Bench press, incline press, dip, and dumbbell flye. Those are the four moves that Arnold Schwarzenegger used to develop a chest that is considered one of the most perfectly built of all time. Chances are, you already knew this “secret,” and you’ve been following it. So why isn’t your chest more like Arnold’s?
Mainly genetics. That aside, using a routine that was popularized a half-century ago while science and experience have revealed far better methods is, as Arnold would say, for “girly men.” If he were starting today, Arnold would likely take a much different approach. Since we assume you’re a regular guy with a job and only average muscle-building genes, we think you should, too. What follows is a scientific, superefficient chest workout akin to what some bodybuilding pros are doing today. It will give you every opportunity to build a set of pecs that emulate the ones that helped carry the Oak to seven Mr. Olympia titles.
On paper, Arnold’s chest workout is fine. It attacks the pecs from all angles and lets you load heavy weights. But most guys have already used it for years and milked it dry. If you’re in that boat, it’s time for some dramatic changes. Here are some of the new routine’s specs.
Do the bench press last. Benching first thing means you’ll always go heavy, and that forces your tendons and ligaments to take on much of the load. To maximize pec growth, you have to make these muscles do most of the work. By placing the bench press last in the workout, you’ll be fatigued by the time you get to it. You’ll have to use less weight, but the stimulus to your pecs will be greater. Use different angles. The incline and decline benches you commonly find in gyms are too steep, putting strain on your joints and rotator cuffs when pressing, as well as too much emphasis on your front delts. Instead of doing an incline press at a 45-degree angle as you’re used to, try working at 20 to 25 degrees.
To prevent form from breaking down during such a long set, you’ll make use of the Smith machine. You’ll also employ dropsets on this move to take your muscle fibers to absolute failure.
Split: Perform this chest workout once a week. Do not train shoulders or triceps the day before.
How to Do it:
Perform the exercises marked A and B as a superset. Complete one set of A, then a set of B, and then rest. The remaining exercises are done as straight sets— complete all the prescribed sets for one move before going on to the next. Rest 90 to 120 seconds between sets.
Suspend yourself over the dip bars. Keeping your arms straight, allow your body to sink down until you feel a stretch in your chest. Flex your chest and press back up.
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Smith Machine Decline Press
Adjust a bench in a Smith machine to a slight decline. Lie back on the bench and secure your feet. Grab the bar with a grip slightly outside shoulder width and lower it to your chest. Come up three-quarters of the way (before lockout). That’s 1 rep. Perform 3 sets of 8 to 10 reps. On your fourth set, do 8 to 10, then have a partner reduce the weight immediately to allow you another 8 to 10 reps. Reduce the weight again and repeat.
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Low-incline Dumbbell Press
Set an adjustable bench to a 20- to 25-degree angle and lie back against it with a dumbbell in each hand. Start with the weights at shoulder level and then press them straight over your chest. Note that many benches will not adjust to such a shallow angle. You may need to raise a flat bench on a weight plate or some mats.
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Bench Press
Hold the bar with an overhand, outside-shoulder-width grip. Your shoulder blades should be squeezed together and your entire back arched. Take the bar out of the rack and squeeze it hard. Lower it to your sternum and then pause for a second. Push your feet hard into the floor to help you press the weight up, but stop before lockout. Press it as fast as you can.
