Written by Ron Harris
22 July 2019

19maximizepecs-essa

Maximize the Pecs with Essa Obaid's 5 Exercise Program

 

Chest as Thick as a Stack of Bricks!

 Essa Obaid, born in Dubai in the United Arab Emirates, is already among the most thickly developed men in pro bodybuilding, with muscle mass and density on par with men like Jay, Branch, Kai and even his fellow Middle Eastern beast, Big Ramy. So when it comes to building thick pecs he is a man worth listening to. Here are the five exercises he recommends as the staple to kick-start those pecs muscles into growth. 

 

1) Incline Dumbbell Press

 Essa built a great deal of his chest size with the same exercise most of you probably did, the flat barbell bench press. Though size and strength aren’t always closely linked, in his case they certainly were. He can now handle 405 for 10-12 good reps on that movement. But like many observant bodybuilders, eventually he saw that his upper pecs weren’t as thick and full in comparison to the mid and lower region, and from then on began focusing primarily on incline work. The incline dumbbell press is nearly always his first exercise, as he finds it to be the most productive upper chest movement for him. “Because you have to balance the dumbbells, the muscles have to work that much harder,” he notes. “Plus you get a deeper stretch and a more forceful contraction at the top. That was always an issue with barbell work.” For those curious about how strong Essa is on the incline dumbbells, he has done sets with a pair of 200s.

 

2) Hammer Strength Incline press

 Essa also uses the Hammer Strength version of this exercise. “I’ve heard people say you can’t build a very thick chest using machines, but I’ve done more flat pressing on a machine over the years than with a barbell, and I don’t think you could say my chest has suffered. It’s all about stimulating the muscle and feeling the contractions.” Often it’s an either/or situation. If Essa does incline dumbbell presses, he won’t do the Hammer version and vice versa. “I train everything hard, but it doesn’t make sense to put too much time and effort into a body part that is already very developed and responds easily.”

 

3) Hammer Strength Flat Press

 As he said, Essa did more flat pressing on a Hammer Strength machine in his early years than he did with a barbell, and today he still does. “I enjoy the barbell press too, but in the last few years I have become even more focused on getting great contractions. That’s easier to achieve with a machine.” Another advantage to the machine work is safety, a special consideration when you’re dieted down to virtually zero body fat and low on carbs. “Many great bodybuilders have suffered muscle tears while training for contests, like Dorian and Branch, and I can’t afford to have any injuries. I am not only representing myself and competing for me, but also my family and my sponsors.” Putting up 405 on the bench press might impress the gym rats looking on, but it’s not a smart idea for a man who makes his living 100 percent with his physique.

 

4) Dumbbell Flyes

 Incline dumbbell presses are Essa’s favorite pressing movement for the chest, and incline dumbbell flyes are what he feels have served as his most productive isolation movement. “Incline presses and flyes are so important for bodybuilders, because without that thickness in the upper chest, your chest never really looks complete,” he observes. Essa likes to start the reps out in the standard position with a bend in the elbows, but as he completes the rep he straightens out his arms almost like a press. “Some say this is the wrong way to do flyes, but I go by what feels right to me and gives me the best contraction in the chest,” he comments. “Unless you play around with your form on all exercises, you could be missing out on the most effective form for you.” Years of working hard on his incline flyes have allowed him to handle a pair of 140s in the off-season.

 

5) Cable Crossovers

 Just as Essa isn’t afraid to incorporate a machine for his presses, he doesn’t shy away from the cable crossover either. “I have heard some pros say they will only use it before a contest because it’s not hardcore enough or something, but you can’t hit that inner chest the same way with dumbbells. The way gravity acts on dumbbells during flyes means you can’t get the perfect contraction like you can with cables.” And Obaid doesn’t treat the cable crossover as a light movement, either. He’s been known to sink the pin down to 250 pounds on either side on the cable unit. “Most cable stations don’t have that much weight, but I special-ordered the one I use in Dubai,” he says.

 

Essa’s Routine to Blast Pecs

 Dumbbell Incline Press                        4 x 10

 Dumbbell Incline Flyes                         4 x 10

 Hammer Strength Flat Press                 4 x 10

Cable Crossovers                                4 x 10

 

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