Weak Chest/Tricep Gains (Aesthetic)...

[ppx11]

I'm about 5' 8" 155lbs and I've seen good improvement in strength and in toning in everything but my chest and tricep. My chest is getting stronger although not as much as I would like and same for my triceps. I'm also seeing minimal improvement in "toning" as in being able to get it more cut. My chest and triceps look almost the same as they were half a year ago. I've made strength gains but I don't see much of a difference visually. However, I've seen my biceps and back get more toned and whatnot. I'm looking for the nice chest outline that looks like this -> \__|__/ (haha) and at the moment mine looks like this -> ( | ) (if you get what I mean) without the nice bottom line. Here's what I've been doing..

Chest
4x6 Pulley Bench (135lb)
3x8 DB Flys
3x6 Decline Bench (cables)
3x6 Incline Bench (cables)

Triceps
4x8 Cable Pulldowns
3x8 French Press (I think. The one where it's like a bench press but for the triceps. I forgot what it's called.)
3x8 Kickbacks

Any feedback on exercises/sets/reps/etc is appreciated.

 

[AJP]

What's a pulley bench? At any rate, I'm guessing and hoping you are working your whole body sufficiently.

You should be doing the most challenging presses first, build your chest routine around presses, not cables, or cable flyes, or both.

Do dips.

Try some lying barbell extensions, skull crushers are a similar variation but can easily be done wrong. Lying dumbbell extensions as well, I'm not a big fan of kickbacks, I would take those out.

Also some close-grip bench presses always do some good.

 

[blackedout]

Gotta say I agree that the close grip bench is great for the chest and triceps. Dips as well will hit both nicely. These should help more than the tricep isolation exercises you are doing as you'll hit the triceps with more load.

How often are you switching up your routine?

 

[tonymcclellan]

nice chest outline that looks like this -> \__|__/ (haha) and at the moment mine looks like this -> ( | ) (if you get what I mean) without the nice bottom line. Here's what I've been doing..

At least its not like (o)(o)...

Chest
4x6 Pulley Bench (135lb)
3x8 DB Flys
3x6 Decline Bench (cables)
3x6 Incline Bench (cables)

Triceps
4x8 Cable Pulldowns
3x8 French Press (I think. The one where it's like a bench press but for the triceps. I forgot what it's called.)
3x8 Kickbacks

Is pulley same as cables? Try the actual bench for one of these, or use dumbbells for those stabilizers. Triceps you should do close grip bench, tricep extensions, and lastly cable pulldowns. Dips are great also.