Simple Solution For Beginners Struggling To Get A Bigger Chest

I have always desired a massive chest like the athletes I admire. However, my chest muscles are the hardest to grow, followed by my forearms and calves. I'm not blessed with good chest genetics, but I have definitely made significant chest gains over the 3 years of my lifting journey. So, I'm writing this article for beginners who lose hope due to the lack of growth in their chests. If you have just started lifting, this does not apply to you, as you still have time to see any significant progress. But if you have trained for at least a year or two and still don't see any development in your chest area, this article might be what you need.

 

When all else fails, try compounds

Is the advice of Arnold's mentor and multi-Mr. Universe, Reg Park. When I came across this quote for the first time on my Instagram explore, I knew this could make a fun steroid joke for a YouTube or Instagram comment. That aside, Mr Park's advice is a timeless gem in an era where information on muscle hypertrophy is so abundant and exhaustive that it's hard to find straightforward answers. If you're a natural lifter, compound lifts like the flat bench press, squat, deadlift, etc., will not only be your bread and butter for strength but also the fastest way possible for you to gain size.

Don't neglect them because that's the mistake I made at the beginning of my lifting journey. Back then, I was more focused on pump training than going heavy and working multiple muscle groups at once. For instance, when I did my flies, my chest looked like it had grown but only till the pump lasted. I was frustrated as I wasn't seeing definite growth on my chest despite frequently training it. My chest was not only small, but it was also flatter than my abs! However, after consistently lifting heavy and hitting the 100kg PR I had set for myself on the flat bench press, my chest finally looked like it had some meat on it, even when I didn't have a pump. Here's a before and after for comparison:

Before (notice that I'm flexing my chest)

After (notice that my chest is relaxed)

Before (side chest with pump)

After (side chest with pump)

Initially, I never felt my chest while bench pressing, so I neglected it thinking that the bench wasn't for me until I stopped ignoring the lift and studied how to properly execute it and adjust it according to my body's morphology. Yes, I had to be meticulous about my form and go back to scratch, again and again, to get it right. But all of that paid off. Getting the form right, consistency, measuring progress by logging each lift, and setting a defined goal were critical factors in helping me achieve my results. 

In between, I plateaued many times. Thus, I had to reduce the frequency I trained my chest by adopting an unbalanced routine, i.e., training the chest only once a week but with high intensity. I also replaced the bench press for the weighted dip, known as the 'squat of the upper body', for a while. After making these changes, I broke off the plateau and hit my goal PR of 100kgs for 1RM.

Benching 100kgs

To sum it all up, here's what you'd need to do to grow your chest in a sure-shot way without wasting time:

• Perform compound lifts like the bench press or the dip. 
• Adapt the exercise to your body since everyone has different morphology.
• Go heavy and keep the rep range between 5  to 6 reps.
• Set a goal PR and work towards reaching it.
• If you plateau, decrease the frequency or switch to an alternative compound exercise.
• Stay in a slight caloric surplus if you're lean.
• Stay consistent!

Note: I'm not an exercise or diet expert/coach so take everything I say with a grain of salt. All the information you see here is based on my experience and research.