Chest training

[AndrewDude]

Hey guys,

Started to go to the gym a few weeks ago, I love it so far.

Question for you....when I train my chest, I feel like I'm training more my arms. I don't feel my chest pumped like I feel my arms pumped when I train them....is this normal or I'm doing something wrong?

 

[Giacomo cavernosa]

It takes a while to get a mind-muscle connection. You’re probably pushing more with your triceps and shoulders. Most guys do this when they start.. and even guys who lift regularly do this sometimes. I do too
Try pushing your chest forward on any chest exercise. Your chest should be in front of your body. Not your head and not your shoulders. Try to keep your shoulders pinned back. Focus on driving your elbows forward an inward.
This should help create that mind-muscle connection. Don’t worry about the weight youre using. You might have to go lighter at first

 

[Alex22876]

Make sure your grip is not too narrow also.

If you end up too narrow, it is like a close grip bench all the time, which is more tricep.

Go wider than you are now (maybe 2-3 fingers) and slow down

 

[sodominsane]

Good advice so far....i would like to add....often with compound movements when you are just starting out....you feel it in the area that is weakest....if you got strong arms...you feel it in shoulders....

Or possibly in your case....your chest is stronger proptionally to your arms

Advice....1.play with different grips....but try to keep at least some part of your hand on the rings.....(that's the little ring marks on an Olympic bar)....it's good guideline....and rules for compition bench anyways

2.consitancy plus intensity.....consistent being a bit more important....but push yourself more often than you don't

3.watch a video on YouTube how to bench....I think the guy ...THALL from untamed strength does a good job

4....most important....get your bench up!!!
No one who benches 300 has a week chest or looks like they have weak chest

Don't forget legs

 

[lookatthat]

Use light weight as you practice form. It may be that your arms and shoulders are struggling with the weight, or it may be your form is off. Benching incorrectly is a great way to injure your shoulders, especially if they are relatively weak.
As you practice with the bench, I'd suggest also use dumbbells to isolate your chest, dumbbell flys, cable flys, and pushups. 3 reps of each, done carefully with light weight, and those pushups will burn the fuck out of your chest.

 

[DSF140]

It takes a while to get a mind-muscle connection. You’re probably pushing more with your triceps and shoulders. Most guys do this when they start.. and even guys who lift regularly do this sometimes. I do too
Try pushing your chest forward on any chest exercise. Your chest should be in front of your body. Not your head and not your shoulders. Try to keep your shoulders pinned back. Focus on driving your elbows forward an inward.
This should help create that mind-muscle connection. Don’t worry about the weight youre using. You might have to go lighter at first

Listen to @Giacomo cavernosa . It's self evident that he knows exactly how to build the perfect body.

 

[Flexxx]

Make sure you have not done any tricep work before hitting your pecs as they will then fatigue before the chest muscles do. Also try to activate the mind/muscle connection by flexing the chest right at the beginning of the movement to help make sure that you are activating the correct muscles, in other words, try to get the weight to start moving by flexing your chest. I'm sure you'll feel it more activated by this approach.

 

[DSF140]

Make sure you have not done any tricep work before hitting your pecs as they will then fatigue before the chest muscles do. Also try to activate the mind/muscle connection by flexing the chest right at the beginning of the movement to help make sure that you are activating the correct muscles, in other words, try to get the weight to start moving by flexing your chest. I'm sure you'll feel it more activated by this approach.

Excellent advice from @Flexxx and @Giacomo cavernosa . One thing I'd like to add is that because it sounds as if your form is not correct, you most likely need to REALLY drop the amount of weight you're lifting until you get your form down correctly and discover what is being described as the mind-muscle connection. You're probably thinking, WTF does that mean, but once you realize what is meant by that, you'll have a mini orgasm in your head because suddenly everything will shift in gears.

 

[bkmuscledad]

I had the same issue. After you follow the excellent advice given by @Flexxx , @Giacomo cavernosa and @DSF140 , another thing that was helpful for me was something a competitive body builder I'm friends with pointed out that I needed to do: retract my scapula before bench pressing. That made a difference for me.
Also, one thing I did when I was ready to move on to heavier weights: I generally don't have a spotter, so after benching a few sets safely on the bench (working to about 75-80% of my max weight), I move to the bench machine for the last, heaviest and drop sets. That made a difference, too.