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Didn't feel chest during push workout

I've started a push/pull/leg split and did push today. It targeted the triceps chest and shoulders. DURING the sets I felt the burn in my triceps and shoulders AFTER only my triceps feel sore. never felt anything in my chest during the chest specific workouts :/ to be honest, I don't know how to use my chest muscles and I'm not too bothered if they don't grow (I'm a girl, got enough mass there as it is) but still is this weird because my triceps KILL right now.

the exercises were:
Lying Press
Lying Decline Press
Lying Flyes
Alternating Crossovers
Overhead Tricep Ext
Shoulder Press
Skull Crushers
Lateral Raises
Tricep Kickbacks

TBH my form was probably bad but yh fitness gurus lmk
I'm a girl and get a similar thing! I really try and focus on engaging my chest but it never seems to ache like my arms.
It could just be a case that your pecs aren't being worked as much as your triceps during your workout because your triceps are smaller muscles and need to work harder to manage the weights.
Like you said, the other possibility is form. Best advice is before you start a movement, think about where it's coming from. So brace your core and chest, and you know the 'mind to muscle connection' people talk about? Imagine the movement coming from your body not just your arms. So taking the chest press for example, don't just straighten your arm but think about squeezing your pecs, then your triceps and biceps then push the weight away.
Reply 2
Original post by PollyParrot23
I'm a girl and get a similar thing! I really try and focus on engaging my chest but it never seems to ache like my arms.
It could just be a case that your pecs aren't being worked as much as your triceps during your workout because your triceps are smaller muscles and need to work harder to manage the weights.
Like you said, the other possibility is form. Best advice is before you start a movement, think about where it's coming from. So brace your core and chest, and you know the 'mind to muscle connection' people talk about? Imagine the movement coming from your body not just your arms. So taking the chest press for example, don't just straighten your arm but think about squeezing your pecs, then your triceps and biceps then push the weight away.

ay haha!
see i can do mind to muscle connection for like every muscle exercise but my chest. i don't even know what to 'squeeze' at rest!!
Reply 3
You really didn't feel your chest during flyes or crossovers? These should be isolation exercises for the chest. It sounds like you may be doing them incorrectly. What I would suggest is to not think so much about lifting the weight up, but think about trying to pull your upper arm across your body, like you're trying to give someone a hug. That's the main function of the pecs... Adduction across the body. If you want to squeeze pecs at rest, try to hug an imaginary person in front of you. You should feel a contraction then.

If you're not feeling pecs on presses, that may even out over time. I remember when I was a beginner I only felt triceps on presses because they were the weak link, but that evened out as my triceps got stronger. But I'd still suggest thinking about trying to pull your arm across your body even though your elbows are extending and flexing this time.
Reply 4
Original post by Kyri
You really didn't feel your chest during flyes or crossovers? These should be isolation exercises for the chest. It sounds like you may be doing them incorrectly. What I would suggest is to not think so much about lifting the weight up, but think about trying to pull your upper arm across your body, like you're trying to give someone a hug. That's the main function of the pecs... Adduction across the body. If you want to squeeze pecs at rest, try to hug an imaginary person in front of you. You should feel a contraction then.

If you're not feeling pecs on presses, that may even out over time. I remember when I was a beginner I only felt triceps on presses because they were the weak link, but that evened out as my triceps got stronger. But I'd still suggest thinking about trying to pull your arm across your body even though your elbows are extending and flexing this time.

ah i kind of feel it when i do the imaginary hug! although it kind of feels like im just sticking out my collar bones
thanks for the tips!!
Reply 5
Original post by 14t
ah i kind of feel it when i do the imaginary hug! although it kind of feels like im just sticking out my collar bones
thanks for the tips!!

That's good you feel it a bit now. The fact you say you feel like you're sticking out your collar bones tells me you're rounding your shoulders to bring your arms across your body. Try and pin your shoulders back and down, like you're trying to pinch a pen between your shoulder blades, and while keeping them in this position, now try and do the imaginary hug. This should keep the shoulder muscles (deltoids) out of it a bit and emphasise the chest more. Hopefully you feel the pec contraction more and that's what you should to feel during presses.
(edited 3 years ago)
Reply 6
Original post by Kyri
That's good you feel it a bit now. The fact you say you feel like you're sticking out your collar bones tells me you're rounding your shoulders to bring your arms across your body. Try and pin your shoulders back and down, like you're trying to pinch a pen between your shoulder blades, and while keeping them in this position, now try and do the imaginary hug. This should keep the shoulder muscles (deltoids) out of it a bit and emphasise the chest more. Hopefully you feel the pec contraction more and that's what you should to feel during presses.

ah ok that does make a little difference but still tbh not much. could i just have like little/no chest muscle? is that even possible? i cant exactly feel for the muscle
Original post by 14t
ah ok that does make a little difference but still tbh not much. could i just have like little/no chest muscle? is that even possible? i cant exactly feel for the muscle

U can have little but not none, most people can't feel chest during their exercises when they first start if you do those exercises properly, it is physically impossible for you to not use your chest. Also where did you get this program? Looks really bad imo.
Original post by 14t
I
the exercises were:
Lying Press
Lying Decline Press
Lying Flyes
Alternating Crossovers
Overhead Tricep Ext
Shoulder Press
Skull Crushers
Lateral Raises
Tricep Kickbacks


Original post by Dax_Swagg3r
U can have little but not none, most people can't feel chest during their exercises when they first start if you do those exercises properly, it is physically impossible for you to not use your chest. Also where did you get this program? Looks really bad imo.


14t, how many reps and sets did you do of each exercise? You may benefit from choosing 4 or 5 of those exercises and focusing on those in ones session. Choose a weight that challenges you but you can do 8-12 reps of. You can switch up the exercises you do each session so you're not always doing the same thing. Then have a rest and do three sets before moving onto the next exercise.
Your workout may be shorter but good form is way more beneficial than doing loads of reps in poor form.
Original post by PollyParrot23
14t, how many reps and sets did you do of each exercise? You may benefit from choosing 4 or 5 of those exercises and focusing on those in ones session. Choose a weight that challenges you but you can do 8-12 reps of. You can switch up the exercises you do each session so you're not always doing the same thing. Then have a rest and do three sets before moving onto the next exercise.
Your workout may be shorter but good form is way more beneficial than doing loads of reps in poor form.

Or you could you know, follow a proper program.
you need to use mind muscle connection for chest. there's actually studies how it correlates with growth

maybe reduce weight

you said you're a girl. it's harder to feel it when there's not much muscle tbh
Reply 11
update for anyone, i ended up feeling DOMS in my chest but just not during the workout? weird?
Original post by 14t
update for anyone, i ended up feeling DOMS in my chest but just not during the workout? weird?

By any chance, do you know what DOMS stands for?
Reply 13
Original post by Dax_Swagg3r
By any chance, do you know what DOMS stands for?

delayed onset muscle soreness?

idk i just meant i felt muscle soreness the next day
Original post by 14t
delayed onset muscle soreness?

idk i just meant i felt muscle soreness the next day

Yes so obviously you are not gonna feel DOMS during the workout.

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