3 Minute Chest Exercise Secret For Bigger Pecs!
To build up your chest, you first have to tear down the muscle fibers so they’ll recover and rebuild bigger and stronger than before.
Several factors come into play in order to creating those “micro-tears” in the muscle to stimulate growth.
Two of the most important are:
- Time Under Tension – the amount of time your muscle fibers are exerting force to lift the weights; and
- Stretch Position – this is a key part of the rep range of motion where your muscle fibers are stretched and exerting even more force
Here’s a cool trick from the 21-Day Fast Mass Building program “special archives” told to me by my friend Lee Hayward…
3-Minute Chest Press Exercise Secret
First, take a pair of dumbbells that are about 50% of what you would normally use for 10 reps of presses.
For example, if you use 60lb dumbbells and can do 10 reps before hitting exhaustion, then pick up a pair of 30′s instead for this exercise.
Start by pressing the dumbbells up to full extension above your chest…and hold it in that position while flexing your chest for 10 full seconds.
Then lower the dumbbells down as far as you can until you feel a “stretch” in your pec muscles…and hold this stretch position for 10 seconds.
Next, press the weights up again and flex for 10 seconds before lowering the weight again to the stretch position hold for 10 more seconds.
Keep repeating this cycle for a total of 9 times which should take you about 3 total minutes.
You’ll feel a killer pump and this is a great finishing exercise at the end of your chest workout.
Consider this a “secret trick” for how to gain more muscle mass and build a bigger chest fast.
Give it a try and see if you don’t have a few guys down at the gym asking you what you’re doing.
Never fails! 
there is short cuts to a massive chest in fact it takes many hours and years ,bench press, incline,decline,pushups ,dumbbells and barbells and thats just to name a few things
You mean there is no short-cut. I don’t think this is a short cut, just another tool in your toolbox or exercises.
dont sell these young guys dreams and some ppeople never get a massive chest
Ken, jeff didn’t say that this would give you a “massive chest”, he only gave us some information on : how to “build up your chest” and to have a “bigger chest”.
Using approved techniques in body-building, in most cases improve muscle mass, wether your a “hardgainer” or not. The only difference is that whatever technique you use will have different results based on your genes, body type, nutrition etc.
So Jeff isn’t selling anyone “dreams”, he’s giving people advise on how to improve their muscularity. The only people who he’s selling dreams to are the ones who are looking for the “magic pill” to getting bigger muscles, and the suckers who have already given up on body-building because they just blame their genes and find excuses.
Thanks for the info Jeff.
Daniel,
I agree with you a 100%. Jeff gives some great advice that is usually helpful. I wish there was a place on the comment section to add photos. I’d like to see if these big talkers with their negative comments have any results to match their talk.
that stuart mcrobert hav made ppl hide behind the word hard gainer…there r no hardgainers only hard learners…everyone can use a certain plan and get big…human is a human is a human
I agree anybody can gain look at frank zane,franco columbo,
some guys that I know just won’t eat so how are they gonna grow
Ken just misunderstood and is being protective. Thanks Ken
yes I misunderstood that is a great exercise to end off your workout ,it will push a lot of blood in the chest, I’m sorry for the negative comment Jeff and keep giving these young guys advise I believe you are helping them
BTW… Thanks Jeff for all of your tips and advice!!
Seems to me more like a flex and stretch exercise, but a very good one to finish with
Jeff
Nice variation, would it be better to press then go to a fly movement to get an even greater stretch rather than just lower the weight? Im thinking doing a fly would provide a greater stretch, especially holding the weight out wide and low for 10sec… then you can simply bring them back in for the next press, this should be pretty easy to do since its a lighter weight… your thoughts?
I usually stretch with flyes too, it’s much more efficient..
Maybe the logic behind it is to get benefits from the stretch but also from the isometric hold of some bigger weights when doing presses..
Yeh I think the fly is more efficient as well.. actually did chest tonight so gave this a go.. i made a couple adjustments though.. 1. I went heavy chest routine first
2. I used Jeff variation as a finisher,utilizing the fly for the stretch
3. I also implemented Vince gironda 8×8 with this move.
Was tough but very satisfying.. the pump I got using this as a finisher via 8×8 was amazing! I have a feeling I’m going to be pretty sore for the next couple days.. lol
to sets 8×8
8 sets 8reps of flyes ? is that what you mean
Sounds good, but 8×20 (10 secs at the bottom and 10 secs at lockout) makes 160 seconds per set, almost 3 minutes, if you rest 2 minutes makes 5 minutes per set, 8 sets would be 40 minutes ? thats my whole workout’s time.. i’m sure you will be sore
Monday is my chest day, will give it a try, but maybe just 2 sets because i allready do a high volume workout on the chest..
This technique reminds me of Arnolds trick to flex the muscles after trained or between sets, and then stretching.. but in this case you do it all at once..
Alex
thats lots of over kill
Hey Alex
just to clarify.. yes 8 sets of 8 but, because of the huge workloads I reduced the hold time for the press and fly from 10sec down to 5sec.. the rest between sets was 30sec. I’m pretty sore today but still somewhat pumped.. I’m going to try and implement the same strategy for other body parts..
that movement is for after you done the bench press ,incline , and then you throw this in and the most that is needed is 3 set of 10-15 reps ,and remember this shit takes time I started out 140 pounds @ 5’9” and it took 7yrs to get to 210pounds and my stats were very good but you got to be at it every week for years and thats the only way you get progress, any body out there that wants to know how to build and massive body I can tell you cause I done before and now I’m back after 20 yrs and I’m doing those same old exercises I did years ago and it works
Nice one Jeff! I was trained by Mike Mentzer years ago for a natural body building show and that was his feelings. But he felt this is how you START the chest workout then two heavy sets of dumbell inclines. (Heavy 6 – 8 reps only)
Using it as a pre exaust ?
If you’re really stretching it should be at the end when the muscle is pumped, and the stretch might make you weaker for the following heavy presses..
Anyway, Mike was different in any way, but his physique stood up for it
Interesting stuff Tony ! You’re quite lucky to have been trained by Mike Mentzer !!
8 X 8 of what?
Yes, thank you!
Jeff,
I know this question that doesn’t have anything to do with the topic but anyway : as i’m following the optimum anabolic workout, can I split up my leg workout into two days ? Because personally I have trouble recovering from the leg day workout…
Cheers, Daniel
I had the same problem with recovery issues on legs, and would walk funny for a few days, altough im not much into suplements i have began to take an intra workout sup, made of BCAA’s, Glutamine, vitamin B6 and citruline malate, the results are awesome, i really dont feel almost any soreness the next days.. give it a try !!
in the 80′s I didnt take any supplements I just ate good if you are real sore you just really over did it
guys you got to know this if you are really sore the next day you over did it ,yrou can not work out like a pro if you are an amatuer because your body can not handle it if got 2 yrs if working out you got to take easy to much will make you not grow you got to try and make your bench and squat and deadlift go up and so will your size and that s a promise thats how it worked for me years ago and when finished in 1987 I had a 50” chest and 18” arms and 29” legs @ 210 bodyweight and I was still a not a pro
Sorry to disagree but Soreness is related to lactate treshold and to different training patterns, if you keep doing the same thing over and over you surelly wont get sore.. it depends a bit also on your conditioning..
Working out hard has nothing to do with being pro, in fact you must be referring to chemical enanced athletes, in that case the recovery will be mush faster than a natural bodybuilder.
You must go balls to the wal if you wanna get good results, orelse you can just eat like a pig, train light and get big, but fat..
There are many recovery protocols, wich i do, and i dont know if daniel is doing, wich include good warm up’s and cool downs, stretching, massage, active recovery the next day with light cardio and a very good diet.. it might reduce the soreness, but in order to not get sore you must workout so light that you wont get good results..
It doesnt seem to be the case with daniel, who sounds like hes trying to push it hard..
Alex
lots of guys talk the talk on here but have the every built a muscle body and warlked around with body fat under 10% while I have so I was personal training people before the word every came and I stop for 22yrs and now I’m back at 45 yrs old I’m 220 and 14% bodyfat
Thanks Alex, i already take a protein shake before and after my workouts (which is also mixed with glutamine, BBCA’s. i add creatine to it and a Kiwi,there supposed to have a lot of vitamin C in them), I also put in a big table spoon of peanut butter
I think that all that helps but i guess it’s just not enough in order to recover properly. I get my 8 hours sleep, eat enough prot, fat and carbs.
I know I am grow hormone deficient (as a child i had to take growth hormone injections every night in order to grow…) that could have an influence in my recovery I think.
That’s why I think I need to split up my workouts.
I take a protein shake before and after too, but it is just not enough.. since i started taking this i couldn’t believe the resultes in terms of recovery.. i used to get really sore fo 2-3 days after my leg workout, going up stairs would be a sacrifice, and now its like a miracle, i just feel nothing in terms of soreness the days after my leg, or any body part workout..
You can buy the ingredients in bulk or try a very good suplement wich is called Scivation Xtend, wich is the one i use because its not expensive and lasts long..
As i said i dont like suplements too much, but this one is really worth it.
thanks for the tips and advice!! will try this at the end of chest workout… another great chest finisher is to grab 2 plates ( start with 5 pounds) and hold them together ( like your praying) with you elbows out and then extend your hands out in front with fingertips pointing at the wall. make sure to squeeze your chest.(repeat) i usaully do 3×20-25
Ken
yes.. its a finisher as I said earlier, so I followed the same protocol.. heavy bench.. incline etc first then Jeffs outline as a finisher. you can def use 3x 15 reps to finish.. very Arnold like and I have before.. 8×8 is just a different spin on the same concept.. also provides a hell of a cardiovascular workout at the same time
thats working it ,just very simply and basic
Ken,
nobody had any doubt that you walked the walk back in the day..
We were just exchanging ideas on soreness.. i’m happy that you have the abbility to work out hard and never get sore, that must be wonderfull.. but for me, and most of the people i know, unfortunatelly, we get a litlle sore from the way we workout, i guess we must be doing something wrong maybe..
could you share some of your secrets with us ?
would be happy to know them
Alex :
I get sore but and not crazy sore ,and I’m a bricklayer as was Arnold and franco but you got to do the same dumb 10 exercises and you get used to them and you will grow,
compound exercises for example: here is a quad and ham,calf workout
leg ext. 3 sets
front squats 135×10 225×8-10 315×3-5 225×8-10 135×20
hack squat 5 sets
jefferson squats 3-5 sets 10-15 reps
stiff leg dl 3 sets
leg curls 3 sets
6 set calfs raises
and not that sore!
if you dont have that many years in dont try that workout
cut it in half,
This is great! I am going to use this for my clients who can’t seem to get their chests to fire. Laying on top of a resistance ball would make it even better.