5 Simple Rules For Awesome Chest Training
Summary
TLDRIn this video, Dr. Mike from Renaissance Periodization shares five essential rules for effective chest training. He emphasizes the importance of deep, controlled presses for building size, the value of deep stretches under load for muscle growth, the effectiveness of various pressing and flying exercises, the benefits of arching the back and retracting shoulder blades for a hypertrophic position, and the safety and effectiveness of controlling the eccentric phase and pausing presses. These tips aim to enhance training quality and safety, ensuring a more productive chest workout.
Takeaways
- 🏋️♂️ Big compound presses are essential for building a big chest, including incline, decline, and horizontal presses.
- 🤔 While flys are effective, they are not the primary exercise for chest growth; heavy compound movements should be prioritized.
- 💪 Stretching the chest deeply under load is critical for muscle growth, suggesting a rep range from 5 to 30 for a deep stretch.
- 🔄 Utilizing a cambered bar, deficit push-ups, or machines that allow for a deficit can enhance the stretch and stimulate growth.
- 🔄 Creating a deficit in your press can lead to significant muscle soreness and growth, but should be approached gradually.
- 📚 Both flat and incline pressing, along with their respective fly variations, are valid and effective for chest development.
- 🤸♂️ Arching the back and retracting the shoulder blades during presses can place the chest in a more hypertrophic position, potentially reducing shoulder injury risk.
- 🧘♂️ The practice of arching and retracting can enhance the mind-muscle connection and chest sensation for those who struggle to feel their pecs working.
- 🚫 Avoid lifting the buttocks off the bench during presses as it can lead to injury.
- 🕒 Controlling the eccentric phase and pausing at the bottom of the press can increase safety and effectiveness of the exercise.
- 🎯 Emphasizing quality over quantity in repetitions can lead to more effective and safer training sessions.
Q & A
What is the main focus of Dr. Mike's video?
-The main focus of Dr. Mike's video is the five rules of chest training, providing helpful hints for achieving chest success through various exercises and techniques.
According to Dr. Mike, what type of presses are most effective for building a big chest?
-Dr. Mike emphasizes that big, heavy compound presses, such as incline, horizontal, and decline presses, are the most effective for building a big chest.
Why does Dr. Mike suggest not relying solely on isolation exercises like cable crossovers for chest development?
-Dr. Mike suggests that isolation exercises like cable crossovers are not as effective for significant chest development as compound movements, which are more proven to contribute to bigger chest muscles.
What is the significance of deep stretches under load according to the second rule mentioned by Dr. Mike?
-Deep stretches under load are critical for muscle growth, as they provide a better stimulus for the muscle when it is loaded with a significant amount of resistance, which can be achieved through a range of repetitions from 5 to 30.
What is a cambered bar and how can it be used to create a deficit and stimulate muscle growth?
-A cambered bar is a type of barbell with a curved or 'wiggly' middle section that allows for pressing movements below the chest level, creating a deficit that can lead to significant muscle soreness and growth.
Why does Dr. Mike recommend varying the types of presses and flies for chest training?
-Dr. Mike recommends varying the types of presses and flies because all of them, including flat and incline presses and flies, are effective for chest development and can provide different stimuli to the muscle.
What technique do powerlifters use that Dr. Mike suggests can also promote hypertrophic muscle growth?
-Powerlifters use a technique of arching their backs and retracting their shoulder blades, which shortens the range of motion and places the chest in a pre-stretched position, promoting hypertrophic muscle growth.
How can retracting the shoulder blades and arching the back during chest presses improve muscle engagement and potentially reduce shoulder injury?
-Retracting the shoulder blades and arching the back during chest presses places the chest in a more advantageous position for muscle growth and can also reduce the likelihood of shoulder injury by keeping the scapula in a stable position.
What is the importance of controlling the eccentric phase and pausing during chest presses as mentioned by Dr. Mike?
-Controlling the eccentric phase and pausing during chest presses increases safety by preventing the weight from falling too quickly and allows for more time in the stretched position, enhancing the effectiveness of each repetition.
What additional benefits does Dr. Mike mention about the technique of arching and retracting during chest presses?
-Besides promoting muscle growth, Dr. Mike mentions that arching and retracting during chest presses can help individuals who have trouble feeling their chest muscles, leading to better mind-muscle connection, pumps, and soreness.
What does Dr. Mike suggest for those interested in more detailed and technical sport science content?
-Dr. Mike suggests joining their members' community for more in-depth and technical sport science content, which includes video analysis, technique reviews, and physique assessments.
Outlines
🏋️♂️ Five Rules of Chest Training
Dr. Mike introduces five key rules for effective chest training. Rule one emphasizes the importance of deep, controlled presses, including incline, horizontal, and decline variations, as a fundamental exercise for building a big chest. He also mentions that while flies are effective, they are not as crucial for chest growth as heavy compound presses. Rule two discusses the benefits of deep muscle stretches under load, suggesting a range of 5 to 30 repetitions to stimulate growth effectively. He recommends methods to create a 'deficit' during exercises, such as using a cambered bar or performing deficit push-ups. Rule three highlights that both flat and incline pressing, along with their respective fly variations, are valid and effective for chest development, dispelling myths about the superiority of one over the other. Dr. Mike encourages a balanced approach to chest exercises without bias towards a specific type.
🤸♂️ Advanced Techniques for Hypertrophic Growth
The fourth rule focuses on mimicking powerlifters' techniques to achieve a more hypertrophic range of motion. This involves arching the back and retracting the shoulder blades during presses, which places the chest in a pre-stretched position, potentially reducing the risk of shoulder injuries. The final rule advises controlling the eccentric phase of the press and incorporating a pause at the bottom of the movement, especially when performing deficit exercises. This approach not only enhances safety but also increases the effectiveness of each repetition. Dr. Mike humorously suggests that incorporating fun elements into workouts could enhance the experience. He invites viewers to subscribe and join the community for more in-depth content on sports science and offers membership options for additional programming and support.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Periodization
💡Chest Training
💡Compound Presses
💡Cable Crossover
💡Deficit Push-ups
💡Cambered Bar
💡Hypertrophic
💡Shoulder Blades Retraction
💡Eccentric Control
💡Muscle Soreness
💡Sticking the Chest Up
Highlights
Dr. Mike introduces five rules for effective chest training.
Rule one emphasizes the importance of deep controlled presses for chest development.
Dr. Mike suggests that big compound presses are key to building a big chest.
Rule two discusses the benefits of deep stretches under load for muscle growth.
Creating a deficit in pressing exercises can provide a significant growth stimulus.
Recommendations for equipment to facilitate a chest deficit, such as a cambered bar.
Rule three clarifies that both flat and incline pressing are effective for chest training.
Dr. Mike dispels myths about the necessity of incline over flat pressing.
Rule four highlights the benefits of arching the back and retracting shoulder blades for a hypertrophic position.
Arching and retracting can potentially reduce the risk of shoulder injury.
Rule five advises controlling the eccentric phase and pausing during presses for increased safety and effectiveness.
Controlling the eccentric phase can enhance the quality and safety of repetitions.
Dr. Mike encourages trying these methods for better chest muscle connection and growth.
Invitation to subscribe for more in-depth videos on technical sport science.
Details about joining the members' community for a monthly fee.
Mention of the team forum for additional programming and personalized feedback.
Dr. Mike offers a humorous suggestion to make gym workouts more fun with clowns and kazoos.
Transcripts
hey folks Dr Mike here for Renaissance
periodization and today's video is the
five rules of chest training
yes they're rules but they're not hard
rules think of it more as helpful hints
for your chest success and it sort of
Rhymes all right rule number one is in
my opinion nothing beats deep controlled
presses be the incline be the horizontal
be they decline big presses make big
chests
I'm sticking to that flies are cool too
and they're super effective I just want
you to know that you're not going to
cable crossover with pinkies out
yourself towards enormous pecs it's not
one of these things like for biceps or
isolation exercises seem to be the bee's
knees big heavy compound presses are
really in almost certain ticket to a big
chest so don't ever forget that it was
good for Graham Greg great grandfather
it was good for Grandpa dad did it your
little brother's doing it already your
older brother has a kid and he's doing
it already don't fall behind
number two rule
like most muscles seemingly if not all
they get a better growth stimulus if
they're stretched deeply while they are
loaded with a huge amount of resistance
anything between sets of five to sets of
30 repetitions that deep stretch is
critical under load so if you can
generate a deficit
in which you can press quote unquote
below your packs you are going to get a
huge stimulus ease into this don't do a
ton of sets at first because it will
absolutely fuck you up in the best
possible way with the lay down set
muscle soreness and growth of course
what does that mean consider getting a
cambered bar
which has a little doohickey Wiggly
thing in the middle you can press below
your chest deficit push-ups are super
easy for anybody to do put two plates go
between them machines that are well made
and can do a deficit and of course
dumbbell presses of incline and flat can
both be done outside of your body to hit
a deficit
any way to create a deficit is going to
pay off it's a huge addition if you've
never done it prepare to be like holy
fucking shit
what the hell am I doing to my body good
things you are doing to your body
rule number three flat pressing
and incline pressing
flat flies and inclined flies are all
correct answers and I just don't
understand why the internet is full of
people being like you need to do incline
for better chest don't do flat you need
to do flat press syncline presses don't
actually work which I never thought
somebody would say but then Doug
bergnoli says inclines don't actually
train your chest
if I had hair I would be doing this with
it
pretend I have huge horse-like Mane sexy
locks I pretend this daily
it's all right answers folks press press
press away fly away decline flat incline
it's all good don't get caught up in the
weeds just do good pressing and flying
work if it gives your chest a big pump
if it makes your chest sore it's the
right answer
number four this is a big one try to do
what power lifters do now they do it in
order to shorten the range of motion but
they end up getting themselves under the
most hypertrophic muscle growth
promoting range of motion by doing this
they do two things
instead of lying flat backed on whatever
bench they're doing whether it's a
machine press whether it's dumbbell
presses or whether it is a flat press
instead of laying flat they arch their
backs not a ton some of them do just a
little bit arch your back a little think
of it more as sticking your chest up and
then take your shoulder blades and slide
them back and under yourself
now when you press as you press you're
going to lift your chest up to the bar
or to the dumbbells and through the sky
pause and then come back up
slow and controlled big chest all the
way deep keep your shoulder blades back
keep that back arched or in other words
push your chest up don't ever lift your
butt off of the bench that's really bad
can get you hurt but if you Arch and
retract you are putting your chest at a
pre-stretched
Advantage for muscle growth they're
basically in a more hypertrophic
position to begin with which is awesome
a bonus point is that in my view the
probability of shoulder injury is lower
when your scaps are tacked back this way
so you're winning on two grounds
potentially
not mandatory but give it a try some
people who have trouble feeling their
chest mind muscle connection trouble
with pumps and soreness and fatigue they
do the Arsenal retract and they're like
holy shit finally I can feel my pecs
lastly control The Eccentric and pause
your presses especially if you're doing
deficits it keeps you safer and it gives
you more time in that nasty stretch
position so instead of mentioning like
this
come down under control couple seconds
pause these barbell be a dumbbells be
whatever pause for one or two seconds
and then press back up control
stretch pause and go that will keep the
weight on the bar the same reduce the
total number of repetitions because each
rep is harder but increase the quality
and safety of the repetitions beyond
what they normally would have been
you're now doing the same amount of
actual effort but your effort is more
effective and safer I can't think of a
better way to get good training than
have it be more effective and safer if
only more clowns were involved and made
it fun like every time you do a bench
rep and lock it out the Clown's got the
kazoo thing or whatever it's like
that'd be great gyms work on that and
while you work on that like subscribe
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no matter what you put anyway see you
guys next time
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