Take Aim for Explosive Growth

Question. What are you doing on Monday? If you’ve lifted weights for more than a week in your life, you already know that answer because Monday is a holiday. It’s International Chest Day, bro! For many muscleheads, Monday is our favorite day of the week. Let’s do some of the best lifts for the pecs and blast them high-intensity-training style. That means one work set taken beyond failure per exercise. If it sounds good to you, grab your gym bag and let’s “HIT” it.

Incline barbell presses. Why start with inclines instead of flat-bench presses? First of all, if your gym is like mine, there’s already a one-hour wait for the flat bench. Second, have you ever heard of a bodybuilder being criticized for having a thick upper chest? Me neither.

Do two warmup sets, as you’re just getting started. The first is a light set of 20 reps followed by a second set with a little more weight for 12 to 15 reps. Rest for 90 seconds between sets. After your second warmup set, load up the bar with some serious weight and get a spotter. Yes, you’ll need the spotter, so make sure you have someone ready to help you out. You should hit failure on your work set in the six-to-eight range.

Here’s the catch. If you can complete the rep, you must attempt the next one. In other words, you lift until the spotter has to help you. After your first work set of the day, take a two-minute break.

If you can handle your bodyweight easily, use chains, a dip belt with weight hanging from it or a weighted vest for extra resistance.”

Flat-bench dumbbell flyes. Tell your spotter not to go far because you’re going to need him or her again. Grab some moderate weights and warm up with a set of 15 reps to establish the mind/muscle connection and to feel the muscles working the way they should. You’ve already pumped blood into the pecs with the incline presses. Now you’re going to stretch the muscle fibers out with flyes so there’s more room to pump even more blood into them later. Rest two minutes while you stretch out your pecs.