Chest isolation

[shc]

I've stopped doing biceps/triceps isolation exercises because I have naturally big arms and don't want them any bigger. Still I notice the increase in hand muscle size even after doing only chest and back compound exercises. Are there any exercises that have a special impact on chest and back muscles but as small as possible impact on hand muscles? Also when it comes to pull ups, does a wider grip mean a bigger impact on back muscles, and the short grip a bigger impact on biceps ? Thanks.

 

[evan]

Arms too big? That's not exactly a common problem. Anyway, if your arms are developed, I doubt that they'll get much bigger by working them secondarily through presses, rows, and pullups. While many people here, myself included, advise that compound exercises will work your arms too, making isolations less necessary, what we mean is that many people base their entire workout on arm exercises and neglect everything else. Something tells me that you've been doing exactly that. If your back and chest are underdeveloped compared to your arms, start hitting the heavy compounds. I don't think you're arms will grow much more at this point by doing compounds because your back or chest will probably wear out before your arms do. Moral of the story - do heavy Bench Presses, Rows, Military Presses and Pullups

If you really want to isolate your chest, do flys. It's probably a good idea to do them in addition to bench presses.

Wide pullups do focus more on the lats (back muscle). Also, the type of grip you use will make a difference. An overhand grip (palms out) isolates the lats, a neutral grip (palms facing each other, using parallel bars) recruits the biceps some, an underhand grip (palms facing you) recruits the biceps even more.

BTW - When you say hand muscles - what are you referring to? Arms, forearms, your hands?

 

[leckbass]

I have naturally big arms and don't want them any bigger

Wish i had that problem...

One thing you might try for chest is to start your routien with flys, burn out the chest muscle first then go to bench press. Your pects will fail before your arms get too much work.

 

[SXIPro]

Wish i had that problem...

One thing you might try for chest is to start your routien with flys, burn out the chest muscle first then go to bench press. Your pects will fail before your arms get too much work.

The old pre-exhaust technique. Very good. I used to use a Nautilus pec deck machine prior to bench, it takes the arms out of the equation even more than cable flys or DB flys. I don't even know if those machines still exist though....

 

[shc]

While many people here, myself included, advise that compound exercises will work your arms too, making isolations less necessary, what we mean is that many people base their entire workout on arm exercises and neglect everything else. Something tells me that you've been doing exactly that.

Actually I based my exercises on compound workout, always leaving 2 or 3 sets of triceps and biceps isolation exercises for the end of my training. Even before I started doing gym training I had pretty developed arms, so now it seems that sometimes they do more work than I want them to.

Wide pullups do focus more on the lats (back muscle). Also, the type of grip you use will make a difference. An overhand grip (palms out) isolates the lats, a neutral grip (palms facing each other, using parallel bars) recruits the biceps some, an underhand grip (palms facing you) recruits the biceps even more.

I'm usually doing the palms out pull ups, exactly because of the lat impact but I think that my grip was not wide enough. I usually grip it about one and a half length of my shoulders.

One thing you might try for chest is to start your routien with flys, burn out the chest muscle first then go to bench press. Your pects will fail before your arms get too much work.

Good idea. Never tried doing it that way before. I'll try it next time.

BTW - When you say hand muscles - what are you referring to? Arms, forearms, your hands?

Wrong word. I meant arms and forearms.

Thanks a lot for the help guys!

 

[marcosss01]

Stick to compound movements. It seems as though you have been focusing too much on your arms as already stated.
A well balanced body will follow.

 

[evan]

I'm wondering if you're using proper form. While it sounds that your pullups are not exactly narrow, try doing them a bit wider. That should take the biceps out of the lift to some extent.

Also, when you bench press, do you keep your elbows out or do you keep them close to your torso as you press. If you keep your elbows close to your torso in a bench press, you're incorporating the triceps more. If you keep your elbows out, almost parallel to the bar, you're isolating the chest better.

 

[Big_Idiot]

What exactly is your goal?

In a nice way, it somehow come's across slightly arrogant saying your arms are already big . Are they large in terms of muscle or fat?

For an effective routine, your not going to be able to avoid the arm development as just about every upper body lift involves them.

If your diet's sh1t they will probably hardly grow anyway.

 

[shc]

What exactly is your goal?

In a nice way, it somehow come's across slightly arrogant saying your arms are already big . Are they large in terms of muscle or fat?

Well my goal isn't to have huge arms so there really wasn't any arrogance in my post. Large in terms of muscle mostly. Not saying I have no fat but very little compared to muscle. In bodybuilding terms they aren't big, but that's not what I'm looking for.

Also, when you bench press, do you keep your elbows out or do you keep them close to your torso as you press.

I guess I'm keeping them out but I'm not sure. I haven't really put any attention to it. I'll check it next time. Thanks for the advice.