# FITNESS and NUTRITION FORUM > WORKOUT AND TRAINING >  what is the best exercise to put mass on upper chest?

## bass

i can't hit the upper area of my chest, i feel sore allover except that area, so i am assuming i am not doing the proper exercise or not having a proper form. i do incline bench with smith machine due to shoulder pain, flat bench on smith machine and finally cross cable flies. see circled area on photo,

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## bigjoe30

> i can't hit the upper area of my chest, i feel sore allover except that area, so i am assuming i am not doing the proper exercise or not having a proper form. i do incline bench with smith machine due to shoulder pain, flat bench on smith machine and finally cross cable flies. see circled area on photo,


bass, iv always had shoulder problems i do incline db flys and press just dont go heavy nice and slow and squeeze at the top, the other day when i did chest i was holding for a few sec at the bottom and that felt real good on the chest( but maybe thats y my elbows r ex sore LOL) i always change the angle to if you go 2 high it will work 2 much of the shoulder.
good luck

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## bass

thanks bro...

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## bass

BTW, is incline DB flys the only exercise for upper chest? also wanted to clarify my original question. i want to target the upper center of my chest not just the outer.

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## illwillogical

Sad to say, but your chest shape has a lot to do with genetics :Frown:

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## Mr.Rose

^^

Its genetics.

People believe that the upper and lower chest are different muscle, if you anything about anatomy you would know how high the clavicular head actually is. its not the upper portion of your pecs.Here, I'll attach a picture.

Does NOT matter which chest exercise you do you will target BOTH your sternal and clavicular heads. They both attach at the same point of origin

If you have not developed it yet then you never will.

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## Mr.Rose

So an you see your upper chest isnt the portion above your nipple, that WHOLE section is your sternal pecs, NOT upper.

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## jjfman

Alright mate late last year I recovered from a rugby injury that left me off the field and outta the gym for 8 months, the ligaments and smaller muscles around my scapula (shoulder blade) had become damaged and my shoulder became unaligned and lower than my other. This year I've been able to start training properly again and I love DB incline on a low incline though it takes alot of the shoulder out of the movement it's still used but less. And withthe other exercises in my chest routine my chest is now fuller and stronger than before alot of people have said that to me aswell. If your interested I'll post my chest workout.

Sorry forthe life story just thought it was relevant lol

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## Mr.Rose

^^

you do realize the greater the incline the greater the deltoids involvement? where a 0 incline has the least deltoids involvement, aka flat bench.

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## jjfman

If you read that again you'll find I clearly said I use a low incline to take alot of the shoulder out of the movement. 
Please read properly

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## Mr.Rose

haha, my apologies. I thought you meant on an incline it uses less shoulders. But dont think i was trying to pick you out or anything, was just making an observation, and my new observation is that i cannot observe for crap. 

 :Smilie:

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## jjfman

Haha now that's a good observation, no worries mate

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## 6ft5

Get off the smith and do incline bar bell presses. Go lighter the use sith for last set or two, or every other. And try cable bottom to top flys. I have found that pec deck or seated cable fly can work the center chest I find that isolating the chest by doing seated exesices helps a lot. Good luck.

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## bass

thanks for all the info guys. i don't believe its genetics with me, because my dad, brothers and all my sons have a full chest, I’ve been trading only a little over a year and due to shoulder pain I started only 5 months ago or so doing cable inclines. so maybe i need time, but yea i like to know what other exercises i can do and you have answered few already.

JJFMAN, yeas please post your routine. thanks.

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## M302_Imola

I have shoulder issue too but db incline doesn't effect it. I have issues doing incline or flat db flys so I choose to do incline cable fly's sometimes and these seem to hit the upper chest nicely and don't hurt my shoulder. You just need to find what works for you...experiment w/ different exercises.

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## baynethebluepit

The only thing I can think of has been said, and I agree. Rope flys at a standing position a little forward and starting at just below the waist, palms up, and pushing up to your forhead keeping your arms straight at the elbow. I guess that's my crazy way of explaining a lower fly but it's low weight and shouldn't hurt your shoulder, and don't be affraid of high reps and diet obveously, good luck.

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## bigjoe30

> The only thing I can think of has been said, and I agree. Rope flys at a standing position a little forward and starting at just below the waist, palms up, and pushing up to your forhead keeping your arms straight at the elbow. I guess that's my crazy way of explaining a lower fly but it's low weight and shouldn't hurt your shoulder, and don't be affraid of high reps and diet obveously, good luck.


doesn't this hit the bottom of the chest more?

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## LatissimusaurousRex

START your chest workout with Incline Press, don't use the smith machine.

Y-Flies are really good for upper chest

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## bass

thanks again guys, unfortunately bench press hurt my shoulders and i have to use Smith machine. what's wrong with using smith machine? it seems that its not favorite by many, i like to know why because i get amazingly sore 2-3 days after workout!

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## JasonT

> thanks again guys, unfortunately bench press hurt my shoulders and i have to use Smith machine. what's wrong with using smith machine? it seems that its not favorite by many, i like to know why because i get amazingly sore 2-3 days after workout!


When you bench, do you flare your elbows? If so, that's why you have pain. A lot of people confuse shoulder pain with improper technique. Your elbows should be at a 45 degree angle (if looking from a bird's eye view) from your body.


For example, put your elbows at 90 degrees and try and bring your hands back (as if you are benching). You will find that it is difficult to make your hands reach the chest line (your rear delts will feel like they are "blocking" you from going back any further). Now imagine throwing 2 or 3 hundred pounds of pressure on your shoulder joint in that compressed position.

Now try this, bring your hands to your upper abdomen/lower chest line. This will automatically put your elbows at the 45 degree position. You will find that you can go back further and the strain is off your rotator cuff. 


At first you won't feel comfortable bringing the bar to your upper abdomen, but once you get used to it, you will be emphasizing the chest more and your shoulder issues will go away.



As for upper chest, the best exercise is reversed grip incline bench press. This will target the upper chest more than any other exercise.

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## jjfman

Ok bass here's my routine

3 sets flat barbell bench press 10,8,6
3 sets DB low incline press 8,6,6
2-3 sets cable fly 8,8,6 (holding at peak of contraction for a second or so)
3 sets weighted dips (find a rep range that is good for you)

every 4-6 weeks I swap BB for DB and cable for pec dec machine or cable

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## Isquat565

If you are like me, tall (6'2) long arms and couldn't hit ur chest with a shotgun, I guarantee this will work try it you will thank me, now then 

Floor press arcing motion(so ur arms don't drop below parallel ) 2sets 7-10 reps
Incline press arcing motion 2sets 7-10 reps
Cable crossovers, in an upward motion (pulleys on the bottom of the multi station) 2sets 7-10 reps
Reverse grip military presses on a smith machine2 sets 7-10 reps
Super set these exercises*

Do this for three weeks and on week 4 switch out floor press for smith machine neck press
incline barbell for dumbbells
leave the cables as they are just increase reps to 12

Now about that arcing motion, start over your chest like normal, but as you press up arc so that the bar is over ur eyes at lockout.

If you are juicing add 3 sets for each exercise to make a total of 5 sets/exercise, also do this on monday when you are fresh and train flat bench and decline on wednesday like normal. This routine helped me tremendously, enjoy.

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## bass

> When you bench, do you flare your elbows? If so, that's why you have pain. A lot of people confuse shoulder pain with improper technique. Your elbows should be at a 45 degree angle (if looking from a bird's eye view) from your body.
> 
> 
> For example, put your elbows at 90 degrees and try and bring your hands back (as if you are benching). You will find that it is difficult to make your hands reach the chest line (your rear delts will feel like they are "blocking" you from going back any further). Now imagine throwing 2 or 3 hundred pounds of pressure on your shoulder joint in that compressed position.
> 
> Now try this, bring your hands to your upper abdomen/lower chest line. This will automatically put your elbows at the 45 degree position. You will find that you can go back further and the strain is off your rotator cuff. 
> 
> 
> At first you won't feel comfortable bringing the bar to your upper abdomen, but once you get used to it, you will be emphasizing the chest more and your shoulder issues will go away.
> ...


Thanks. reversed grip incline bench press! i just went on youtube and watched a video, it looks uncomfortable and dangerous, i am assuming you can't do heavy weights on this exercise. Also not sure if I understand you correctly, from all the pros Ive watched on youtube all recommend the bar to go down just above the nipples. Are you saying to bring the bar bellow the nipples?

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## bass

> Ok bass here's my routine
> 
> 3 sets flat barbell bench press 10,8,6
> 3 sets DB low incline press 8,6,6
> 2-3 sets cable fly 8,8,6 (holding at peak of contraction for a second or so)
> 3 sets weighted dips (find a rep range that is good for you)
> 
> every 4-6 weeks I swap BB for DB and cable for pec dec machine or cable


Thanks...

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## bass

> If you are like me, tall (6'2) long arms and couldn't hit ur chest with a shotgun, I guarantee this will work try it you will thank me, now then 
> 
> Floor press arcing motion(so ur arms don't drop below parallel ) 2sets 7-10 reps
> Incline press arcing motion 2sets 7-10 reps
> Cable crossovers, in an upward motion (pulleys on the bottom of the multi station) 2sets 7-10 reps
> Reverse grip military presses on a smith machine2 sets 7-10 reps
> Super set these exercises*
> 
> Do this for three weeks and on week 4 switch out floor press for smith machine neck press
> ...


this will be a nice routine switch, thanks.

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## bigjoe30

i wouldnt go anywhere near dips with a shoulder problem i realized over the years that is what always put me out of the game for months . i havent done dips in over 2 years now. and that is the last shoulder problem i had, which made me stop lifting for almost a year.

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## JasonT

> Thanks. reversed grip incline bench press! i just went on youtube and watched a video, it looks uncomfortable and dangerous, i am assuming you can't do heavy weights on this exercise. Also not sure if I understand you correctly, from all the pros Ive watched on youtube all recommend the bar to go down just above the nipples. Are you saying to bring the bar bellow the nipples?


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dh3t6T-nqP0

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## bass

> i wouldnt go anywhere near dips with a shoulder problem i realized over the years that is what always put me out of the game for months . i havent done dips in over 2 years now. and that is the last shoulder problem i had, which made me stop lifting for almost a year.


You are right, i can't do it either.

and thanks Jason for the video...

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## DarnGoodLookin

Im trying something new, I just started today. I use a light incline and grab two db's and instead of incline pressing them like normal. I keep the db's together and press them sorta like doing a close grip pushups. I used the 60's today for 10'ish reps, just to get a feel for it. It felt good and I got a decent pump. I will see if this brings my upper chest out and I'll let you know.

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## FireGuy

Full range of motion incline (30-40 degree) DB presses. That exercise has accounted for over 50% of my chest work since the first day I walked into a gym.

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## lovbyts

I have torn/injured rotator cuff that use to KILL me on incline bench. I hurt it skiing (fell HARD 2x) and then years alter doing flat dumbbell bench.

It hurt for almost a year and I just worked through most of it but lately I have been doing a LOT more stretching, LIGHT weight shoulder work especially before bench and it has improved 90%

Dont cheat yourself by not warming up good and stretching. Do the light shoulder work for 20+ minutes before bench. It has made a world of difference for my bench.

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## nothingtoitbuttodoit

incline dumbell flys

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## intensityfreak

> Ok bass here's my routine
> 
> 3 sets flat barbell bench press 10,8,6
> 3 sets DB low incline press 8,6,6
> 2-3 sets cable fly 8,8,6 (holding at peak of contraction for a second or so)
> 3 sets weighted dips (find a rep range that is good for you)
> 
> every 4-6 weeks I swap BB for DB and cable for pec dec machine or cable


agreed, heavy heavy heavy dunbell always gets me..be sure to rotate the palms inward also, helps build a nice clevage..

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