Want killer pecs like Kongo?

One of the eternal questions in the universal language of the gym: “What can you bench?” I always like the American Pie Movie response: “What do you weigh?”

This question is asked regularly among gym rats and the higher the number, the more kudos given and more girls’ numbers you get, right? Not really! Sorry to burst that bubble…

The bench really does nothing for your fight game.

I’m not saying I don’t like it, it’s just not that great a movement for you if you fight. It won’t give you knock-out punches, that’s for sure.

‘Why not?’ I hear you cry… You can’t push what you can bench. Because the core is the limiting factor when you’re standing and throwing punches, lying on your back and pushing a balanced bar with both hands is not that relevant for fighting. 

The mid-section needs to be trained also, as this transfers the force from the feet and hips. Research shows the body’s core is the limiting factor when striking and trying to generate force.

The take-away message is this – you must train the core to stiffen and transfer forces across the body. 

So, what follows is a chest workout that will not only sculpt your pecs like Cheick Kongo, but will also have a great deal of carryover to punching power. Sounds like an awesome deal to me…

 1: Floor Press

This was the original pressing movement before the bench press came along. Lie on the floor and bring the barbell down to your chest as in a bench press. The main benefit of this is to eliminate the momentum aspect from the bench press.

You can add a lot of poundage to your bench max by adding the floor press into the mix. Add this and watch your strength go through the roof! Go for five sets of five reps, adding progressively heavier weights with each set, so that your last set you’re trying your hardest to complete.

Now move straight onto...

2: The Complex Pair 

a) See-Saw Kettlebell Floor Press – 3x10 (five each arm)

b) Med-ball Punch Throw – 3x5 each arm 

These form a complex pair, i.e. a strength movement followed by an explosive equivalent drill that follows a similar pattern.

Lie on your back with two kettlebells. Press one up and on the way down fire the other one up and repeat for the desired reps. 

The medicine ball punch throw is performed from both orthodox and southpaw stances, so you can hit the body on both sides. Throw the ball as if throwing a right or left cross at a rebounding surface. Grab it and repeat on the other side. 

And finally

3a) Feet-Elevated Med-ball Push-up – 3x6

3b) Med-ball Power-over – 3x5 each side 

Again another complex pair to finish you and your chest off!

Have your feet elevated and place both hands on a med ball, lower your chest down to the ball and pop back up as rapidly as you can. 

For the power-overs, you need to place one hand on the ball and lower yourself into a push-up position. From here, push up and power over to the other side so your opposite hand is on the ball.

Try to limit the contact with the ground (imagine that the surface is hot) and return quickly to the other side. 

Give that a go and your shirt will be bulging in all the right places, plus you’ll be able to throw a mean punch. Be sure to balance all this it out with some back work and shoulder prehab work. Do all this correctly and you’ll have a barrel chest like Kongo in no time.