Secret to chest growth

[slobberknocker]

I believe Arnold S. also though they were good for teens to do to stretch the ribcage, before the growth plates closed.

 

[Wraith]

Limited Range Pullovers are totally different. I will describe it later, but basically you are targeting the pectoralis minor. It is one of the only way to directly overload this muscle.

kronk,
I for one am interested in what your talking about here, can you explain this excersise ?
Thanks

 

[DrBones]

kronk,
I for one am interested in what your talking about here, can you explain this excersise ?
Thanks

Your pectoral minor rests underneath the pectoral major... you can't see this specific muscle... However, pullovers targets it, and when your pectoral minor grows, it pushes out your pectoral major giving you a fuller looking chest....

Heres is an animated description

I get an absolutely incredible pump from doing these.... I'm up to using 110lb dumbells for reps...

Try tossing in 2 sets of 7-10 reps at the end of your chest routine... You'll love em and your weights will go up quick..

 

[gymtime]

For years I have been struggling to get my chest to grow better.

I have consulted personal trainers...

I have been assisted by experienced BBer friends...

I have been part of many threads here on this topic...

I have consulted several training manuals...

I was at the gym the other day and yet another experienced BBer was helping me train my chest. Once again I was discussing this issue. This new gym instructor overheard the conversation. She asked me to lie back and do a set on the bench press. She then said "push your elbows out wider" and walked away.

Voila! I have never had such an amazing pump. I have had the most satisfying muscle ache since then. How is it that no one suggested this before?

Out of the mouths of babes.

 

[kronk]

kronk,
I for one am interested in what your talking about here, can you explain this excersise ?
Thanks

Here is the article I spoke about. (Dr. Bones, good post btw)

Chest: Nail the Pec Minor!

The pectoralis minor is a thin, flat muscle lying beneath the larger pectoralis major. It extends laterally and upward, originating from the sternal ends of the upper ribs (3rd-5th) and inserting onto the coracoid process of the scapula. The pec minor pulls the scapula forward and downward and can raise the ribs, thus aiding in forceful inhalation.

The following tip is derived from former Ironman contributor and author of several strength books, Fred Koch. To increase chest size, you have to train both the pec major and minor. The minor tends to get overlooked since it's not as glamorous as the major. Koch notes that the great upper-chest development of swimmers is due to the pec minor which is responsible for half of the freestyle stroke. So how do you train the pec minor without getting wet?


Perform limited-range dumbbell pullovers on a flat bench

According to Koch, the key to this exercise is to keep the elbows close to the head (within the lines of the shoulders) and to use a short range of motion (ROM). If you have a hard time getting into this position, consider Active Release Techniques (ART) for the following muscles: subscapularis, latismus dorsi, teres major, long head of the triceps brachii, and serratus anterior. Visit ActiveRelease.com to find a provider in your area.

Also, according to ART practitioner, Dr. Mark Lindsay, a sling pattern exists between the pectoralis minor and the short head of the biceps. In addition, Dr. Lindsay has noticed a tendency of the pec minor to adhere to the major. In order for the pec minor to function properly, you should free up any adhesions that may exist. If ART isn't an option, you can always stretch your lats by simply hanging from a chin-up bar with one arm. (Scratching your armpit or eating a banana is optional.)

Keep in mind that in most shoulder exercises, the pec minor functions as a stabilizer for the scapula, and not as a prime mover. In the limited-range pullover, however, it acts as a prime mover. Traditionally, this exercise has been touted to improve winging scapulae, but in reality, it does the opposite. The lats are also involved in this movement, and they actually end up pulling your shoulder blades apart! (Poliquin, 1997)

Now, you often hear horror stories about the pullover exercise and, to a certain extent, they're true. For instance, according to Durall et al: "…subacromial impingement can also be exacerbated by exercises that involve excessive flexion. The pullover exercise performed supine with free weights or on a machine forces the rotator cuff tendons and bursa against the undersurface of the acromion when the arms are hyperflexed. This exercise can be made safer by simply limiting flexion to the normal physiological limits or a comfortable ROM."

What this simply means is that if you have any shoulder problems, you might want to avoid this exercise altogether. Yes, performing pullovers on a decline bench is a much safer option to reduce the amount of shoulder flexion, but unfortunately, the pec minor doesn't get overloaded in this position. Okay, enough talk, let's learn to do the darned exercise already!

Cup a dumbbell between both hands and lay back onto a flat bench. With your arms fully extended above your face, carefully lower the weight until your outstretched arms are in line with your body. Keep the small of your back pressed against the bench and brace the abdominals throughout to protect your lower back.

Make sure the elbows stay in (don't let them flare out) or else the lats will kick in. Elbows should be directly beside your ears in the bottom position. Raise the dumbbell in an arcing motion only about six to eight inches, or 45 degrees from horizontal. Again, keep your arms straight throughout, and remember, this is a limited ROM exercise to emphasize the pec minor. You'll actually feel the muscle contract under your chin!

I must reiterate: keep the abdominals tight! Don't allow the back to arch excessively as this movement is notorious for abdominal herniations. The abs are recruited as heavy stabilizers in this movement—just another bonus!

If you're still not convinced about the importance of training the pec minor, then listen up. According to Koch, there are feedback systems within the body to protect you from developing serious imbalances. Subsequently, the body may slow down or even halt the development of the pec major if the minor is underdeveloped. Bottom line: training the minor will make a major difference!

 

[bilat]

I have always flared my elbows and used a wide grip. You know what?. . . . .It has built a good chest structure for me.

Here is what my bench grip looks like:


|_0_|

So basically you juse use a wide grip? Do you consciously try to make your elbows go out as far as you can make them go?

 

[louden_swain]

So basically you juse use a wide grip? Do you consciously try to make your elbows go out as far as you can make them go?

Actually, I don't flare my elbows. I do use a wide grip.

 

[MiniColemans]

Here is the article I spoke about. (Dr. Bones, good post btw)

Chest: Nail the Pec Minor!

The pectoralis minor is a thin, flat muscle lying beneath the larger pectoralis major. It extends laterally and upward, originating from the sternal ends of the upper ribs (3rd-5th) and inserting onto the coracoid process of the scapula. The pec minor pulls the scapula forward and downward and can raise the ribs, thus aiding in forceful inhalation.

The following tip is derived from former Ironman contributor and author of several strength books, Fred Koch. To increase chest size, you have to train both the pec major and minor. The minor tends to get overlooked since it's not as glamorous as the major. Koch notes that the great upper-chest development of swimmers is due to the pec minor which is responsible for half of the freestyle stroke. So how do you train the pec minor without getting wet?


Perform limited-range dumbbell pullovers on a flat bench

According to Koch, the key to this exercise is to keep the elbows close to the head (within the lines of the shoulders) and to use a short range of motion (ROM). If you have a hard time getting into this position, consider Active Release Techniques (ART) for the following muscles: subscapularis, latismus dorsi, teres major, long head of the triceps brachii, and serratus anterior. Visit ActiveRelease.com to find a provider in your area.

Also, according to ART practitioner, Dr. Mark Lindsay, a sling pattern exists between the pectoralis minor and the short head of the biceps. In addition, Dr. Lindsay has noticed a tendency of the pec minor to adhere to the major. In order for the pec minor to function properly, you should free up any adhesions that may exist. If ART isn't an option, you can always stretch your lats by simply hanging from a chin-up bar with one arm. (Scratching your armpit or eating a banana is optional.)

Keep in mind that in most shoulder exercises, the pec minor functions as a stabilizer for the scapula, and not as a prime mover. In the limited-range pullover, however, it acts as a prime mover. Traditionally, this exercise has been touted to improve winging scapulae, but in reality, it does the opposite. The lats are also involved in this movement, and they actually end up pulling your shoulder blades apart! (Poliquin, 1997)

Now, you often hear horror stories about the pullover exercise and, to a certain extent, they're true. For instance, according to Durall et al: "…subacromial impingement can also be exacerbated by exercises that involve excessive flexion. The pullover exercise performed supine with free weights or on a machine forces the rotator cuff tendons and bursa against the undersurface of the acromion when the arms are hyperflexed. This exercise can be made safer by simply limiting flexion to the normal physiological limits or a comfortable ROM."

What this simply means is that if you have any shoulder problems, you might want to avoid this exercise altogether. Yes, performing pullovers on a decline bench is a much safer option to reduce the amount of shoulder flexion, but unfortunately, the pec minor doesn't get overloaded in this position. Okay, enough talk, let's learn to do the darned exercise already!

Cup a dumbbell between both hands and lay back onto a flat bench. With your arms fully extended above your face, carefully lower the weight until your outstretched arms are in line with your body. Keep the small of your back pressed against the bench and brace the abdominals throughout to protect your lower back.

Make sure the elbows stay in (don't let them flare out) or else the lats will kick in. Elbows should be directly beside your ears in the bottom position. Raise the dumbbell in an arcing motion only about six to eight inches, or 45 degrees from horizontal. Again, keep your arms straight throughout, and remember, this is a limited ROM exercise to emphasize the pec minor. You'll actually feel the muscle contract under your chin!

I must reiterate: keep the abdominals tight! Don't allow the back to arch excessively as this movement is notorious for abdominal herniations. The abs are recruited as heavy stabilizers in this movement—just another bonus!

If you're still not convinced about the importance of training the pec minor, then listen up. According to Koch, there are feedback systems within the body to protect you from developing serious imbalances. Subsequently, the body may slow down or even halt the development of the pec major if the minor is underdeveloped. Bottom line: training the minor will make a major difference!

good info, thanks gonna try it....I guess I neglected this for a while

 

[Vortexx]

Here is a nice afterburner:

- Limited range pullovers supersetted with close grip EZ barbell front raise

After you directly tageted the p. Minor with the pullovers, it has to work pretty hard as stabillizer while your relatively fresh front delts drive the P. minor insane...

 

[Vortexx]

I still love to bench, but if I want to specifically target chest I would start like:

- incline (20-30 degrees) flyes
1 * 8
1 * 6 triple dropset
- incline dumbell press
1 * 8
1 * 6 triple dropset
- flat dumbell flye supersetted with dips
1 * 8 + dips to failure
1 * 6 + dips to failure
- flat dumbell press supersetted with cable cross
1 * 8 + 1 * 10
1 * 6 + 1 * 10
- partial pullovers supersetted with front raises
1 * 10 + 1 * 10
1 * 8 + 1 * 10

I feel the handspacing on incline barbell press is too far appart to have the P. minor significantly involved.

Another fine twist is to do the incline dumbell presses with a neutral grip on a 60-70 degrees angled bench while keeping the elbow in front of the body (the dumbells should touch eachother during the whole range of motion)

To further enhance the squeeze you position your inclined bench in front of a cable cross station , attach the cables to your wrists and add a small weight, that will annoyingly try to spread your arms during the incline press (you have to squeeze extra hard to keep the dumbells touching)