Genetically Screwed?

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:

[quote]SteelyD wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
I’ ve been lifting for nearly 3 years. Im still 100% Natural. My chest has always been shit-tastic, it just does not want to grow. Even with weekly progressions in weight, it always seems to shrink back down by the 4th or 5th day since being hit. I’ve always done a 4 day split, hitting chest once a week. Can you offer any advice on what I should do to get it growing? Starting to think my chest is genetically doomed.[/quote]

I guarantee if you’ve only been training for 3 years, it’s

  1. You are not eating enough

and/or

  1. You are not training nearly as hard as you need to.[/quote]

naa[/quote]

Pics.

At first glance, you’re split is pretty classic and people have grown just fine from it. You’re not hitting your chest as hard as you think you are or you’re not eating. Is everything else growing?

Worried about overtraining on a 4 day per week split and 4 exercises for your chest? I think you’re making excuses.

And, unless you’re like 5’5" and a ripped 180, a 270# press probably isn’t the recipe for ‘shitastic chest’.
[/quote]

im 5’10, 210lbs @ 12ish% BF

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
I don’t know if our situations are similar since I was much stronger than you and still had a shit-tastic chest lol but my chest HAS finally been growing and while it’s happening slowly, it’s getting there. I lift much lighter and put all my focus into the negative, stretch at the bottom and the contraction of my chest throughout the exercise. I’ve essentially turned it into a time under tension kind of deal and while the weight I’m using looks retarded for my size, it keeps me from involving my shoulders/triceps which has always been the issue.

so…in closing, I would still work on getting stronger first. Saying you are at a 270 lb bench press and can’t grow is wayyyyy too early to be called. For instance, I was doing 405 with solid reps on incline, 455 reps on flat bench and still had a shitty chest. At that point I knew something had to change. [/quote]

Yea Im more of a tri/delt pusher wheres those muscles always take over. I suppose I might as well get rid of DB’s and switch back to all barbells and just work on strength? Question, to get to 405lb bench (assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in), do you bench with your middle fingers on the rings of bar? When I was pressing 270lbs I was putting pinkies on the bar (shoulder width grip), I now just started putting middle fingers on for a wider grip in hopes it would target chest more. Although my strength is down a lot this way.

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
I don’t know if our situations are similar since I was much stronger than you and still had a shit-tastic chest lol but my chest HAS finally been growing and while it’s happening slowly, it’s getting there. I lift much lighter and put all my focus into the negative, stretch at the bottom and the contraction of my chest throughout the exercise. I’ve essentially turned it into a time under tension kind of deal and while the weight I’m using looks retarded for my size, it keeps me from involving my shoulders/triceps which has always been the issue.

so…in closing, I would still work on getting stronger first. Saying you are at a 270 lb bench press and can’t grow is wayyyyy too early to be called. For instance, I was doing 405 with solid reps on incline, 455 reps on flat bench and still had a shitty chest. At that point I knew something had to change. [/quote]

Yea Im more of a tri/delt pusher wheres those muscles always take over. I suppose I might as well get rid of DB’s and switch back to all barbells and just work on strength? Question, to get to 405lb bench (assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in), do you bench with your middle fingers on the rings of bar? When I was pressing 270lbs I was putting pinkies on the bar (shoulder width grip), I now just started putting middle fingers on for a wider grip in hopes it would target chest more. Although my strength is down a lot this way.[/quote]

His arms aren’t the same length as yours and his leverages are different, so where he grips the bar is irrelevant.

[quote]HeavyTriple wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
I don’t know if our situations are similar since I was much stronger than you and still had a shit-tastic chest lol but my chest HAS finally been growing and while it’s happening slowly, it’s getting there. I lift much lighter and put all my focus into the negative, stretch at the bottom and the contraction of my chest throughout the exercise. I’ve essentially turned it into a time under tension kind of deal and while the weight I’m using looks retarded for my size, it keeps me from involving my shoulders/triceps which has always been the issue.

so…in closing, I would still work on getting stronger first. Saying you are at a 270 lb bench press and can’t grow is wayyyyy too early to be called. For instance, I was doing 405 with solid reps on incline, 455 reps on flat bench and still had a shitty chest. At that point I knew something had to change. [/quote]

Yea Im more of a tri/delt pusher wheres those muscles always take over. I suppose I might as well get rid of DB’s and switch back to all barbells and just work on strength? Question, to get to 405lb bench (assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in), do you bench with your middle fingers on the rings of bar? When I was pressing 270lbs I was putting pinkies on the bar (shoulder width grip), I now just started putting middle fingers on for a wider grip in hopes it would target chest more. Although my strength is down a lot this way.[/quote]

His arms aren’t the same length as yours and his leverages are different, so where he grips the bar is irrelevant.[/quote]

Ok well typically where should a guy thats 5’10 with long arms, who genetically has big shoulders and tris that seem to always want to take over. Where should I grip the bar for the best chest stimulation?

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:

[quote]HeavyTriple wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
I don’t know if our situations are similar since I was much stronger than you and still had a shit-tastic chest lol but my chest HAS finally been growing and while it’s happening slowly, it’s getting there. I lift much lighter and put all my focus into the negative, stretch at the bottom and the contraction of my chest throughout the exercise. I’ve essentially turned it into a time under tension kind of deal and while the weight I’m using looks retarded for my size, it keeps me from involving my shoulders/triceps which has always been the issue.

so…in closing, I would still work on getting stronger first. Saying you are at a 270 lb bench press and can’t grow is wayyyyy too early to be called. For instance, I was doing 405 with solid reps on incline, 455 reps on flat bench and still had a shitty chest. At that point I knew something had to change. [/quote]

Yea Im more of a tri/delt pusher wheres those muscles always take over. I suppose I might as well get rid of DB’s and switch back to all barbells and just work on strength? Question, to get to 405lb bench (assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in), do you bench with your middle fingers on the rings of bar? When I was pressing 270lbs I was putting pinkies on the bar (shoulder width grip), I now just started putting middle fingers on for a wider grip in hopes it would target chest more. Although my strength is down a lot this way.[/quote]

His arms aren’t the same length as yours and his leverages are different, so where he grips the bar is irrelevant.[/quote]

Ok well typically where should a guy thats 5’10 with long arms, who genetically has big shoulders and tris that seem to always want to take over. Where should I grip the bar for the best chest stimulation?[/quote]

Dude, you’re acting like there’s some kind of Excel spreadsheet that lays out all this shit. No one is going to give you a satisfactory answer because you need to FIGURE THIS OUT YOURSELF. My body =/= your body =/= Heavy Triple’s body.

[quote]gregron wrote:
You only bench 270… No wonder your chest isn’t big[/quote]
LOL

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
(assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in)[/quote]

LOL, I’m done here. This answers the question. He’s genetically screwed in the intelligence department not with chest development. Work harder.

[quote]SSC wrote:

Dude, you’re acting like there’s some kind of Excel spreadsheet that lays out all this shit. No one is going to give you a satisfactory answer because you need to FIGURE THIS OUT YOURSELF. My body =/= your body =/= Heavy Triple’s body.[/quote]

x2. Paralysis by analysis, man. I’m the same height as you (a tad heavier, too) and I also have long arms, but I’ve always had a good bench. I can bench almost as much with a narrow grip as I can with a wide grip, so I don’t think there’s anything wrong with staying narrow. Bench narrow with a moderately heavy weight, and then try it wider. Pick a grip that you feel in your chest the most…that’s all there is to it. No one on here knows the intricacies of your biomechanics, so what we think means jack shit.

FWIW, the literature would suggest that a narrow grip will give you the same chest stimulation while taking the shoulders out of the lift more.

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
(assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in)[/quote]

LOL, I’m done here. This answers the question. He’s genetically screwed in the intelligence department not with chest development. Work harder.[/quote]

I thought that was funny too. Shit, I was benching 300+ at 18 and 165 while eating about 2,000 calories a day and not touching any supplement. That “I’m natural” nonsense gets old.

Hmmm…you may have a decent chest when 270 is just the weight you warm up with.

[quote]HeavyTriple wrote:

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
(assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in)[/quote]

LOL, I’m done here. This answers the question. He’s genetically screwed in the intelligence department not with chest development. Work harder.[/quote]

I thought that was funny too. Shit, I was benching 300+ at 18 and 165 while eating about 2,000 calories a day and not touching any supplement. That “I’m natural” nonsense gets old.[/quote]

Wait…that doesn’t work anymore?

That was the skinny dude national anthem for like 10 years.

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
(assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in)[/quote]

LOL, I’m done here. This answers the question. He’s genetically screwed in the intelligence department not with chest development. Work harder.[/quote]

I was asking because. I know guys who i was a lot stronger than while they were natty. Then they hopped on the sauce and now there benching 400+. I dont know what your trying to defend, steroids are going to make you stronger and build muscle quicker. I wasnt taking anything away from you or anything, just if you built a 400+ bench natty, you had to most likely put a lot of effort and time into it.

[quote]Professor X wrote:

[quote]HeavyTriple wrote:

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
(assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in)[/quote]

LOL, I’m done here. This answers the question. He’s genetically screwed in the intelligence department not with chest development. Work harder.[/quote]

I thought that was funny too. Shit, I was benching 300+ at 18 and 165 while eating about 2,000 calories a day and not touching any supplement. That “I’m natural” nonsense gets old.[/quote]

Wait…that doesn’t work anymore?

That was the skinny dude national anthem for like 10 years.[/quote]

Oh, there’s always a fine crop of youngsters ready to complain about “hard-gaining” and the difficulties of being a natural. Although if this guy is telling the truth, he isn’t exactly small. He’s either a bad bencher or he’s just weak.

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:

[quote]McMusclesNHam wrote:
(assuming your natty because then you really had to put work in)[/quote]

LOL, I’m done here. This answers the question. He’s genetically screwed in the intelligence department not with chest development. Work harder.[/quote]

I was asking because. I know guys who i was a lot stronger than while they were natty. Then they hopped on the sauce and now there benching 400+. I dont know what your trying to defend, steroids are going to make you stronger and build muscle quicker. I wasnt taking anything away from you or anything, just if you built a 400+ bench natty, you had to most likely put a lot of effort and time into it.[/quote]

I benched 350 lbs when I was 17 years old. Sorry that’s good enough for you to take my advice.

210 @ 12% bodyfat? That’s solid. If it’s true.

I benched 295 at your bodyweight pretty easy and I look more like 15-20% (shit) and none of my pressing muscles are impressive

true story

TO be quite honest, the only way you can get any sound advice is if you post a picture. Numbers and stats mean jackdiddly shit coming from just a name.

If you want some actual help, post a pic, post your diet, post your routine.

Holy shiitt lol u guys were benching 315 in kinder garden…
there are many bber in my gym that rarely go over 225 and they have very impressive chests. to name a pro look at silvio samuel, he uses wide grip 225 on bp(even tho he could do more). You don’t need a strong bench press for a big chest…just learn to feel the muscle more.

btw hope to see a video for all these crazy numbers thrown around like its nothing. some people will never reach a 405 bench press. a long armed natty guy will need 10+ years to get there if he’s lucky.

[quote]Akuma01 wrote:
TO be quite honest, the only way you can get any sound advice is if you post a picture. Numbers and stats mean jackdiddly shit coming from just a name.

If you want some actual help, post a pic, post your diet, post your routine.

[/quote]

[quote]waylanderxx wrote:
I don’t know if our situations are similar since I was much stronger than you and still had a shit-tastic chest lol but my chest HAS finally been growing and while it’s happening slowly, it’s getting there. I lift much lighter and put all my focus into the negative, stretch at the bottom and the contraction of my chest throughout the exercise. I’ve essentially turned it into a time under tension kind of deal and while the weight I’m using looks retarded for my size, it keeps me from involving my shoulders/triceps which has always been the issue.

so…in closing, I would still work on getting stronger first. Saying you are at a 270 lb bench press and can’t grow is wayyyyy too early to be called. For instance, I was doing 405 with solid reps on incline, 455 reps on flat bench and still had a shitty chest. At that point I knew something had to change. [/quote]

This here is interesting.

I am cursed with ridiculously long arms which is great for deadlifting but horrendous for chest and it shows. I tried upping chest training frequency to two - sometimes 3 times a week in the hope that it would make a difference but all it did was give me severe shoulder problems. AC joints hurts on anything LOWER than 30 degrees incline but oddly enough shoulder press and steep incline is no issue… Except from the fact that I do not feel anything in my chest - its all tris and shoulder…

I might want to try lowering the weight and see what that does… Could you give an indication on how much you reduced your weight? 50%? I assume you increased reps and/or sets dramatically then? Which exercises did you keep in your chest routine? (I assume you threw out flat BB bench)