As Phil Heath once said, a powerful shelf is key to sculpting a top-of-the-line physique. In a recent YouTube video, Wesley Vissers shared his three go-to exercises for building a massive chest, offering insight into each of his selections.
“This time, we are training the chest. Who does not want a big chest? It can never be big enough, just like Arnold Schwarzenegger used to have a big chest, we’re going to talk today about how I created my big chest. We are going to talk about the three exercises I like to do the most.”
Although he flew under the radar at his last Olympia competition in seventh place, Wesley Vissers has quickly gotten the attention of the bodybuilding world. He enjoyed two breakout performances thus far in 2024, starting with an unlikely upset win over Ramon Queiroz at the 2024 Arnold Classic Ohio. Vissers’ on-stage improvements were undeniable, from his striated chest and shoulders to his head-turning leg separation.
He didn’t stop there; Vissers entered and won the 2024 Arnold Classic UK show to solidify his standing in the growing division. In light of his success, fans and bodybuilding veterans have labeled him one of Chris Bumstead‘s top threats heading into the Mr. Olympia contest in October.
View this post on InstagramGet Fitter, FasterLevel Up Your Fitness: Join our 💪 strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!
Wesley Vissers’ Top 3 Exercises to Sculpt a Big Chest
- Peck Deck
- Incline Bench Press With Smith Machine
- Regular Chest Press
Peck Deck
Vissers prefers to start his chest workouts with a fly isolation movement instead of a typical bench press exercise.
“A fly movement isolating the chest. Back in the day, years ago, I used to always start with the bench press or an incline bench press even a dumbbell press, however, the stronger you get, the more weight you can push, the more stress will go to other muscles as well, such as the front delts, the triceps, or even the joints.”
If you struggle with mind-muscle connection, Vissers explains that the peck deck can be an ideal choice, adding that the aim should be for a complete stretch and contraction.
“If you have any trouble with this or mind-muscle connection, starting with the peck deck would be the best choice because you will then isolate the chest first, pre-fatigue it, and then make sure you don’t have to do as much weight on the exercises afterward.
What you want to do here is a complete stretch and a complete contraction.”
Incline Bench Press With Smith Machine
Vissers underscores that the incline bench press with a Smith machine can save you from needing a spotter should you push sets to failure.
“We have a Smith machine right here. This, first of all, saves you from having to use a spotter behind you. You can save yourself. You can go close to failure which is what you need to do to create muscle growth.”
He warns that lifters who extend their arms excessively put too much weight on their elbows. Vissers believes going up about ’85 percent’ and then controlling the descent is best to effectively stretch the muscle.
“Maximum stretch is maximum stimulus or growth for the muscles, including the chest. But now, this is a mistake a lot of people make when you go all the way up they extend the arms which means all the pressure is on the elbows. What you want to do is go up about 85 percent and then go all the way down again to the full stretch.”
“On this one, focus on the stretch. Lastly, it’s an incline bench press so we want to use an incline so the bench, you just pick a bench that you can change the incline of and you use the slightest incline you can. So, one setting above the flat setting, that is all you need to target the upper chest but to keep the front delts out of it. This is what created a much fuller chest for me,” said Wesley Vissers.
Regular Chest Press (Machine)
With a chest press variation a staple for just about anyone’s chest workout, Vissers explains why the bar path is crucial for making gains.
“Choose a chest press that moves along the natural path that the chest wants to take, AKA wide at the stretch, narrow at the contraction,” explains Vissers. “As you press it goes inward, when you go backwards it goes outwards so this mimics the natural motion of the chest. Then what you want to do, is you want to feel the stretch here.”
He performs chest presses with a slight decline to properly hit the lower chest fibers.
“This finishes off the chest completely. We’ve done the complete motion at the beginning with the peck deck, then an incline version for the upper chest, and now we’re really focusing more on the whole chest but also the lower chest. Basically, a decline press it’s emphasizing a stretch and the deeper the stretch is, you say it, the better the growth will be.”
With plans of making a statement at the 2024 Mr. Olympia, Vissers has been open with fans about how he’s crafted his physique. He shared his top three exercises he uses to achieve ‘Golden Era’ biceps, providing set and rep ranges to fans.
We all want a bigger chest and Vissers believes his three movements will get you closer to your physique goals. Feel free to try out his go-to exercises and don’t miss him on the 2024 Mr. Olympia stage against Bumstead later this year!
Watch the full video from Wesley Vissers’ YouTube channel below:
You can also follow us on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and
YouTube for even more content.
