What hits the inside of the upper chest ?

[Tatfree]

I have been doing Incline benches , but have not figured out if I should do the widest grip or something closer to shoulder grip to achieve the upper chest line.
I also do cable crossovers, keeping the grips chest height when coming in for the squeeze.

Thanks for the advice.

[XX400EX]

Incline db flies try those.

[Karl_Hungus]

You can't selectively target the "inside of the upper chest"....

[socket]

I have been doing Incline benches , but have not figured out if I should do the widest grip or something closer to shoulder grip to achieve the upper chest line.
I also do cable crossovers, keeping the grips chest height when coming in for the squeeze.

Thanks for the advice.

IMHO you can't really target the inside of the upper chest. It will fill out along with the rest of the chest. Stick to the basics for pure mass. Flat and incline BB presses.
Some guys at the gym used to think that doing flat DB flys and rotating the palms in at the top of the contraction(as you bring the DBs together) would hit this area, but I have seen no studies to prove that theory.

[revster]

IMHO you can't really target the inside of the upper chest. It will fill out along with the rest of the chest. Stick to the basics for pure mass. Flat and incline BB presses.
Some guys at the gym used to think that doing flat DB flys and rotating the palms in at the top of the contraction(as you bring the DBs together) would hit this area, but I have seen no studies to prove that theory.

Exactly. It is one muscle. Its a myth like spot fat reduction.

[IronCharles]

All of the above. The only way to build a cut between your pecs is with more mass. The pecs (and any other single joint muscle) contract along it's full length, not just the inside or outside, or middle part. The reason muscles have bellies in the center is to keep contractile stress as far away from the joints and insertions as possible. That's why muscles develop in the center first. To develop the inside, or outside alone would be imbalancing and add potential for injury, that's why your body won't do it.

[HeismanWatch]

Cable crossovers with the chest out, chin up and the hands crossing about a foot in front of my forehead has resulted in major strides in this area over the last three months.

You have to set the machine at knee level though.

It works for me!

[thebigguy1]

All of the above. The only way to build a cut between your pecs is with more mass. The pecs (and any other single joint muscle) contract along it's full length, not just the inside or outside, or middle part. The reason muscles have bellies in the center is to keep contractile stress as far away from the joints and insertions as possible. That's why muscles develop in the center first. To develop the inside, or outside alone would be imbalancing and add potential for injury, that's why your body won't do it.

IronCharles, you always hit it right on the head...For me, at least! I agree completely as for me that was my biggest problem, no upper chest mass let alone the cut between the pecs (my pet peeve is the collar bone that sticks out...I've always hated the damn things as to me they just pointed out how skinny I was...). It wasn't until I started to get more mass in the pecs that the problem started to solve itself.

And I'm a big fan of dumbbell presses...

Ron III---III

[Tyrbolift]

Cable crossovers with the chest out, chin up and the hands crossing about a foot in front of my forehead has resulted in major strides in this area over the last three months.

You have to set the machine at knee level though.

It works for me!

Kinda funny at how people say it can't be done and then people actually do it, like you and me.

Reality vs theory.

OMG, which one is correct?

[IronCharles]

I'm glad to learn that sheer determination can overcome physiology! Maybe I can start doing more preacher curls to fill in that gap between my bicep and my elbow!

[DaddyR]

The SHAPE of a muscle is genetically determined. The SIZE is the only thing you can affect. If you grow the muscle overall, it may APPEAR that you have done something specific for the upper chest. But you are mistaken.

[BuckSpin]

IMHO:

If you want the valley deeper, make the mountains bigger. Attempting to specifically recruit/target just 25% of your pecs is not gonna happen.

[RonGoon]

I'm glad to learn that sheer determination can overcome physiology! Maybe I can start doing more reversepreacher curls to fill in that gap between my bicep and my elbow!

fixeded...)

and ya know...there's a frog somewhere in some jungle somewhere that can change from having a frog penus to having a frog bagina...so i never rule out anything as impossible.

/my semicoherant yammering...or is it?

[Tatfree]

Thanks everyone for the advice.

I also wonder if that line doesn't come out until you are a certain % in bodyfat.

I noticed that little line goes away a little when I bulk versus it comes back in when I lean out.

[caseykaldal]

There is no way to target just a specific part of the body. People say the feel flies on the outside, but that is do to the stretch. It is a fan shaped muscle, and it build by contracting across the body.

Cheers,

Casey Kaldal


www.AdviceForPersonalTrainers.com | www.RockStarFitnessJobs.com
Online resource dedicated to the success of fitness professionals. Topics ranging from health and nutrition to fitness marketing, courses, salaries and job opportunities.

[SquatTilYouDrop]

IMHO:

If you want the valley deeper, make the mountains bigger. Attempting to specifically recruit/target just 25% of your pecs is not gonna happen.

Why not combine exercises which develop overall size in the pectoral region with exercises that "emphasize" the inner portion, and cover all bases? Notice I didn't say isolate but emphasize.

Example:

Flat bench for overall size with Flys for inner emphasis.

OR

Weighted dips for overall size with Cable crossovers for inner emphasis.

It is possible for these two worlds to co-exist. Is it not?

[IronCharles]

Take a rubber band. Now pull evenly with both hands. Where does it stretch?


Now, just pull with one hand, while holding the other still. Where does it stretch? On the moving end? Or evenly?

[Tyrbolift]

Why not combine exercises which develop overall size in the pectoral region with exercises that "emphasize" the inner portion, and cover all bases? Notice I didn't say isolate but emphasize.

Example:

Flat bench for overall size with Flys for inner emphasis.

OR

Weighted dips for overall size with Cable crossovers for inner emphasis.

It is possible for these two worlds to co-exist. Is it not?

Yes. One would think that according to prevailing theory in this thread that bodybuilders should just pick an exercise for the bp of the day, and just do like 20 sets of it and then go home.

Why in the H do we see bbers, pro or not, doing different variations of exercises in the gym for say biceps or calves?

[spirit3530]

Let me get this straight because it didn't work for some of you it can't be done. Others it was about overall mass in the region and then for the last bit, you had to target the area.


Better MMC and form produced the results as well as time. Like tyrbo and the others said, why omit when you can cover all the bases?

[Tyrbolift]

Take a rubber band. Now pull evenly with both hands. Where does it stretch?


Now, just pull with one hand, while holding the other still. Where does it stretch? On the moving end? Or evenly?

Good thing our muscles are not rubber bands with built in tensile strength.

They motivate themselves from within along the innervation pathways. Depending on the exact movement, they may pull from one end or the other, or all together.

[spirit3530]

Take a rubber band. Now pull evenly with both hands. Where does it stretch?


Now, just pull with one hand, while holding the other still. Where does it stretch? On the moving end? Or evenly?

Thats the problem people don't always get that stretch and so that is why the db flies and cables allow them to get that proper stretch that levers of their arms don't allow in "barbell or db press". you have to get a full stretch "opening up the pecs" to get the "inner chest" to work. Some people are set up perfectly to get it but a lot of people aren't.

[IronCharles]

So I can contract half a muscle, while the other half stays relaxed? And if my muscle is fully stretched, I'm exercising parts of it I'm not exercising when it's only partially stretched?

I'm at a loss for words here!

[Tyrbolift]

So I can contract half a muscle, while the other half stays relaxed? And if my muscle I'd fully stretched, I'm exercising parts of it I'm not exercising when it's only partially stretched?

I'm at a loss for words here!

It's more a matter of degree, not on-off, black-white.

Look, I don't have a PhD in physiology.

all I know is that after doing like 50,000 sets of different chest exercises over 25 years, when I selected certain ones to target ONLY my upper inner chest area, I suddenly starting growing like muscle "bubbles" ,with visible veins and everything, EXACTLY where the op is asking about. This growth was out of proportion to the growth in other lower parts of my chest.

EXACTLY!

This was around 2003-2005 period.

So we have here a scientific experiment, with the control data my entire lifting time from late 90's through 2003, and the changed data/observance from 2003-2005.

Then it got out of hand so I slowed it down some and started more general chest presses/flyes back to add to my routine.

[socket]

Let me get this straight because it didn't work for some of you it can't be done. Others it was about overall mass in the region and then for the last bit, you had to target the area.


Better MMC and form produced the results as well as time. Like tyrbo and the others said, why omit when you can cover all the bases?

I don't think anyone's impling to omit anything. It's just that the best way to bring out the inner is to focus on overall mass. Cable cross overs, dumbell flys, pec dec work, etc. all have there place. But the best way to bring out the inner is just building overall chest mass.

Again, that's IMHO. But it is correct that some excercises work better for some and not others based on the genetics of the individual.

[Defiant1]

Just curious, has anyone making definitive statements actually researched what they are saying?


Because from what I have read, it seems like a possibility exists that one could "emphasize" parts of a muscle.. combine that with bodybuilders "experience" and I think I could make a pretty good case in court...

This guy thinks so too...his creds seem decent.

http://www.joseantoniophd.com/websit...cles.php?id=17

B.S. Biology, The American University, Washington D.C.

M.S. Exercise Physiology, Kent State University, Kent OH

Ph.D. Skeletal Muscle Physiology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX

Post-doc, Endocrinology and Metabolism, UT Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, TX

Fellow of ACSM

Fellow of NSCA

Fellow of ISSN

Certified Strength and Conditioning Specialist

Chief Executive Officer of the International Society of Sports Nutrition

Board of Directors - National Strength and Conditioning Association (2005-08)

49 peer-reviewed publications

13 published books

below also specifically addresses the idea that one can "focus" on the proximal/distal portion along the length of a muscle. Which would translate to "inner/outer" pecs.

http://ptjournal.apta.org/cgi/reprint/73/12/857.pdf

[Defiant1]

OP, try:

Incline cable flyes.

Low to High crossovers, especially single arm bringing arm all the way across chest.

Pec dec flyes with the seat low and elbows high (crossing handles in front of face).


Worst case scenario: you have simply tried different exercises.

[VoxExMachina]

Here's some further reading on the subject:

http://www.jimcordova.com/articles/details.php?id=24

[BuckSpin]

below also specifically addresses the idea that one can "focus" on the proximal/distal portion along the length of a muscle. Which would translate to "inner/outer" pecs.

Keyword searched the PDF. "Pectoralis" came up 2x, neither time in reference to distal/proximal. It further stated that the lab found several muscles that could be stimulated this way, all of which were arm muscles (forearm in particular) which makes sense in that those muscles exist between 2 distinct joints (forearm between wrist & elbow, bicep between elbow & shoulder) both of which offer flexion & radial ROM in about all the planes of movement.

So of course you could stimulate one end more while the other is not taxed as much in that each joint can move in an almost spherical ROM.

Pecs.....not so much....

[BuckSpin]

What you want to do is find a lift that is notorious for repeatedly causing pec tears clean off the sternum while leaving the clavical insertion injury free, and that would be your lift to isolate this area.

[SquatTilYouDrop]

Keyword searched the PDF. "Pectoralis" came up 2x, neither time in reference to distal/proximal. It further stated that the lab found several muscles that could be stimulated this way, all of which were arm muscles (forearm in particular) which makes sense in that those muscles exist between 2 distinct joints (forearm between wrist & elbow, bicep between elbow & shoulder) both of which offer flexion & radial ROM in about all the planes of movement.

So of course you could stimulate one end more while the other is not taxed as much in that each joint can move in an almost spherical ROM.

Pecs.....not so much....

What you want to do is find a lift that is notorious for repeatedly causing pec tears clean off the sternum while leaving the clavical insertion injury free, and that would be your lift to isolate this area.

So you are comfortable in dismissing real world results that do suggest "emphasis" is very likely. I would not be so close minded and sure of myself.