goergen1
09-17-2007, 10:26 AM
Atomic Pec Pounder!
by Tony Springman
Title got your attention didn't it! Well this is one exercise combo that given enough effort can live up to the hype! This exercise combination can be utilized as a primary chest exercise or as a complimentary/finishing exercise after a major multi-joint movement such as a flat or incline bench press.
First, place a flat bench in front of a set of dipping bars. Grab two sets of dumbbells. One set should be heavy enough to allow you to perform 8-10 reps with. The other set should be approx. 10% lighter than the first. Example; a set of 70's and a set of 60's.
After throughly warming up your pecs and shoulder region (possibly performing 2-3 low intensity DB fly sets), grab your heavy set of DB's and lie down supine on your bench and perform a set of strict DB flyes.
A couple of pointers...
1. Watch your ROM..you do not have to lower the bells till they graze the floor! Slowly arc the bells downward until you achieve a moderate stretch and return them to the start position.
2. Do not bounce or jerk the bells at the bottom position of the eccentric (lowering) phase of this exercise. OK, the weight that you have chosen should have allowed you to get 8-10 good repetitions to momentary muscular failure, now the work begins...
When you feel like you have done all the strict eccentric/concentric reps that you can, lower the DB's at a slower cadence, concentrating more on the eccentric portion of the lift, then at the bottom position "curl" the DB's inwards towards your shoulders and "press" them (with palms facing in) up to the starting position and repeat for as many reps as possible while still maintaining control of the DB's.
After you reached a point where you feel that you cannot lower and press another rep in control (again, reaching momentary muscular failure), drop the DB's to your sides onto the floor.
Jump up from the bench (or drag yourself if you are a "glass half empty" kind of person) and perform as many dips that you can, utilizing strict form....again same rules apply, watch your ROM and do not bounce at the bottom of each rep.
If you feel the need you may perform the dipping exercise with additional resistance in the form of attaching a DB, plate, or chain to yourself. Obviously the intensity with which you perform the first portion of the exercise will dictate how much you "have left" for the dips.
Now rest 60-90 seconds and repeat the whole process again utilizing the second set of dumbbells (approx. 10% less poundage that the first). For most trainees two rounds of intense effort are all that are required to illicit a hypertrophy response, but for the truly "bad," one can perform a third and fourth set with a repeated 10% drop in DB poundage with each successive cycle of exercise.
by Tony Springman
Title got your attention didn't it! Well this is one exercise combo that given enough effort can live up to the hype! This exercise combination can be utilized as a primary chest exercise or as a complimentary/finishing exercise after a major multi-joint movement such as a flat or incline bench press.
First, place a flat bench in front of a set of dipping bars. Grab two sets of dumbbells. One set should be heavy enough to allow you to perform 8-10 reps with. The other set should be approx. 10% lighter than the first. Example; a set of 70's and a set of 60's.
After throughly warming up your pecs and shoulder region (possibly performing 2-3 low intensity DB fly sets), grab your heavy set of DB's and lie down supine on your bench and perform a set of strict DB flyes.
A couple of pointers...
1. Watch your ROM..you do not have to lower the bells till they graze the floor! Slowly arc the bells downward until you achieve a moderate stretch and return them to the start position.
2. Do not bounce or jerk the bells at the bottom position of the eccentric (lowering) phase of this exercise. OK, the weight that you have chosen should have allowed you to get 8-10 good repetitions to momentary muscular failure, now the work begins...
When you feel like you have done all the strict eccentric/concentric reps that you can, lower the DB's at a slower cadence, concentrating more on the eccentric portion of the lift, then at the bottom position "curl" the DB's inwards towards your shoulders and "press" them (with palms facing in) up to the starting position and repeat for as many reps as possible while still maintaining control of the DB's.
After you reached a point where you feel that you cannot lower and press another rep in control (again, reaching momentary muscular failure), drop the DB's to your sides onto the floor.
Jump up from the bench (or drag yourself if you are a "glass half empty" kind of person) and perform as many dips that you can, utilizing strict form....again same rules apply, watch your ROM and do not bounce at the bottom of each rep.
If you feel the need you may perform the dipping exercise with additional resistance in the form of attaching a DB, plate, or chain to yourself. Obviously the intensity with which you perform the first portion of the exercise will dictate how much you "have left" for the dips.
Now rest 60-90 seconds and repeat the whole process again utilizing the second set of dumbbells (approx. 10% less poundage that the first). For most trainees two rounds of intense effort are all that are required to illicit a hypertrophy response, but for the truly "bad," one can perform a third and fourth set with a repeated 10% drop in DB poundage with each successive cycle of exercise.