2 High-Performance Chest Workouts For Show And Go
2 High-Performance Chest Workouts For Show And Go
Is your
chest all show and no go? The superset-driven workouts of Abel Albonetti
and Kizzito Ejam will fix that—if you can survive the onslaught.
The ideal of a massive, muscular chest is a throwback to a
distant era, when Arnold Schwarzenegger stalked bodybuilding stages and
the big screen.
Today, although we appreciate Arnold's 58-inch chest, full-body
function is more often the desired outcome of our efforts in the gym.
That means we favor multifunctional, dynamic exercises that blend
strength, agility, and flexibility. Alas, the pectorals have faded in
overall importance, becoming just one cog in the upper-body machinery.
This transference from aesthetics to performance begs the obvious
question: Why the hell can't we have both? Why can't we have powerful,
muscular pecs that can kick ass when called upon?
The short answer is: We can.
Even better, there are two athletes who want to show you just how to accomplish that feat. Abel Albonetti and Kizzito Ejam
are established fitness models who demand more than pure aesthetics
from their physiques. Ejam is a martial arts instructor; Albonetti is a
personal trainer, fitness model, RSP Nutrition athlete, and amateur bodybuilding competitor.
Their jobs demand show and go. Here's how they've hacked the
standard bodybuilding chest workouts from Arnold's heyday for today's
functional fitness generation.
READY AND ABEL CRAFTING PERFECT PECS THAT WORK
Inspired by a man some might call the "Arnold" of Generation Y,
Vin Diesel, Abel Albonetti has drafted a chest workout that promotes
power and stamina through sheer volume and intensity.
"I was just starting to work out right around the time I saw Vin
Diesel in 'The Fast and the Furious' in 2001," says Albonetti. "I
remember thinking, 'Wow, I want my chest and triceps to be that big!'
So, like most teenagers, I trained chest every chance I got."
These days, Albonetti's workouts are more diversified—and
certainly more strategic—while including that same primal element: Press
as much weight as you can with maximum intensity and precision form.
The difference between his approach and that of most of his
peers? About 45 degrees. "I believe incline pressing is where I really
made the most improvements in my chest," Albonetti says. "When everyone
else was flat pressing, I was always incline pressing. I feel like that
works the entire chest a lot more."
"My chest workout is anything but normal," Albonetti admits. "I
use just about every technique I can think of: dropsets, rest-pause,
supersets, partials... anything that brings up the intensity." To boost
his energy for this added effort, Abel takes DyNO from RSP Nutrition before his workouts. "It gives me great energy and an awesome pump," he says.
Incline Dumbbell Press
Before proposing his program to gym-goers, Albonetti offers a
warning: "I wouldn't recommend this to someone new to training. You
could end up injured because of the sheer volume." But for those who
have been working out seriously for at least six months, this
eight-exercise gauntlet is a potent blend of presses and flyes
guaranteed to rectify any weak points.
For everyone, beginner or advanced, Albonetti stresses one final
point: "Learn how to properly do a flat and incline press," he says. "I
see too many people using the wrong muscles to help lift the weight
instead of allowing for a full pectoral contraction. Remember, you're
trying to build muscle, not just trying to press the heaviest weight you
can."
Abel Albonetti's Form + Function Chest Workout 
Superset
1
Incline barbell press
6 sets of 10 reps
Dumbbell bench press
4 sets of 8-12 reps, last set is a double dropset
Superset
2
Machine incline press
4 sets of 12 partial reps to failur
Dumbbell fly
4 sets of 12 reps
Superset
3
Wide-grip barbell bench press
3 sets of 10-12 rep
Incline dumbbell flyes
3 sets of 12 rep
Superset
4
Cable crossover
4 sets of 12-15 to failur
Push-up
4 sets to failure
THE ART OF CHEST TRAINING
Kizzito Ejam may display what's considered today's bodybuilding
ideal. His lean and proportioned physique has landed him a number of
prominent fitness modeling gigs. But he didn't start training with that
aim in mind.
As a high schooler in Florida, he started training in taekwondo.
The agility, physical stamina, and mental discipline necessary to
succeed in that endeavor naturally pointed him toward weights, which
could help him improve all those key attributes.
Because his workouts must produce multiple effects, Ejam can't
just spend his chest days benching for max weight. Instead, the
third-degree black belt and certified Krav Maga instructor strives to
lift as much as he can in a short period of time while employing a range
of exercises.
"Nothing can be more detrimental to your athletic performance
than puny pecs," Ejam says. "Being a martial artist for over 13 years
now, I've learned that the best results come from a combination of power
and endurance."
Much like Albonetti, Ejam trains his chest with a focus on
supersets and reaching momentary muscle failure. The first and second
supersets include low reps of incline barbell presses and weighted dips
to failure. "These sets target power and strength," Ejam explains. "In
martial arts, generating that power is obviously important."
Later in the workout, the reps increase, going up to 12 for cable
crossovers in the third superset and 20 for the dumbbell presses he
uses as a finisher. Meanwhile, each of the three superset combinations
is back-ended with various push-up variations to failure. Those
higher-rep endeavors are all about building functional muscular
endurance.
"Once you've fatigued the muscle, it's time to push it past its
limits," Ejam says. "When you're sparring, rounds may go longer than
expected, so it's important to train your muscles to become accustomed
to an exhausted state. Because your mind has already felt and adapted to
that pain in training, you can focus on the fight at hand instead of
the fatigue."
Kizzito Ejam's Pectoral Strike
Rest 45 seconds between supersets. Cut rest to 30 seconds during finishing sets of dumbbell presses.
Superset
1
Push-up
4 warmup sets of 20 reps
Superset
2
Incline barbell press
4 sets of 6-8 reps
Dumbbell push-up
4 sets to failure
Superset
3
Weighted dip
4 sets of 8 reps
Close-grip push-up
4 sets to failure
4
Cable crossover
4 sets of 12 reps
5
Wide-grip push-up
4 sets to failure
6
Dumbbell bench press
4 sets of 20 reps
