Build a Great Chest Part I

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The queue for the bench press station can probably be attributed directly to the famous Canadian bodybuilding guru Joe Weider.

Weider developed a set of strength training principles that were intended as a guide for men and women aspiring to build muscle. One of his most profound and adhered to principles was called the ‘Weider Priority Principle’. Here Weider stated that you should work your weaker or less well developed muscle groups early in your training week and also early within your individual workouts.

It seems that generations of strength trainers and bodybuilders took this guideline to heart and with much gusto and determination, hit the gym every Monday to work their chests. This Monday ‘chest training frenzy’ indicates that many people see their pectoralis major development as a major priority!

While the Weider Priority Principle makes perfect sense, simply going through the motions and performing the same exercises, using the same weights, sets and reps week after week will not result in any significant muscle growth.

To stimulate increased muscle size, you need to bust out of your current training rut and adopt a well-designed, periodised (planned) training routine that challenges your muscles in a whole new way, addresses your weak links and also provides a novel stimulus for muscle growth.

This programme is split into two distinct phases

Phase One - general physical preparedness and shoulder stability

Phase Two - strength and power

On completion of these two phases, you should find that:
1) You are much better able to perform all the essential chest-building exercises 2) Your newly developed shoulder stability, work capacity, strength and power will translate into much more effective chest building workouts thereafter.