My flat bench is good, but my upper chest is lagging. I know this question probably doesn't have much appeal to the ladies, but I really need to make my already manly chest that much manlier. Can you give me some advice on how to build my upper man-boobs? Thanks. -- Ralph "I'm so big you'll ralph" Lerman
Sure, Alexei, I'll give you some advice. The first thing you have to do is change your chest routine. Based on the most common training mistakes, I'll assume that, like most macho men, you start each chest workout with flat bench. This is a mistake because it keeps your chest development one-dimensional and, well... flat.
Starting each workout with the same exercise is a good way to let your body adapt and encounter a serious training plateau. So, to immediately shock your chest, try starting your chest day with incline dumbbell flyes. "Flyes?" you may ask. "But Ian, flyes are a finishing exercise! Won't that decrease the weight I can flat bench later in the workout?"
Yes, my good friend, it will. But remember, the point is not to lift the heaviest weight with sloppy form. The goal is to stimulate new muscle growth. Variation is the key to this. Your chest is probably very bored with your current routine. Going from heavy flat bench to incline dumbbell flyes will help because the exercises are at opposite ends of the chest spectrum. So, you will immediately give your chest a shock that will help break the monotony and get you through the plateau.
Now that you have taken the initial step of switching it up, you must begin to incorporate more varied exercises into your routine. Start by doing heavy incline barbell presses, then you can move to incline dumbbell. Keep the emphasis on pushing on an incline plane. This way, you will always be hitting, at least in some part, your upper chest.
It's also important to keep muscular balance and symmetry, so make sure you incorporate a decline movement or two into your workout to ensure that your chest does not become too top-heavy. Try taking a month off from flat benching, and focus solely on upper and lower chest movements. I think with this split from your normal routine, you will see some good results fairly quickly. But remember, just because something works does not mean it will work forever, especially when it comes to building the human body. You must continually vary your routine to keep the gains coming.
I am going abroad soon, and I was wondering what I can do to keep the fitness gains that I have worked so hard for this semester. I don't know if there will be a gym in Italy, and I don't know how easy it will be for me to get the amount of regular exercise I have been getting here. --Schimmel, Mason St.
Going abroad can be tough on your fitness level, but it doesn't have to wreak havoc. Just follow a few simple guidelines, and you can minimize the damage.
First, keep your appetite under control. Foreign food may be mouthwatering, but it also may be fattier. Stick to a diet of four to six small meals evenly spaced throughout the day, as this will help keep your metabolism running. Keep the meals consisting of one part fat, three parts protein, and four parts carbs. This way, you will be able to avoid some of the weight gain that is associated with excessive amounts of refined carbs that European meals and desserts are famous for.
The lifestyle will be different across the ocean, so try things that you can incorporate into your daily routine. Try to commit to getting some form of vigorous exercise at least four times per week. This can consist of a run along the streets, perhaps a session of push-ups and sit-ups, or playing soccer for an hour. Just try not to forget that exercise is an important part of your daily life abroad. That said, enjoy yourself and remember to work up a sweat every once in a while.
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