What’s the difference between oldschool bodybuilding and modern? The golden era pros loved to train and expand their Rib Box..Arnold, Reg Park, John Grimek and even Dennis Tinerino loved doing pullovers, stretching exercises and deep breathing.The following article was written by Dennis Tinerino, Mr. Universe, Mr USA and Mr America Winner! Dennis died on May, 2010. He is gone but his titles and training philosophy are not forgotten! Mr. Berg
Very old article by Dennis (can not remember the source/mag)
“A fully developed chest should be the goal of every striving bodybuilder. One must realize not only how important it is to the general appearance of the upper body, but how important it is to the pectoral health of the person.
Fully developed pectorals along with a deep rib box gives the bodybuilder a very powerful appearance as well as keeping his internal organs in the place Nature intended them to be. One must realize how important a fully developed chest can be to the health of the person not only today but ten to twenty years from now. For his reason one must developed his chest for health as well as improved appearance.
During the year that I started bodybuilding my chest refused to show any signs of improvement at all. I can recall doing set after set of just about every exercise available to no avail. It seemed that my efforts would affect only my shoulder group and never my chest. The chest has always been a difficult body part for me to develop.
But as workout after workout passed by, along with about five years of training, I really started to see improvement, although even today I am not completely satisfied with its development.
I still work my chest harder than any other body parts. I would like to point out that most people will find it easier to develop the chest than I did. But you must realize that there are no “secrets” unless it is just plain hard work.
For complete development of the chest, the rib box must be worked and worked hard. This will insure a deep and masculine chest. I cannot emphasize the importance of this area enough. You must have this foundation to build on. The development of the pectorals is actually of secondary importance. The chest must be built from the inside out.
No.1 – Dumbbell Pullover
This is a favorite exercise of mine and one of the most effective exercises for this area I know. It is a very easy exercise if done correctly. Lie on a bench with your head at one end and hold a dumbbell in each hand. Lower the dumbbells at arms length and inhale as you do so.
When the dumbbells reach a position lower than your head, return the dumbbell to the starting position, exhaling as you go. For maximum effect, do this exercise directly after a set of squats as the forced breathing will make this exercise even more efficient. I recommend 5 sets of 14 reps.
No. 2 – Barbell Pullover
This exercise is a variation of the pullover that is very effective. Do this exercise exactly as the dumbbell pullover, but use a shoulder width grip. You may have to experiment a bit to find out the best grip for your chest structure. I prefer 5 sets of 10 reps.
No.3 Bench Press
This exercise is the most common exercise for pectoral development and in my case has been most effective for building mass in the pectoral area. To obtain maximum results from this exercise one should use a variety of hand spacings; e.g. shoulder width, collar to collar, and narrow grip as each grip works a different area of the pectorals. Always use a stand to place the bar on when you do this exercise. I do not try to make record attempts in this exercise, but use it solely for the sake of development. Many people do not receive the results they should from this fine exercise because they try to go too heavy all the time.
to do this exercise, assume the prone position and take shoulder width grip. Inhale as the bar goes down and exhale as the bar is pushed back to arms length. You should try to perform this exercise in a steady, rhythmical manner. I like about 5 sets of six reps on this although i sometimes go as high as 10 sets.
No 4 – Incline Press with dumbbell or barbell
This exercise is for the upper chest (pectoralis minor). It must be done properly to obtain the desired results. Start with arms together and the weight at arms length. Lower the arms down as far as possible; never letting the bar or dumbbell touch the chest. This insures constant tension and a good stretch, which are both desirable. Press the weight back to arms length. A slight body arch may be used here to place more emphasis on the upper pectorals. Inhaled going down and exhale on the return to starting position. I do about 5 sets of 6 reps, with the last set heavy enough to force you to force out the reps in good form.
No.5 – Parallel Bar Dips
The dip is one of the first exercises I ever used to build my chest. At the beginning of my bodybuilding career, before I acquired my set of York Barbells, the only equipment I had was a set of old parallel bars that were in the neighborhood park. This exercise is great for pectoral mass and will also benefit the rib box a great deal.
Grasp the bars in a knuckles-out position and lower the body as far as possible. Exhale as you push your body back to starting position,. I have found that a slow and deliberate style brings the best results from this exercise.
Once you have gotten used to this movement, 10-20 reps will be no problem for you. When his happens, use a dumbbell for more weight resistance. I usually use my lifting belt which I buckle around the dumbbell. Again I do about 5 sets of 6 reps.
I have listed the five exercises from which I receive the most benefit. I have tried just about every chest exercise known to man but I always go back to these. They worked for me and with a little hard work and enthusiasm, the will work for you.”
More bodybuilders modern should be doing pullovers they are lacking that rib cage like the old school guys