Re-ignite Your Chest Training Progress
Effective Chest Training, Like Everything Else,
Begins With The Proper Mindset An attitude of always wanting more, never being
satisfied, is a key element in becoming successful
in whatever you do. There's always a higher level
of development to achieve-if you're constantly
searching for it. Having that mindset is essential to lasting
success. It's also the cornerstone of the habits
you need to develop if you want to maximize your
chest training. You'll also need to cultivate such
winning characteristics as optimism, patience,
perseverance, determination and flexibility. A number of physical factors can also affect your
mental attitude, including the frequency of your
chest workouts, the number of sets you use, the
number of repetitions you set out to perform on
every set, the amount of weight you use and the
length of time you spend in the gym. When you
overtrain physically it gives your mental well
being a serious blow, too. Train to Absolute Failure The ultimate goal of
every single set in your chest workout must be to
train to absolute failure. By that I mean you must give 100 percent effort
during every set. You shouldn't have anything left
in reserve at the end of the set. This is very
taxing, mentally and physically, which is why you
can't withstand many sets and why you need to work
on your mindset. You need to control or get rid
of that litte voice in your head that is always
telling you to settle. That requirement is crucial to efficient chest
training. Obviously, you'll need a training partner, or
the proper equipment such as a power rack, a
machine, or using dumbbells, if you're going to
train to absolute failure and train safely. For now, let's throw out any well-known, legitimate
reason you could come up with that takes your
training success or failure out of your own hands. Whatever program you use, the important thing is
to put all the effort you can into your training. One thing that is very important is to go over what
it is you are trying to accomplish. I briefly review
in my head what I want before I do each set of my
workout. What's my goal in the set? What will
accomplishing the set goal mean to my other goals? Now, about that intensity - you probably think you
know what intensity is,right? You train hard, right?
But is training hard the same as training with 100%
intensity of effort? If you polled the people in your
gym, 99% of them would tell you they workout extremely
hard. I'm the same way. And yet when I look back on my
workouts, I always realize I could've trained a
little harder. But that's okay, because I am
constantly improving my effort every time I workout.
I'm always striving for a higher level of effort and
increasing the quality of each workout. You Can Increase the htensity of Your Chest
Training Now Before we can achieve more we must constantly
be raising our own standards. Train Your Chest Less Frequently I know, the thought of training less worries
many people that they will not only stop progresssing
but will lose what they have. This just isn't so. Use it as a powerful motivating tool. The thought
of training your chest less frequently creates a
feeling of uneasiness, or what I call a sense of
urgency. It dramatically increases the magnitude
of every workout. The benefits have a far greater effect than just
bolstering my mindset. Training less gives you adequate time to recover
from your intense workouts. Use Fewer Sets Knowing that you're going to do only a few sets
in your chest workout creates this same sense of
urgency, allowing you to bring a lot more focus
into each rep and set that you do. Although I always change things up from time to
time, a typical chest workout for me is as follows: After warming up sufficiently and doing two heavy
sets of bench presses, I complete my chest workout
by doing one set each of three different chest exercises.
Many lifters give themselves two, three or even
four sets of a particular exercise to get it right.
If you give yourself four chances at anything,
you'll have less of a sense of urgency to get it
right the first time. You will pace yourself and
hold back for those other sets. It's only human
nature. Anything less than 100 percent effort is a
wasted set in my opinion. Have you ever noticed
that when you get yourself in the right mind-set,
you can pump out more reps on the last set of an
exercise than you did on the first one? It should be just the opposite. If you were really
giving your all during the first couple of sets,
you wouldn't have nearly as much energy left to
meet or exceed that rep range on the last one. If you truly train with the proper mindset, then
you'll need less training to build your chest.
If your training is less than animal-like, you'll
need more sets. Be honest with yourself. Only you
can determine what's best for you. Spend Less Time in the Gym on Chest Training The ability to focus and put forth your best
effort in chest workout after chest workout, month
after month is what will bring you results. The less time you spend in the gym, the easier
it becomes to focus, and because you're training
chest less frequently, using fewer sets and fewer
reps, your time in the gym will be much shorter.
It will surely make it a lot easier to focus on
building an awesome chest. Now, all you have to
do is shut up and train! Proper Recovery Is Critical Recuperation is probably the most important
yet most-often-neglected component of
building muscle efficiently. Recuperation means
to recover fully from your intense
workouts. Only when your muscles have fully
recuperated are they ready to grow larger and
stronger. If you train again before this process
is complete, you will short circuit the growth/recover
mechanism and your gains will come to a
screeching halt and that's exactly what you want
to avoid. Develop your new chest routine with these steps
in mind and see if you don't ignite new growth
and more strength in your chest. Written by: Gregg Gillies, www.buildleanmuscle.com Gregg Gillies is the founder of http://www.buildleanmuscle.com where he publishes a free newsletter available. He is the author or two books, as well as being a regular contributor to Body Talk magazine. His writing has also appeared in Ironman Magazine.
Related News
Can Bikram yoga build biceps? - Telegraph.co.uk
Telegraph.co.uk |
Can Bikram yoga build biceps?Telegraph.co.uk, United Kingdom -Jul 6, 2008At 6ft 3in, with a body-fat content of only 6.5 per cent, he must be packing an impressive amount of muscle, as was suggested in his bizarre display of ... |
Problems can bring opportunities to build psychological 'muscle' - NewsOK.com (subscription)
Speaking with Natalie Woolfolk - NBC13.com
Speaking with Natalie WoolfolkNBC13.com, AL -Jul 7, 2008Do people ask you if you can eat as much as you want to, or build muscle as much as you want to? NW: I can control my body pretty well, but at this point, ... |
Can I build muscle and keep my six pack?? - Examiner.com
Myostatin Inhibitors May Improve Recovery Of Wartime Limb Injuries - Science Daily (press release)
Scolari promises Chelsea muscle rather than miracles - guardian.co.uk
Questions about excercise and working out - WZZM
Questions about excercise and working outWZZM, MI -8 hours ago11:57 AM Jul 8, 2008 I've heard it's important to eat something high in protein after a workout to help build muscle. Do you agree? 12:30 PM Jul 8, ... |
Bicycle riding nutrition: losing that last 20 pounds. - VeloNews
Build muscle with exercise - News & Observer
News & Observer |
Build muscle with exerciseNews & Observer, NC -Jun 18, 2008If you want to build muscle, work your muscles -- and eat a well-balanced diet. By Suzanne Havala Hobbs, CorrespondentComment on this story What's the best ... |
British defense conglomerate flies out from under the radar to ... - The Hill
|
|
 |
|
|
RELATED ARTICLES
Building Better Biceps
Two of the nine pivot points - those stunning body parts located precisely where they attract the most attention - are the lower biceps and long head of the triceps. When fully developed, these muscles lend a mystical beauty to the physique that size alone can't.
Know Your Muscles - The Lower Body
Becoming familiar with the muscles that make up your body has more benefits than simply allowing you to talk shop with your training partners. The more familiar you are with the muscles you're working, the better you'll be able to judge what's needed to make improvements. In this article we'll get to know the muscles that make up the lower body.
Machines VS. Free Weights II
Machines are bad, there I said it again. How many of us join health clubs or purchase expensive home exercise equipment under the notion that the machine will protect our back, make the exercise easier or guarantee your results quicker. In sports and life for that matter if you are sitting on your butt or laying flat on your back you lost! , so why do we insist on exercising that way. We spend way too much of our existence sedentary, sitting, driving, typing, talking etc..
Exercise The Right Way - Seated Pulley Rows
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
Overcoming Fears And Unproductive Thinking
You might sometimes wonder whether your dedication and sacrifice will pay off as your intended goals. There isn't a person on earth who wants to invest their time, effort, and money into something that eventually will result in a disappointment.
Increase Your Training Intensity - Pre-Exhaustion
You can only build muscle tissue if you can generate progressively stronger muscular contractions, so this calls for an emphasis on finding ways to increase exercise intensity. This should not be confused with exercise duration as maximum training intensity will actually shorten the time needed to achieve maximal muscular growth.
How These 3 Basic Elements Can Be Used To Boost Your Own Muscle Gains!
The foolish idea that 'more is better' when it comes to bodybuilding goes directly against the basics of exercise science. When is comes to increasing your rate of muscle gains, more exercise is almost never what is needed. As I have mentioned already, once you have "stimulated" muscle gains by hitting the gym hard, any additional amount of exercise, will in fact, prevent any muscle gains from happening.
The Importance Of Sets In Your Muscle Building Program
In an earlier article we looked at how repetitions contribute to the muscle building process, but is the position regarding sets just as clear cut? Unfortunately, the answer to this is no as some experts feel one set to failure is sufficient, whereas others argue that multiple sets are needed to ensure maximum muscle gains.
Exercise The Right Way - The Stiff-Leg Deadlift
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
Dumbbell Workouts - A Smart Way To Exercise
Dumbbell workouts have been around for many years, especially as part of weight training equipment and programs. Fad workouts and equipment have come and gone, but dumbbell workouts have remained an easy, inexpensive way to get in shape and strengthen muscles. Their reliability and effectiveness are just some of the reasons for the longevity of their popularity. Add in the fact that they take up little space and cost far less than many other types of equipment, and it becomes clear that they are a perfect choice for many fitness fans, especially as part of a home gym. There are many different dumbbell workouts that can be done at home.
Why You Must Choose The Right Dumbells For Maximum Results Results
Embarking on a dumbbell exercise program? Then examine two
well known dumbbell brands If you are looking for high
quality dumbbells for your ongoing dumbbell exercise and
fitness training program then you should probably consider
Pro Style and Hex dumbbells, amongst others.
Exercise The Right Way - The Seated Row
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuiders' training regimes.
Make Sure To Rest For Muscle Growth
One of the best pieces of exercise advice is to make sure you know that your muscles grow when your resting not training. That's right, you don't actually get bigger and stronger when you're in the gym. It's what you do after your workout that's the real key to muscle growth. If you don't let your muscles recover correctly, you're body will become over trained and it will be in a state of constent "catch up". This is far from the ideal state that you want your body in. What you want is to truly prime your body for your next workout and give it enough rest and recuperation to fully optimize your training.
Always Shock Your Muscles For Maximum Growth
Always try to "trick" your muscles into growth. You never want to do the same exercises, reps and sets for each and every workout. You always want to shock your muscles into growing and adapting to new stimuli, so make sure to always switch up your training routines, number of sets and reps for each training session. Also, make sure to train at a high level if intensity and really push each set to positive failure (barely getting the last rep up).
Lower Body Exercises For Beginning Bodybuilders
The lower body contains some of your biggest muscles which are capable of bearing significant weights. The temptation for beginners to go for broke by performing heavy squats should be resisted. To begin with you should concentrate on building the muscles safely by using machines that isolate muscle groups. The squat is an excellent compound exercise that trains numerous lower body muscles but it is one you should learn properly after spending three months strengthening the individual muscles that will be utilized later.
How Long Should You Rest Between Muscle Building Sessions?
In an earlier article we concluded that muscles must be worked to failure if an adequate hypertrophic response is to occur. Whether this involves one or more sets is irrelevant as in either scenario the muscles must be worked to failure and beyond. This causes significant microscopic damage to the muscle tissues and it is during the period of recovery that protein synthesis undertakes the repair process that results in bigger muscle fibers.
Bodybuilding Protein
What helps make comedy also builds muscle?
Focus on Both Consistency and Variability in Your Workouts for the Best Results
In one of my recent articles, I spoke about the fact that you must alter your training variables that make up your workouts if you want to continuously get good results, whether it is losing weight, building muscle, or toning up.
Strength Training Strategies that Actually Work
Over the years there has been a surge of different strength training techniques that have come onto the market and just faded away. Here we discuss the training strategies to gain the maximum amount of muscle in the shortest time possible that have stood up to the test of time.
Exercise The Right Way - The Vertical Chest Press
Other articles in this series looked at a number of exercises, mainly from the perspective of developing a comprehensive muscle building program. Sometimes we take things for granted, especially when it comes to performing the basic exercises that constitute the core of most bodybuilders' training regimes.
|
