Decline barbell press (little long)

[NateDogg]

What's up everyone,

I have been lurking around here for a while now and love this board. I have posted occasionally, anyway...

I read in a Muscle and Fitness issue a few months ago that decline presses recruit the greatest number of muscle fibers (or something to that effect, it was promoting decline presses). Now, I am only 5' 10" but I have VERY long arms and I partially blame that fact for my relatively weak chest. I have been using decline barbell presses for a few weeks now and I am very happy with the results. Actually put up 190 three times the other day. I know it's on the decline bench, so I'm sure some of you would consider it cheating, but it drives me nuts to see the guys with really short arms moving 325 lbs through their entire range of motion (ROM) and having it still only move about a foot. Long story shorter...What does everyone think of doing decline presses in place of flat bench? My feeling is that the greater weight I can use when decline pressing as compared to flat bench pressing will lead to greater growth, all other things being equal. I just wanted to get some opinions on the matter from those who know! So hit me with 'em!
NateDogg

 

[sysopt]

It's a perfectly good exercise for developing the pecs. Some would argue it's even better than flats because of less shoulder involvment and therefore more pec involvment.

 

[Mighty Mouse 21]

I'm one of those guys with shorts arms, and because of it, I don't really like doing decline presses with the bar because the range of motion is so short for me that it doesn't really sem like I'm working very hard. So instead I usually just use dumbells on decline with the ocaasional barbell set for variety. When I do use the bar, I can do a fair amount more than I can on flat, I think this is 'cause the range of motion is so much shorter, but I'm not really sure.

My feeling is that the greater weight I can use when decline pressing compared to flat bench pressing will lead to greater growth

Are you talking about only doing one or the other? Personally, I do all three of flat, decline and incline when I work my chest, and I've had great gains, so you might want to think about this.

 

[NateDogg]

MM 21,

I have done all three, but I have honestly seen the best gains doing solely decline presses, and flat bench flyes. I am basically talking about replacing flat bench presses with decline presses for a while.

Thanks for the help guys, keep 'em coming!

NateDogg

 

[Natedawg73]

I usually do all 3 - flat bench, incline, and decline.

 

[FitnessFrk]

decline is a more natural movement and does recruit more muscle fibers, than incline or flat.

decline db presses KICK ASS !

 

[Stryc-9]

I say mix it up every week - your body won't know what to expect!! One week hit your chest with inclines, the next declines, etc.,

Also try to alternate the use of DB's with BB's....lately I've been pounding my chest soley with the dumbells....having only ever used the barbell before (for presses)...and it's really growing...

Bottom line: Keep your chest guessing....and it's bound to respond....

Personally, I get a killer stretch from decline flyes....I love those suckers!!

 

[uNOwho]

so if i have tendonitis in my shoulder and i do declines, i'm actually using less shoulder more chest so i should be able to do my normal rep limit and not feel like my shoulder is going to fly out of my skin....i'll have to try that tonight, good thing i'm doing chest tonight!

what do you all think about as far as the Smith machine goes? i workout by myself, my buddy backed out on me for another gym, so i have been quite aprehensive about pushing a good amount f weight on my own. so i jumped on the smith machine for about two weeks now. i notice some increase, yet, my ROM is severly limited. it's only up and down, no natural arc's. is that a bad thing?

phil

 

[NateDogg]

Thanks to everyone for the replies,

I am definitey going to switch it up after a while (flat, incline) just going to stick with declines for a little bit and see where it goes. Looks like I might switch week to week DB's and BB.

NateDogg