Supersize Your Pecs With This Four-Week Chest Specialisation Plan
Building broader shoulders, bigger legs or a set of arms that defy even the hardiest of sleeves are all noble goals, sure. But if we're being honest, there’s a reason that ‘international chest day’ is consecrated at the beginning of the week and not the end. Because, put simply, forging a hulking set of pecs is a big priority for a lot of guys. No shade; us too.
Luckily for all of us, this four-week, high-volume, chest-specialisation plan is backed by research, and custom designed to pump up your chest and add slabs of lean muscle to your torso, while keeping the rest of your physique ticking over.
Benefits of a Chest Specialisation Plan
With this plan as your guide, you'll be training four days per week utilising ‘the priority principle’: training the chest at beginning of each session, when you're at your strongest, putting your full attention into building the strength, width and thickness of your chest. Pecs pumped, you'll then move on to other muscle groups, aiming for balance and maintenance.
Each day targets a different area of your chest or a different quality – moving from strength boosting heavyweight lifts to high-rep burners to ensure holistic pectoral progress. Spreading the work across the week in this fashion, prioritising the chest at the beginning of each session, ensures that you can pour maximum effort into each chest movement, and capitalise on the science-backed high-frequency training effect.
How To Perform The Four-Week Chest Specialisation Plan
Repeat sessions A, B, C and D each week for four weeks. Take notes and follow the progression tips to ensure you’re making headway. Try to rest for 24-48 hours between each session, or perform a low-intensity cardio workout or mobility on your rest days. Ensure you're getting at least 48 hours of complete rest each week for maximum recovery and development.
To fuel your pec popping gains, ensure you’re taking on adequate calories and consuming enough protein, aiming for around 2g of the good stuff per kilogram of bodyweight.
Session A
1. Dumbbell Bench Press- 5 sets of 5 reps
Lay flat on a bench, your knees bent, pushing your feet into the floors. Press a pair of dumbbells into the air, locking out your elbows (A). Lower the bells slowly until they touch your chest (B) keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle, pause here before explosively pressing back up. Repeat. Rest two minutes between sets
Perform a few warm-up sets and then choose a weight that allows you to have 2-3 reps in reserve for the first set, but is a struggle to hit 5 reps with on the last few sets. If you manage all 25 reps with good form, go heavier next week.
2. Dips – 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps
Jump up on two parallel bars with your palms facing inward and your arms straight (A). Use two boxes or the backs of two sturdy chairs if you’re at home. Slowly lower until your elbows are at right angles, ensuring they don’t flare outward (B). Drive yourself back up to the top and repeat. Rest 90 seconds between sets.
Add weight if you can, but attempt to stay between 10-15 reps. If you manage more than 50 total reps, go heavier next week.
3. Chin-ups (or Lat Pulldown) – 4 sets of 6 to 12 reps
Grab a pull-up bar with your palms facing your body. Lift your feet off the floor and hang freely with straight arms (A). Pull yourself up by flexing your elbows and pinching your shoulders together. When your chin passes the bar, pause (B), before lowering to the starting position. Try not to swing too much. Rest two minutes between sets. If this rep range is too difficult to maintain, use a band for assistance or the lat pulldown machine.
4. Chest Support Dumbbell Row – 4 sets of 10 to 15 reps
Set an adjustable bench to around 45 degrees or prop a flat bench up with a box. Position yourself face down with your chest on the pad, holding a pair of dumbbells (A). Staying tight to the bench, row both dumbbells up towards your hips, pause (B) and slowly lower before repeating. Rest 90 seconds between sets. Choose challenging weights.
5. Barbell Curl x 100 (total)
Stand tall with an empty olympic (or light) barbell, with your palms facing towards you, shoulder-width apart (A). With minimal momentum, curl the bar upwards towards your chin (B). Squeeze here and lower the bar under control taking a three count to bring it down. Repeat. Complete as many reps as possible, drop the bar, take 10 deeps breaths and then continue. Repeat in this fashion until all 100 reps are complete.
Session B
1. Push-ups on Dumbbell - 5 Max Effort Rest/Pause Sets
Remain in strong-plank position. With your core tight and hands on your dumbbells (A), bend your elbows to bring your chest to the floor (B). Keep your elbows close to your body as you push back up explosively. Perform as many reps as possible, take 10 deep breaths and perform another max effort round, take another 10 deeps breaths and complete one final effort— this is one set. Rest for two minutes between sets. Make a note of your reps, attempt to beat this next week.
2. Front Squat – Work to a Heavy 3-5 reps
With your feet at shoulder width, hold a barbell across your chest. Then, lift your elbows high to secure the bar on your shoulders (A). Maintain an upright torso and push your hips back, bending your knees until your thighs pass parallel to the floor (B). Stand back up to the start position. Once you can no longer control it’s descent over 2-3 seconds, the set is over.
3. Dumbbell Romanian Deadlifts- 4 sets of 8 to 15 reps
Stand tall with a pair of dumbbells at your sides, feet at shoulder width and glutes tensed (A). With a slight bend in the knees, push your hips back and slowly lower the bells towards the ground (B), pinching your shoulders back and maintaining a flat back. When you feel a stretch in your hamstrings, pause and explosively return to and upright position. Rest 90 seconds between sets.
4. Hanging Knees-to-Elbows- 4 sets of 20 reps
Hang from a bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Ensure that your legs are straight, in front of your body, and that your feet are together (A). Engage your abs and pull down on the bar, raising both of your knees towards your elbows (B). Pause for a beat, before lowering your legs to the start position under control. Swinging is cheating. Rest 60 seconds between sets
Session C
1. Incline Dumbbell Bench Press- 5 sets of 5 reps
Laying on a bench inclined to around 30 degrees, press a pair of dumbbells into the air, locking out your elbows (A). Lower the 'bells slowly until they touch your chest (B) keep your elbows at 45-degree angle, pause here before explosively pressing back up. Repeat. Rest two minutes between sets
Perform a few warm-up sets and then choose a weight that allows you to have 2-3 reps in reserve for the first set, but is a struggle to hit 5 reps with on the last few sets. If you manage all 25 reps with good form, go heavier next week.
2. Dumbbell Flyes- 5 sets of 10 to 15 reps (+ drop set)
Lower your bench to a flat angle, grab a lighter set of bells and press them up (A). With a slight bend in your elbows, slowly move your dumbbells outwards and down – towards the ground in a fixed arc. Keep your elbows at the same angle throughout, to avoid simply pressing the weight. Stop when you feel a deep stretch across your chest (B), before powering back up explosively. On your final set, once you can no longer complete another flye, switch to a pressing technique to eek out a as many more reps as possible.
B. Complete 4 Rounds of the Following Circuit, Rest for 2 Minutes Between Each Round.
1. Rear Delt Flyes x 10
Lay face down on a bench, or hinge at the hips until your torso is parallel to the ground, holding a pair of dumbbells with arms at full length (A). With a slight bend in your arm, raise your dumbbells up away from the ground, finishing in a ‘crucifix’ position (B). Pause here, squeezing your shoulder blades back and down before slowly lowering your dumbbells back to their starting position. Repeat.
2. Dumbbell Rows x 15
After your final flye remain prone on your bench or in your hinged position. (A). Maintaining a flat back, row both dumbbells towards your hips (B), squeeze your shoulder blades together and lower under control to the start before repeating. Control the bells and avoid moving your torso and using momentum to help.
3. Band Pull-apart x 20
Hold a band in front of your body, slightly below chest height (A). Keeping your arms straight, explosively pull the band apart, squeezing your shoulder blades together. When the band touches your chest (B). Reverse the movement and repeat.
4. Bar Hang x Max Effort
Hang from a bar with your palms facing inwards, grip shoulder-width apart, for as long as possible. Once you drop from the bar, rest for two minutes before repeating the circuit.
Session D
1.Cable Chest Flyes (or Decline Dumbbell Flyes)- 5 Max Effort Rest/Pause Sets
Using stirrup handles attached to the high pulleys of a cable crossover machine, take one in each hand – your arms outstretched with a slight bend. Place one foot slightly forward, stretching your chest muscles, brace your core and pull the handles downward and across your body until they almost touch. Squeeze your pecs hard in this position (A). Slowly return to the start position and repeat. Perform as many reps as possible, take ten deep breaths and perform another max effort round. Take another ten deeps breaths and complete one final effort— this is one set. Rest for two minutes between sets. Keep the weight light on this one and focus on moving from a huge stretch into a big squeeze.
If you don’t have access to cabe machines, use dumbbells on a decline bench.
2. Deadlift x Work to a Heavy 3-5 reps
Hinge down with a flat back and bent knees and grip the bar with an overhand or mixed grip (A). With a flat back and braced core, drive with your legs, pull your torso up and thrust your hips forward to stand up (B), keeping the bar as close to your body as possible. Reverse and repeat.
B. Complete 4 Rounds of the Following Circuit, Rest for 2 Minutes Between Each Round.
1. Walking Lunge x 20m
Clean a set of dumbbells up on to your shoulders and stand tall (A). Keeping your chest up at all times, step forwards with one leg and bend your front knee until the back knee touches the floor (B). Stand up, pause and repeat with the other leg.
2. Farmers carry x 20m
If you can, grab a heavier set of 'bells, if not just move straight into carries after your final lunge. Stand tall with dumbbells at your sides (A), take a deep breath into your belly and begin a fast, deliberate march, keeping your torso upright (B). Switch arms at the 15m mark and repeat. Rest for 60 seconds before beginning the circuit again.
3. Hanging Knees-to-Elbows x 20 reps
Hang from a bar with an overhand, shoulder-width grip. Ensure that your legs are straight, in front of your body, and that your feet are together (A). Engage your abs and pull down on the bar, raising both of your knees towards your elbows (B). Pause for a beat, before lowering your legs to the start position under control. Rest 60 seconds between sets.
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