Flat Bench Press!

[FlexBailey]

Yeah, I tore my pec doing heavy decline. How's your pec now Jersey Boy?
I think Flat is good for thickness but prefer to stick with incline.

 

[nyironman]

flat bench is a good overall mass builder but what the problem is these guys dont alternate enough between dumbells & barbells the whole idea of growth is stimulation.

 

[The_Eviscerator]

I see alot of guys doing nothing but flat bench press. These are the same guys that have that hunched, droopy look to them. What are some of your oppinions on this? I personally prefer incline presses alot more.

Bench works well for me... Of course I understand where you are coming from on the hunch back thing. If you are benching 315 pounds for 5-10, you should be able to do 5-10 reps with 315 on bent over rows. I think the over emphasis on bench and the lack of row back work creates the Quasimodo physique.

 

[bbigman2000]

Great exercise and it builds huge front deltoids,my best press is 445lbs and it worked for me bruthas

 

[badazzwhitedude]

I do a little of everything. You can never get enough variety to keep your muscles guessing.

 

[jersey boy]

FlexB,
I tore it a little over a year now. I have relatively no fibers when simulating a flat bench posture. Upper and lower are just fine. I have been doing both to compensate for the lack of the middle. In some cases you can tell, in others it is hard to see.

 

[FlexBailey]

JerseyBoy..
Was it a major tear(complete rupture of the pec tendon from the insertion point into the shoulder) or just a minor tear? I had to get surgery on mine as it was a major tear. I live in Canada so the cost of the surgery was covered by healthcare but I had to wait 1.5 years until I got it which is moronic. A year later it still bothers me and I don't do more than 225 on bench for 10-12 reps where as I used to do 315 on bench for that. It's still healing but it's SLOW. And my other pec is noticably larger..or atleast to me it is

 

[MJay95]

All three are fine however you must switch it up. No one style will work over long periods of time. We all now variety = growth

Now as far as which one works best, I got this information from my man Charles Poliquin

EXERCISE CHEST MUSCLE RECRUITED

Decline Dumbbell Press 95% Recruitment
Decline Barbbell Press 90% Rercruitment
Flat Dumbbell Press 85% Recruitment
Flat Barbbell Press 80% Recruitment
Incline Dumbbell Press 80% Recruitment
Incline Barbbell Press 75% Recruitment

This is regarding total chest muscle fibers recruited during each of these exercies.

See ya and happy chest blasting !!!
MJay95

 

[ebear]

I think it also has a lot to do with individual anatomy.

I'd been having a lot of shoulder pain and always did flat BP as my first chest ex. I've now switched to inclines & dumbbell inclines plus some light flats. Shoulders are feeling MUCH better.

ebear

 

[THE BOUNCER]

damn, there sure is alot of people who prefer incline. it doesn't seem like that in the gym though, were you see all these kids that look like shit doing nothing but flat bench. i guess people have to learn the hard way.