How many working Chest Exercises

[barbellbeast]

A pretty basic question I'm starting to ponder...

I always did 3 exercises, 3-8 sets for chest. Usually adding up to 12-14 working sets for chest. I built a good size chest when I was younger doing just that. However as I try to regrow what I can, and I watch Olympia Pro's workout videos I'm stuck between knowing that the videos that they post aren't their normal workouts, but nevertheless they usually do like 5 exercises, 4 sets for just chest. Obviously they're in a league way beyond what I had achieved and will ever achieve, but I'm wondering: how many exercises do you do for your chest and how many sets does it normally end up being? I go until I have nothing left and feel like I'm starting to waste my time with overkill, but I'm still curious if I should possibly be aiming for more?

 

[Wallyd]

I’m usually around 12-15 working set. I’ll pick 3-4 movements usually.

 

[rot-iron66]

I cut back on chest exercises as I get older. I'd rather have a smaller chest when I age, rather than maybe having sagging pecs.
That being said, I've always done 4 exercises, for 4 sets (16 sets). I still do, but I call it "bench day" rather than 'chest' and do:

Flat Bench
Incline Bench
Close Grip bench
JM Press

So two of those are really "bench assistance / Triceps".
When younger I would do them all for chest. Flat, Incline, D-Bell Bench, flyes, hammer-machines, etc...

 

[Mike_RN]

I'm 52 and holding on to size with only to 2 Main Presses. I do a shitload of warm-up/pre-exhaust work:

Superset 5 sets 15 reps Pec-Deck/Reverse Peck Deck (fly) (Last set 90lbs/50lbs)

This puts so much blood into my muscles and makes my lighter weight do more in the prime movers

5 Sets of 15reps Seated Hammer OHP (Last set 270lbs)
5 Sets of 15reps Hammer Machine Dips. (Last set 180lbs)

 

[genetic freak]

I do (2) exercises, some type of stretching exercise, like pec dec or fly. I know most people worry about warming up with a fly movement, but it really works well for me, especially incline or decline. I will do (4) warm up sets. Sometimes I will push some heavy weight on the last set, but there are always reps in reserve, so it still only counts as a warm up set. For my pressing movement I will do (3-4) feeder sets then (1) working set. It will either be a rest pause, drop or widow maker set or a muscle round. For deloads I will just do a top set and maybe a back off set.

 

[Lizard King]

I start with flys instead of peck deck, go to flat bench with either DB or bar and finish with low cables and side flys.
Incline hurts my shoulder so freaking bad these days.

 

[jawbreaker24]

Mine is Incline Dumbbell press, then incline flyes , hammer strength chest press and then pec deck.

4 sets each. 8-12 reps


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[HDH]

I do 4 to 6 working sets, usually 6, supersetted with back. Then superset machine fly chest/rear delt.

Doesn't seem like much on the sets but I just about come to failure 3 to 5 times per set drop setting. Always to failure on the last set.

I use low to moderate weight and total reps per set are 35 to 40.

Main reason, I can't push heavy any more. I'm past do on shoulder surgeries.

 

[barbellbeast]

Alright so I'm in good company. I was wondering if I needed to add more and how I'd do it when my pecs are blasted after that 12-14 sets. During my rest I'm constantly contracting and squeezing more fluid into the muscles, so that doesn't help the muscle stamina but it sure does help the fullness and maybe growth. Thanks guys!

 

[bigsquat82]

I do three for chest that are main ones and then 3 minor ones. For instance, I do incline, decline, and flat dumbbell press, and then to just finish it of at the end I do lighter weight incline, decline, and flat dumbbell butterflies. I do 3 sets of 8 for each exercise with heavier weight for the first 3 exercises and then lighter weight for the other 3 finishing exercises.

 

[HardManifest]

I'll hit:
5-6 sets flat bench
6-7 sets incline chest press
6 sets decline bench

I tend to combine flat and incline together, then decline solo. I can stack more weight on my declines.

3-4x week

I'll add 1-2x week fly cables. It sometimes comes down to how much time I have left.

 

[CFM]

Upper pecs Tuesday. Flat and lower pecs Friday for a total of 14 sets. I might do the same movements for weeks and weeks or change up everything, every session. 59 years old, been at this since I was 11. I go by the mirror and what I see and feel needs to be trained.