| No matter how good your arms may look, an | | | | stimulate muscle growth, I've found that 70-85 |
| essential element to having a balanced and | | | | percent of my "one-rep" maximum with proper |
| impressive upper body is a broad, densely | | | | technique is best for these purposes. In other |
| muscled chest. In this article, I'll give you the | | | | words, if your one-rep maximum for dumbbell |
| basics of how to get pectoral development that's | | | | bench press is 100 pounds (i.e., two 50 pound |
| sure to give you the strength and look that you | | | | dumbbells), you should initially complete your work |
| desire! | | | | sets with dumbbells ranging from about 35 to 45 |
| Warming Up | | | | pounds. |
| One of the most important elements of any | | | | During the mass building phase of your chest |
| weight lifting activity is preparing your body for | | | | workouts, the "pyramid principle" requires you to |
| the work ahead. Before starting your chest | | | | progressively increase the amount of weight lifted |
| workouts you must make sure that you warm | | | | during your work sets. As you increase the |
| up properly. Given the risk of injury, this portion | | | | amount of weight, you decrease the number of |
| of your chest training is absolutely essential. I | | | | repetitions performed in each set. A sample |
| recommend that you warm up with 1 or 2 sets | | | | pyramid set for doing dumbbell bench press with |
| of 12-15 pushups prior your chest training | | | | a one-rep maximum of 100 pounds would be the |
| sessions. | | | | following: |
| Even if you're starting your chest training after | | | | Set #1 - 10 reps x 30-35 pound dumbbells; |
| you've trained other body parts, don't be fooled | | | | Set #2 - 8 reps x 35-40 pound dumbbells; |
| into thinking that you're already "warmed up" and | | | | Set #3 - 6 reps x 40-45 pound dumbbells; |
| that your pecs are ready for an intense workout. | | | | 1-rep maximum - 50 pound dumbbells. |
| Remember, a few minutes devoted to warming | | | | If you can't work with 70-85 percent of your |
| up is time well spent as this preliminary exercise | | | | one-rep maximum at the beginning of your chest |
| can prevent muscle pain or serious injury. | | | | building program, don't worry about it. Just find an |
| The Pyramid Principle | | | | amount of weight that challenges you to |
| When you begin training your chest, you'll need to | | | | complete 10, 8 and 6 repetitions and gradually |
| discover how much weight you must lift to | | | | increase the resistance from that point. You don't |
| stimulate maximum growth. The absolute amount | | | | need to try a one-rep maximum lift in every |
| of weight will vary with each exercise according | | | | workout, but this "power-check" allows you to |
| to your strength and endurance levels. Having said | | | | monitor your strength increases and ensure that |
| this, there are certain chest exercises that you | | | | you're using enough weight during your work sets. |
| shouldn't perform with heavy weight. These | | | | When your one-rep maximum increases or you |
| exercises include dumbbell and cable cross over | | | | find that you can do more than 10, 8 or 6 reps |
| flys which put intensely isolated resistance on the | | | | as you pyramid through your work sets, then it's |
| "pec-delt tie-ins" located at the intersection of | | | | time to increase the amount of weight for each |
| your chest and shoulders. | | | | of these sets to continue stimulating muscle |
| To build pectoral mass you should instead do flat | | | | growth. The pyramid principle is simple and |
| bench and incline dumbbell presses, parallel bar dips | | | | essential to building a big, muscular chest. You |
| and weighted pushups. As a guideline to the | | | | should apply it throughout the mass building phase |
| relative amount of weight that you should use to | | | | of your chest training efforts. |