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WE SH IP TO ALGERI A VIE W D E TAILS

Build Your Lagging Chest with the 1/4

Rep Pump Out Method

Build a better chest with Coach Myers' 1/4 rep methods. With
several techniques that utilize the method, your chest will have
no choice but to grow!
 Workout Summary

Main Goal Build Muscle

Workout Type Single Muscle Group

Training Level Intermediate

Program Duration 6 weeks

Days Per Week 1

Time Per Workout 45-60 minutes

Equipment Required Barbell, Bodyweight, Dumbbells

Target Gender Male & Female

Author Coach Dustin Myers, CSCS

Workout PDF Download Workout

Workout Description
Do you ever find yourself in the odd predicament of doing a tough chest workout but not
getting sore in your pecs?

I’ve heard many lifters complain that even during heavy bench press they feel fatigued in
the triceps and delts but never really get a good chest pump.

Sometimes the issue is that the lifter is not lowering the weight far enough.

The bottom portion of any chest press is where you will utilize your pecs the most, as the
triceps shoulder most of the load (pun intended) during the top part of the lockout.

Another issue has to do with the nature of pressing movements and the muscles that are
utilized. In simple terms, any chest press variation - from bench to dips to pushups -
utilizes the pecs, the front delts, the triceps, and the lats (primarily to stabilize the
shoulder).
Because the pecs are such a large muscle when compared to the triceps, it is common
for a lifter to get stuck half way up as their triceps fatigue or are over loaded. 

So if in many cases the triceps are the “weak link”, how do we stress the pecs sufficiently
before the triceps give out and prematurely end the set? The answer is 1/4 reps.

What Are 1/4 Reps?

A typical quarter rep involves adding an additional partial rep at the bottom of the
movement. Quarter rep variations are a great way to emphasize the “bottom” portion of a
passing movement, giving the pecs an extra pump and stretch where they are utilized
the most.

Related: Crazy 5 Method - An Intense Rep Scheme For Making Solid Gains

The key to any 1/4 rep pressing variation is to lower the weight under control - don’t just
drop and bounce the weight off of your chest. Concentrate on the stretch you feel at the
bottom throughout the pecs and fight for stability when holding the weight at the 1/4 rep
point.

Here are just a few ways that you can utilize quarter reps during pressing exercises:
 coachmyers_gutcheck Voir le profil
The Old School Gym

1/4 rep at the bottom

This is the basic 1/4 rep method. Start by doing a normal eccentric (lowering) portion of
the lift. Once you have reached the bottom (or the top in an exercise such as a dumbbell
row), press the weight up one quarter of the way, then pause briefly before lowering the
weight back down then exploding all the way up.

During a chest press it will feel like an extra stretch at the bottom, when utilized during a
dumbbell row it will feel like an extra squeeze at the top.

Iso-1/4 rep at the bottom

This is similar to a basic 1/4 rep, except that you will perform it in iso-rep fashion. Start
by pressing both weights up to the starting position and locking them into place.
Keeping one dumbbell extended, lower the other side and perform a quarter rep at the
bottom.

Once you have completed the 1/4 rep, lock the dumbbell into place at the top position
and perform the 1/4 rep on the other side. Alternate sides with every rep until the
prescribed number has been reached.

It’s very important to keep your hips and glutes engaged and your feet pressed into the
floor in order to avoid getting off balance during an iso-press movement.

Misdirection 1/4 rep method

The misdirection method was first taught to me as a way to eliminate weak points during
squatting by one of my mentors, Dr Eric Serrano. For this method you are essentially
combining 1/4 reps with 1/2 reps, with a swift change of direction between each.

Start by lowering the weight all the way, then press up to the 1/4 rep position and hold
for 2 seconds. Lower the weight all the way and quickly press up to the 1/2 way point,
holding static for two seconds. After the pause at the 1/2 way point, lower the weight all
the way then press all the way up. That’s a lot of work for 1 rep!

1/4 rep Ladder Method

Ok…now we are starting to get crazy. As if doing a 1/4 rep on every rep wasn’t tough
enough, imagine adding more and more with each additional rep. The tempo on these
reps is the same as a normal 1/4 rep (down, up 1/4, down, up) but you perform them in
a “ladder” fashion, adding an additional 1/4 rep after each rep you complete.

The first rep has a single 1/4 rep at the bottom, the second has two, the third rep has 3
quarter reps at the bottom before pressing the weight all of the way back up. These
quarter reps are best done in a “rep out” fashion, there’s no need to pause at the 1/4
position, just try to pump them out as possible and press back up to the top.

One of my favorite ways to utilize this method is to keep the ladder open ended - keep
upping the ante and doing reps until you are burnt out. If you can make it all the way up
to 10 or more pushups with a corresponding number of quarter reps, your chest will be
on fire!

1/4 rep Time Ladder

This is another ladder variation for 1/4 reps, but rather than adding an additional 1/4 rep
with each successive rep, you hold the 1/4 position for an additional second. On the first
rep go down, up 1/4 of the way and hold for 1 second before going down and back up.

Related: Build a Bigger Chest With This Intense Mass Building Workout

On the second rep hold for 2 seconds, on the third rep hold at the 1/4 position for 3
seconds before going back down and up, and so on.  Continue this pattern until you can
no longer hold the 1/4 rep position for the corresponding time.

The 1/4 rep chest workout

Now it’s time to put all of those different methods to use! Try this 1/4 centric chest
workout for an incredible pump.

Exercise Sets Reps

1. Dumbbell Bench Press 5 10, 5, 5, 5*, 3*

2. Incline Dumbbell Iso Press 4 5 w/ iso-1/4 rep

3. Close Grip Bench Press 3 3 w/ misdirection 1/4 rep

4. Dips 2 max reps**

5. Pushups 2 max reps***

*Perform 1/4 rep method at the bottom of each rep for the last two sets.
**Perform 1/4 rep method at the bottom of each rep for the last set.
***Perform 1/4 rep ladder method for first set and 1/4 rep time ladder method for
second.

Now you have a great cure for the lagging-pecs blues! I recommend switching to an all
1/4 rep workout at least once a month to help break through plateaus and to really
stress emphasize the pecs during your “pushing” work.
Remember, now that you are familiar with all of these methods you can adapt and utilize
them on almost any workout.  If you want a real killer, try the same format on squat
variations…a barbell squat with a 1/4 rep misdirection method will make a normal squat
feel easy!

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About The Author

Coach Dustin Myers, CSCS

Coach Myers is the co-founder and owner of the Old School Gym in
Pataskala, OH, as well as the strength and conditioning coach for the Ohio
Regional Training Center for Olympic Wrestling.
View all by Coach Dustin Myers, CSCS »

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