Hardgainers Guide To A Big Powerful Chest and Ripped Rock Hard Muscles

By: Ollie Lawson Click author's name for more of his/her articles

All skinny hardgainers dream of having awesome pecs. Of building a big powerful chest and slabs of rock hard muscle. I was a skinny hardgainer who longed for awesome pecs and a big powerful chest.

I was fortunate enough to find the key to building those awesome pecs and slabs of ripped, rock hard muscle.( If a 126lb pencil necked skinny dude like me could, so can you!)

Friends and acquaintances suddenly developed the seemingly uncontrollable urge to touch and feel my chest. "Are they real?" They would ask.

Women were absolutely fascinated by my pecs.

I must admit, all this attention made me feel good. I kinda got all big headed!

But how did I go from being a skinny hardgainer to a 'muscle head' who could not keep the women from his awesome pecs? What exercises did I do?

Barbell Flat Bench Press

The barbell flat bench press is an excellent exercise for upper body strength and a great starting point for anyone trying to build a big powerful chest.

The bench press is the granddaddy of chest exercises and although other movements may work more directly on the pecs, none have the overall stimulating and anabolic effect that the flat bench press has on the whole musculature of the thoraxic area.

Dumbbell Bench Press

The dumbbell bench press is an excellent alternative to the barbell bench press. It affords you a greater range of movement, i.e a full stretch of the chest muscles on the negative stage of the movement and the ability to really squeeze those pec muscles at the top of the positive stage of the movement

I highly recommend that you only move on to this exercise in your quest for awesome pecs once you have succeeded in building up your basic upper body and chest strength from doing the flat bench press. You will gain more confidence as you get stronger and be better able to balance the individual dumbbells. You will also be able to handle more weight to make the exercise worthwhile.

Barbell Incline Bench Press

The incline bench press is a great exercise for the upper pectoral muscles. It gives you that pec bulge just below the clavicle [collar bone] that is so noticeable in bodybuilders.

Incline Dumbbell Press

The incline dumbbell press is also an excellent movement for the upper pecs. It allows for a greater range of movement and the ability to really squeeze the pectoral muscles at the top of the movement.

Bench Flys & Pec Dec Flys

Bench flys and pec dec flys are isolation movements. They are not mass builders.

I have always found either of these movements a great way to finish a chest routine. Because these movements isolate the pectoral muscles, they will give you a tremendous pump in the pecs.

Whilst the pump does not give any you any great muscle building advantages, it's psychological benefits should not be underestimated. Arnold Shwarzenegger famously extolled it's virtues in the 1977 ground breaking bodybuilding movie, Pumping Iron. '' It is better than coming'' he said.

Damn, always figured there was something strange about the Governor!

The exhilaration of the pump, the rush of blood into the worked muscle-the pecs in this instance-is quite staggering.

It gives you a great feeling of satisfaction. You know you have had an excellent workout and you can just visualize those awesome pecs and a big powerful chest.

Two Sample Chest Routines

Routine 1

Flat Bench Press 5 sets comprising 2 light warm up sets of 10-12 reps and 3 heavy sets of 6-10reps

Incline Dumbbell Press 3 heavy sets of 6-10reps

Pec Dec Flys, 3 medium/heavy sets of 8-10reps

Routine 2

Dumbbell Bench Press, 5 sets, comprising 2 light warm up sets of 10-12 reps, and 3 heavy sets of 6-10 reps

Incline Barbell Bench Press, 3 heavy sets of 6-10 reps

Flat Bench Flys, 3 medium heavy sets of 8-10 reps.

Remember to warm up properly by starting with two light warm up sets on the primary exercises. Warmed up muscles work more efficiently and also greatly reduces the danger of injury.

You will notice that each routine totals no more than 11 sets, including the warm ups, giving you 9 heavy sets.

This will give you a short, sharp intense workout and prevent any possiblity of over training

Short, sharp, intense routines together with good nutrition and adequate rest and recuperation will guarantee you build slabs of rock hard muscle and give you the best chance of building a powerful chest and awesome pecs.

You do not want to copy the typical routine of steroid using pro-bodybuilders.....Excessively long routines will avail you nothing but permanently painful joints from the stress of overtraining

Article Source: ABC Article Directory

About The Author: Ollie Lawson a certified fitness traner and nutritionist., a former skinny hardgainer who has managed to gain over 50 lbs of ripped rock hard muscle. You too can do the same and build awesome pecs and a big powerful chest. Click on the links to learn how and claim your free muscle building video course