October 2001

The question-of-the-month for October comes from Jon in Shropshire England and Ajay in India, both who want to put mass on their chest.  Their questions were quite similar so I decided to post both of them.  

Dear Mike (from Jon):

I have been training now for about 4-5 years.  I eat six meals per day and have made some good gains in all areas apart for my chest.  All the routines I have tried have contained similar chest routines as your "Chest Mass Program".  Some sites tell me it's genetics but I refuse to believe this.  I want a bigger chest, just need a new approach.  Can you help?  

Dear Mike (from Ajay):

I have been training for about 2-3 years.  However, I find that my chest is not fully developed or fully distributed with enough muscle.  I have a bad looking inner chest.  Could you suggest a workout that will help me put on more mass on the inner chest.

Dear Jon and Ajay:

Thank you for your questions.  Developing a thick chest, especially the inner chest area can be difficult for many people.  Several people I train have had this same difficulty, but with hard work and smart training they were able to overcome this problem.  Genetics can play a part in the development of one's physique, however improvements can be made so don't give up.  

Below I have outlined a chest routine that will help build overall mass as well as target the inner chest. 

Note: Make sure to lock out all chest movements.  Failure to do so may result in an underdeveloped chest.

* By 'close grip', I mean 3-4 inches closer than normal.

Do this program for 12 weeks and you should notice an improvement in your chest.  After 12 weeks, go back to your normal mass-building chest routine, but incorporate the above exercises occasionally.

Thanks again for your questions, Jon and Ajay.  Good luck and keep training hard.

As always, don't forget to visit the Past Qs & As and my Training Tips section for more great tips and training info.

Until next month, train hard and stay healthy.

Mike Francois

Do you have a training question for Mike?  If so, visit our Ask Mike section and submit your question.

Note: Before embarking on any nutrition, supplementation, and/or training program, consult with your physician or other licensed health-care professional.