Best Chest Exercises to Build Masculine Square Pecs

i think this is a commen mistake, overdeveloping the lower section of the chest. I really believe you can ruin the appearance of your pecs by doing all the time flat presses. In this case you're better off not doing any presses. Unfortunately I know what i'm talking about..
The bad thing is that people with average genetics have tough time when it comes to develop the upper part of the chest.

Tyler,

Try this…get an adjustable incline bench and set it on the highest setting (almost verticle). Pick a weight you can do a set of 8-10 with. Lower the bench down a notch…do another set with the same weight. Lower the bench down a notch…do another set with the same weight.

Do 8-10 sets like this…your last set should be a little bit above flat.

Don't do any flat or decline presses whatsoever until your upper chest gets developed. I didn't do flat bench for 2 years and it helped a bunch.

By hitting a variety of incline angles…you will completely torch your upper chest. Don't do any flat bench…it is okay if you lose a little lower chest mass…your pecs will look better.

Have a good one!

Rusty

Thanks for the reply Rusty,
I need your opinion on another popular theory. Some health experts claim that the BEST WAY to BURN FAT on the long run is to GAIN MUSCLE. As far as i know to do both is inpossible at the same time since to lose any kind of a body tissue(muscle,fat) you need to create a substantial calorie deficit consequently muscle grow is out of question.
Do you think that the boost you give to your METABOLISM by gaining some muscle is really going to burn off excess fat?
or is it just a fad?
thanks

Tyler,

Gaining muscle in NOT the best way to burn fat. For every pound of lean muscle you gain, you will burn an extra 12 calories throughout the day.

So if you gained an extra 10 pounds of muscle…you will burn an extra 120 calories throughout the day. You can get much more drastic fat burning effects, by cardio and diet.

You could easily reduce your calories by 500 each day, and burn 500 with cardio and burn almost 10 times the calories compared to a 10 pound muscle gain.

You know what…I'm going to write a post about this. Thanks for the idea!

Rusty

PS: I just posted the article: Gaining Muscle Mass is NOT the Best Way to Burn Body Fat

pushups?

Reymundo,

Sorry it took me so long to get back to you! I must have forgot about your comment.

Pushups are a great exercise. If you want to hit the upper chest more, put your feet up on a chair. If you want to hit your inner chest then put your hands closer together.

Pushups are extremely effective for people who need to gain a better mind-to-muscle link in their chest. You can do pushups 3-4 times a day for a few sets until you gain the ability to really flex the chest hard during bench presses.

I recommend for younger guys who are having a tough time with chest development to do a high volume of pushups for a while to increase the effectiveness of chest presses in the gym.

Hope that makes sense,

Rusty

i was wondering whether the angle of the incline would really matter on how much you can build the upper chest. i have a bench at home with 3 incline angles…and i use the one right at the top…would this be the best choice or would a lower one be better?

Hassan,

My advice is to use all three angles. Blitz that upper chest from as many angles as possible!

Rusty

Hey Rusty
What if u where doing push ups what kind would work better?

Rusty, I just started doing 'incline dumbbell presses' as well as 'incline flyes'. My question(s) to you is, how many reps per set would you recommend?? I've been doing 6 reps/6 sets for each incline. Too much??
I definitely wanna torch my upper pecs, WITHOUT 'boobing' them out. And, how heavy should the weights be, if you just wanna tone the upper pec area?

Thanks!!

Rusty, your site provides a lot of info… But I am looking for a good routine… I am currently around 265 lbs, 5'8"… I have been working out since high school, but just can't seem to lose the fat… I having trouble putting a routine together that works… Could you post an actual routine or send a routine back in email? Thanks…

Derek

Anferny,

Sorry I took so long to get back to you…I missed your comment. The best type of pushup to build upper pecs is to put your feet up on a chair. Also do some pushups with your hands really close (almost touching) to create that line down the middle of your chest.

Ernesto,

6 sets of 6 reps sounds good to me! Do the first set with a light weight, second set with a heavier weight…and the next 4 sets with your "work weight".

Example:
Set 1: 45 pounds x 6 reps
Set 2: 65 pounds x 6 reps
Set 3: 75 pounds x 6 reps
Set 4: 75 pounds x 6 reps
Set 5: 75 pounds x 6 reps
Set 6: 75 pounds x 6 reps

For your work set, you may find that you do only 4-5 reps on the last two sets…that is fine. As soon as you can do 6 reps on all 4 work sets, increase the weight by 5 pounds. Don't worry about getting too much development in the upper pec area. It is nearly impossible to do. If this is a concern, just back down on the volume by lifting less sets and reps. I do a similar routine but just 5 sets of 5…and for 3 months out of the year I do 5 sets of 3 reps.

Derek,

I'm long overdue to outline an entire program. I actually have three E-book ideas (one of the books will be free, but the other two won't). I don't like to outline an entire program without a lot of explanation behind it. This is going to take 50-100 pages minimum, because it is important to me that people understand the underlying principles behind the workout. My goal is to have all three book written within the next 9 months.

Have a great one!

Rusty

Hi Rusty,

Love your site great useful information as usual. I was looking for info on how to get symmetry on both sides. Ive been working the upper part of my chest as you recommend and completely took out flat bench. My problem is that my right side seems so much stronger then my left. I am able to feel tension to the max on my whole right side vs my left even if I use less weight on the right side I still feel more of the contraction of the muscles than I do on the left. I was doing 200 push ups per day but stopped because of the develope of one side verses the other. Right side feels like ive be working out all day even when i havent been to the gym. Is there any way to fix this? Please give me some recommendations…as now I am really starting to notice it through my shirts.

I also agree no man wants boobs unless they are on a hot woman!!!

Thanks again!!!

Thomas,

Your body will even out over time. All of us have one side bigger than the other to a certain extent. My best advice is to use dumbbells as often as possible to insure that both sides get equal work. I wouldn't worry too much about this. It is way more common than you think!

Rusty

Question does it just even out over time or should i lift a little heavier or do more reps on one side? Thanks again Rusty!!

Thomas,

It will even out over time. I wouldn't recommend doing more work on one side vs another.

Rusty

Awesome, thanks so much for the info. I can tell you right now, that I have already noticed a positive difference in my upper pec area, just by following that example. I've also been doing some incline flyes, as well as incline push ups, using the kitchen chair. Very effective. I'm stoked.
Now…what should we AVOID doing, in developing our lower pec area? The flat bench press I definitely understand. And I never use it either. But is there anything else that should be completely discarded and fled from with great haste?

Thanks!

I'm curious… Do these exercises work for women who have tube-sock boobs? If not what would you recommend for that?

hey rusty:
this is a great imformation site u got here,,
hey i am 5feet 9 inches and way around 70 kgs n my age is 21..
i am not exactly lookin to get mass but i am just loooking to get a good body shape ,, i dont go to the gym i just do regular exercise at home.. the proplem is i have been doin flat pushups but that is giving me a round chest and i am looking for a square one.so can suggest me on what i can do at home without any weights to get a normal flat square chest.. hey it would be really help full..

Ernesto,

I must have missed your comment! Obviously avoid decline bench presses. To be honest it won't hurt to do flat bench presses every now and then. I like to do flat dumbbell flyes with really heavy weights once I'm really lean and want to develop a deeper "line" down the middle of my chest.

Kprice,

Not too much you can do about "tube sock boobs". I have never heard that description, but new EXACTLY what you were talking about…funny stuff. No worries…guys like all sorts of different looks.

Gaurav,

Prop your feet up on a chair and put your hands on the ground. Do wide grip medium grip and narrow grip. You can still do flat pushups, but focus with the feet elevated.

Rusty

im 17 and i have been weight training 3 times a week for the last 8 month but i also do cardio and toning days and do sets when i feel like it on my home bench so i train every day. with my bench press my triceps and arms and lats and abbs are strong and lean and can compress the power to lift the weight and my problem mainly is my pecs are small and i don't feel it in that muscle area. though all my sets have been flat bench do u think the answer is doing incline.

Josh,

You will build mass in the pecs up over time. To get there a bit quicker, consider doing isolation moves for your chest as well to hit it directly. I like dumbbell flyes. If you have dumbbells at home this would be the way to go.

Rusty

Hi Rusty.

I really admire your website[probably you hear that a lot], I almost read your articles everyday and almost never opened other site[really, you've brain-washed me], it's just so making sense.:)

I've been working out for 4 months and now my chest is getting bigger but rounder similar to boobs. I am also slim, but there's a little bit of excess fat on my pecs, especially lower pecs. I really hate the round look with those fats near my nipple area. I'm doing flat, incline and decline press as well flat flyes.

The question is, how to widen my chest, i know it doesn't make any sense, but I really want it to be wide and how exactly to cut down the excess fat ?
After reading your articles, now I'm doing 4 sets of 5 reps and for the last set I'm doing 1 set of 20 reps [real slow and real light weight]. I understand high reps of low weight is not the best way for toning, but I like it after doing those 20 reps. I've stopped decline press too and I'm doing a wide grip hold for the flat and incline presses.

I asked a personal trainer and he told me to do 4 sets of 20reps followed with a drop set for 30 reps.
Frankly I'm really confuse and please advice what I have to do and NOT to do or where I went wrong.

Really, Thanks a bunch, I really appreciate it [sorry for the leghty post, but I believe my problem is being faced by quite number of people].:)

Patrick,

You are taking the right approach. Do wide grip flat bench presses with your elbows wide. Also do the bottom 2/3 of flat bench flyes…go light and don't go touch the dumbbells at the top…stop at a point before the dumbbells are above your shoulders and go back down.

Your personal trainer is giving you decent advice, because this higher volume is going to build a bit of width to your chest. Once you feel like you have developed a bit more width…then go back to your toning phase…my typical recommendation of 3-5 reps done slowly, etc.

Hope that helps,

Rusty

Hey Rusty.

Thank's for reply.
Can I still continue with lifting heavy weight for incline press? So does it mean high repititions will tear and grow the mucle? What exactly will happen by doing high repititions of low weight, i.e. 20 reps of 50%RM.
For toning I think I got the idea, do low reps with high weights but drop before failure but with make it real slow.

Thank's Rusty

Patrick,

When you do high reps with really light weights that allow you to do 15-30 reps, it is basically a way of doing cardio with weights. This allows you to burn calories with weight lifting…it is the idea behind circuit training. It doesn't build muscle either. Muscle building happens typically in the 6-12 rep range as long as you lift to failure. It works even better with "compressed rest periods", which "pump" the muscles up a bit. You probably should stick to higher reps for your entire chest , including incline presses. I would go heavy on inclines, once you decide you have enough mass. I think you will get better results that way.

Okay…what your personal trainer is doing is actually a great method of "feeling a burn" in a stubborn muscle. These higher reps are going to create a burn in the muscle. He is training you to learn how to use your chest muscles for a lift. Once you really learn how to flex and isolate your outer chest with these higher reps..lower them down to 6-12 reps. This is where you are going to try to recreate that same feeling, but with less reps. He sounds like he is giving you good advice.

You have the perfect understanding of strength training. Very few guys in your gym have a clue about this. Good deal!

Rusty

hi Rusty,

first time to this site,
i just started weight training, question my left pec is a hell of alot bigger than my right, really noticable is the lower pec region under the nipple, the left is a lot more rounder/fuller looking than the right(the right really doesnt have a lower pec region.), it looks totally out of proportion, not sure what to do to correct it, but any advice that you could give i would really appreciate it.

jordan,

The best thing you can do from now on is to use dumbbells from now on for every chest lift. This will insure that each pec has to work just as hard to get the weight up. Over time this will correct a bit, but probably not all the way. My left arm and pec is a bit bigger than my right. I'm a bit lop-sided as well. I wouldn't stress about it too much. These things do balance out a bit over many years of lifting.

Rusty

Hi Rusty.

I am really flattered by your compliment Rusty.
I think once I get the width and burned the fat down, I'll back down to your approach 5×5 or should gain some mass first by doing 6-12 reps ?

Now I really understand those conservative bodybuilders words. Maintaining is harder than building. When they mean maintaining is doing higher reps which creates pump, spesifically 'temporary pump'. Once they stopped lifting for some time, their pumped muscles will 'slack'.
But your 5×5 approach [with heavy weight] before failure really create "hard densed" muscle.

Reading few of your articles Rusty, gave me more depth of knowledge compared reading 'Mens health' magazine for the whole year.

Thank you Rusty

Hi Rusty

Great Blog. Thanks for educating many readers on Fitness. I have a question and appreciate your help.

After doing 4 sets of each 8 Reps of 100 lbs barbell press, i gets tired and could not lift any more weights. Same thing happens after I do 4 sets of 8 rep each of 45 lbs dumbbells press. I am 45 years old and have started lifting since last year I find that my muscles are tired and could no more lift. What could be the reason for this. Should I reduce the weights?

Thanks

Rusty! good advice, thanks alot, i was wonderign whether if you have no bench can you do these exercises whilst standing? Also what do you think of the Bullworker? is it any good or another gimmick?
Thanks
J

Hello Rusty,
I found the perfect forum i think as these days i am looking to develop a Square Chest only, i dont want a rounded chest, i want a sleek flat square chest.

I am not doing decline press or dumbells in the Gym and after reading your forum i m more concentrating on Incline Press.

But can you please tell me How to develop the Chest edge, i mean the area at the Edge of chest, near nipple into proper shape. As right now my that area is the Loosest part, but again i want it in Square shape, not round.
Do i have to do Decline press for that?

Thanks

Seth,

You will build up muscular endurance. Just keep at it and you will be fine.

J Dog,

Put your feet on a chair and do pushups. This will work the upper chest. Vary the hand positions to hit different parts of the upper chest. The Bullworker probably does work a little, but no need to buy it.

Vipul,

Don't do declined to develop that part of the chest…do pullovers.

Good questions!

Rusty

Rusty,

I'm 19 years old now and weigh about 195 lbs. I have been lifting free weights for about 8 months now, and my arms have gotten a very nice, strong tone. However, my chest, despite hitting incline, decline, and flat bench press, along with the cable row and pec dec, doesn't seem to be gaining in either sightly shape or strength (my bench numbers haven't increased the entire time). Any quick tips on how to gain strength in my chest area, mainly so that I don't feel like i have small pointed, flabby boobs for pecs, and instead can get that strong, square look that i've worked so hard for?

Thanks.

Justin,

You will need to get strong in the 5-10 rep range to build mass. Try to avoid decline for a while and just focus on flat bench and inclines. What happens is that strength will come first and the mass comes later…sometimes a few months after the strength gains. Do a high volume of lifting for just your chest (I normally recommend low volume, since this site doesn't focus on building…but you will need the high volume if you want to build the pecs).

Read this:

Increase Bench Press Strength

So basically focus on strength in the 5-10 rep range…then the size will follow.

Rusty

Thanks Rusty, i am Doing Pullovers to develop the Lower Edge part of my Chest.

I want to ask you how to get mass at the Center Line, i mean i can see my chest empty flat at the Center Line, Not at upper Chest but at lower most chest. There is a Gap. Which exercise will help me? Dumbbell Flys? or the same exercise with machine Flys? and in which position, incline, decline or Flat?

Vipul,

Do standing cable cross-overs. Pull handles in a fly motion right in front of your body. This will activate these fibers.

This guy has decent form…lean forward a bit and do them like this…you just don't need to do a big drop set like this.

Have a great one,

Rusty

Hey rusty,

My flat bench is better than my incline. While my incline is almost to my flat, i was thinking about doing a pyramid of 12, 10, 8, 6 for incline BB and DB bench and doing 5×3-5 for flat. Would this be ok? Like you said earlier, i dont want to develop boobs. You also said that its pretty much impossible to overdevelop your upper chest, hence the pyramid. Also, if i do a pyramid set would i be able to do upper chest again in the same week. Right now im doing chest and back on monday and again on thursday. Would i be able to do incline again on thursday if i did a pyramid set on wednesday? Thanks.

I meant monday not wednesday, sorry.

Hey,
New to this site. Some very useful information. Here is my question/problem: I have been working out religiously for about 7 years now. I work my pecs on a continual basis, which is why I don't know what I'm doing wrong. I'm noticing that they are becoming "rounder" than I'd like and definitely not "rock hard". Admittedly, I haven't focused much attention on the incline exercises as far as upper pecs, so could this be a result of overworked lower pecs, or is it possible that it could be fat tissue buildup?

In relation to this, I've heard of a lot of bodybuilders develop gynecomastia and I'm worried about my pecs looking too "boob" like. Is there any way to tell, feel, etc?

Sorry for the length. Thanks for any help!

Hi Rusty,

I used to work on my chest but stopped for 2 years after it got too "round" and let it slim down.

Recently for 1 month I've been lifting again, but the roundness problem is back!

I am shooting for those perfectly square, flat pecs like the ones in the Brad Pitt pic above.

My problem is that the center (nipple) area always gets too rounded and protruding. I also have a problem with getting that line down the middle.

Do you recommend just doing the incline flyes, presses that you recommend above, in addition to close-together push-ups and wide-back pull-ups?

PS. I hope you don't mind taking a look — I posted some quick pics. I'd appreciate it if you could let me know what I could work on.

Front:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/9653/01vi2.jpg

Side:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/1372/02hg6.jpg

Side-slant:

http://img413.imageshack.us/img413/3029/03zb4.jpg

Thanks alot! Appreciate any help you can give!

- jason

Jason,

You just need a bit more time under the bar…you actually have a good base. Concentrate mainly on incline dumbbell presses…touch the dumbbells at the top to engage your upper and inner pecs.

Also…to get line where the pecs meet the the upper abs (without building a lot of mass on the lower pecs), do dumbbell pullovers. Here is a video:

Note: You don't have to lay across the bench. I actually like it better just laying on the bench the normal way. See what "feels" best to you.

Rusty

hey rusty is the first time i ever com to this site and well it seems that you really know what your talking about, but thats not what im here for.

Well the thing is i dont go to the gym beacuse i just don't hve time and i dont have any kind of bench, but i kinda found a "replacemente for the incline push ups." I do incline pushups as in (like the cair exercise you mention a couple of time) see i put my feet like on the third step of mystair way or whatever you call it, do like 7 or 8 and in the same position withouth every taking my hands of the floor, i go up one step and do 6-7 then go another step up and so on until i can't go down and up, would that target the upper part of my chest like the incline pushup in every angle? By the way im 5'7 weight around 155-160 pounds and im 16 currently on my school's football team. And right now im tryin to get in shape before football season starts for me again. One last thing I also do the diamond pushups, but is that for the back or for the chest or both? well thank'z for your advice

Alex,

Push-ups are an extremely underrated exercise. What you have described is a very creative way to blast your upper chest. It should work well…great job!

As far as hand positioning goes:

1) When your hands are close together and your elbows are wide, you will mainly work your inner pecs.

2) When your hands are close together but you keep your elbows tucked in tight close to your body, you will work your triceps a bit more.

3) When your hands are wide, you will work the outer chest.

Hope that helps!

Rusty

Thats very useful, thankz

Damn I noticed that I have a lot of spelling mistakes haha, but I'm glad you understood what I tried to tell you. I tried that 2 option you mention, it is very hard, but that's what I love about it.

hey i been working out for about 4 weeks not with incline darbell press like everyday but my chest is still looking kinda round i want to look more like this AX models on the pic right under this can you please tell me what i can do to get my chest just like his …
thank you ….

hey i been working out for about 4 weeks not with incline darbell press like everyday but my chest is still looking kinda round i want to look more like this AX models on the pic link right under this can you please tell me what i can do to get my chest just like his …
thank you ….

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1195

http://www.ohlalaparis.com/photos...

jeff,

You can't expect for this to happen overnight. It took me about a year to fill in my upper chest. Just keep doing the right thing, which is focusing on the incline press. Patience my friend

Rusty

Hi,
You've recommended dropping all flat press exercises till the upper pecs are developed. Will that cause the lower pec muscles to sag after a time?
I too have the problem that my lower pecs are a little too big for my comfort right now.
Is there anything I can do to reduce the muscle mass of the lower pecs slightly?

Derrick,

You will be good if you lean down substantially. To stop the abs from sagging make sure there isn't any excess body fat that will sag.

This will work,

Rusty

Hi.

I reduced my body fat down to 10%[thru HIIT after workout] and now I weigh 135 pounds [previosuly was 150] with 5'9.
Lots of my friend complained that I'm too skinny, indeed I find it true that my legs, arms and butt are bit too slim.
Anyway, my purpose to reduce fat was to slim down my chest and to see those tight square pecs. Still, I can my chest is bit flabby especially in nipple area and one big problem is I'm having kinda a round look.
Please advice me on how should I deal with my chest. I really want a square pecs and also a WIDE chest. What should I do for a wide chest. Decline press are omitted and I'm doing wide grip bench press. What reps and sets are the best for me.
I'm afraid I'll lose my muscle and doing HIIT after workout is somewhat losing muscle mass.

SInce I bit too slim, I've decided that I need to gain around 10 pound of muscle mass, should I continue my 5×5 approach or should I do pyramid sets first for some time. I also never eat direct after gym, just protein shake after workout. I am really NOT aiming for a bulky figure. Lean look somewhat like brad pitt's is ideal for me.

Sorry for leghty post and tahnks a bunch Rusty….

Benny,

It isn't going to hurt you to do more of a bodybuilding pyramid for a short period of time, but get back to 5×5 after 3 months or so. Keep losing a bit more body fat even though you are slim. You won't lose any more size from your legs, arm and butt…you will lose the flab from your chest.

Rusty

Hey Rusty,

I am new to working out so your site serves as a wonderful guide. I am 17 and want to tone my upper body. I do push-ups regularly to better that "mind-to-muscle link" that you talk about. I also do various machine exercises. I was wondering what you would recommend doing. I have muscle already on my outer and inner chest and some on the upper chest, but not very much on my lower chest. The nipple area does seem a little puffy, but I checked with the doctor and he said it is due to the hormonal disbalance and will go away with time (because of my age and puberty). I was just wondering a routine that you would recommend to do to define my chest. Many people say that some exercises will make the nipple area look even bigger and sag.

Thank You for your help in advance.

Aly,

Putting a bit more mass on your chest would minimize the slight puffiness you have going on. You probably need to hit some heavy flat bench presses. Most people have the opposite problem with little upper chest development. Since you already have some mass in this area, you should focus on flat bench pressing for a while.

Rusty

Following up on that advice, you stated that flat benching was for the lower chest, but wouldn't doing the flat bench make the "moob" seem bigger? Also, my upper chest has muscle but is not defined. Would trying to have a wider chest minimize the puffiness effect? Thank You

Aly,

Yeah…do wide grip benches as well as medium bit benches. Add some mass and it should help.

Rusty

Thanks for the reply, but I am still a little unsure because many different people are giving different advise to me. I uploaded two pictures (sorry about light glare). Can you let me know exactly what I need to do to get toned and have a great chest…I know I have a long way to go. Sorry about the multiple posts.

http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/2412/picture001of4.jpg
http://img102.imageshack.us/img102/849/picture002hq4.jpg

Thank You for your time…I know I may seem annoying…sorry

Aly,

Hit some heavy presses with an emphasis on wide grip. That should help quite a bit.

Rusty

Thanks for the info. I went from super thin to way too muscular back in my college days, now I am trying to get to that athletic look. I have very developed chest muscles but not the square type, I also used to have gynocomastia which didn't help things.

I have not lifted for the past 3 months and focused instead on running and playing sports. This has helped some but I still need to work on getting my pecs down. Would you recommend avoiding weights and getting my muscle mass down, or concentrating on the upper pecs as you suggest? I'm concerned that any amount of lifting will trigger an increase in muscle mass (my body has become hardwired for it now).

PS – I found your site because I was looking for advice on buzzing my hair (re: going bald). Great advice.

Hi Rusty, I am 20 yrs old and have been lifting weights for quite a while now, maybe 2/3 yrs. I am pleased with my arms and my shoulders but am getting quite concerned about my chest and wonder whether I have left it too late to fix. I knew very little about weights when I began so just tried to do as heavy weights as possible with as many reps to try to build up my muscle. Whats has happened is my chest has become rounded, with fat under the nipples and not much muscle at the top, or even any kind of defining line down the middle.

I have tried to vary my own routines to see if I could fix it myself but I dont want to leave this too long. I was wondering if you could give me some advice and even a little example of reps as you did earlier in the post. I want squared pecs that are well defined (evenly), not boobish; losing the fat around the nipple. That would be a great help! Thank you!

Billy,

Don't go anywhere near these exercises for a while…dips, flat bench presses, flat bench flyes, or decline presses or flyes.

Live on the adjustable incline bench. Do a many many sets of dumbbell presses…5-6 reps at steep incline all the way down to a little above flat. Roll that adjustable bench under a smith machine and do the same thing.

The reason you want to emphasize dumbbells is that your upper and inner chest will get worked as your hands move closer together at the top of the lift. You can't do this with barbells.

You will notice a big difference in 6 months!

Rusty

Thanks for your reply Rusty i will definitely take this on board. However, I cant go back to using my uni gym till term starts; is there anything I can do at home? I have tried press ups with my feet on a chair but i feel like the angle of my arms is still using my lower chest. I cant quite get the technique for incline dumbell presses either on my chair, as I feel I might be using my shoulders. When I do get back to the gym, how many sets of 5-6 reps should I do? Was wondering if you had any advice on these? Sorry to be a pain. Thanks!

Billy

Hi Rusty, I am a regular on ur website and I have been reading all your posts on chest exercise. I am 27 year old and right handed, I have played a lot of sports and never really did weights. About six months ago I have started doing weights and I have noticed that my right chest area looks rounded unlike my left chest which looks more developed and in good shape.
Do you think me being right handed (my right hand being stronger than my left) is the reason for the rounded shape)
I use only dumbbells for my chest workout and recently added the smith machine (do you think it will help.)

Please advise as to how I can achieve my dream square pecs. Thanks!

Vick

Hey Rusty. I am in pretty good shape. But i have this area between my upper abs and lower chest(below nipple area) that i cannot seem to get toned up the way i like it. Im trying to get a nice line across my lower chest but the chest to ab transition just doesnt look right to me. Can you give me some tips? i already do a lot of decline presses and flies…but from reading these replies perhaps thats not the right way.will Pull overs help?
-Noel

Rusty,

Thank god I've found this site, or this page specifically. The posts have been extremely helpful but I just wanted to verify a few things.

First of all, I'm 5'6" , 137 pounds. Over the past year I did a bit too much flat bench and it developed my pecs but not with the look that I wanted whatsoever, they are rounded. I also have a bit of fat in my chest/abdominal region that I'm losing as we speak, I'm doing a lot of swimming and running for them.

My pecs are probably my most visible feature,specially with my shirt on, and I'd like to reduce their appearance and get those flatter pecs. I'm assuming the recommendation is going to be the incline exercises as above, but if I want to reduce the size of the muscle I already have is it better to just blast out the upper chest workouts and let them even out?

When I'm doing those workouts, would you still stay with the recommendation of using higher weight, low, slow reps? Or should I use a lighter weight and go until it burns?

Thanks so much, sorry for the lengthy post.

hey rusty, i am working out almost 2 years now but my problem is my pecs,they still look flat.what should i do?

Dear Rusty,

I'm trying to build a more defined squared chest but my problem is sometimes my chest looks round and sometimes its pointy. When the weather is cold my chest would look very round and thick but when it's hot it would look pointy and flabby. My goal is to make it thick and squared. I've been incorporating a lot of incline smith machine press and incline DB press just as you suggested, but I've read from bodybuilding.com forums and it says that the shape of your chest is genetically determined. So does all of these incline emphasis workouts really work to build a more defined square chest?

Thanks,
Jin Kazama

hey rusty, what should i do to make my upper pecs bigger and my forearm looks small but my arms are big.what exercise do i need to build bigger forearm?

Hey rusty, i have a same problem my age is 26 and i am doing body building since 4 years i did heavy flat barbell bench presses thats why my chest is see more heavier thn other body parts what i want is just shape i dont want more size on my chest i want square normal chest and i haven't got width in my lower and middle chest i did some time decline barbell press but not regularly what i want a big upper chest (which already is quite good cuz of genetics i think) and width in my lower and middle chest not mass i want to get a model like chest not bodybuilder type

here is my chest exercises routin

Incline barbell presses 2 set 10 reps
Incline dumbel presses 2 set 10 reps
flat barbell press 3 sets 15 reps
flat dumbell flyes 3 sets 12 reps

i do chest after my shoulder workout but still i have problem in my width in lower and middle chest please help me

Thanks

here is couple of my chest pics if you see this pics my lower chest is drooping downwards and its round not square

http://img88.imageshack.us/my.php?image=farhan64ma5.jpg

http://img329.imageshack.us/my.php?image=farhan63oq4.jpg

I'm 39 and when I was a kid I did a lot of dumbbell chest flies on a flat bench and as a consequence I have a big center to lower chest. I had gained some weight and recently lost it as I got back to my diet and weight training after a divorce. My chest is solid but its underneath a layer of light flab that doesn't seem to want to get gone. Its like a layer of skin really not flab. No matter what exercise groupings I can think of to do I just can't seem to minimize what looks like man boobs. I want to have my big square cut chest back! Does anyone have any suggestions?

Hey Rusty,

Just got a quick question, I am starting to get "man boobs" which is not cool lmao…Can you please recommend some work-outs I can do in order to get rid of it?

Thanks in advance

Hey Rusty,
I am 25 years old and have been working out for the past 4 years. I was skinny when i started out and gained weight eventually. The problem is my all other body parts started developing except my chest . Now the situation is that I have pretty good arms , decent shoulders, back and thighs….but the chest of a beginner. Please help me.
for chest my workout is :
barbell press (flat) – 3sets
barbell press (decline) – 3 sets
dumbell press (incline) – 3 sets
dumbell flys (flat) 3 sets
cable cross – 3 sets
parallel bar dips – 3 or 4 sets

is it okay to workout chest twice a week ?…

plz help…
thanks

Hi Rusty,

glad I stumbled onto your great site. I've read all your very helpful answers to the questions posted here.

I'm a Chinese, 57, but mentally feel and also look like I'm in my late thirties.
I started weights on standing position when I was 13 (at puberty) without any guidance, thus it had affected my height – only 1.65 meters while my brothers are measuring 1.8 & above.

After a long gap, I started going regularly to the gym a year ago – 5 to 7 times weekly.

I gained strength but no improvement to my physiques, until a month ago when I got some tips from one of the gym trainers on how to do proper pushups, flat bench barbell presses, machine chest presses and barbell bicep curls, on top of eating 5 meals a day. This month alone I could see relatively fast mass buildup on my mid/lower chest and arms, with a total weight gain of 4 Kgs (from 64 Kgs to 68 Kgs).

To develop my Upper Pecs and a strong cutout Chest, I'm going to follow your advices given here with all the Inclines. However, to achieve a 6-pack abs, what do you suggest is best for me? Some guys in my gym told me that it's hard to achieve and maintain that for my age. I'm a very determined person and with your good advice, I'll not give up until I see that 6 packs ab.

Thanks a million in advance, Rusty!

Sincerely,
Pete

Joel,

It sounds like you just need to get to a lower body fat percentage. Unfortunately this involves tough cardio and strategic dieting (two words that strike fear into most people)…lifting is much more fun, but cardio combined with a solid diet is what sharpens up your physique.

Sean,

See my comments to Joel also check out the link at the bottom of this site which says "Low Body Fat Percentage"…this will do the trick.

AJ,

So this isn't something I have discussed on this blog, but what exercise do you "feel" the most out of the ones you have listed? Which one "pumps up" your chest a bit? Don't just do flat bench because people say that it is the best way to build your chest up. It very well may be a great exercise for you, but possibly your arms and shoulders are doing most of the work. Pick the one that you really feel and do that lift first and devote more volume to that exercise. So maybe you do 5-6 sets of that lift and you focus on gaining strength on that exercise. Pick two other exercises and do 3-4 sets of each. I wouldn't pick as many exercises as you are currently doing because you won't get full benefit from any individual exercise…you have the right idea about volume of sets…this is a great way to pu on mass. It is also fine to work chest twice per week.

Pete,

You can have abs at 57! One of the blogs I recommend here is http://www.marksdailyapple.com . He is in his 50's and has incredible abs. He also did a guest post on my blog: Why We Need Meat.

To see all my post on "six pack abs"…go to the search box in the upper right hand corner of my site and type in: six pack abs.

Hey Rusty,
Thanks for you reply. I agree that doing flat bench press regularly hasn't been effective. Do you think doing incline bench presses or dumbell presses , incline dumbell flys and lots of wide grip push ups (with feet on chair) and parallel bar dips will help ? Should i add any other exercise to this chest workout? Also i'm thinking of stopping my shoulder exercises for a while …the shoulders look big when compared to my chest and are probably doing most of the work during my chest workout…. do you think it will help ?

Rusty please i need your reply i am very curious about my chest shape i need your recommendation about my chest workout .

Thanks

well im 19 5'9 220 pounds i used to be really fat but i started to hit the gym for 2 hours a day right after school for about 5 months. I have a really good amount of mucsle everywhere, but the only substantial amount of fat is on my lower chest.

I dont have any hardly any muscle there, but my upper chest is great.
I know inclined push ups and declined bench is what i need but can you go in detail please?

Aj,

You probably want to keep doing shoulder exercises. They are such an important part of a nice looking and funtional physique. The routine you outlined should work well. I like the idea of adding in bodyweight exercises. Good plan!

Rajafarhan,

Sorry about not getting back to you quicker. I bet in your case weighted dips will help out as will dumbell pullovers. You need a little more definition in the lower chest without adding size. This should do the trick along with the other exercises you are doing.

Rusty

Vito,

You probably just need to lose a little more weight to lose that last little bit of body fat. If you want to add mass to the lower chest…just do flat bench and throw in dips…I don't recommend decline's.

Rusty

Thanks a lot rusty for your reply now i make my new chest workout i just want to you check my workout if is it right or not

High Incline Dumbell Presses 2 Sets 10 Reps
Low Incline Dumbell Presses 2 Sets 10 Reps
Weighted Dips 3 sets 8 Reps
Pec Dec Machine 3 Sets 12 Reps
Dumbell Pullover Flat Bench 1 Sets 10 Reps
Dumbell pullover Low Incline Bench 1 Set 10 Reps

and Thanks a lot for your reply

Ok im 17 i weigh 230 pounds im pretty fat. I have just recently started eating very healthy and i go on the eliptical and burn 300-400 calories a day now. I also lift a lot of weights. Why is one of my man boobs smaller than the other. My right side is my strong side, yet my right moob is bigger than my left moob, which my left side is the weakest. Please explain to me thankyou!!!

Hey there Rusty, my problem is that I have some excess fat around my core and pec area I have quite a bit of muscle mass around both the core and pecs. My chest is quite large but i notice the fat is mainly around the nipple area and I am aiming for the square chest look not rounded flabby . Should I stick to cardio or combine that with the pullovers and a variety of incline and cable cross exercises? Could you please specify the number of reps and sets as well as the best exercises to get this done as quickly and efficiently as possible, sorry for the lengthy post,
Ryan

Hey rusty, my problem is that i have excess fat around my chest. I am currently 16, and have been lifting for some time now. The excess fat is mainly around the nipple area and behind, so it makes them look as if they are pushing out. "cone like chest shape". I want to lose this, however i am fairly confused about what to do, i am afraid if i build my chest this fat will push out even more. Currently i'm working on shoulders, biceps, chest incline, and abs. However my main concern yet again is the chest. i weight 170 5ft.9 inches. So should i go on with Incline bench press and use the method of using three different levels of incline ( one almost vertical then lower and ect.) and HITT cardio. Or is there another way to get rid of this excess fat on chest.

Hey I am new to this site but this is very nice website I was reading
all this comments and I have the same problem I am pretty cut everywhere I been working out for 2 months straight. I see a lot of improvements but my question is the same as everyone else my chest doesn't look like i want it to here is a pic of what I look any help or exercises I can do will be appreciated by the way I go to planet fitness

here is the picture of my chest

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=1q3amg&s=4

thanks a lot guys and rusty I will try that routine of getting rid of flat bench and concentrating on incline everything

Rusty,
I took your advice and took out flat bench out of my routine. Ive noticed a big change in how my chest is starting to flatten out. But I still cant achieve that really square chiseled look. Im really looking to achieve the look that these male models have. Does this have alot to do with genetics?Should I be doing anything for the lower chest? Heres a link to what I am talking about. anyhelp is appreciated! Thanks.
http://www.diesel.com/collection/diesel/intimate/

Hey Rusty,

I have looked at this post before and came back to re-read it. I was just wondering are decline push ups good for building the upper pecks? I read that incline push ups work lower pecks and decline work upper. Just looking for clarification.

Thanks

David,

Put your feet up on a chair and hands on a chair…that will target your upper pecs. As long as your feet are elevated higher than your hands in a pushup, you will target you upper pecs.

Rusty

Hey Rusty…..

i have been doing all the exercises that were recommended and they are working very well for me. I went from a no chest to looking great in T-shirts. Thank you so much ! i have one issue. My nipples are somewhat protruding and i dont know what to do ! any ideas for me ?

Rusty,
Aloha!Well see I got a problem here.Ever since the 7th grade.My left pec has been bigger than my right side.Now I went to the doctor and they said I have this rare condition. I have no clue what is called.Now its not that big of a differance compared to the photos ive seen of the people that have this condition also.But to me its pretty noticable.so i was wondering if you have any recomondations for me to develop and even chest.is it even possible?ive been doin sum cable work on the bowflex extreme.and ive been seeing some results.but hey if you can give me any tips or advice it be much appreciated. thanks again

hi rusty .
i m 20 nd height 5:8in
it was g8 readin all d comments u hv got…
i hav been workin out for 3 months.. and i can c improvment on my lower chest but hardly any effect on upper chest… i ll show u routine first
1. warm up
2. push ups 3 sets
3. flat bench press 4 sets
4. flat dumbell press
5. incline bench press and den bumbell
6.den i do peck dek(butterfly)
7. den pull over.
8. finish wid push ups
so dis is my routine which i hav been followin since 3 months…
nd i m also taking whey protien(optimum)isolate…so i have gain muscle on the chest.. but still strugglin to get at upper chest nd more over i want a square chest.. but other ppl at my gym who r been taken care by same instructer r havin booby chest.. which i dont want…….. so sometimes i think i may also turn out to b one of dem… so plzzz grnt me some of ur helpful tips. so dat i can have square chest….
rite now i m on weight gain so does fly exercise stops weight gainin???

ha this is really sweet ive wondered why i have a big chest but it doesnt look that sweet. and ive always hated incline bench because it kills my right shoulder but ill start doing it more anyway.

Hey man..

you are doing a great job. Need your advice on my chest workout too…
i am 25…and working out since 6 months now.
My chest workout includes, three sets of flat bench, three sets of incline barbell press, two sets of flat bench dumbell press, three sets of inclined dumbell press, three sets of crossover.

All sets are 8 reps each. I workout my chest once a week.

Now i have a rounded chest. So to develop a square chest, i should focus on the incline bench exercie.

My question: should i totally stop doing flat bench? If yes, for how long? If no, what should be the frequency for flat bench chest exercises?

Thanks dude!

Hi Rusty,
With regard to incline pushups. Do you suggest doing them quite slowly (like 3 secs up, 1 sec rest, 3 secs down) as in training with weights?
Also if doing 4 sets of push ups – how many reps should I go for? to failure or just short of it?
Cheers

Hi Rusty,

Firstly, awesome article and it's great you've taken the time to reply to everyone so far!

Now for my Q. I'm a natural ectomorph (tall, slim) and have done bench press (incline and flat) before but only got up to about 50kg (inc 20kg olympic bar)! And I can only do about 9 full pushups.

Therefore, given how weak I am, I figure I should actually just focus on getting my pushups up to a reasonable number (say 20 or so) before going back to the bench.

My thinking is that this will do more for my strength and perhaps result in leaner/harder muscle, rather than a bit of bulk which is what I got from the weights.

What do you think?

my exercises are : pushups / chin-ups / trap bar deadlift / shoulder press / ab rollout

I'm trying to keep it simple, get strong and just build an athletic body, not big.

Any advice appreciated!

Thanks

mrnegi,

Why don't you spend 3-6 months only doing incline presses. I did this when I was first working out and it did wonders. I did 5-6 sets of the incline dumbell press, followed by 4-5 sets of incline barbell press. Don't do flat press, flyes, or pushups…until you upper chest matches the look of your lower chest.

Nick,

You will have less problems with the dumbbell incline presses. Give them a try.

Omair,

I would recommend dropping all flat bench exercises for 6 months. I tend to have the same problem, so every couple of years I drop the flat bench for 3-6 months. Do different variations of the incline bench…avoid the cable crossovers as well for a while.

Trev,

For incline pushups, just go at a natural speed that is a bit slower than you see most people doing. You don't need to go super slow, but you want to get the most out of each rep. Mainly make sure you are going full range. To make them slightly more difficult, pause for one second at the bottom of each rep. Stop 1-2 reps short of failure. You are probably going to hit higher reps than I typically suggest, but that is okay in this case.

Matthew,

You sound like you have a good plan. Why don't you add in dips every now and then as well? Also, not a big fan of shrugs at all. It is very easy for your traps to grow quicker than your shoulders and this ruins the "square shoulder" look. You should do some sort of row instead. Preferrably the seated cable row, but if you don't have access to that do bent over barbell rows. This work your back and will engage the traps a bit without making them huge like a professional wrestler.

Good questions,

Rusty

Rusty, I have read all the other comments and haven't seen any from any ladies , I didn't want to make you repeat an answer. In my pregnancy weight gain my chest went from a 36C to a 38D and has leveled off at a 38C. After the past 2 1/2 months of gym time I have noticed them losing some mass, which I know is the fat. And before the "sag" starts should I do Pec workouts? I know your not a lady but I have read different things and I don't want muscular boobs like lady weightlifters….. So do you think a Flat Press would be better since I DO want support on the bottom and a softer shape. I have been doing a seated fly press and can feel it in my uppers/middle pecs. Thanks!

Hi rusty. I am 23 years old and I have battled with my weight for nearly ten years. I used to be around 125 kg, but now after alot of training I weigh around 90 kg. I am 5ft 9. I want to ask you for some advice I have been working on my chest top middle and bottom, but the problem is my bottom chest. It just looks to saggy. I work on my top chest and some how managed it to look more like a chest but it's the lower chest I don't know how to build it. I do push ups, and I have been lifting lighter weights so I can do more reps to feel the burning feeling but the lower chest is the problem. I need your advice and help. Please help me eliminate my lower chest fat and have a nice chest. Thanks

Hi,
I am 26 years of age, and my question might be irrelevant to this post, but i still hope you could give some advice.
My problem is that even after working out for 8 months, i cant seem to get strength. E.G. if i started with doing 5kgs (one side) of inclined barbell press, i can now do only 15kg? isnt it less?

Should i start with creatine? and protein supplements?

THANKS.

ive been working out for about 3 years now but i canrt seem to get any stronger what should i do like ive been able to bench press lets say for exaple 315 since i was 16 and now im 17+, now i can bench about 305 since ive taken of time hear and there for sports i was just wonderine what do i have to do to be able to get stornger in all areas, itw erid cause before i oculd do maybe 225×12 when i could bench 315 but now i can do 225×20 resp but can only do 305 i know indurnace but hit me back thanks

I'm glad I stumbled upon this site…I too want to work on the more square upper chest, but, here's the thing. I don't have a gym membership, I have a small apartment and I have one of those Total Gym 1000's…you know, the Chuck Norris machine…I know, don't laugh. I'm wondering what the equivalent exercises would be on that style of machine? I want to work the right sections of muscles right off the bat. Thanks so much.

Hey rusty,

Yar i m 25 years of age, single guy. I have been working out since a little less then a year now, and am happy with my workout progress. But now I am moving to nigeria and i dont think ill have a gym facility there.

Can you guide me as to some exercises which i should do to atleast maintain the effort i put in. I will be gone for 6 months. Thanks.

hey rusty this is a great website its helped me alot to get in shape but ive been trying to get rid of my man boobs since i was 15 im now 19 i dont go to the gym but ive been doing decline push ups for a while now. im thinking of doing cardio twice a day for half an hour and doing decline push ups everyday do you think this will help me get my chest flat any suggestions of what else i can do to get fat off my lower chest?

Great info here, Rusy. I have been fighting an uphill battle with my pecs. I want the tones, but not big and protruding. Regarding the pushups with your feet on a chair, I thought that was for developing lower chest? Am I incorrect in that? If they do develope upper chest, then right on. And second, even if I build up my pecs, especially in the upper region, I read that the chest is the first group of muscles to atrophy when not worked out for a period of time. Do you know how long it takes for the atrophy to occure. I am 24 and work out at least 3-4 times a week.

im 20 and have that round boob affect! i swim often and do the regular bench press, i just cant lift much with coz of my shoulder, had a bad injury last year and havent really recovered from it yet but do you have any tips of how to increase the flat pecs without really using my shoulder too much ?

Hi, Well sorry to intrude, I am female but real keen on chest exercises. My size is 38B, When I lie down they go pretty flat and don't seem to have any mass, I m 39, mother of one son, Which chest exercises would help me in perking them up, and make them full while lying down.

Hey I was just wondering how close you can have your deltoid and chest workouts. Is it bad for you to work your delts the day before or after your chest?

or should you even possibly incorporate your deltoid workout into your chest workout?

i have no free weightsor bench i was wondering are pushups/pulls just as effective? its kinda of confusing

hey rusty…..just found a great site…i hope u can help me with my problem….i have been working out for almost 6-7 months…there is a great development in every part of the body except my chest…..my chest luks flabby …weak..and soft..also the nipple area is pointed outwards…however the problem goes away when i feel cold or the nipple gets hard…the chest luks in perfect shape then…i must tell u im not fat…my height is 5 feet 8 inch…my weight is around 66-68 kg…i definately dunt luk fat….i used to be healthy 3-4 years ago and at that time i was a bit chubby!!i reduced my self by reducing my diet but even at that time my chest remaind flabby…now after 3-4 years…even after work out there is little develpomnt in chest area also one cannot say that i work out if he see my chest….i do a heavy lift inclined dumbell…inclined machine rod(heavy)…but a lighter weight flat bench press…i have started pull over exercise…however i have never done the declined press!!!please tell me what diet and what exercise i should do to solve my problem as mentioned above!!!i would b waiting desperately for your suggestion!!!

Hey rusty,
I was googling a way to get the square chest look and came across this. i like the work you do and advice you give. well to the point im 17 and i havnt done any serious weight training before but non the less one side of my chest has got the square sort of look to it but not so much on the other side. i was wondering how i could maybe make the other side catch up with training. when i was younger i had an injury that weakened the whole side. seems now my chest is the only place not to have caught up.
Thanks

to ali that posted at July 27, 2009…i exactly have the same problems as yours…have you found the solution to that?thanks if you want to share ….Thanks

Henry

Hi Rusty,

Thank you so much for your advice; I was looking for help on getting the square chest look and it now makes perfect sense that I did WAY too much flat. I am exclusive incline press/fly now – hopefully in a 6 months or so it will really show.

Two quick questions, (1) there are so many different starting points for cable crossovers in terms of height of arm position. What is the best position for filling in the middle line and building the "squares." I see the video you referred to the guy had the cables starting pretty high – is that the best position for what I am after (filling in the line)?

(2) What is proper foot position for crossovers? Just alternate sets one in front of the other?

Thank you so much for your help!

A quote from old school bodybuilder Reg Park:

To exercise the upper pectorals it is not necessary to perform incline barbell or dumbell presses or even inclline dumbell flyes. You can work the upper pectorals on any level provided the elbows are in line with the clavicles in the bottom position. On any level decline, flat, or incline, when performing the barbell press, simply lower the bar to the neck, keeping the elbows in line with the shoulders, and pause in the bottom position before pressing the bar back to arms' length. With dumbell presses perform the exercise in the same manner bearing in mind that by using the dumbells you are able to get a greater down ward range. Similarly with dumbell flyes – the elbows position determines the area of pectorals worked. Performing dumbell flyes with palms facing towards the feet rather than facing upwards makes the exercise even more effective.

hiiii rusty my outer chest is all rite incline and decline matches but my inner chets tat is the inner lower line is more deep and dense then upper chest line or partition so please heelp me out how can i match my upper line with lower line of chest
thanks

Rusty,

It's a miracle I found this site. It's been about two years now that I have had this round pec, boob looking chest and I can't stand it. Its depressing! I have tried doing more flat bench and more dumbell flat bench and more untill they just grew way out of proportion to the rest of my body. When I flex my chest gets real tight, but when im not its all booby lookin and mooshy like boobs kind of. Anyways, I came up with a workout for my chest day and was wondering if this would be good.

Pullovers

standing cable cross-overs

Incline Flyes

Incline Dumbbell Press

Is there any other workouts that I should add in there? And how many reps and sets should I do? I got these workouts from reading your posts by the way. Sorry for the long post.

Hi Rusty, thanks again for this!

I'm definitely going for the Tyler Durdan look. I'm not so interested in building mass, but rather shape. I'm 20 years old, 5' 11' and 155 pounds.

I only have a pair of 15 lb dumbells at home – no weight bench or barbell. I'm a little limited on space and money. But eventually I will invest in the proper equipment.

So, are there any exercises that I can do with my current equipment that will work my upper pecs and create that groove from my color bone to my sternum as well as widen the muscles to that square shape?

Also, I HATE pushups because they murder my wrists and elbows.

hi rusty any info would b great.im 27 6ft 235 pounds i have recently started up training arfter 3 years off the gym arfter an extreme broken arm.anyway i have been dieting and doing cardio fore 30 mins arfter each work out trying to get my bodyfat down. my problem is like most on this thread rounded pecs with fatty nipples.as b4 my accident i was in excellent shape with big square pecs lifting big weights lots of flat bench barbell presses and weighted dips i have seen your workout u reccomended 4 billy with the incline dumbells and incline smith machines for 6 months but unsure about how many reps and how many sets? u say 5X5,most people at gym say light weights more reps im confused as if i got 5 reps out for my 1st set using most my strength my last set would be something like 2_3 reps please help me with my sets and reps to go 4. cheers again great thread.

Yeah incline chest exercises will focus on building your chest muscles near the base of your neck. Flat is a great exercise for building all around, and decline chest exercises will focus on building the lower chest muscles near your abs. Flies, on any cline, will work definition into the sides of your pecs near your armpit.

My question is this. I'm a 20 year old bodybuilder, I workout my chest extensively once a week, and I'm on supplements and everything. But even the guys I work out with aren't as big as you'd expect them to be. They told me that guys don't really get big and develop muscle until they're about 24 years old. Is this true?

Also, what sort of exercises will give you that cut definition between your pecs?

Hi Rusty, I started working out in 1990 when I was 17 and I did a lot of heavy flat, inclined and decline barbell chest exercises in college and today (2009) well, my lower chest muscle area is rounded, a bit pointy and small, not wide and square. It's really strange and peculiar because the rest of my upper body (including abs) is really lean, defined and well toned as a former gymnast. Is it too late, is there no remedy or fix? I'm taking your advice you have given to many others regarding doing dumbbell pullovers and incline dumbbell press from now on. My main question is whether I can forget about ever doing decline and flat bench chest exercises for good and just doing dumbbell pullovers and incline [and dips (for tricep definition)] since I truly don't wanna ever do flat and decline chest exercises anymore since they created the round, puffy look on my lower chest area? (A lot of people tell me I'm exaggerating but I really, really hate my round lower chest). P.S.: I workout 6 times a week including 60 mins. intense cardio with 15 mins. abs every time. This, for the past 5 years aprox. I have always had healthy eating habits and very low body fat. I tell ya Rusty my round, lower chest just doesn't match with the rest of my body!!! I hate it, Please help, Thanks for your time Rusty.

Great advice. I have a quick question for you. I'm 5'8" 180lbs, mostly fat around the gut. Been trying to work out for a couple months now with no weight loss at all. What do you suggest to get rid of the big belly and man boobs.

hey rusty,

Im 19 years old and ive been doing heavy weights for about 4 months. Your excersizes are really helpful but i've been having a hard time getting a solid 6 pack abbs. ive been doing hard abb workouts but i would like to know what the best workout is to get those solid abbs. (mainly lower)

Thanks

this is my first time,

i want to have square pecs,i read your article,coming to incline ,i want to ask question that incline muscle fibre of chest is deep muscle fibre, then why just doing inclines will build upper part of chest? when the upper chest takes lot of time to build .and how shud i begin with the workout .
please guide
thanks.

hi man!!
i just heard that you are an elite in what you do. i need your suggestion.
i'm just 17. i used to be skinny before.To impress my girlfriend i started doing various workouts.I mean improper and unstructural workouts.I did a lot of chest workouts which includes improper pushups -both improper incline and decline and i also did improper pull ups. My pecs were a little poped up then, but it wasn't noticeable as i was skinny.so it wasn't a problem then. But now i've gained weight. my body size is average but my pecs are poped up too much.They look like boobs .The most embarrasing part is-it is clearly noticeable from every kind of clothes.i'm sure it is not breast tissue. i'm feeling really embarassed now.

so,what am i supposed to do right now? which is the best for me – cardio or weights?
if cardio, what kind of cardio ? and if weights, what kind of weights?plzzzzzzzzzz do reply.

waiting for your prompt reply..

Hello Rusty

need help asap..i have been working out on a regular basis now and one of the problems that i have seen regarding my chest and it seems to be the same problem for a lot of people here is that the lower chest or lower pec is all soft and no defination at all. i have my pic posted here please help me as this is being a big concern for me.
i look forward to getting a reply and ur suggestion from you. please help

http://tinypic.com/view.php?pic=2w4hd20&s=6

thanking you in advance

toke

hi, i want to find out, which exercise is good to develop bigger trapezius muscles besides dumbbell or barbell shrugs

hey rusty, i realy need to know the fastest way to loose 20 pounds
im am 5'5 168 i am in shape fat guy i have good endurance and good strenghth but i have way to much fat as my girl friend saids
i have a belly and one love handle its weird but i do have a four pack when i suck my stomach in and it feels like i have very hard abs under neath my belly.
i dont work out as much as i should since i gradutaed hs
but i have an ab roller and the perfect push up and a gym membership thats 10 bucks a month that i never use i am going to start using it friday
i need to know what type of foods should i cut out my diet to increase my weight loss im trying to work for a 6 pack thats my ultimate goal
my food habbits
i dont eat candy or drink soda or sweets
i do eat alot of red meat and go out to eat a lot mostly
burgers bacon and pasta and fried foods and fish
i only drink water or sweet tea mostly water
i only do flat push ups and bench so i do have the boob look
and i am also looking to the v shaped torso
free weights and cardio is not a problem for me
basically im just asking what do you recomend a guy like me to start eating and what excercises should i do to loose this fat
thank you i really apreciate this and so will my girl friend

Try this… to work on your pecs and whole chest in one workout, go for a "superset", that is inclined fly's, say at set of 15 of low to moderate weight dumbbells immediately followed by a set of 10 dips. After a minute rest (I like to use the minute instead on a treadmill) Hit another set of 14 inclined fly's of the next size up dumbbell, followed by 10 dips. Then do the same with 13, 12, 11, and 10 reps of increasing weight always followed by the 10 dips (or however many you can do). Do this twice a week, and don't hurry by overtraining and you will see incredible DEFINITION in no time.

Hi Rusty,
I've been training my pecs for months but i haven't really notice any progress. i've excess fats at my lower chest which makes my chest looks kinda rounded. i don't have a "boob-like" chest but it is just not as squarish as i want it to be. can you please advise me on what exercises i should do to shape my chest? i heard that targetting the upper chest shapes the overall chest even though i've excess fats at my lower chest? thank you!

Hey Rusty or anyone who can help,

Hi I have been working out since I was a teen now in my early thirties one problem I have has besides having skinny legs which is more of a genetic thing (atleast they are muscular) is having slightly saggy nipples and the under area!! I do a combination of resistance training, cardio and strength. I have done the Gym & weights gig and I have done boxing and kungfu now I use a combination of them all including yoga.

Cyclings – 6 Kms warm up
Stretches – 15 minutes
Push ups – flat set 1 (80reps) set 2 (60reps) set 3 (40reps) set 4 (30 reps) – Inclined push ups – set 1 (50reps) set 2 (30reps) set 3 (20reps) – Declined push ups – set 1 (50reps) set 2 (30reps) set 3 (20reps).
Every aleternate day I will do dumbell flys following each push up set.

Of course this is followed by Biceps, back, abs one day
& Triceps, Shoulders & legs the other.

After which I run for 4 kms and then do 3 to 4 100 meter sprints.

15 miunutes of breathing and streching to cool down and then cycle back 6 kms.

the above is followed 4-5 days a week.

Nevertheless when my nipples are not "tight" or goose pimpled they look saggy from the under nipple area and lack defination in that area whereas the rest of the chest is well formed & balanced this particular area has been a B…T..ch please help this is really emabarrassing and I avoid swiming pools, beaches etx more often the less. Cheers H

hi rusty,
this is undoubtedly the best chest training article ive come across. i myself want a squarish well defined chest.ive stopped flat n decline bench press…can i continue doing dips?dnt they work on ur lower chest…i dnt want mass on my lower chest.
i also wanted to ask you about incline dumbell flyes…i do want a wide chest..but i always get the feeling tht flyes give the chest a roundish appearance…should i do flyes?
one last query…should i go heavy on the dmbell pull overs or light?

Hey Rusty,
I have been regurally working out for two years now and my chest has seemed to have got longer. I have heard there are excercises to lift your chest and make it more compact. Is this right?

hey rusty,
id really appreciate a reply…coz i wanna make sure im workin out the correct way. plz reply

This site has really been informative, I've been following it since I found it. Thanks for all the great info. I have a question though, if I previously overdeveloped the lower chest by working on the bench too much, is there a way I can still reduce the size? It's been stuck that way for awhile and I haven't been to the gym for a long time. They look like man boobs! I've been doing some TRX push-ups, but I'm not sure if it's effective enough to make my upper chest catch up.

hi rusty
i need a bit of help ive been looking everywhere on the net for home workout to build square pecs but i cant find. i need a workout program that i can follow and that focus's on all parts of the chest like upper, lower, inner, outer and all to build hard square pecs……i will really appreciate quick reply.
thx

Everytime I do Bench Press I never feel a burn in my chest during or after the work out. All I feel is my arms being worked. No it's not because I'm not working hard enough or not using high enough weights. I find it very frustrating not feeling any results and not seeing many results. Do have any tips for me?

I've got some FATTT on my chest. What chest exercise do you recommend for me?
currently, I first do warm-up, then flat bench press [upto 60-65 pounds]10-12 reps 5sets
then I do flat dumbell flies with 16 pounds dumbells
then, incline bench press [upto 50 pounds] 10-12 reps 5 sets
then, incline barbell press with 16-20 pounds
then, dumbell pullovers with 25 pounds dumbell

am I following the right exercise?
I'm 18 175 cms in height and weigh 70[just in case if tht would help]

also, one more question for you is..will going to gym and doing exercise stop me from growing?[height]

Rusty

I just found your page today and really liked all the great info you have posted here. I noticed you havent responded to anything since about March last year. I figured what the hell I would take a shot in the dark and ask any way. Back in Feb of 08 yu mention putting a workout routine together and selling the Ebook. Did you ever do that? I recently lost about 60 lbs and am trying to figure out what my work out plan should be at the gym. I have spent the last 10 years of my life eating everything that came within arms reach but now am working very hard to not look "my age". I dont know anyone at my gym and usualy dont talk to other people often. If you could tell me where your books are at that would be a great help.

Thanks