Spend enough time in the gym, and you eventually learn that the road to a bigger, broader chest is about more than just doing heavy reps of barbell bench presses. You need to stress your pectorals in different ways and from different angles, and at different tempos too.
Do that, and you shock your chest into growth, especially if you’ve been training with more standard methods. And shocking your chest is the entire objective of this workout, dubbed the “Wild Chest Pump” by its creator, Cory Gregory. Better known as Cory G, Gregory is a veteran trainer, powerlifter, and bodybuilder, so he’s used to moving heavy weights.
He also knows the value of piling up tons of reps with lighter (but still challenging) resistances and a mix of ranges of motions. It’s a blend of pieces that’ll leave your chest screaming (and on the road to major muscle). “Volume combined with different angles and unique rep schemes is what changes the body,” he says.
Gregory’s chest workout can spice up any pec routine — but use it wisely. If you’re dealing with any shoulder or chest injuries, sit this one out until you’re healthy. And when you are ready to tackle Gregory’s routine, aim to do it once every other week or, at most, once a week if you’re a gym veteran. Whoever you are, take at least 10 minutes to warm up before you get into this, priming your shoulders and rotator cuffs in particular with a routine like this one.
Then jump into the action, and expect to be sore the next day. Expect your chest to be growing, too.
DIRECTIONS: Do the exercises in order, focusing on form. Make sure you have a spotter, too; you’ll be taking your chest to the limit in this workout, so you’ll want the help.
1. Superset
Do these two moves back to back. Do 3 sets, resting one minute between each set.
Wide-grip Deficit Pushup
Set up dumbbells so they’re slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, heads of the dumbbells parallel to each other. Place your hands on the dumbbells, so that your palms face each other, and get in pushup position. Lower your chest to within an inch from the floor, then press back up. That’s 1 rep; do 20.
Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
Men’s Health
Load a barbell in an incline bench press with a medium weight. Lay with your back on the bench, with your feet flat on the ground, glutes contracted, and shoulder blades retracted. Pick up the bar using a grip slightly wider than shoulder width. Bend at the elbows and shoulders, lowering the bar to your chest, then press the bar back to the start position. Do 7 reps this way.
Don’t put the bar back yet. Do 7 more reps, taking at least 2 seconds to lower the bar to your chest, then 2 seconds to raise it. Then lower the bar to your chest; do 7 reps in which your arms only go halfway up. Then press the bar back to the start; finish with 7 reps in which you lower the bar only halfway and press back to the top. That’s 1 set.
2. Grip-change Iso Hold Flat Bench
Lie with your back on a flat bench, feet flat on the floor and glutes contracted. Hold medium-weight dumbbells over your shoulders, arms straight. Your palms should face your knees, angling just slightly toward each other. Lower the left dumbbell to your chest, bending at your knee and elbow; keep your left arm straight as you do this. Do 12 reps. Now keep your right arm straight as you do 12 reps with your left.
Now rotate your arms so that your palms face each other. Keeping your left arm straight, do 12 more press reps with your right arm, then repeat the process with your left arm. Do 3 sets.
3. Fly Superset
Do the two bench fly moves back-to-back, taking no rest in between. Rest for 1 minute after each set. Do 3 sets.
Incline Bench Fly
Set an incline bench to a 30-degree incline, then lie with your back on it, holding light-to-medium-weight dumbbells over your shoulders, feet flat, glutes tight. Bend your elbows just slightly; keep your palms facing each other. Squeeze your shoulder blades. This is the start. Maintain the bend in your elbows as you lower your arms until you feel a stretch in your chest. Reverse the movement to return to the start. That’s 1 rep. Do 12.
Flat Bench Fly
Lie with your back on a flat bench, holding light-to-medium-weight dumbbells over your shoulders, feet flat, glutes tight. Bend your elbows just slightly; keep your palms facing each other. Squeeze your shoulder blades. This is the start. Maintain the bend in your elbows as you lower your arms until you feel a stretch in your chest. Reverse the movement to return to the start. That’s 1 rep. Do 15.