about full range of motion and whilst
this can be a good thing, think about
what you are trying to achieve
here- targeting the chest. A more
efficient way of thinking is, effective
range of motion. Once your upper
arm is pretty much parallel with
your body, try not to take your
elbow any lower. Taking it lower
(or further back than the body),
may stretch the chest a little more
but there are two points to consider
here:
• If a greater stretch is used, the
initial muscle used to get your arm
moving will be your front deltoid.
• Most chest movements performed
are on a bench of some sort. If you
overstretch on a bench, this will
result in unnecessary stress to the
delicate shoulder girdle.
Here’s an example of a
chest session;
EXERCISE 1:
BENT OVER CABLE PRESS
Use this movement first to minimise
the stress placed on the joints.
Warm the chest up fully, plus
pre-exhaust to ensure all later
exercises will stress the target
muscle.
Perform 30 reps per set, keeping
the information provided in mind at
all times.
After a brief rest increase the
weight and perform another set of
30. Continue the process until you
can’t complete the target number
of reps, at which point perform a
double drop set (decrease the
weight twice), and continue to
failure on each drop of the weight.
The first 2-3 sets may be
relatively easy, but then you
should expect sets 4-5 to be
pretty damn hard! mindset. Start relatively light as
a rehearsal (warm-up movement),
for the heavy work to come.
At your working weight, lower the
bar slowly in around 3 seconds until
the upper arm makes contact with
the floor. Hold on the floor for a
2 second count and then explode
up, being careful not to ‘snap’ at the
elbow when in nearing completion
of the rep.
This time aim for around 8 reps
per set, if you are getting more - the
weight is too light so increase it
ready for the next one.
The aim is to perform 3-4 heavy
sets once the reps drop below 6.
Finish with yet another drop set of
continual reps (no pause at the
bottom).
EXERCISE 2:
SMITH MACHINE
FLOOR PRESS EXERCISES 3 & 4:
SEATED CHEST PRESS,
SUPER-SET WITH DECLINE
DUMBBELL FLYES.
Now you are warmed up and
pre-exhausted, you can get explo-
sive. Even though you are warm,
this is a different movement and
So far, we have pre-exhausted with
the cables and worked the fast
twitch fibres and the nervous
system with the floor press. Now
our aim is to fill the pecs with as
much blood as we can and take the
muscle to complete exhaustion.
Build up to your working weight
and if you have a training partner,
ask them to assist you in performing
forced negatives on the chest press
for around 5 reps, and then rep out
to failure on your own.
Proceed to a decline fly with a
moderate weight for rhythmical,
APRIL 2018 | FLEX
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