Chest work - am I doing something wrong?

[Timber99]

Cathe and all you educated folks,

When working my chest, I find that I am also getting a burn in my arms. It is a burn more in the upper arm than any other part. This happens with both dumbbell and barbell work, even sometimes with push ups. Is this normal? Or is this an indication that my form is off?

I noticed the other day in one of Cathe's workouts (and of course, I now canot remember which!) that she says that her chest and arms are burning, so I then wondered if this is normal.

Thoughts? Suggestions?

Christine

 

[Aquajock]

No muscle group works in complete isolation; each movement is performed recruiting muscles as prime movers and assisters, and this is true with pec work as well.

In push-ups and bench presses, the pectorals, anterior deltoids and triceps are recruited; the closer the grip on the barbell or the closer the hand placement on push-ups, the more the triceps assist. The greater the decline of the body in push-ups, the greater the recruitment of the anterior delts.

In pec flyes, if you are performing these with a palms-facing-each-
other position, the biceps are recruited more as assisters; if the palms are in a facing-out position, the biceps recruitment is reduced.

HTH -

A-JOck

 

[Timber99]

Thank You A-Jock! I had told myself that this was normal and that other muscles worked together in these exercises, but something was nagging me to make sure that I was correct!

Christine