185lbs (65-70% 1RM)
15/12/9 Dumbbell Snatch @ 60lbs
25 Double-Unders

Lately in my programming, I’ve been making sure to incorporate the main movements/muscle group I trained during the strength portion for the day. Today, we decided to get under the barbell and press it out, add the dumbbell snatch for a full body movement, and cap it all with double unders to stress the cardiovascular system a little bit. The hardest part for me was the bench press. Every set I had to break up into 2 or 3 sets. It was a hard workout and I’ve put my body through a lot the past week or so with all the work culminating in a bench, squat, and deadlift competition yesterday. So I can’t say I’m surprised I was hurting a bit on these presses. Although I also did a fairly good amount of work during my strength training just before this. But hey, that’s why we train the way we train, right? Overload the system and FORCE it to adapt!

I finished in 12:52. Let us know how you do! Be sure to tag us on Facebook and Instagram @myitfitness


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