Trying to Build Up Chest/Shoulders - Help Please

My problem is that my pressing movement strength flat out sucks. Nothing I do seems to do much for it either. I train at about a 1:1 ratio for pushing/pulling and my pulling movements are all absolutely fine. Also (I know isolation work has little carryover into compounds so please don’t pounce on me, I’m just trying to point out the fact that the strength in the muscles appears to be there) on the pec deck and tricep extension variations I can do the whole stack for reps with no problem, and my lateral raises/front raises aren’t lagging either. I’m positive it isn’t a form issue but I’m open to any suggestions you have. I’d really like to be able to move some appreciable amounts of weights to get more out of my training sessions - any ideas?

dumbbell presses flat and incline, benchpresses flat and incline, close grip bench, push ups, dips, do the trick. building up your back with deadlifts and rows also helps your push strength. go real heavy once a month, and the remaining 3 weeks use a solid weight you can get 8-10 reps with.

Dude, everyone is probably gonna tell you similar stuff. There’s no magic fix with strength, you just have to keep incrementally adding weight.

My two tips would be:

Push Press instead of standard military. You can shift more weight and I reckon - build more muscle.

Learn proper bench press form. This sounds obvious, but a lot of people have no idea. If you learn powerlifting form on bench, then you’ll immediately notice a major increase in what you’re shifting. Could be as much as 10-15kg!

Good luck

A 2:1 pulling:pushing ratio is highly recommended.
My pressing got stronger when I started training back twice a week and with two different workouts. And it’s much better for posture/shoulder health.

And what made you think isolation doesn’t carry over to compounds? If a muscle gets stronger, a muscle gets stronger. You can do whatever you want with it.

Keep it heavy keep it simple/eat and be patient this stuff takes years and years.

In addition to what’s been said, bar speed might be something to look at if you’re interested in putting up more weight.

[quote]Vert1go wrote:
Dude, everyone is probably gonna tell you similar stuff. There’s no magic fix with strength, you just have to keep incrementally adding weight.
[/quote]

Right now I’m following Waterbury’s Huge in a Hurry, and I can put up my 6RM without losing too much bar speed. However, the second I add anything it feels like I’m pressing in molasses, I can grind out the reps but goes against the outlined tempo of the program.

?

[quote]Rumble Fish wrote:
I know isolation work has little carryover into compounds [/quote]

My advice is to stop following the philosophy of a man who hates bodybuilding, when your goal is to build your body.

It is like instead of listening to a pro football player on how to become a good football player, you ask a clown who tells you the best way to play the game is walking on your hands instead of your feet.

these are what i like to do

and for shoulders

I guess I should have clarified a bit. First, I’m coming off of back and shoulder injuries so I’m using Huge in a Hurry to simply establish a base of athleticism and from there peruse bodybuilding more aggressively. Everything has come along pretty well except the pressing, hence this forum. Secondly, when I said isolation has little carry over I didn’t mean to say the strength built in isolation isn’t useful in a compound movement. What I was trying to say was that had I come on here and said “I can pec deck and tricep extend the whole stack for reps but I can’t put up decent weight on bench, what gives?” I would have been flamed to all hell.

Thanks to everyone has replied so far, I appreciate the help guys.

Maybe the problem is about expectations.

[quote]MEYMZ wrote:
Maybe the problem is about expectations.[/quote]

I’d like to say that’s it but I know what my body should be capable of and what it is capable of and the two are not in line. I know Huge in a Hurry won’t make me a competition ready bodybuilder or anything even resembling one, however, I was hoping to build a good foundation of strength (which for the most part I have really) and see some minor hypertrophy (again for the most part I have). My pecs and front delts are just really lagging though.

I might be a triceps dominant bencher now that I think about it, that would explain my comparatively strong triceps and low bench numbers… Ideas?

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
these are what i like to do

and for shoulders

Bryce invents a crazy new arm and shoulder exercise!!! - YouTube [/quote]

awesome…looks like I have been doing it wrong. mad props yo

[quote]giterdone wrote:
LiveFromThe781 wrote:
these are what i like to do

and for shoulders

awesome…looks like I have been doing it wrong. mad props yo[/quote]

lmao yea the glorified squeeze press and the rip your arms off raise really hit 'em good

[quote]Rumble Fish wrote:
MEYMZ wrote:
Maybe the problem is about expectations.

I’d like to say that’s it but I know what my body should be capable of and what it is capable of and the two are not in line. I know Huge in a Hurry won’t make me a competition ready bodybuilder or anything even resembling one, however, I was hoping to build a good foundation of strength (which for the most part I have really) and see some minor hypertrophy (again for the most part I have). My pecs and front delts are just really lagging though.

I might be a triceps dominant bencher now that I think about it, that would explain my comparatively strong triceps and low bench numbers… Ideas?[/quote]

The thing is that you can’t expect just to increase optimally on bench, squat and deadlift. This is just one possibility. But if you analized well your dominance problem the answer is starting your pec training with a fly variation.

Reminds me of BErtil FOx’s incline hammer curls form.

[quote]LiveFromThe781 wrote:
and for shoulders

Bryce invents a crazy new arm and shoulder exercise!!! - YouTube [/quote]

I’ve looked at other resveratrol supplements and read alot of information about resveratrol and I haven’t found that it increases testosterone and lowers estrogen by itself. Other Rez-V supplements I’ve looked at promote cardiovascular health and some of the other benefits found in this supplement. So I guess I’m wondering why does this specific supplement increase t and lower e, while others dont? Is there something other than resveratrol in the product?

whoops wrong thread lmao

[quote]MEYMZ wrote:

The thing is that you can’t expect just to increase optimally on bench, squat and deadlift. This is just one possibility. But if you analized well your dominance problem the answer is starting your pec training with a fly variation.[/quote]

So are you saying to prefatigue them or to just get a pump going and establish more of a mind-muscle connect when I bench?