Chest minimal gains - everything else is OK

[Gunishment]

I'm doing the beginners routine and have been for about 2 months. Everything seems to be going well but my chest just doesn't seem to want to gain.

Bench presses never seem to leave it aching and tends to target the front of my shoulders more. I'm pretty sure my bench form is good now having twinged my shoulder a few weeks back due to poor form.

Anyone got suggestions on what I can do because my chest is visibly behind the rest of me in terms of development, should I drop the bench press for something else?

[neb78]

I had the same problem when I started. What I found helped me most with Chest size was doing Decline Bench press for my physiology it just seemed to hit my chest way harder then Flat bench and seemed to have way less shoulder in it.

[Raubahn]

I personally fatigue my chest first with a pressing movement then finish it off with fly's.

Flys are by far one of the best exercises for adding size to your chest.

[CarlWayne88]

Db>bb

[Live23]

Decline should help with the shoulder problem, due to the fact that it is a less ROM. You're elbows wont go much below parallel so that will take the pressure off your shoulder. I wouldnt throw out Flat BB in general. When you lower the bar to your chest wheres it hitting? You may be too high up.

[Rasputin4]

Dumbbell bench.

[Gunishment]

Thanks for the replies. Will give DB bench press and flys a go. BB press was too high before I corrected form. I might dable with decline and incline and see what happens if not much changes.

[ThankGod4Women]

I work out my chest twice a week. I work on thickness on mondays, and width on thursdays. Both days I do three chest exercises, four sets each. On mondays I start with an incline press, either DB or BB incline press. The second exercise is a flat press, again either DB or BB. And for the third exercise I either do a machine press or a decline press. Mondays range from 10-4 reps, going heavier every two weeks. On thurdays I start with an incline fly, either DB or cable. The second exercise is a flat fly, either DB, cable or pec-dec flyes. And for the third exercise I either do cable crossovers, low-pulley crossovers or decline DB flyes. Thursdays range from 10-30 reps, going lighter every two weeks.

Basically I start off with 10 reps on both days, I choose a set of exercises from the above an do the same thing next week (going 5 pounds heavier the second week). The third week I'll do different exercises (like DB instead of BB) and do 8 reps on monday and 12 on thursdays. I repeat on the fourth week. Fifth week switch again and do 6 reps monday, 15 on thursday, repeat on sixth week. seventh week switch again, 5 reps on monday, 20 on thursday. Ninth week switch, 4 reps monday, 30 thursday.

And then I go back to 10 reps again and start over.

I hit incline first so I can hit that the hardest because it's harder to gain.

If something doesn't make sense just ask.

[YUPPIE]

Definitely get the db bench press into your program. You won't lift as much, but you'll have a greater range of motion.

[poloralphloren]

Shoulders back, chest up.

[jammyo40]

Are your numbers going up?

[NMan94]

Be sure not to hit too high, and make sure to squeeze your pecs when benching, as opposed to using arms. Use as little arm as you can. May seem obvious, but I was making this mistake too. Corrected it and now my chest gains are amazing. For some reason, DBs seem like a pain in the ass to me, so I will do anything to avoid having to use them.

[Oz_Dude]

Cant remember how to embed vids but this one helped out me and alot of other give it ago

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c6I0z_d4xqY

[Mad_Dog_Divine]

I'm doing the beginners routine and have been for about 2 months. Everything seems to be going well but my chest just doesn't seem to want to gain.

Bench presses never seem to leave it aching and tends to target the front of my shoulders more. I'm pretty sure my bench form is good now having twinged my shoulder a few weeks back due to poor form.

Anyone got suggestions on what I can do because my chest is visibly behind the rest of me in terms of development, should I drop the bench press for something else?

Bench press form is very rarely perfect. However good we think it is, there can always be improvements.
I do something like work up to a heavy set of barbell bench press, 3-5 reps with roughly a 7 rep max then lower the weight and do 3-4 sets of 10-12 of the "Neck Press". This is a bench press with a wide grip where you bring the bar down to your neck rather than chest or upper abs.

Other ideas - Pre fatigue the chest. Do a couple of sets of flyes before you bench press. This will help you to feel the chest working which I think may be your biggest problem. (I'm guessing based on other people I know that have a similar problem)

- The push up. An underrated exercise that can really help you. Different ways include performing 100 a day every day taking as many sets as needed. (You may have to stop benching to do this but it will improve your chest. Also, if benching isn't doing much for your chest then it may be wise to drop it out at least short term.)

Performing 2 sets of max reps push ups before a meal 2-3 days a week.

Gaining weight. A thicker upper body reduces the range of motion used in the bench press leading to more weight used leading to more size.

Try an exercise like face pulls and other rear delt/upper back work to thicken up that torso and balance out the body.

So you can see there are numerous things you can do and I've just scartched the surface there.