Incline Bench Press

[the iron addict]

The incline bench press is no doubt the 2nd most popular chest movement BB’ers do in search of pec size. With the bench press of course holding the number one spot. Whether done with a strait bar, or dumbbells, it is a wonderful lift to shift the emphasis somewhat to the upper pecs, and provide different neural and muscular stimulation from the same old, same old bench press. Now comes the down-side. MOST of the equipment that is setup for this movement is all wrong and makes what could have been a good chest move into a so-so front delt movement. Most of the fixed incline benches are set at 45 degrees, some even higher. This is truly much too high too keep your pecs in the game optimally. Yes, there will still be some upper pec stimulation at the degree of incline, but it is much less than if the bench were set lower. Electro-magnetic imaging studies show the flat bench press hits all areas of the pectorals…..and hit them hard. Inclines, done on electro-magnetic imaging studies show the upper pecs are well stimulated, but the lower pecs are either not hit very hard, or barely at all—dependent on incline angle.

You don’t need a tall incline to make an incline bench press a great upper chest movement. 15-30 degrees is about right for most people. God know front delts are the most abused body-part and making the incline bench just another front delt move is surely not the intent of doing inclines for most people. Look at your equipment and adjust if needed, and if possible. I used to workout at a gym that had one incline bench that was fixed at about 60 degrees—great. That’s what happens when you let some engineer that has never lifted a weight design equipment.

Iron Addict

[El_Animal]

That's interesting I never realized that. Good post brother.

[S2-13BT]

Too true.

The bench I use adjusts to about 20deg or 45deg incline. The 20deg setting really hits the chest well. I can just feel it working really well. I can't say I've ever tried the 45deg incline, and never even considered it for the reasons you state.

I don't flat bench though, I decline by about 10-15deg and really like that too.

[axelfoley]

say your doing decline does the same principle apply if it is too declined what does it work i know i was doing decline in the fall and i could do a lot more then i could on flati could rep 285 3 times on decline and you can see from my sig my current max is 260 why is it that i can do so much more on decline

[ampstang]

say your doing decline does the same principle apply if it is too declined what does it work i know i was doing decline in the fall and i could do a lot more then i could on flati could rep 285 3 times on decline and you can see from my sig my current max is 260 why is it that i can do so much more on decline

Because you get other muscles working also. You use more of your triceps on decline than in flat bench. Also, with some people, especially power lifters, they force their abs upwards making it more of a decline press angle.

[axelfoley]

i keep my back flat on the decline bench i must just use a decent amount of tricep i assume