is the bench press the same as chest press?

[Hamachi12]

isn't it the same?

my chest routine is pec flyes, chest press, incline db chest press, and decline chest press. i think I'm hitting all parts of the chest

[RUCKUS10]

They all work the chest but DBs require more stabilization. Barbell bench requires less of it but still have to stabilize weight. Machine presses require none and isolates the chest more.

[cjmcfarland317]

Typically when people use a barbell they use a much narrow grip forcing the elbows up and down(making it into a tricep exercise) if you want to use the barbell for chest press make sure your grip is wider and your elbows are going out down and up. it forces the pecs into a eccentric and concentric contractions, therefore making it a chest exercise.

[RUCKUS10]

Hey do you happen to know Robby Etzkin that used to work at the Austin JCC?

[cjmcfarland317]

Hey do you happen to know Robby Etzkin that used to work at the Austin JCC?

Haha yeah man, I only talked to him a few times cause he was in a different department but shoot, I saw him I think last semester when he came back to visit. Hes a cool dude

[Hamachi12]

They all work the chest but DBs require more stabilization. Barbell bench requires less of it but still have to stabilize weight. Machine presses require none and isolates the chest more.

so for aesthetics, a machine is better since it builds and uses the chest more? are stabilizer muscles visible and make a difference for aesthetics?

[Khabaal]

so for aesthetics, a machine is better since it builds and uses the chest more? are stabilizer muscles visible and make a difference for aesthetics?

It doesn't use the chest more, it isolates the area more, meaning it's not as much a compound movement. Muscles used to stabilize weights are typically just the secondary muscles used during the movement but usually muscles referred to as "stabilizers" are not all visible by default. In the long run, strengthening these muscles would likely lead to being able to handle more weight and execute better technique which translates to more development for the chest. I'm assuming you're a beginner so I would suggest compound movements with the barbell and dumbbells before machines which tend to isolate movements by forcing form like a track.

[chazzy1864]

It doesn't use the chest more, it isolates the area more, meaning it's not as much a compound movement.

You don't seem to understand what a determines whether an exercise is a compound or isolation.


Nor do I think you actually know what "stabilizers" are, since you said they are not visible by default.