"In The Zone" Chest & Bicep Training: Tom Venuto's Bodybuilding Secrets Blog

“In The Zone” Chest & Bicep Training

Tom Venuto

Tuesday, August 16 th 2005. Strong & Shapely Gym Again. Still not doing any really heavy chest training, but went a little heavier today, using all machines (no free weights this time), and the pec felt fine. In fact, this was the best chest workout I’ve had in a long time. Huge pump. The bicep routine was awesome too. I was really focused and on point today, mentally and physically… “In The Zone”…

CHEST

A1 Flex Plate Load Seated Bench Press Machine: 2 warm up sets; 3 sets X 160 lbs X 12 reps, last set drop to 90 lbs X 10 more reps
B1 Flex Incline press machine (selectorized): Set 1: 180 lbs X 15 reps; Set 2: 195 lbs X 13 reps; Set 3: 210 lbs X 10 reps; Set 4: 225 lbs X 6 reps, drop to 195 lbs X 6 reps, drop to 165 lbs X 6 reps
C1 Multi Directional Cable Crossover on free motion ground zero machine: 3 sets X 60 lbs X 15 -20 reps X multi directional
D1 Hammer Strength Decline Press: 3 sets X 180 lbs (2 plates per side) X 12 reps, strict

BICEPS

A1 Dumbbell Hammer Curls, Alternating Cross-Body: 3 sets X 55 lbs X 10, 10, 9 reps
A2 EZ Bar Curl: 3 sets X 110 lbs X 11, 8, 8 reps
B1 Spider Curl on Incline Bench: 3 sets X 60 lbs X 12, 10, 8 reps, strict 4023 tempo slow reps, hold it at top, squeeze biceps hard
C1 Bodymaster bicep curl machine: 3 sets X 80 lbs, 70 lbs, 60 lbs X 10 reps, 11 reps, 12 reps

FOREARMS

3 sets X 55 lbs X 12 reps
B1 Gripper Machine: 3 sets X 75 lbs X 15-20 reps

Workout Commentary

After a 10 minute general warm up on the stairmaster, I started on the Flex plate load seated bench press machine. I really like this machine because the motion begins with the hands wide, and brings them together in the contracted position for a great squeeze and full tension in the contracted position. I like this machine a lot better than a regular chest press machine that has the handles fixed. I did this one two weeks ago, and moved up a little in poundage this time with a drop set on the last set.

Second exercise: Selectorized incline press machine (FLEX). I went quite a bit heavier on this machine compared to last time (up to 225 lbs; it’s a 330 lbs stack though, so it really wasn’t that heavy). Still cautious of the pec, but it felt good today so I kept pyramiding up each set. Again, on the last set I did a drop set - two weight reductions. My chest was already pumped by this point.

Third exercise: Cable crossovers on the ground zero free motion machine. I set the cable height at about shoulder level and on every rep I took the cables through a different path from low to high then back down to low and up again. Three sets with very little rest between sets.

Fourth and final exercise: I probably could have wrapped it up after the cables (three exercises is usually all I do for pecs), but just felt like I had more in me today, so I knocked out some Hammer strength decline presses: 3 sets of 12 easy reps.

I’m still on the same routine for biceps as the last two weeks because it’s working well: First, alternating Dumbbell Hammer curls supersetted to EZ bar curls (great superset). Second, spider curls on the spider curl bench. Third: Bodymaster curl machine for three sets. Used regressive weight pattern this time on machine curls (decrease weight, increase reps). This particular curl machine really hits the bi’s in a different way because it uses an exaggerated V bar handle (more bend than an EZ curl bar), not a straight bar.

Published on 16 August, 2005

Comments

Marc David said:

Tom,

Woot! I followed this routine on Friday and I ever got a sucker to tag along! I bet he had no idea. Although he seems to like it when our workouts coinside.

Anyway, not only was this a freakishly great pump but I can't remember the last time I was this stinking sore.

What an awesome workout!

Posted on Aug 22, 2005 12:19 AM