Tips for building lower chest.

[boostinggtir]

Please give me your tips for building up the lower chest.

I've been told that dips are very good for building lower chest. Would that mean I'd have to train chest an tris at the same time, to avoid over training the triceps?

[mr natural]

drink alot of soy milk, that will develop your lower chest nicely,yeah baby mmm mmmmmmm

[auck_builder]

decline db or bb.... u pretty much training ur tricepts with ur chest workout anyways.. but u would feel it more ln the tri's doing dips, i think doing dips would be the best option for lower chest esp when u add weights

[GreekAdonis]

You do train your triceps anyways when you train chest, I do them both in the same workout. Cable crossovers are a good lower pec exercise.

For dips, lean forward about 45 degrees to work the pecs more.

[musclenz]

Vince Gironda the 1960's BBing Guru who trained Larry Scott the first IFBB Mr. Olympia in 1965, "Body by" Jake Steinman, Lou Ferrigno ("The Incredible Hulk"), Frank Zane, Don Howorth & Arnold Schwarzenegger, was against using the regular bench press for chest training, For Vince, the bench press was an inferior exercise - he favored the "neck press" in which the bar is lowered, with a wide grip, to the neck instead of the chest. (Also can be done on the smith machine) He considered his Gironda dips (on the "V-bar") the best overall pec developer. Regrettably most gyms do not have a V Dip Bar for doing these on but they are meant to be the best form of exercise to flat line the lower pecs.

One exercise I do like for lower chest is decline cable crossovers. You need to place a decline bench slightly rear of centre between the cable rack. The pulleys are set down on the bottom position. The arms are moved in a wide arc meeting at the top over the crotch (for want of a better word) & squeezed at the top. Move everything around until you find the sweet spot. Best not done at peak times in the gym because you tend to monopolise the cable rack for this one.

[NZPT]

build a big thick chest and gravity will make the "lower peck" hang. lets remember the chest is two muscles, pec major and minor with to primary fuctions pressing and flies to use gym terms. there is no lower pec muscle there for activation of this "myth" muscle does not occur. Use a variety of pressing and flying movements in your routine and the chest will grow and then you will have over hang eg lower pecks!

also remember genetics play a part in muscle shape too

NZPT

[deeepsouth_nz]

Decline Smith Press :nod:

[Android]

build a big thick chest and gravity will make the "lower peck" hang. lets remember the chest is two muscles, pec major and minor with to primary fuctions pressing and flies to use gym terms. there is no lower pec muscle there for activation of this "myth" muscle does not occur. Use a variety of pressing and flying movements in your routine and the chest will grow and then you will have over hang eg lower pecks!

also remember genetics play a part in muscle shape too

NZPT

Simple, succinct, factual.

It is a fan shaped muscle though so its valid to do declines to hit this 'mythical' lower pec and build up the lower part.

I never do lower pec work as it's the last thing I want to be developed and yes let gravity pull down on the huge upper chest you build instead.

[Dragon]

I got good results from heavy barbell decline press. But nothing looks worse than a huge lower chest and an undeveloped upper chest. Android is right, build your chest in general and the lower part will follow.

[InZane]

build a big thick chest and gravity will make the "lower peck" hang. lets remember the chest is two muscles, pec major and minor with to primary fuctions pressing and flies to use gym terms. there is no lower pec muscle there for activation of this "myth" muscle does not occur. Use a variety of pressing and flying movements in your routine and the chest will grow and then you will have over hang eg lower pecks!

Bollocks!

Those comments are generalisations or simply based on personal experience. I've trained with guys who have pumped away on flat bench for years and never developed decent lower pecs.

Yeah, I know there is no such thing as lower, inner and outer pecs but it is about fibre activation and isolation.

Some guys find it hard to develop upper pecs, some inner. It depends on genetics (not just hypertrophy but bone structure also), sometimes you have to target the muscle at different angles to develop that much sort after 'square shaped' pecs...fact.

The guy initially asking the question may be in this category, so...

Decline BB or DB press

Decline flyes

Dips (angle torso forward)

You shouldn't worry about triceps doing dips, they are used in all your pressing movements anyway. Also, when doing dips, experiment with different range of motions to see what is most effective for you.

A lot of people like to train tris with chest but I find that is over training for me. I split them over the week and include dips for tris (with weight) and dips for chest with body weight only. I always do dips last in the workout.

Hope this helps.

=iZ.

[Cronus]

Take a look at any top Powerlifters and IMO these guys have the best chest development of anyone. Stick with your basic compound movements eg flat BB or DB bench and you will soon develop those thick hanging pecs. Supplement your chest workout with Incline, flys, dips and cables.

[NZPT]

Link to a STUDY that outlines pec stimulation, sorry its long but it is valid to your question

http://www.angelfire.com/tx/APATX/artil ... Press.html

Now what does science have to say about the effectiveness of all of these variations in the bench press? As many of us are aware, when a muscle contracts it produces electrical energy. The higher the electrical energy the more work the actual muscle is producing. By attaching electrodes to the skin over the bellies of each of these muscles this electrical energy can be measured and read using an electromyograph (EMG). EMG studies can be then be performed on subjects to determine which muscles each of these variations in the bench press may effect. In a recent study Barnett et al (1995) examined the EMG activity of the upper pecs, the lower pecs, the triceps, the front deltoids and the lats using the decline, flat and incline bench press. This study will be quite useful in shedding some light on this confusing subject of pectoral development. So let’s get started!

The Sternocostal Head

One of the most common assumptions in the world of iron is that the decline bench is the best for developing the lower pecs. However, this familiar premise may be nothing more than another unfounded gym myth. According to the Barnett EMG study, the flat bench produced much more electrical energy in the lower pecs than did either the decline or incline positions. "I agree with this research" says NPC National Champion and pro bodybuilder Jay Cutler, "The flat bench is much better for lower pec development than the decline."

But what is the best grip to use? EMG studies have also shown that when doing the flat bench, the muscle fibers of the lower pecs are activated the most when using a wide grip. "This is very much true," adds Fred "Dr. Squat" Hatfield, Ph.D. "A wide grip with the elbows out will cause much more lower pec activation." However, whether you choose to use a wide or narrow grip, we can assume that using the decline position to target the lower pecs is just not justified. Eddie Robinson, IFBB pro bodybuilder states, "I feel the flat bench press, with a wide grip is best for over all pec development, but you do not want to go so wide with the grip that you over stress the shoulders."

[1day]

i do decline BB, wide grip dips & or dumbell pullovers for my under titties.

[InZane]

Take a look at any top Powerlifters and IMO these guys have the best chest development of anyone. Stick with your basic compound movements eg flat BB or DB bench and you will soon develop those thick hanging pecs. Supplement your chest workout with Incline, flys, dips and cables.

Ha, many body builders may dispute that claim. Power lifters use different lifting techniques esp. for bench and squats. Their pecs don't look like competition body builder pecs. Obviously they lift for a different reason. (i.e. they don't give a shit about how they look!! ala Worlds Strongest Man!).

=iZ.

[1day]

Obviously they lift for a different reason. (i.e. they don't give a shit about how they look!! aka Worlds Strongest Man!).

he mite beg to differ :pfft:

[gazza]

he's just a bloody freak! would have to be my fav competitor though

[Cronus]

Zactly!!

[1day]

he's just a bloody freak! would have to be my fav competitor though

:nod:

[InZane]

Obviously they lift for a different reason. (i.e. they don't give a shit about how they look!! aka Worlds Strongest Man!).

he mite beg to differ :pfft:

Great physique, lower pecs could use a little more work tho... :pfft:

=iZ.

[InZane]

... According to the Barnett EMG study, the flat bench produced much more electrical energy in the lower pecs than did either the decline or incline positions. "I agree with this research" says NPC National Champion and pro bodybuilder Jay Cutler, "The flat bench is much better for lower pec development than the decline."

Funny, Jay has done dips for chest for years.

Eddie Robinson, IFBB pro bodybuilder states, "I feel the flat bench press, with a wide grip is best for over all pec development, but you do not want to go so wide with the grip that you over stress the shoulders."

Ah a quote from the genetic freak. He's right though...too wide and it's rotator cuff time baby!

=iZ.

[NZPT]

Funny, Jay has done dips for chest for years.

this is useless information and do you no jay?? i dont think so.

read the study conducted with emg not the quotes mixed into it and you will find your answer.

and if you are to ignorant to accept that your possibly wrong then thats upto you.

to best benifit the trainer the chest should be trained at all angles and stimulated to gain growth eg. working to failure, added load etc this will produce the lower peck overhang once the muscle is large enough anf BF % is low enough to not change the shape of the area through fat deposits,

NZPT

[startinfromscratch]

to best benifit the trainer the chest should be trained at all angles and stimulated to gain growth eg. working to failure, added load etc this will produce the lower peck overhang once the muscle is large enough anf BF % is low enough to not change the shape of the area through fat deposits,

NZPT

agree fully, and to acheive this try all the diff exes people have already put foward, and see what works best for you! :nod:

[Android]

Ahh studies don't you just love them...

Studies show that if I fit something to the end of my car exhaust I'll use 15% less fuel. Another study shows that if I fit something to my carburettor I'll save up to 10% fuel. Yet another valid study has proven that by winding the windows up I'll save a further 5% in fuel

And before you know it you're driving a car and never using any petrol....yeah right!

Sometimes generalized studies by pencil-neck geeks in white lab coats just don't apply to an individual. Great for overall generalized advice though, you can't (apparently) fault a valid study so it's good advice, but in the end it may not help the guy grow lower pecs.

My point is ... there is no point :nod:

[boostinggtir]

lol, thanks for the advice every one

[NZPT]

my point is theres no such thing as a lower pec muscle

either way, i think variation is the key and train using diff angles.

eg

d/b presses fulll range

bench press 3/4 range powerlifter back arch

d/b incline presses OR DECLINE if you want

alternate d/b flies on incline bench and cable cross overs each week

possibly finish with peck deck squezes through the full range.

theres a routine that stimulates multiple angles using a varity of ranges and equipment

NZPT