reverse grip benchpress better then incline for upper pec development?

[eddiekun]

Are you using a short one, one of the preloaded ones? Incline or flat?

I add 1 45 plate each side.
I do incline.

 

[CHAPS]

I like reverse grip when my shoulders are hurting. Still gives me a helluva pump on my tris so it's not the greatest for my chest. As far as feeling it in my upper chest I've never been successful at getting one part to grow. I just focus on the whole chest and the upper seems to take care of itself


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Try them after dips or cable flys, I find the same thing but placing them second or atleast after some pre-exhaustion helps

 

[ny2ncmuscle]

I SWEAR BY THIS EXCERCISE. I DO IT ON THE SMITH MACHINE WITH A VERYWIDE GRIP.I DO IT AS MY 1ST. AND PRIMARY INCLINE MOVEMENT FOLLOWED BY INCLINE HAMMER PRESSES.DONE PROPERLY YOULL GET STRONGER BEFORE YOU KNOW IT.I STARTED @ 225 NOW IM UP TO 8 REPS WITH 365. THATS SLOW AND STEADY - GOOD STRETCH - NO BOUNCING.BE CAREFUL TO SELECT A WEIGHT THATS COMFORTABLE - BECAUSE THE POTENTIAL FOR SHOULDER INJURY IS REAL. WRIST WRAPS ARE A MUST

 

[machomadness22]

I tried these last night and for some reason I only felt it working one side of my chest. It was the weirdest thing, then I dropped the weight, same problem. I don't know ill give the dumbbells a shot next.

 

[buck]

want to skip down to the practical applications part.
**broken link removed**

 

[Asylum]

Great piece of information Brother. Thank you for that. Going to give it a try

Si Vis Pacem

 

[kingsnake]

Hey ny2ncmuscle. I too really enjoy the reverse grip benchpress. I'm now doing flat barbell reverse grip benchpress with 275LBs for 6 reps. On my power day for chest my working is as follows.

Reverse grip barbell flat benchpress 4 sets of 6 reps
High 60 degree incline dumbbell press 4 sets 6 reps
Incline dumbbell flies 2 sets inclined at 30 degrees, 2 sets at 45 degrees and 2 sets at 60 degrees 8-10 reps.

My upper pecs all the way to my collarbone is usually sore for 2 days after this workout. Reverse grip benchpress in my opinion does hit the upper pecs when you use a wider then shoulder width grip and really focus on the upper pecs pushing the weight up.

In my opinion it's the upper pecs that makes a chest look like armored plates, but for most guys the upper pecs near the colar bone/clavical area is extremely hard to develope. My lower chest definitely over powers my upper chest which can be scene when you look at my side ways profile giving my pecs a kinda sagging appearance but I'm working on it.

 

[Bobby Light]

Ive never been able to do this exercise comfortably...always hurts my wrists and I don't feel safe doing it.

 

[jack_reacher]

Good post, any feedback from guys that have started this since original post?

 

[epoxy]

i've enjoyed it for a few weeks with DB's, starting with a normal press then pushing outward to the reverse position at the top of the press. it most certainly does work the upper pectorals more than any other exercise i have tried. i have serious rotator cuff tendinitis, and regular incline bench pressing is almost undo-able with heavy weights because of the pain. i am able to perform this at the lowest "incline" setting on an adjustable bench. but considering that "incline" pressing only activates 5% more of the upper pectorals, it's not really that big of a deal. from what i have read in the article, the reverse grip stimulates more like 25% of the upper pec. so if you are like me and have shoulder issues on the incline, doing these DB style on a very low level incline adjustable bench is perfect for helping to develop the upper pecs more.

i don't use a lot of weight with these either mind you, my first pressing movement is decline DB (again for shoulder issues) and i max out with 130LB dbs, hit flies, then come back to the reverse grip incline DB and only use about 60LB DB's and still get a fantastic burn from them.

 

[mitochondria]

link to the study?

 

[jakdup605]

I personally think they work awesome!! My upper chest has really filled in adding these to my workout!! it does kill the palms and wrist, but well worth the reward in my book. I try to go heavy for 8-12 reps. and to top it off it hits the triceps a different way, always have sore triceps the next day!

 

[dragonfire101]

incline close grip with regular grip lowering the bar a little higher on chest worked better for me in past than the reverse grip.

 

[epoxy]

link to the study?

I cant find it right now but I know it was done by the Canadian Memorial Chiropractic College in Toronto if you want to do some digging

 

[cobraforce]

Will have to give this a shot

 

[kingsnake]

I too agree that incline benchpress with a closer grip, like shoulder width apart does indeed hit the upper chest better then using a wider grip. However, the reverse grip benchpress does an great job at hitting the upper pecs because it kinda simulates doing low pulley cable flies with the pulleys down at the bottom creating a scooping motion which also hit's the upper pecs.

 

[THASHIZ]

I've only tried this once....years ago. It hurt my wrists so I haven't tried it since.....may have to though