Any opinions of decline bench?

[Mike_Rojas]

I decided to try something different for a change today, so I did decline benches. I was wondering what opinion you guys have on them. They felt good, and the weight was easier to move. I'm thinking of keeping them in my routine. Let me know any pros/cons you experts have out there.

 

[Lee]

good for targeting lower chest, not that much of a tri workout though.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

So you think it hits triceps less than regular bench? I couldn't really tell a difference.

It definitely gives you a different feel in the pecs... kinda like dips

 

[Lee]

works triceps less then flat cuz there is less rom

 

[b fold the truth]

They felt good, and the weight was easier to move. I'm thinking of keeping them in my routine.

If you like them...then do them. I haven't done them in a while but did use them from time to time...

B True

 

[DOHC2L]

I have a problem that seems relevant to post here. I have a hard time benching, but I can decline pretty good. I can do ~160 decline, but barely can finish 1 set of 135 on a flat bench. So what do you guys recommend. Remember Im a newb that's only been working out hard for about ~1 month and Im not naturally strong, I've always been weaker in my upper body than most guys my size.

 

[Debaser]

Declines are actually a more natural movement for the chest than flat benches. The pecs not only push the arms out but also DOWN, that's why they feel like dips.

 

[Vortexx]

Here is my opinion:

Why When Decline

Actually I prefer a low decline angle (-15 -30 degrees) and let the bar trouch down at the upper chest to increase the ROM

If you do the declines in concert with the inclines, you can rest assured that you payed enough specific attention to both the lower chest and upperchest area, while both exercise to a reasonable degree work the middle pec area.

People like Serge Nubret could fill their entire chest with flat benchpresses, sometimes he did 20 sets (!) of only flat benchpress for chest, however, it has to do with biomechanics and genetic muscle insertion angles etc, that determines how much fibres you can recruit with the flat bench. If it works for you fine, I def. need some angled work.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Thanks for the replies. I'm going to keep doing them. I don't know about touching the upper chest - it seems like I would pull something!

 

[Exodus]

Mike_Rojas:

decline is great, it is the same exact thing as a dip, your hands are just in a different position and you cant go as deep. my dip bar at the gym is so narrow that i get no chest work all triceps.

the part about the tri's getting worked less is wrong, bad wrong. one of the things about decline is that it takes the should pretty much completely out of the movement and locks it in a static position. thats the reason people decline more than flat ( and also bench more than they incline.) the triceps get hit hard on decline, and thus resembles the dip movement.

the shoulders are 9 times out of 10 the reason for weakness in this fashion. the less the shoulder rotation the more they bench. so incline is the weakest, followed by flat, then decline. so strengthen those shoulders.

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