Supposed to be stronger at Flat bench than Incline Bench?

[skinsfan]

I've heard this before many time, if you can flat bench xx weight then you can incline bench more than that. I can barely do 225 once without a spot on flat bench. But for some reason incline just feels more comfortable to me and I don't get any shoulder pain or anything associated with it. Today I did 245 for 4 reps with no spotter on incline and it felt great.

I'm starting to think I have some serious shoulder girdle malfunction or something. I've tried changing my form on flat bench multiple times but nothing seems to work for me. It just always feels so hard to flat bench.

Is it normal to be that much stronger on incline than flat bench? Do you think this could be associated with the pain in my right shoulder when I flat bench? Should I just stop flat benching all together and stick to the incline?

 

[WiggyWild]

I can't answer your question, I'll be doing my first real incline in over 6 months tom and I'll tell you how it goes.

I can however sympathize with flat bench being my weakest lift and it really gets to me. I left off push pressing almost what I reset my bench to yesterday. WTF is wrong!

 

[lockdownd7]

It's rare, but not unheard of, as there are obviously different muscular contributions on each lift. But yea, if you're not going to be tested on flat bench, I wouldn't worry about improving it directly. Incline is fine.

 

[ExtraMile]

About shoulders bro, try this form -

 

[skinsfan]

About shoulders bro, try this form -

for some reason I can't see any link in your post! I'll take a look at the video if you can repost it, or maybe my comp is just wierd or something and the link really is there. Chances are I've probably seen it before, I take my training seriously and the flat bench frustration has forced me to try so many different form variations.

 

[c24k]

I've heard this before many time, if you can flat bench xx weight then you can incline bench more than that. I can barely do 225 once without a spot on flat bench. But for some reason incline just feels more comfortable to me and I don't get any shoulder pain or anything associated with it. Today I did 245 for 4 reps with no spotter on incline and it felt great.

I'm starting to think I have some serious shoulder girdle malfunction or something. I've tried changing my form on flat bench multiple times but nothing seems to work for me. It just always feels so hard to flat bench.

Is it normal to be that much stronger on incline than flat bench? Do you think this could be associated with the pain in my right shoulder when I flat bench? Should I just stop flat benching all together and stick to the incline?

Well from all the people i know and have talked to we are all weaker on our incline than our flat bench. If your getting shoulder pains you need to lower your weight alot especially if your doing 245 for 4 reps thats putting a ton of stress on your delts and shoulders, i am more than familiar with your pain. Try lowering the weight i'm sure your form is not the problem (from what i can tell) just lower the weight where on incline your in the 8-12 rep range try that out for a bit and see how it feels. Also before you do that give your shoulders a rest for a few days for them to heal and the pain to subside. Cell Tech has a butt-load of Dextrose 75 whopping grams of it its really good for repairing your body it worked wonders with me

 

[SpyWizard]

i do much more weight on an incline than the flat, but i have a bigger back, thus those muscles are more able to assist during the lift..

there is a reason guys will arch their backs during a flat bench press, it brings more of the lats and back into the lift..

 

[skinsfan]

i do much more weight on an incline than the flat, but i have a bigger back, thus those muscles are more able to assist during the lift..

there is a reason guys will arch their backs during a flat bench press, it brings more of the lats and back into the lift..

That could be part of the issue, I have always had a much stronger back than any of my other lifts. My rows and deadlifts are my strongest exercise.

 

[oso0960]

I have never known of someone who can incline more than they can flat bench. I can flat bench 245x4 but can barely get 200x1 on incline.

 

[skinsfan]

I have never known of someone who can incline more than they can flat bench. I can flat bench 245x4 but can barely get 200x1 on incline.

Now you know two people! Me and spywizard appear to have the same issue with incline vs. flat. I think Im just going to stop flat benching all together and just incline. I'll save the flat bench for close-grip tricep work.

 

[SpyWizard]

Now you know two people! Me and spywizard appear to have the same issue with incline vs. flat. I think Im just going to stop flat benching all together and just incline. I'll save the flat bench for close-grip tricep work.

yep, i dont do flat bench at all anymore, too hard on the joints as well, incline, cross cable and decline give and keep a good chest geometry.

 

[skinsfan]

yep, i dont do flat bench at all anymore, too hard on the joints as well, incline, cross cable and decline give and keep a good chest geometry.

your avatar makes baby jesus cry!

 

[oso0960]

Now you know two people! Me and spywizard appear to have the same issue with incline vs. flat. I think Im just going to stop flat benching all together and just incline. I'll save the flat bench for close-grip tricep work.

hah i guess so. I've always thought it went decline>flat>incline. Have you always done more incline work than flat?

 

[PFM]

to my knowledge it is rare to see someone out incline there flat. but that could be good. i personally like incline more but am stronger on flat. both put a lot of pressure on my joints if i dont keep perfect form.

 

[iggy]

i've always been stronger incline. but thats just me.

 

[BigBrothaD]

I'm flat out stronger on incline as well. I don't have time topost right now but it has to do with shoulder design. I'll elaborate more tonight.

 

[skinsfan]

I'm flat out stronger on incline as well. I don't have time topost right now but it has to do with shoulder design. I'll elaborate more tonight.

Elaborate. I'm drooling for this info!

 

[SaiBoT]

My flat bench it's 225 and my inclined bench it's 225 too. I must be unique. I always feel more comfortable on inclines, for some reason I have better acceleration on reversing the movement at the bottom, it's like my shoulders were meant for these, I'm very long limbed so my inclined will still be mediocre, I'm not giving up though.

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

I'm flat out stronger on incline as well. I don't have time topost right now but it has to do with shoulder design. I'll elaborate more tonight.

lifters that are shoulder dominant have stronger incline bench numbers. flat bench requires less delts. more pecs/tri strength & its easier to cheat