A muscular chest is powerful. It increases your presence in the boardroom, wins that special someone over in the bedroom, and intimidates on the playing field.
If you struggle with a flat or uneven chest, Scott Herman says it is time to switch your routine.
Dumbbells will allow you to activate more muscle fibers and ensure that you are working out each pectoral evenly. For the best results, find an experienced spotter to ensure that you are maximizing each rep and finishing each rep range for both arms.
Scott’s routine focuses on muscle growth and strength gain. Sets are therefore done in a pyramid. Lifters are expected to max out the weight for each rep, however Scott advises never sacrifice weight for form.
The Routine
5 sets per exercise. Reps will vary per set. Use your MAX weight for each rep range.
• Set 1: 12reps
• Set 2: 10reps
• Set 3: 8reps
• Set 4: 6reps
• Set 5: 4reps
Warm-up Tips
Before beginning your chest routine, Scott says it is a good idea to do a warm-up. Warming-up provides increased blood flow and oxygen to the muscles that you are going to be working. This not only helps prevent injury, it will help you to get a better lift as well. A general warm-up, such as walking at a moderate pace on the treadmill, is good. Also, perform a few sets of each exercise with lighter weight and higher repetitions. Then gradually increase the weight until reaching the workout goal.
Incline Barbell Chest Press
For this exercise you will first need to find an incline bench press. Lay back on the bench with your hips and back against the pad and your feet flat on the ground. Have your spotter make sure that your elbows are tucked in toward your lats but are at least 4-5 inches away from them. Tucking your arms in allows you to push through the triceps (and not the shoulder) to both maximize your control over the weight and the chest muscle fibers that are engaged. From here you must extend your arms up while ensuring that the weight stays over your chest and not your shoulders. Once at the top begin to lower the weight back down to the starting position and repeat. Breathe out as you extend your arms.
Dumbbell Incline Chest Fly
Set your bench to 45 degrees. Grab dumbbells and lye back with the dumbbells held by your chest (palms facing in), your hips and back against the pad and your feet flat on the ground. From here, extend your arms up and ensure that the weight stays over your chest and not your shoulders. Next, while keeping a slight bend in your elbows, begin to lower your arms away from your body with your palms facing the ceiling. Stop once your elbows are the same height as your back. Have your spotter make sure that your arms are extended far enough so the exercise is a fly and not a press. Bring the dumbbells back to the starting position and repeat. Breathe out as you extend your arms.
Dumbbell Chest Press
On a flat bench, grab dumbbells and lie back with the dumbbells held by your chest (palms forward). Hips and back are against the pad with feet flat on the ground. Spotter should make sure that your elbows are tucked in toward your lats while at least 4-5 inches away from them. Tucking arms in allows you to push through the triceps (and not the shoulder) to maximize your control over the weight and the chest muscle fibers that are engaged. Next, extend arms up while ensuring that the weight stays over your chest and not your shoulders. Once at the top begin to lower the weight back down to the starting position and repeat. Breathe out as you extend your arms.