Mass Building Moves for a Lagging Chest

With the summer around the corner, you know it’s time to really shape up – the center of your efforts will be the chest, of course.

Although no muscle group should be neglected in the weekly workout plan, building a ripped superhero chest is a priority for most guys.

No matter if you’re starting from zero or have hit a training plateau with the pecs, there’s a way to speed up your progress.

We know that building a both chiseled and proportioned chest can be quite troublesome but there’s no better way to get really big than following in the footsteps of the masters of the game – and today we have Jose Raymond’s favorite upper chest exercises on the menu.

This guy with a truly imposing physique states that he trains by instinct, i.e. training whatever muscle group isn’t hurting anymore, while making sure he hits each muscle group twice within ten training days and taking one day off the gym per week.

That being said, his training schedule consists of legs on Mondays, shoulders on Tuesdays, back on Wednesdays, chest on Thursdays and arms on Fridays. Seems pretty reasonable, right?

Here’s some insight into his chest workout regime:

• Cable Crossover – 3-4 sets, 12-15 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Press – 4 sets, 10-12 reps
• Flat-bench Barbell or Dumbbell Press – 3-4 sets (the last being a drop set), 12 reps
• Incline Dumbbell Flyes – 3-4 sets, 12-15 reps
• Dumbbell Pullover: 3 sets, 10-12 reps

The incline dumbbell press and the incline dumbbell flyes are the classic chest exercises he relies most on for a solid chest workout.

Here’s how to do them right:

1. The incline dumbbell press

Lie on your back on an incline bench with your feet flat on the floor, holding a pair of dumbbells just outside the shoulders with your arms bent.

By contracting the chest muscles and pulling your shoulder blades together, press the dumbbells up directly above your shoulders, fully extending the arms. Stop right before your elbows lock out, then slowly lower both dumbbells to the sides of your chest.

2. The incline dumbbell flyes

Lie on an incline bench adjusted to an incline angle of 30 to 45 degrees, holding a pair of dumbbells over your chest with extended arms, with a slight bend at the elbows. Rotate the wrists so that your palms are facing each other.

As you breathe in, slowly lower the dumbbells out in an arc to both sides, while keeping the arms extended. Stop after you feel a solid stretch in the chest area.

At the end of the movement your arms should be by your side with the palms facing the ceiling. As you exhale, contract your chest muscles and slowly bring the dumbbells back up to the starting position, maintaining the slight bend in your elbows all throughout the movement.

For better results, hold the peak contraction at the top for a few moments on some reps.