kick start chest growth/ STOP doing flat bench!!

[aurelius]

Rotator Cuff

Ask a bodybuilder about shoulders and he´ll (she´ll) wax poetic about deltoids anterior and prosterior and so on. If you don´t strengthen and stabilize the supporting muscles and tissues you will end up experiencing shoulder trouble. These tissues must be capable of supporting and stabilizing the arm and shoulder.

 

[riskybizz007]

Not doing flat bench for a month will make a significant change in your stabilizer muscles. And what i stated earlier also would not make changes in your stabilizers. That's not what we're talking about... we're talking about changing exercises and routines.

 

[blacker]

I think you should stop turning your pinkies against oneother at the top of the movement, due to it removes tension from the chest if done, try going hands in neutral position all the way instead! it works great!

 

[Island Son]

incline flyes are hard on my shoulders. Flat flyes and cables are better.

 

[needsize]

kick start chest growth/ STOP doing flat bench!!

I disagree, flat bench has always been the cornerstone of my chest routine and I have developed a thick and well balanced chest. I think its about individual genetics, some people can make great gains off flat bench, while others need to get more creative, it's all about finding what works for you.

 

[aurelius]

to RISKYBIZZ

Your post confused me.

"Not doing flat bench for a month will make a significant change in your stabilizer muscles."

How?

You said your shoulders were "wasted" after doing incline. No surprise there. Incline requires more of the shoulders than does flat bench.

"That's not what we're talking about... we're talking about changing exercises and routines."

Just offering a suggestion for improving the efficacy of the flat bench movement.

 

[punch]

Thanks for all the feedback!!!!

I especially like the fact that someone noticed that I start with the heaviest wieght first ( after good warmup of course ). Psychologically, this works better for me. If I can grind out some pretty good reps w/ max wieght first off it really gets me motivated to go all out.

One more point. I am NOT a pro BB, I love the sport with an unabashed passion. I am not shy about posting the poundage I use because it is what it is. The one thing I do have is a lot of years under my belt. I always learn alot from good quality posts and appreciate this board more than any because its the most usefull.

By the way, to clarify. I will do flat bench every other third week for variation however sticking with incline movements as the meat and potatoes.

Lastly, if your shoulders bother you while doing incline flyes start at a 45 degree angle and lower the incline 1 notch until you hit a flat level for your last set. This will ensure you work the pecs at all angles. I will be posting my back routine next as this is the best part of my body and somewhat non conventional.

 

[sysopt]

If you are saying that inclines are more efficient at working the pecs, well then you're wrong. Inclines simply take the load off the pecs and shifts them to the shoulders. If you are saying you can no longer progress on strength or size on flats and use inclines for variation, well that's dandy

 

[The Dude]

I've been doing a couple of pec dec sets to pre-exhaust with 10-20 reps before hitting incline or flat bench presses. My strength has gone up a little, but my chest size has improved dramatically. The best growth I've ever seen. Big benches aren't always the key to growth.

 

[The Dude]

However, I am considering give it a break and going back to BB first followed by DBs and then pec dec. Hmmm...I really don't know.