Chest isn't keeping up

[getbig84]

My chest isn't growing... my shoulders and arms r overtaking my chest it just doesnt look proportionate... My chest has always been my down fall... Ive been training for 8 yrs + and i cant seem to figure out what to do to add size.

Im currently doing a 4 day split:
1. Chest / Bi
2. Back / forearms
3. Legs
4. Shoulders / Tri

I usually do 2-3 exercises per body part around the 6-10 rep range.
Chest day:
- Flat bench 1 warm up/1 set
- DB incline 1 warm up/1 set
- DB or cable flyes 1 set

Do i increase frequency do chest twice a week, my strength is decent, maybe i should focus more on movement/form a little more.....

Any input will be helpful...

 

[latimus]

focus more on form. I am the complete opposite. chest over powers my arms and shlders.

try keeping the elbows more flared out. dont lock competly out that way your not hiting as much triceps. dont go fully down so your not hitting as much shoulder. try slight incline smith machine. just make sure you are compressing your shest upward and pinching your scapulae together slightly.
focus on the slow negative and you should catch up bro

 

[animalsd]

focus more on form. I am the complete opposite. chest over powers my arms and shlders.

try keeping the elbows more flared out. dont lock competly out that way your not hiting as much triceps. dont go fully down so your not hitting as much shoulder. try slight incline smith machine. just make sure you are compressing your shest upward and pinching your scapulae together slightly.
focus on the slow negative and you should catch up bro

x2 on pinching your shoulder blades together on the bench

 

[getbig84]

Thanks ill work on form more ... do u think adding frequency will just lead to overtraining or should i add one day with one exercise for chest

 

[Matsuo Munefusa]

my chest started growing more when I upped frequency to twice in 8 days 3 sets of 5-8 decline barbell.,

only other pressing is incline barbell (1 set) + 3 sets OH barbell

 

[rippedyearround]

I have the same problem: arms and shoulders overpowering my upper body. Idk if this is the case for you, but my overhead presses are very strong (relatively) yet my flat and decline pressing has always been...shitty.

Over the last year, I've structured my training to allow for the most pressing possible and I've been able to increase my weights considerably on flat and decline presses. As such, I've gotten results. My wife is always making comments on how much it has grown. It seems to me that the guys who have the biggest pecs also press the biggest weights (for many reps). Ronnie Coleman used to press tons of weight for tons of reps...so did Arnold, etc.

Idk how ur pressing is, but increase it by 50lbs in a 10 rep range (correct form obviously targeting chest) and you'll grow. This is just my feeling on the matter. My goal is to get 315 for 10 reps on all angles on presses. At that point, if my chest isn't huge...it's genetics and it's time for some syntherol.

 

[-Z-]

focus more on form. I am the complete opposite. chest over powers my arms and shlders.

try keeping the elbows more flared out. dont lock competly out that way your not hiting as much triceps. dont go fully down so your not hitting as much shoulder. try slight incline smith machine. just make sure you are compressing your shest upward and pinching your scapulae together slightly.
focus on the slow negative and you should catch up bro

That's how I finally got my chest to really grow--nice slow negative, focusing on the stretch about 3/4 of the way down to my chest and then about as close to locking out as I could without locking out.

Also, I like to use a much wider grip for growing my chest.

 

[IRON37]

hmm.. Ive never really said this but perhaps you are undertraining? Based on the info you provided on your routine. What about switching your shoulders to be on the same days as legs, and train chest a second time with triceps on day 4?

Do lighter weight but higher reps on day 1 (11-15 reps), then the second time you come to chest on day 4 do heavier weight with 6-8 reps?

And yes try to pay close attention to your form. Have you tried doing DB for flat bench? Ive never gone back to barbell since I have lol.

Try slowing down the stretch too (with moderate weight) to really find the "groove" of where you feel the predominant stretch and work in your pecs and not shoulders or triceps.

Think of it more as a 'bench squeeze' instead of bench press.

 

[Ashop]

My chest isn't growing... my shoulders and arms r overtaking my chest it just doesnt look proportionate... My chest has always been my down fall... Ive been training for 8 yrs + and i cant seem to figure out what to do to add size.

Im currently doing a 4 day split:
1. Chest / Bi
2. Back / forearms
3. Legs
4. Shoulders / Tri

I usually do 2-3 exercises per body part around the 6-10 rep range.
Chest day:
- Flat bench 1 warm up/1 set
- DB incline 1 warm up/1 set
- DB or cable flyes 1 set

Do i increase frequency do chest twice a week, my strength is decent, maybe i should focus more on movement/form a little more.....

Any input will be helpful...

You have to make them a priority in your training. Perhaps a day of their own where you use a wide variey of exercises with some high intensity training.

 

[VOXpol]

My chest has been a weak spot for as long as i can remember. I've made some recent improvements that i give focusing on weighted dips a lot of credit for. used to think of dips as a "lower chest workout". but they've helped add thickness top to bottom. just keep trying to increase weight and you'll see growth

 

[strongman12]

could you possibly have some kind of injury holding you back ?

 

[juicin]

My chest isn't growing... my shoulders and arms r overtaking my chest it just doesnt look proportionate... My chest has always been my down fall... Ive been training for 8 yrs + and i cant seem to figure out what to do to add size.

Im currently doing a 4 day split:
1. Chest / Bi
2. Back / forearms
3. Legs
4. Shoulders / Tri

I usually do 2-3 exercises per body part around the 6-10 rep range.
Chest day:
- Flat bench 1 warm up/1 set
- DB incline 1 warm up/1 set
- DB or cable flyes 1 set

Do i increase frequency do chest twice a week, my strength is decent, maybe i should focus more on movement/form a little more.....

Any input will be helpful...

My Chest really grew when i went heavier. Some will not agree but i've gone down to as sets as little as 2 reps.... really heavy - and it worked. Since then i've been able to increase my reps and lighten the load, while still noticing growth in my chest. My point is - maybe you just need to shock your body to grow for a little bit. Try going really heavy as i suggested (no more than 2-3 sets lower in reps than 4-5), provided, of course, that you are comfortable with the weights and you feel like your body (joints, tendons, etc) can handle it.

 

[NotaDoctor]

Well it took me 8+ Fkn years to get my calves to grow...

I just had to train them more often