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00:00Does your chest refuse to grow no matter how many exercises you try?
00:04Trust me, I've been there.
00:06I tried every big chested fitness influencers workout,
00:09yet my chest stayed flat and underdeveloped.
00:12And it was embarrassing.
00:13I've hated taking my shirt off because I didn't want anyone to notice it.
00:17But over the last year, that changed.
00:20My chest has grown faster than ever.
00:22I've even gotten a stretch mark from the growth.
00:24And all it took was focusing on two key exercises that actually fit my genetic structure.
00:31Do these properly and I guarantee you'll start experiencing the same chest growth I did in no time.
00:38So, what were they?
00:39Well, it wasn't the barbell bench press and here's why.
00:42Multiple studies show a strong correlation between bench press strength and chest growth.
00:47So on average, a bigger bench does in fact lead to a bigger chest.
00:51But even after increasing my bench press from 25 pounds on each side to two plates a side,
00:57other muscles grew, but my chest stayed flat.
01:01Why?
01:01Well, studies report averages.
01:03While they provide insight into what works for most people, there's always outliers.
01:07And I soon realized I was one of them.
01:10My genetic structure just meant the bench press wasn't the best option for growing my chest.
01:14As for why, part of this has to do with the fact that the barbell locks your arms into a
01:19fixed position.
01:19So no matter what I tried with my form, I can never really get my chest to properly activate based
01:25on how my bones are structured.
01:27So what did I do instead?
01:28Two things.
01:29First, I switched from a barbell to dumbbells.
01:31This gave me the freedom to adjust my arm position as I pressed, which allowed me to better activate my
01:37chest.
01:38And second, I changed the bench angle.
01:40In a study done back in 2020, researchers split participants into three groups.
01:45One group only did incline bench press.
01:48Another did only flat bench.
01:50And the last group split their volume into both flat and incline.
01:54After eight weeks, the incline group saw the same mid-chest growth as the other groups, but with significantly more
02:01upper chest development.
02:02But here's the catch.
02:03Incline doesn't mean the same thing for everyone.
02:06And this is where understanding your genetic structure becomes really important.
02:10If you have what's known as a steep sternum angle, then a flat bench isn't really a flat press.
02:16It acts more like a decline press because your chest fibers are angled downwards.
02:20In this case, you'd have to use a relatively high incline of about 30 to 45 degrees to actually start
02:27hitting the upper chest.
02:28But if you've got a flat sternum angle, like me, then a flat bench is flat, and it only takes
02:34a very slight incline to unlock the upper chest.
02:37Anything higher, and you'll feel it mostly in your shoulders, which is exactly what happened to me.
02:42So from my body type, setting the incline just one or two notches up from the bottom was a sweet
02:47spot to maximizing my chest activation.
02:50And to find out when your sternum angle is, lay down on a flat bench and place your phone between
02:55your pecs, right on top of your sternum.
02:57If your phone angles down, you have a steeper sternum angle, whereas if your phone sits more horizontally, you have
03:04a flatter sternum angle like me.
03:06I want to know what sternum angle you had though, so do this test and then comment down below which
03:10one you've been blessed with.
03:12Unfortunately though, even after I figured out my sternum angle, and I applied this exercise swap, and I worked my
03:17way up to pressing 95 pound dumbbells, my chest still wasn't growing as much as I hoped.
03:23And it was frustrating.
03:24At this point, I honestly thought my Filipino genetics cursed me with a flat chest forever.
03:29Until I realized there was one more key factor I was neglecting.
03:33Take a look at Ronnie Coleman's pressing form.
03:36Watch his upper arms.
03:37Notice how they go well below 90 degrees at the bottom of each rep, and how he doesn't fully lock
03:42out his arms at the top.
03:43What's fascinating is that bodybuilders like Ronnie learn just through trial and error that this form grew their chest the
03:50best.
03:50But now, there's research to back it up.
03:53While studies on the chest are still needed, every single study done on the biceps, quads, and calves have shown
03:59that performing half reps in the deep stretch position results in significantly more growth compared to half reps at the
04:06top.
04:06So, even though I was lifting heavy, I was doing the complete opposite of what's actually best for growth.
04:12And as much as I hurt my ego, I decided to let go of the big 95s and grab the
04:16smaller 65s instead.
04:18And yes, it stung a little, but remember, it's not the size that matters, it's how you use it.
04:23And that couldn't be more true here.
04:24Focusing on that deep stretch and constant tension with the 65s did way more for my chest than eagle lifting
04:31those 95s ever did.
04:32But, to continue forcing growth, once I nailed down my form and could really feel my chest working, I slowly
04:39started progressing in weight again.
04:40But here's the thing, it's taken me a full year to work my way back up to the 80s with
04:46this new form.
04:47So focus on getting stronger, but don't rush it and sacrifice your form in the process.
04:51Now, as for how to implement this exercise into your weekly routine, I've tried to make this as easy as
04:57possible for you by creating a free 6-week chest workout plan that implements the 2 chest exercises into a
05:03full workout plan you can start using right away.
05:06I'll explain how you can access that later, but for now, since the first exercise focused primarily on the mid
05:11and upper chest, I now needed a second exercise to really target the mid and lower chest, especially the outer
05:18portion.
05:18And for years, I relied on the pec deck machine, but while it's great for isolating the chest, here's the
05:25issue.
05:25It's hardest at the end of the movement during the squeeze, but the latest research suggests that exercises challenging your
05:32muscles in the stretched position tends to deliver more growth, especially in the distal parts of the muscle, which in
05:38this case would be the outer chest.
05:39However, unlike other muscle groups like the biceps, this hasn't been directly tested on the chest, which is why I
05:46recently launched a study using custom machines and MRI technology to see if this approach truly works for the chest,
05:53shoulders, and glutes.
05:54I'll update you guys on the results, but for now, let's talk about what worked for me.
05:58Instead of the pec deck, I grabbed an incline bench, set it one notch below the very highest incline, and
06:04put it smack in the middle of a cable machine to create my own seated cable fly.
06:08The beauty about this exercise is that if you execute it properly, it not only challenges your chest in the
06:14deep stretch, but it also maintains tension throughout the full range, even at the end during the squeeze, something that
06:20pressing exercises don't fully provide.
06:23But remember, just swapping the exercise isn't enough.
06:26There's three tweaks I made to get the most growth out of it.
06:30First, I placed a half foam roller behind my back.
06:33This helps open up the chest to unlock that deep stretch we've been talking about.
06:37It might feel a bit weirder at first, but believe me, it's game-changing once you get it right.
06:42Now, if you don't have a half foam roller, a regular one will work perfectly fine too.
06:46Just slide it in and let it open you right up.
06:48Trust me, it feels even better than it sounds.
06:52Second tweak, I adjusted the cable setup.
06:54So I set the cables at shoulder height and scooted my butt forward on the bench.
06:59This aligned the tension directly with my mid and lower chest.
07:02But to actually keep that tension on my chest throughout the movement, I avoided letting my forearms drift out of
07:08line with the cable,
07:09and instead focused on keeping them directly in line.
07:12Lastly, I had to stop my shoulders from taking over.
07:15Since my chest was so weak, I had the tendency to roll my stronger shoulders forward and let my chest
07:21cave in,
07:22especially as the reps got really hard.
07:24But the way I prevented this was actually quite simple.
07:26I imagined a string attached to my sternum, holding my chest up during the entire movement,
07:32as I simply focused on squeezing my biceps into the sides of my chest.
07:36Then, once the reps got really tough, as soon as I felt my shoulders creeping forward,
07:41I knew my chest hit failure and I was just cheating my way to more reps.
07:45So, I'd end the set there.
07:46Now, speaking of failure, what if your gym's packed and the pec deck is the only chest fly available?
07:52No problem.
07:52There's actually a way to make it more effective.
07:54Here's how.
07:55First, do as many full reps as you can to focus on the squeeze.
07:59But after you hit failure, shift your attention to the stretch by cranking out as many half reps as possible
08:05in that stretch position.
08:07This way, you still get the benefit of the squeeze without sacrificing that crucial stretch.
08:12But some of you might be wondering, can you really build your entire chest with just these two exercises?
08:17Well, I've recently decided to push my chest training to the next level
08:21by experimenting with a much higher volume approach based on some new research.
08:25My goal is to turn my chest into a strong point by next year, and I'm tracking every step to
08:30find what works best.
08:31And I'll be sharing these updates on my channel, so if you want to stay ahead with the latest strategies,
08:35just keep an eye out.
08:36But the short answer is yes.
08:38If you're executing these two exercises with the right forearm, but also doing enough volume and properly progressing them,
08:45you can definitely see incredible chest grow.
08:48Which is why I built two resources to help you out.
08:50First, I've created a free six-week chest workout plan focused on getting the most out of these two exercises.
08:57And you can download it over at builtwithscience.com slash chest workout.
09:02And I'll also leave a link in the description box down below.
09:04And second, for a more personalized approach that provides all the detailed guidance you need for all your workouts,
09:10like how to set up the right angles, make form adjustments based on your body structure,
09:15and ensure that you're actually progressing every single week,
09:18you can head to builtwithscience.com and take our quick quiz to find which of my online programs is best
09:23suited for you and your body.
09:24Now, the best thing to pair with a big chest are wide shoulders to match.
09:28So give this video a watch next for my go-to shoulder workout that blew my shoulders up.
09:33Thanks for watching.
09:34Don't forget to like it, subscribe, and I'll see you next time.
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