guardianactual
MuscleChemistry Registered Member
by Bill Geiger Jul 28, 2014
For many guys, the lower pecs are the most difficult area of the chest to fully develop. That's about to change. Not because we're the proud owners of a magical exercise that'll finally build that slow-to-grow region, but because we've developed seven strategies which take direct aim at shallow lower pecs.
To add thickness to your lower chest, start by abandoning the "one lower chest exercise is enough" mentality when it comes to chest day. To focus on a stubborn area, it's too late to pick your parents, but not too late to dig deep into your bag of chest-training tricks.
Besides adding specific lower-pec exercises, you can also manipulate your routine and boost your training intensity by adding techniques such as dropsets, rest-pause sets, or even negative reps. Addressing all of these elements is your best option to re-ignite muscle growth and give your lower pecs a big lift.
Try these seven tips to power-up your lagging lower chest!
1 TRAIN LOWER CHEST FIRST
Many a chest workout has deservedly started with the bench press, but when you prioritize a particular area, you should start your training day with an exercise for that area when your energy is fresh and your strength is high. In this case, do a lower-pec move like decline barbell press right off the bat.
"DO A LOWER-PEC MOVE LIKE DECLINE BARBELL PRESS RIGHT OFF THE BAT."
If you traditionally do declines later in your workout, you will notice right away that you're significantly stronger when doing them first. That's the idea: tackle the target area with weights it hasn't had to push before. Above that, don't be afraid to push heavier weights for lower reps than you normally do. If you typically do declines for sets of 10 reps, increase the weight and do sets of 6-8. Don't underestimate the impact that a novel training stimulus has on a target muscle.
2 DO A SECOND LOWER-PEC MOVEMENT LATER IN YOUR WORKOUT
Who says you have to do only one lower chest exercise per workout? While you normally want to do various angles to hit all the muscle fibers in your chest—often flat bench, incline, and decline—by using a decline bench set to a different angle than your first decline exercise, or using a totally different decline-focused machine, you can work those lower-pec fibers in different ways for better development.
Just avoid doing lower-chest exercises which closely mirror each other, such as the decline barbell press and Smith-machine decline press, each done on a bench of the same angle, or decline dumbbell presses and barbell presses at the same bench angle.
In addition to introducing a second exercise from a different angle, train the muscle in a slightly different rep range. So if you did the first exercise heavy for sets of 6-8, do the second with slightly lighter weights for sets of 10-12. The multiple relative intensities are great for increasing strength and size.
3 TARGET THE LOWER PECS WITH SINGLE-JOINT EXERCISES
"THE HIGH CABLE CROSSOVER (WITH THE PULLEYS ATTACHED TO THE TOP), DECLINE-BENCH FLY, AND CABLE FLY ALL TARGET THE LOWER CHEST WHILE ELIMINATING CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TRICEPS."
The high cable crossover (with the pulleys attached to the top), decline-bench fly, and cable fly all target the lower chest while eliminating contribution from the triceps. With single-joint exercises, use a slightly higher rep range than what you'd do for presses. Like other isolation moves, these are best done at the end of your chest workout.
4 INCORPORATE NEW LOWER
CHEST MOVEMENTS
Granted, there aren't a lot of "new" choices here, but anything you haven't done in a while becomes "new." For example, if you tend to always use the barbell, it's time to choose dumbbells or a machine.
Besides changing equipment, you can also make slight adjustments to the equipment you already use. Set the decline bench a notch above or below your usual setting. Another favorite of mine: Sit sideways on the Hammer Strength decline machine—which has independent arms—so you can push across your body rather than just straight out.
Weighted parallel-bar dips are another great compound movement to try. To target your chest, lean forward by bringing your feet up behind you, and allow your elbows to travel away from your sides as you come down.
5 TRAIN CHEST AFTER A REST DAY
This is a strategy pro bodybuilders use because you typically have more energy and a fully stocked glycogen supply after a full day of rest and solid nutrition. If you do chest in the middle of your training week, however, make sure you don't train delts or triceps the day before; they need to be fully rested.
6 TURN UP YOUR TRAINING INTENSITY WITH ADVANCED
TECHNIQUES
Training to failure is your first step to building muscle, but training past failure for 1-2 sets of several lower-chest exercises can push you into the growth zone. There are many techniques to increase intensity; here are four great ones!
Forced reps: Ask your workout partner to help you lift the weight after you reach muscle failure so you can do a few more reps.
Heavy rest-pause: Choose a weight in which you can do just 6 reps (your 6-rep max), but do just 3 reps. Rest no more than 20 seconds, and then do 3 more reps. Alternate this work/rest sequence for five cycles and you'll end up doing 15 reps with your 6-rep max, an impressive growth-producing stimulus. Choose an exercise which allows you to quickly get into position, like a machine chest press.
Negatives: Once you reach failure, instead of ending your set, have your partner help you lift the weight, and then take five seconds to lower the weight on your own. Do as many reps as you can until you can no longer hold the eccentric contraction for five seconds.
Dropsets: Once you reach muscle failure, immediately reduce the poundage by roughly 25 percent and continue repping to failure. You can even do this a second time when you hit muscle failure again.
7 FINISH WITH A BANG
Here's a lower-chest finishing move I learned from a trainer named Tucano in Rio de Janeiro many years ago. I swear the guys down there don't know physical limits, and it shows.
Do unweighted parallel-bar dips to finish your chest workout. Start at the top, arms extended, but not locked out. Take a full 10 seconds to lower yourself, counting slowly. Instead of pressing back up, place your foot on the apparatus and "walk" your way back to full arm extension, pushing off the footplate to raise yourself. Immediately do another 10-second negative and again walk back up to the top.
Controlling the speed of the descent gets increasingly more difficult; your set ends once you can no longer make 10. By then, you'll have achieved the lower-pec pump of your life.
THE LOWER CHEST EXERCISE LIST
Press (multi-joint exercise)
- Decline Barbell Press
- Decline Dumbbell Press
Fly (single-joint exercise)
- Cable Crossover
- Decline Dumbbell Fly
- Decline Cable Fly
Bodyweight Moves
- Incline Push-up (feet on floor)
Bodyweigh dips
For many guys, the lower pecs are the most difficult area of the chest to fully develop. That's about to change. Not because we're the proud owners of a magical exercise that'll finally build that slow-to-grow region, but because we've developed seven strategies which take direct aim at shallow lower pecs.
To add thickness to your lower chest, start by abandoning the "one lower chest exercise is enough" mentality when it comes to chest day. To focus on a stubborn area, it's too late to pick your parents, but not too late to dig deep into your bag of chest-training tricks.
Besides adding specific lower-pec exercises, you can also manipulate your routine and boost your training intensity by adding techniques such as dropsets, rest-pause sets, or even negative reps. Addressing all of these elements is your best option to re-ignite muscle growth and give your lower pecs a big lift.
Try these seven tips to power-up your lagging lower chest!
1 TRAIN LOWER CHEST FIRST
Many a chest workout has deservedly started with the bench press, but when you prioritize a particular area, you should start your training day with an exercise for that area when your energy is fresh and your strength is high. In this case, do a lower-pec move like decline barbell press right off the bat.
"DO A LOWER-PEC MOVE LIKE DECLINE BARBELL PRESS RIGHT OFF THE BAT."
If you traditionally do declines later in your workout, you will notice right away that you're significantly stronger when doing them first. That's the idea: tackle the target area with weights it hasn't had to push before. Above that, don't be afraid to push heavier weights for lower reps than you normally do. If you typically do declines for sets of 10 reps, increase the weight and do sets of 6-8. Don't underestimate the impact that a novel training stimulus has on a target muscle.
2 DO A SECOND LOWER-PEC MOVEMENT LATER IN YOUR WORKOUT
Who says you have to do only one lower chest exercise per workout? While you normally want to do various angles to hit all the muscle fibers in your chest—often flat bench, incline, and decline—by using a decline bench set to a different angle than your first decline exercise, or using a totally different decline-focused machine, you can work those lower-pec fibers in different ways for better development.
Just avoid doing lower-chest exercises which closely mirror each other, such as the decline barbell press and Smith-machine decline press, each done on a bench of the same angle, or decline dumbbell presses and barbell presses at the same bench angle.
In addition to introducing a second exercise from a different angle, train the muscle in a slightly different rep range. So if you did the first exercise heavy for sets of 6-8, do the second with slightly lighter weights for sets of 10-12. The multiple relative intensities are great for increasing strength and size.
3 TARGET THE LOWER PECS WITH SINGLE-JOINT EXERCISES
"THE HIGH CABLE CROSSOVER (WITH THE PULLEYS ATTACHED TO THE TOP), DECLINE-BENCH FLY, AND CABLE FLY ALL TARGET THE LOWER CHEST WHILE ELIMINATING CONTRIBUTION FROM THE TRICEPS."
The high cable crossover (with the pulleys attached to the top), decline-bench fly, and cable fly all target the lower chest while eliminating contribution from the triceps. With single-joint exercises, use a slightly higher rep range than what you'd do for presses. Like other isolation moves, these are best done at the end of your chest workout.
4 INCORPORATE NEW LOWER
CHEST MOVEMENTS
Granted, there aren't a lot of "new" choices here, but anything you haven't done in a while becomes "new." For example, if you tend to always use the barbell, it's time to choose dumbbells or a machine.
Besides changing equipment, you can also make slight adjustments to the equipment you already use. Set the decline bench a notch above or below your usual setting. Another favorite of mine: Sit sideways on the Hammer Strength decline machine—which has independent arms—so you can push across your body rather than just straight out.
Weighted parallel-bar dips are another great compound movement to try. To target your chest, lean forward by bringing your feet up behind you, and allow your elbows to travel away from your sides as you come down.
5 TRAIN CHEST AFTER A REST DAY
This is a strategy pro bodybuilders use because you typically have more energy and a fully stocked glycogen supply after a full day of rest and solid nutrition. If you do chest in the middle of your training week, however, make sure you don't train delts or triceps the day before; they need to be fully rested.
6 TURN UP YOUR TRAINING INTENSITY WITH ADVANCED
TECHNIQUES
Training to failure is your first step to building muscle, but training past failure for 1-2 sets of several lower-chest exercises can push you into the growth zone. There are many techniques to increase intensity; here are four great ones!
Forced reps: Ask your workout partner to help you lift the weight after you reach muscle failure so you can do a few more reps.
Heavy rest-pause: Choose a weight in which you can do just 6 reps (your 6-rep max), but do just 3 reps. Rest no more than 20 seconds, and then do 3 more reps. Alternate this work/rest sequence for five cycles and you'll end up doing 15 reps with your 6-rep max, an impressive growth-producing stimulus. Choose an exercise which allows you to quickly get into position, like a machine chest press.
Negatives: Once you reach failure, instead of ending your set, have your partner help you lift the weight, and then take five seconds to lower the weight on your own. Do as many reps as you can until you can no longer hold the eccentric contraction for five seconds.
Dropsets: Once you reach muscle failure, immediately reduce the poundage by roughly 25 percent and continue repping to failure. You can even do this a second time when you hit muscle failure again.
7 FINISH WITH A BANG
Here's a lower-chest finishing move I learned from a trainer named Tucano in Rio de Janeiro many years ago. I swear the guys down there don't know physical limits, and it shows.
Do unweighted parallel-bar dips to finish your chest workout. Start at the top, arms extended, but not locked out. Take a full 10 seconds to lower yourself, counting slowly. Instead of pressing back up, place your foot on the apparatus and "walk" your way back to full arm extension, pushing off the footplate to raise yourself. Immediately do another 10-second negative and again walk back up to the top.
Controlling the speed of the descent gets increasingly more difficult; your set ends once you can no longer make 10. By then, you'll have achieved the lower-pec pump of your life.
THE LOWER CHEST EXERCISE LIST
Press (multi-joint exercise)
- Decline Barbell Press
- Decline Dumbbell Press
Fly (single-joint exercise)
- Cable Crossover
- Decline Dumbbell Fly
- Decline Cable Fly
Bodyweight Moves
- Incline Push-up (feet on floor)
Bodyweigh dips
