How to improve chest strength?

[Hardestworker2002]

Hi guys,

I have been going to the gym for about 4 years now. I’m improving in all my lifts, except for chest excercises.
I train for hypertophy, but at the moment I would also like to improve my chest strength. I’m questioning how I should do this in my routine. I train chest 2x a week, so should I focus one day on strength and one day on hypertrophy? Or both on strength? Or should I do for example only bench presses focused on strength, and other chest excercises on hypertophy?

I don’t want to give up progress towards creating a bigger chest.
Can you guys help me out here? Thx!

 

[BrotherIron]

What do you mean by chest strength? Are you referring to horizontal presses ie. bench? If you want to bench big then work your shoulders, triceps, and lats. These are your major movers for bench.

You want a bigger chest then put in your flyes (cables, DB, chain, etc), and other movements for direct pec activation. Flyes won't give you a bigger bench though.

 

[CJ]

What's your training routine look like? What's your progression model? How's your nutrition? Have any videos to share?

 

[BrotherIron]

I should also add if you want a bigger looking chest, the be sure to hit incline work ie. incline DB press, incline flyes, etc.

 

[silentlemon1011]

Hi guys,

I have been going to the gym for about 4 years now. I’m improving in all my lifts, except for chest excercises.
I train for hypertophy, but at the moment I would also like to improve my chest strength. I’m questioning how I should do this in my routine. I train chest 2x a week, so should I focus one day on strength and one day on hypertrophy? Or both on strength? Or should I do for example only bench presses focused on strength, and other chest excercises on hypertophy?

I don’t want to give up progress towards creating a bigger chest.
Can you guys help me out here? Thx!

@BrotherIron got it

Unless you literally just want a strong as fuck chest.

Then just bench once a week with your working sets iver 85% 1RM
Smash a few high intensity sets of incline on a Hammer Strength or cables afterwards to really fuck your day.
Add some flies for man titties

 

[RiR0]

I don’t understand how you can train for hypertrophy (size) without getting stronger.
You can’t.
DC training has been creating big strong guys for decades.
Jordan Peters who is insanely strong and still massive while down sizing, trained for size by getting stronger.
You want a big chest get as strong as possible in all your chest exercises.
If your incline bench goes from 200 for 6 reps to 350-400 for 6 reps I’ll guarantee you’ll habe a big fucking chest.
And at no point would you need to focus on size or strength.

 

[Hardestworker2002]

I don’t understand how you can train for hypertrophy (size) without getting stronger.
You can’t.
DC training has been creating big strong guys for decades.
Jordan Peters who is insanely strong and still massive while down sizing, trained for size by getting stronger.
You want a big chest get as strong as possible in all your chest exercises.
If your incline bench goes from 200 for 6 reps to 350-400 for 6 reps I’ll guarantee you’ll habe a big fucking chest.
And at no point would you need to focus on size or strength.

That makes sence, but what would you recommand in terms of reps and sets?

 

[Hardestworker2002]

What do you mean by chest strength? Are you referring to horizontal presses ie. bench? If you want to bench big then work your shoulders, triceps, and lats. These are your major movers for bench.

You want a bigger chest then put in your flyes (cables, DB, chain, etc), and other movements for direct pec activation. Flyes won't give you a bigger bench though.

Well I mean chest strength in all excercises, in general my chest seems weaker and I’m struggeling to improve this. I of course also work these other muscle groups that you mention.

But basically I want both, a strong big chest hahah

 

[Achillesking]

@BrotherIron got it

Unless you literally just want a strong as fuck chest.

Then just bench once a week with your working sets iver 85% 1RM
Smash a few high intensity sets of incline on a Hammer Strength or cables afterwards to really fuck your day.
Add some flies for man titties

I'm just gonna sit in the corner watch you big strong boys handle this one

 

[CJ]

Well I mean chest strength in all excercises, in general my chest seems weaker and I’m struggeling to improve this. I of course also work these other muscle groups that you mention.

But basically I want both, a strong big chest hahah

Do you FEEL your chest working when doing your lifts?

What lifts do you do?

 

[silentlemon1011]

I'm just gonna sit in the corner watch you big strong boys handle this one

GIVE ME YOUR PROGRAM

I love you

But it still irks me that you warm up with my 1RM
Im going to be creeping you like a stalker during my growth phase

Including 1G of Test and some tren too
with Halo

 

[Achillesking]

GIVE ME YOUR PROGRAM

I love you

But it still irks me that you warm up with my 1RM
Im going to be creeping you like a stalker during my growth phase

Including 1G of Test and some tren too
with Halo

I put @BigBaldBeardGuy pic on my mirror and after every work out I snatch it and crumble it w my hand

 

[Test_subject]

You make your chest stronger by lifting heavy weights using your chest muscles.

There’s no secret to it — just put in the work.

 

[RiR0]

That makes sence, but what would you recommand in terms of reps and sets?

Reps 6-12 maybe 15
Sets 1-2 hard failure sets per exercise

 

[Butch_C]

We all need to go to the @Achillesking school of benching. It is by far my worst lift. I am back to where I left off when my neck got screwed up. It has been a struggle for sure. I hope to hit 350 at some point but that's 85lbs from where I am at.

 

[silentlemon1011]

We all need to go to the @Achillesking school of benching. It is by far my worst lift. I am back to where I left off when my neck got screwed up. It has been a struggle for sure. I hope to hit 350 at some point but that's 85lbs from where I am at.

Thats like my squat lol
Ive only been seriously benching for about 1.5 years so im hoping a other geowth phase will put me there.

I punish my legs enough that i hear Tom Platz when im asleep

 

[Butch_C]

Squats are my best lift. My legs and back respond well. Deadlifts go up pretty good too. My shoulders delts mainly are terrible and so is my chest. Traps grow good.

 

[wotmeworry]

Hi guys,

I have been going to the gym for about 4 years now. I’m improving in all my lifts, except for chest excercises.
I train for hypertophy, but at the moment I would also like to improve my chest strength. I’m questioning how I should do this in my routine. I train chest 2x a week, so should I focus one day on strength and one day on hypertrophy? Or both on strength? Or should I do for example only bench presses focused on strength, and other chest excercises on hypertophy?

I don’t want to give up progress towards creating a bigger chest.
Can you guys help me out here? Thx!

If you are improving on all lifts except chest (assume bench, incline press), then you must be doing things well enough on other movements and have at least an ok diet. My guess (without your programme details) is too much volume and not enough intensity on your presses ... try fewer working sets (2-3 max) but push them harder (closer to failure).

You could try discontinuous sets on one of your chest days: I do the Fortitude Training version (6 sets of 4 reps with 10 second pause, set/adjust weight/reps on last set to fail only once). Push to add weight/delay your failure point each session.

 

[Uniquetime]

If you are improving on all lifts except chest (assume bench, incline press), then you must be doing things well enough on other movements and have at least an ok diet. My guess (without your programme details) is too much volume and not enough intensity on your presses ... try fewer working sets (2-3 max) but push them harder (closer to failure).

You could try discontinuous sets on one of your chest days: I do the Fortitude Training version (6 sets of 4 reps with 10 second pause, set/adjust weight/reps on last set to fail only once). Push to add weight/delay your failure point each session.

When you say 10 second pause is that between each set?

 

[RiR0]

When you say 10 second pause is that between each set?

You take a weight that you would fail at about 12 reps for and 6 sets of 4 with a 10 second test between each set.
On the 6th set you go to failure.
If you do more than 4 reps you up the weight next time