Declines Vs Flats

[The One]

I just started doing decline presses for the first time and to be honest they feel more comfortable then doing flats. The decline bench is the least used equipment in my gym. I am wondering how many of u guys do decline bench and do u prefer it to flats?

Here is my new chest routine.

Monday: 45 degree incline barbell presses
decline barbell presses
dumbell pullover

Saturday: 30 degree incline dumbell presses
flat dumbell presses
45 degree incline flyes

Also I now do a split routine with my chest , which is triceps with chest.

Please critique.

 

[needleboy]

decline is not nearly as effective as flat. Cable crosses or flies will isolate better

 

[ballast]

In my experience, declines are one of the most productive exercises for chest.They closely duplicate a dip done on a set of parallel bars, which are also very productive.I like to use a bar for declines if I'm after strength, or dumbells if I'm trying to add mass.On the rare occasions when I do more than one chest exercise per workout, I always put the declines first.They have worked very well for me.

 

[drew]

decline

Actually, there has been more research involving comparing the chest exercises and decline actually recruits the most muscle fibers compared to flat and incline according to reported research... It also in my opinion is easier on your delts and rotator cuff which in the end may allow you lift heavier and without injury....

 

[Freak Show]

I'll use em now and then. Its extremely hard not to rely on your arms to do the pushing, so back off on the ego in the beginning and focus on using your chest. I know alot of people will say isolating lower pecs isn's feasible but all I know is once I got the form down, I had huge pumps in my lower pecs. Call it the placebo effect, I don't care.

As far as your routine: Ditch the pullovers. Wasted effort. Substitute a cable crossover movement instead. Of course this is only my opinion, but I fail to see how this is a chest exercise. If my physiology serves me correctly, the movement of bringing the arms from over your head to over your chest, resembles more of a back(lat) exercise.

 

[The One]

I usually do my pull overs with arms bent at the elbows. I find the straighter the arm the more lat tension is created. I kinda like pull overs.

Ive been told they are a good finishing movement for chest.

 

[sysopt]

pullovers hit the pec minor and lats.

 

[The One]

So far I like the feedback I will begin this routine and examine my growth on a month basis if i see good results i will recommend this to u guys. I think i will stick with the pull overs for a while longer.

 

[big4life]

I do all three in my workout.
Flat, incline, and decline.

 

[Heather Darling]

I like to do all 3 but I switch declines and dips up to keep it fresh. Declines can hurt your shoulder if the angle's not right for you but otherwise go for it.