Ahh Mondays!
Monday's used to be the day I would work out legs, unfortunately a previous injury to my lower back has led to an injury in my right knee due to my hip alignment being off balance from the back injury. So, I've been taking a break from working out my legs in an attempt to heal up, I really should get an x-ray or MRI done to be sure nothing too serious has happened. Anyways, your legs are the largest muscle on your body and therefore will produce the most Testosterone and HGH (human growth hormone). It is important (in my opinion at least), to work out your legs using heavy weight and compound exercises like squats to maximize the release and benefit of Testosterone and HGH. This WAS what I was doing and I plan on continuing to workout my legs on Mondays but until they are fully healed Monday is my new chest day.
When working out my chest, I place an emphasis on working out the upper chest and defining the middle of my chest. That's just my personal preference though. In previous years, I preformed a lot more flat press and push up type exercises, so the bulk of chest was worked extensively.
NOTE: I am 5'7 and approx 150 lb
I always start with as many free-weight dumbbell exercises as possible, they are the best way to build muscle. Be sure to keep your arms in line with your chest and do not allow your shoulder to dip too far back when lowering the weight for the next repetition.
1) Incline dumbbell chest press 2) Flat dumbbell chest press
10 reps, 75 lb per hand 10 reps, 70 lb per hand
1 min rest 1 min rest
8 reps, 80 lb 8 reps, 75 lb
1 min rest 1 min rest
6 reps, 90 lb 6 reps, 80 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 55 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 45 lb
3) Incline seated dumbbell flys
NOTE: Form is key to this exercise, concentrate on using chest to bring your arms together, not the other way around
10 reps, 40 lb per hand
1 min rest
8 reps, 45 lb
1 min rest
6 reps, 45 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 30 lb
At this point I switch to 'hammer-press' machines and resistance cables. Hammer-press machines are plate loaded machines which you can only push in one defined direction. I dont feel like they are as effective as dumbbells for building muscle. However, if you preform the motion properly and squeeze/contract at the end of the repetition they are still effective.
4) Incline Hammer Chest Press
10 reps, 140 lb total
1 min rest
8 reps, 160 lb
1 min rest
6 reps, 190 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 140 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 90 lb
5) Decline Hammer Chest Press
10 reps, 140 lb total
1 min rest
8 reps, 190 lb
1 min rest
6 reps, 190 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 140 lb
No rest, drop set
6 reps, 90 lb
After dumbbells and Hammer-Press, I start using cables. Although cables are not as great for building huge amounts of muscle mass as dumbbells, they are great for defining and creating striations in the area you're working.
6) Standing cable flys
15 reps, 25 lb per hand
1 min rest
15 reps, 25 lb
1 min rest
10 reps, 30 lb
No rest, drop set
10 reps, 25 lb
7) 'Peck-Deck' Seated flys
10 reps, 135 lb total
1 min rest
10 reps, 135 total
1 min rest
10 reps, 135 total
My last chest exercise is basically 2 exercises back to back. I use the seated-cable fly machine, preform a set and then immediately preform standard push ups until failure. I then immediately do an other set of cable-flys and continue with push ups until 3-4 sets have been completed.
8) Fly/Push-up combo
10 reps, 50 lb total
No rest
10 push ups
No rest
10 reps, 45 lb
No rest
10 push ups
No rest
10 reps, 40 lb
No rest
10 push ups
This whole routine takes me approximately 1.5 hours. I have plans to start including dumbbell pullovers but am curious if it is going to expand my rib cage too far and lead to a less ascetically pleasing build. Chest exercises really tax the shoulders and somewhat the triceps so I never preform those types of exercises the day after a chest workout. That pretty much leaves me with working my back on tuesdays.
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