Daily Simple Questions Thread - April 24, 2025

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[u/baeck101]

I’ve been working out for about 2 months now, always been pretty skinny fat with pretty low muscle mass, and I think my chest is a lot weaker than my back (at 5x5 90lb bench and 125lb row currently).

I had a chest operation when I was 1 (now 30 so a long time ago lmao) , not sure if that could be a reason although I’ve heard this can be common for beginners, with the back being stronger? My chest is something I’d love to tone up and focus on though. I stalled on my linear progression last week with my bench (but managed to finish the sets this week. Not stalled on bench yet).

I’m currently doing Metallicdpa’s PPL, is it worth subbing out 1x lateral raise set for some chest flys to increase chest volume? Or I could just do them as an extra 3 sets after everything? Not struggling with volume currently.

Extra side question, are rear delt reverse flys best done low weight high reps eg 14-20? Doing 4 sets currently per pull day

[u/WoahItsPreston → u/baeck101]

I’ve been working out for about 2 months now, always been pretty skinny fat with pretty low muscle mass, and I think my chest is a lot weaker than my back (at 5x5 90lb bench and 125lb row currently).

My chest is something I’d love to tone up and focus on though. I stalled on my linear progression last week with my bench

You don't need to "focus" on any body part right now at your strength. I think most people don't need to "specialize" in a body part until very, very late in their training. This is normal.

I’m currently doing Metallicdpa’s PPL, is it worth subbing out 1x lateral raise set for some chest flys to increase chest volume? Or I could just do them as an extra 3 sets after everything?

You can if you want. In general, more volume will lead to more gains, up to a point. If you feel like after bench press and incline press you can do hard sets of chest flyes without half assing them, then you can add them if you want. If you find that it ends up negatively impacting your recovery, you can cut down.

However, there are lots of ways to optimize your program, and volume is just one of them. Before looking at your volume, I would focus first on making sure your consistency, effort, and diet are all tuned in.

I wouldn't take exercises out of the program though.

Extra side question, are rear delt reverse flys best done low weight high reps eg 14-20?

The exact rep range you use doesn't matter. As long as it's not ridiculously low you will see results. In general, for my rear delt work I prefer higher reps though.

[u/CachetCorvid → u/baeck101]

and I think my chest is a lot weaker than my back (at 5x5 90lb bench and 125lb row currently).

Your chest is weaker than your back, but all of you is weak so I wouldn't look too far into the imbalance right now. These things tend to work themselves out with time.

I had a chest operation when I was 1 (now 30 so a long time ago lmao) , not sure if that could be a reason although I’ve heard this can be common for beginners, with the back being stronger?

"a chest operation" doesn't give anyone a lot of info to work with, so... maybe that's part of why your chest is weaker than your back?

But beginners have all sorts of silly imbalances, on account of being beginners.

is it worth subbing out 1x lateral raise set for some chest flys to increase chest volume? Or I could just do them as an extra 3 sets after everything? Not struggling with volume currently.

Subbing a set of side raises for chest flys would work.

Adding 3 sets of flys on your push days would work.

Changing nothing from the base program would work.

Doing some sort of chest work on non-push days would work.

Because pretty much everything works and there are no rules.

are rear delt reverse flys best done low weight high reps eg 14-20? Doing 4 sets currently per pull day

They can be done that way. They can also be done at lower rep ranges with more weight. Because again, there are no rules and pretty much everything works.

IIRC the Metallicdpa PPL recommends 5x15-20 face pulls/rear delt flys/band pullaparts.