I am doing this ss program now and getting good results. One concern is that I used to only do flat bench press so my lower and outside chest are much stronger than my upper and inner chest, which makes it look ugly, no "two seamless flat iron", instead they are like two kettlebells ...
so if I keep with ss which requires bench press I am afraid my chest will become more exaggeratively ugly. So I want to do pec machine fly and inclined bench fly to work only on upper and inner chest. Is this a good idea? will this cause inbalance for press and power clean? or some other bad things will happen? Thanks.
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03-08-2011, 07:36 PM #1
Can I skip bench press in starting strength?
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03-08-2011, 07:40 PM #2
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03-08-2011, 07:41 PM #3
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03-08-2011, 07:52 PM #4
I flat bench 245, squat 245, deadlift 315, press 95, I know it is imbalanced because bench is stronger than others.
it was imbalanced worse before but since I use ss my squats and deadlifts increases fast, bench not increase fast, and I am thinking how about I squat 315, df 400, press 135 and still bench 245, is this a balance?
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03-08-2011, 07:53 PM #5
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03-08-2011, 08:05 PM #6
Do incline bench press and make sure u squeeze ur chest as hard as possible after each rep, that will increase the size of the upper chest and give it that "bulging look." Standing cable crossovers will target the inner chest (make sure to squeez chest on this also). Incline bench fly is a good exercise under ur circumstances but I'd stay away from the pec dec machine fly because that doesn't really increase mass in the chest that much. btw i wouldn't recommend taking flat bench press out of ur routine just do it later on in ur workout instead of the beginning. You're workout should begin with what muscles u want to target the most because you have more energy in the beginning of ur workout.
Hope this helped man,
Eric
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03-08-2011, 08:13 PM #7
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03-08-2011, 08:40 PM #8
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03-09-2011, 12:06 PM #9
I wouldn't say one is better because both exercises do different things. For example, the dumbbell inclined bench fly will develop the mass of the upper chest but not the inner chest. Cable crossovers will target the inner chest but not the upper chest. I would include both of these exercises in your workout.
Eric
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03-09-2011, 12:25 PM #10
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03-09-2011, 12:34 PM #11
- Join Date: Aug 2009
- Location: Chesapeake, Virginia, United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 389
- Rep Power: 225
Wow. Another upper-inner chest thread.
There are only two muscles in your chest:
1. Pectoralis major
2. Pectoralis minor
If you want a bigger upper chest, work your pectoralis major = incline presses.
Ignore the mis-information above.You want to get bigger? EAT MORE! TRAIN HARD!
You want abs? EAT LESS! TRAIN HARD!
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03-09-2011, 01:01 PM #12
How do you skip while bench pressing? Or do you skip between each set? Still...why would you do that? :P
Ok, on a serious note:
You aren't destined for the level of linear progression SS is all about for much longer. The number you posted at the end of that quote are reasonable expectations and you can probably get there in about a month or two, unless you are pretty much about to stall/reset this week or next.
Now, what you do is COMPLETELY up to you. Yes, you will get the 3rd degree if you say "I'm doing SS w/ flyes/pec deck instead of bench," but if that's what floats your boat, then go for it. But remember, SS is a STRENGTH program, not a BB program. Yes, you will gain muscle on it, and yes that strength will help you with any BB program you go down in the future.
I would recommend you stick with bench and, if anything, adjust your grip within a safe (read: non-shoulder-damaging) range and see if you notice any difference. I would also recommend adding dips, weighted if possible, at the end of your bench/dl day.
But again, it's your workout, your results you are aiming for, and 100% your choice.My training journal: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=127231913
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03-09-2011, 04:08 PM #13
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03-09-2011, 04:14 PM #14
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03-09-2011, 04:15 PM #15
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03-09-2011, 04:15 PM #16
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03-09-2011, 04:23 PM #17
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03-09-2011, 04:28 PM #18
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03-09-2011, 05:06 PM #19
What do you flat bench?
And yes there are only two main muscles in the chest -
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/PectoralisClavicular.html
http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/PectoralisSternal.html
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03-09-2011, 11:16 PM #20
Starting strength is a program for beginners/novices who want a foundation of strength to start with. Hence the name
It isn't for someone who already has a solid foundation to pick out certain muscles to sculpt
If you're already strong and built, trying to build certain muscles, this isn't the routine for you.
If you're so worried about overbuilding your lower chest though, just do your dips more triceps emphasized-Voted Gary Johnson in 2012 and Doing it Again 2016-
-Philadelphia Eagles fan-
-52 Books a Year Crew-
-Team Mystic-
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03-10-2011, 01:43 AM #21
Stick with the program as it is written. You start trying to tweak things here and there and you'll have a mess of a program and end up wasting a lot of time.
Your numbers on flat bench aren't big, you need to stick with it.
Work with a solid program for a couple of years, then worry about tweaking. However, if you stick with it and be smart, you'll be happy by then.
Besides, you don't build mass with things like flyes, crossovers, and that junk. Who should you listen to, a stranger on an internet message board or a former competitve lifter, who owns his gym, and trains others?
The best exercise for building an aesthetically pleasing chest is dips, which you're doing with SS.
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03-10-2011, 06:23 AM #22
I have no clue where you are gripping, but in general narrower is a stronger tricep influence while wider is more chest. The thing to be careful on is that wider also tends to mean more shoulder stress. You'll have to play with it personally to decide where you want to hit it.
Last edited by abg; 03-10-2011 at 10:15 AM.
My training journal: http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=127231913
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03-19-2011, 05:42 AM #23
- Join Date: Aug 2009
- Location: Chesapeake, Virginia, United States
- Age: 42
- Posts: 389
- Rep Power: 225
LMAO!!! Oh, well I've been reading Dr. Seuss and my workout partner is the President. Who cares dude?! I don't know what books you are reading, or what morons you hang out with, but any high school anatamy book (or a Google search) will confirm what I just said. Prove me wrong.
You want to get bigger? EAT MORE! TRAIN HARD!
You want abs? EAT LESS! TRAIN HARD!
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03-19-2011, 07:30 PM #24
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03-19-2011, 07:38 PM #25
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