Bench Presses

[pumpkinhead]

I never do declines... I think of declines more of a tricep excercise your range of motion is so limited. Not to offend anyone, but I always see the smaller guys at my gym lead off with decline, because thats what they can throw the most weight on. They avoid incline like the plague...I guess thats just to much damn hard work. I dunno, I guess you feel better about yourself when you can't bench 185...but you can rep 225 on decline.

I have never seen a pro do a decline...not to say I am wrong, probably am...I have just never seen it as a key part of their workout

 

[Ness]

guys at my gym lead off with decline, because thats what they can throw the most weight on

Thats because they are smart. Agreed 100% with Tkav. Exercises that allow the muscle to use the most weight will put on the mass because its using heavier weight. I promise you that the guys in this thread that posted they favor declines and dips also have the biggest chests.

 

[eu80]

regardless of what type of barbell benching i do, i keep the bar about 3-5' off my chest, the bar never touches my chest, that takes the stress off my shoulders.

same here

 

[Bigd50]

At 42 still go real heavy bp once a week. never an issue- lucky i guess.

Same here!

 

[Scottyd]

Scott do you do the exercise from the DC training where you get the broomstick and go from front to back? It seems that helped a little but i have to keep doing it.

Yes sir, I've tried and use several of the different rotator cuff and stabilizer strengthening exercises, most do help. Theres a major difference on how my left shoulder feels vs my right shoulder while doing them left feels loose and strong right feels tight and weak. Its definitely something I want to continue doing as I progress no matter what bench variation is used.

 

[alexsiki]

Just curious as to how many of you still bench press. It is starting to really kill my shoulders and wondered if dropping that and just doing a heavy dumbell press would be just as good.

if its killing your shoulders then thats a sign that your overworking them man, give them more rest...

 

[pumpkinhead]

Thats because they are smart. Agreed 100% with Tkav. Exercises that allow the muscle to use the most weight will put on the mass because its using heavier weight. I promise you that the guys in this thread that posted they favor declines and dips also have the biggest chests.

I am not gonna get into a pissing contest of this or who has a bigger chest...just saying what I see. I mere observation.... everyone has a big chest online dont they? LOL, j/k

I know arnold never did declines, his chest was huge....he always said declines give ya a saggy chest.

 

[claymore]

I'll do them every now and then, but only at the end of my workout.

 

[pumpkinhead]

I'll do them every now and then, but only at the end of my workout.

^^^ agree...I will get on the hammer strength decline sometimes at the end of my work out , throw 1 plate and a quarter on each side and do single arm isolation burn out sets (30-40 reps) to really get blood into the muscle and to stretch the fascia out. but thats bout it.

After all, a massive upper chest is much more impressive in a side chest pose on stage, then a saggy lower chest that is covered by your bicep anyhow.

 

[Johnny Smiles]

I am not gonna get into a pissing contest of this or who has a bigger chest...just saying what I see. I mere observation.... everyone has a big chest online dont they? LOL, j/k

I know arnold never did declines, his chest was huge....he always said declines give ya a saggy chest.

he also trained with soooo much volume it would kill most mortals b/c of GENETICS. whether he did flat bench or declines or stood on his head and held his breath he would still have an awesome chest. GENETICS.
there are a myriad of reasons why declines are a great exercise.
-JS

 

[pumpkinhead]

he also trained with soooo much volume it would kill most mortals b/c of GENETICS. whether he did flat bench or declines or stood on his head and held his breath he would still have an awesome chest. GENETICS.
there are a myriad of reasons why declines are a great exercise.
-JS

Genetics? Arnold? NOOOOOOO ...lol, j/k

how about we will agree to disagree on this one...The only time we will ever have a answer to this is when we are both in contest shape standing on stage in the same weight class, in the same show...till then, we will just have a mutual understanding of each other

 

[Ness]

I am not gonna get into a pissing contest of this or who has a bigger chest...just saying what I see. I mere observation.... everyone has a big chest online dont they? LOL, j/k

I know arnold never did declines, his chest was huge....he always said declines give ya a saggy chest.

Heres is an observation of someone who never does flat or inclines. Oh, I dont get into pissing matches, I get into debates. Can you post up some pics of your chest?

 

[tkav1980]

EMG Study

Ness, JS ive been looking for it for the past hour and i KNOW it was posted here. there was an EMG study showing fiber activation and stimulation between the three chest press angles. do either of you know what thread it was in or have it saved?

 

[Johnny Smiles]

Genetics? Arnold? NOOOOOOO ...lol, j/k

how about we will agree to disagree on this one...The only time we will ever have a answer to this is when we are both in contest shape standing on stage in the same weight class, in the same show...till then, we will just have a mutual understanding of each other

wrong. standing next to each other won't prove what exercise is best either. cuz it all boils down to GENETICS as i stated earlier.
do you really believe a guy like Phil Heath can build a chest like Arnold based on exercise choice? if you believe that then i got some ocean front property in Arizona and selling it for CHEAP
Point is declines are GREAT for overall chest development. i don't even consider that an opinion. its pretty much a fact based on studies
-JS

 

[Ness]

Ness, JS ive been looking for it for the past hour and i KNOW it was posted here. there was an EMG study showing fiber activation and stimulation between the three chest press angles. do either of you know what thread it was in or have it saved?

I know what your talking about...its simply stated that declines RECRUIT more of the chest than any other exercise. That is why you can lift more weight! We all know that the more weight you put up the more mass you build. Its not a debate, its fact.

 

[Johnny Smiles]

Ness, JS ive been looking for it for the past hour and i KNOW it was posted here. there was an EMG study showing fiber activation and stimulation between the three chest press angles. do either of you know what thread it was in or have it saved?

i know the one you are speaking of. believe it had results that decline activated more fibers even upper chest fibers more than inclines and flat. man, i have tried to find it before and failed... i first saw it in Flex magazine.... good study.

and look at Phil in those pics. DAMN Phil, you FREAK. :headbang:
-JS

 

[cm]

I never do declines... I think of declines more of a tricep excercise your range of motion is so limited. Not to offend anyone, but I always see the smaller guys at my gym lead off with decline, because thats what they can throw the most weight on.

maybe just the wrong gym


smaller guys !!!!!

 

[Rockefeller]

Close grip bench on the decline is one of the best tricep movements you can do. Isolates them extremely well. Even tho you never see many people doing them. Try them you will not be disappointed.

 

[tkav1980]

Genetics? Arnold? NOOOOOOO ...lol, j/k

how about we will agree to disagree on this one...The only time we will ever have a answer to this is when we are both in contest shape standing on stage in the same weight class, in the same show...till then, we will just have a mutual understanding of each other

without getting into a pissing match or senseless name calling the reason for declines is %of fiber activation. declines allow for more overload on the muscle as well, using a muscle the way it is designed to work will allow you to use greater load. i think we can both agree, since you pointed out the skinny kids, that the greater the load for the same number of reps will yield a larger muscle. dont get me wrong, there are a ton of guys with awesome chests that never do declines and never suffer injury from flat or incline presses. from the studies ive read along with my own development declines yielded greater results.

after working with Phil, i switched to DC for a little over a year. in that time i dropped declines and dips out of my rotation and overall chest development dropped. my upper chest wasnt as thick, and as a whole the pec wasnt ad full. now being back with Phil and doing only declines, development is at an all time high.


I will do my best to find the study, and along with that some anecdotal and photo evidence to support my arguement, however that may take the better part of today with my work schedual.

 

[bigguns078]

Chest Rules:

1) Keep shoulder blades pinched back and chest high.

2) After you break parallel on a press, you run risk of activating the shoulders.. Generally the longer your limbs, the shorter your range of motion becomes.. Use a light weight and find your sweet spot..

3) When doing incline presses, keep ur thumb on the same side of bar as your other fingers.. Don't wrap around the bar.. Keep a grip just outside of shoulder length.. You will need to go alot lighter.. But your chest will get hammered..

4) Kelso Shrugs: probably best exercise for Pec Minor..

5) Be creative and unique: there are some great variations for chest exercises that will stimulate new muscle fiber recruitment for your workout.. Try something out and see how it works for you..