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Trouble isolating chest - please help

nightvision Posts: 40 Joined: 2004/02/23	2004/03/01, 07:14 PM Hello, I have been working out for about a month now. For my chest, I started doing pushups. I had trouble isolating the chest, so i got a bench. i do flyes, incline and flat bench and can't seem to isolate my chest. It seems as if the problem is my long monkey arms. My shoulders and tri's take the brunt of the load. I try and concentrate on using my chest, but it doesn't happen. What can I do? I have a puny chest and need to be able to isolate it. Thanks!!
mmaibohm Posts: 1,621 Joined: 2003/09/30	2004/03/01, 07:17 PM A large portion of bench is in the tri's and shoulders. -------------- I am that which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine now and forever.No one holds command over me. No man. No god.
jcannuck Posts: 210 Joined: 2004/01/31	2004/03/01, 07:18 PM I don't know if this is the exact answer, but probably you will need to strengthen all those other muscles first. I had the same problem, I couldn't "feel it" in my chest. Once my shoulders, bis and tris got a little stronger, I started to fell it. -------------- If you compare yourself with others, you may become vain or bitter; for always there will be greater and lesser persons than yourself.--- Desiderata, Max Ehrmann, 1927
asimmer Posts: 8,201 Joined: 2003/01/07	2004/03/01, 07:19 PM try isometric contractions to find the feel of flexing your pecs. press your palms together in front of you and try to push together. Or stand in a doorway andput your arms on the doorframe behind yopu, press forward with your arms (like you are trying to do a flye). Once you figure out how to flex your pecs you should be able to recruit them better. Practice posing - figure out how to squeez your chest muscles. Good luck! It takes time! -------------- "To be able to go to the gym and train hard is a joy and a privelege, even though the hard work necessitates driving yourself through considerable discomfort. Savor this privelege and blessing, and revel in it." Stuart McRobert, Beyond Brawn
	2004/03/01, 07:29 PM Try dumbell 1 and 1/2s . You do a fly on the bench.When you raise the barbells up, squeeze your chest together. Imagine clamping a pencil between your pecs.. like that. Then when you lower the dumbells stop halfway down . Hold for a second or two and raise them back to verticle. Clamp your pecs again. Then lower them to the open position . Thats 1 count. Repeat 'till pain sets in!!!:angry: -------------- Some times life is like herding cats. Charlie
mmaibohm Posts: 1,621 Joined: 2003/09/30	2004/03/01, 07:36 PM I will have to try that charlie I am always looking for new angles to attack things. - Mike -------------- I am that which must be feared, worshipped and adored. The world is mine now and forever.No one holds command over me. No man. No god.
	2004/03/01, 07:40 PM It has really helped me. Come from the BB1 man:cool: -------------- Some times life is like herding cats. Charlie
nightvision Posts: 40 Joined: 2004/02/23	2004/03/01, 08:22 PM thanks everyone, i will give it a try. asimmer, what i usually do after a chest workout, is flex my chest as hard as possible for as long as possible. that seems to be the only way i can get them to feel it. jcannuck, i think what you are saying may be my problem. maybe my other muscles are to weak. i will give it a shot. thanks!
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2004/03/01, 11:22 PM also try this...helps me.......when you do the fly or bench press don't let them touch keep them 6 in or so apart.........and on bench presses and push ups get a wider grip( since you have long arms) and don't lock yoru arms out, keep a slight bend in them -------------- .......adversity causes some to break, but others to break records! ......minds are not vessles to be filled, but fires to be enlightened ......Confucious once said ,DO NOT play leap frog with a unicorn
big_j_scf Posts: 308 Joined: 2003/11/08	2004/03/04, 09:14 PM and make sure you dont let your arms come into your body when you do pressing movements. if your elbows get close to your torso, you start working more tricep and less chest. you would idealy like to have a 90 degree angle at your armpoit, between your torso and upper arms.
agamble Posts: 1,029 Joined: 2003/09/22	2004/03/04, 09:23 PM Nice tip Charlie. Felt real good during my chest work today. Can't wait to feel it in the morning. Thanks
bigandrew Posts: 5,146 Joined: 2002/10/21	2004/03/05, 04:13 PM best thing i liek to do for chest is, bench it then fly it same weight one right after the other. I grab some 50's and incline press it, widely, squeeze it, then i let it go out slowly and fly it, then bench it again, when it starts getting harder, try just doing the negative portion! -------------- .......adversity causes some to break, but others to break records! ......minds are not vessles to be filled, but fires to be enlightened ......Confucious once said ,DO NOT play leap frog with a unicorn
rpacheco Posts: 3,770 Joined: 2001/12/13	2004/03/05, 04:19 PM For me, it was the wide grip and the supersetting of regular flyes/bench/seated upright flyes that made the difference. -------------- **_Robert_** Pain is temporary; glory is forever! E-mail: rpacheco@freetrainers.com