Possibly a dumb question (thickening the chest)

[cbiz]

8x3 means 8 sets of 3 reps each.
I would cut out the flys and either tricep extensions or skull crushers and just do:
tricep extension or skull crusher first to pre-exhaust triceps
flat bench
incline bench

[kinda]

Why not try out one of the 5x5 routines? I just think you need to lift for a while longer before your chest really fills out. I don't believe you need to try some cooky chest workouts.

[Efourdee]

[ QUOTE ]
8x3 means 8 sets of 3 reps each.
I would cut out the flys and either tricep extensions or skull crushers and just do:
tricep extension or skull crusher first to pre-exhaust triceps
flat bench
incline bench

[/ QUOTE ]

Pre-exhausting the triceps would only give him worse results. He needs to preexhaust the chest if he wants to get a good chest workout on bench.

I agree with the above poster. You should stick to a 5x5 with a few basic compound movements.

Deadlift
Squat
Pullups
Incline Bench/Flat Bench
Rows

If you arent getting bigger then you arent eating enough. After you get your diet dialed in and start putting on muscle then you can start analyzing what areas aren't growing the way you want (although alot of this is genetics).

[Grey]

[ QUOTE ]
If you arent getting bigger then you arent eating enough. After you get your diet dialed in and start putting on muscle then you can start analyzing what areas aren't growing the way you want (although alot of this is genetics).

[/ QUOTE ]I am getting bigger, and I think I'm at the point where I can start analyzing what areas aren't growing the way I want. I've gone from 146 to 159 in 3 months, and I think only a pound or two of that is fat.

[Thremp]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
If you arent getting bigger then you arent eating enough. After you get your diet dialed in and start putting on muscle then you can start analyzing what areas aren't growing the way you want (although alot of this is genetics).

[/ QUOTE ]I am getting bigger, and I think I'm at the point where I can start analyzing what areas aren't growing the way I want. I've gone from 146 to 159 in 3 months, and I think only a pound or two of that is fat.

[/ QUOTE ]

Actually no. If this was T-nation and I was Professor X (aside from being a v v large black man, I'd also be an insufferable douche... Hrm... Maybe we are more alike than meets the eye), I'd just flame you about being really small and your entire body being a problem area.

In reality, you are v v small and a beginner. You don't need to focus on results because you are too small and don't know your body well enough to make any sort of judgment during thing period. You need to 1) follow a beginner routine 2) workout 3) get on a diet. There is really nothing else someone should be doing other than that for the first few years.

[kinda]

[ QUOTE ]
You need to 1) follow a beginner routine 2) workout 3) get on a diet. There is really nothing else someone should be doing other than that for the first few years.

[/ QUOTE ]

amen. thremp, you're kinda growing on me, heh.

[Grey]

[ QUOTE ]
I'd just flame you about being really small and your entire body being a problem area.

In reality, you are v v small and a beginner. You don't need to focus on results because you are too small and don't know your body well enough to make any sort of judgment during thing period. You need to 1) follow a beginner routine 2) workout 3) get on a diet.

[/ QUOTE ]1) my goal is to widen the chest/upper body 2) I'm already working out. 3) I'm already on a diet.

If you have anything useful to say considering my goal of widening the chest/upper body (NOT the lower body, lower back, etc) and also considering that I'm using only dumbbells I'd appreciate it. Otherwise your posts are just annoyingly unhelpful. Do you even know of a beginner routine for dumbbells only?

[Thremp]

Grey,

Yes, Starting Strength or Bill Starr's 5x5.

You're annoyingly pretentious about how your goals differ from everyone else. In fact my goals are the exact same as yours atm physique wise. Maybe you should look over the last program I did, and the one I'm doing next.

Perhaps you don't realize that the single best exercise for widening your upper body/chest, would be heavy deadlifts?

[Grey]

My goals are actually probably more short-term than others. In 11 months I'll probably stop lifting weights for a year or so.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadlift

"The deadlift is a compound movement that works all of the major and most of the minor muscles in the abdomen and lower body, with emphasis on the Erector spinae, lower back and back, along with the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus. "

Do explain.

[Thremp]

[ QUOTE ]
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deadlift

"The deadlift is a compound movement that works all of the major and most of the minor muscles in the abdomen and lower body, with emphasis on the Erector spinae, lower back and back, along with the quadriceps, hamstrings, and gluteus maximus. "

Do explain.

[/ QUOTE ]

At first I wrote a scathing response, but I don't think that would really help.

You really need to review basic literature on the topic before you try more advanced stuff. You can do things with DBs but it is harder and the load will never be as heavy as with a barbell. You also limit the variety of your workouts.

To be quite frank for a moment, your workout is piss poor. Its working because anything would work for you. You're so green you can go into the gym without any plan whatsoever (or even a very poor plan) and lift whatever you want and still see gains.

You need a program appropriate for your level of training. You're probably 3-5 years away from looking toward specialization and it will likely just impair your progress.

Some basic questions to get your started:
1) How long have you been lifting?
2) What is your average daily caloric intake and macronutrient breakdown?
3) Why don't you post your entire last series of workouts with reps/weights for constructive criticism?
4) Why don't you use a gym?