why is decline bench so much easier than flat?

[ReD3784]

why is decline bench so much easier than flat?

[Xanatos]

Hmm, I'd be more inclined to say that the flat is easier than decline (at least for me).

[korrrupt2004]

Originally posted by Xanatos
Hmm, I'd be more inclined to say that the flat is easier than decline (at least for me).

That's pretty rare..........did you neglect decline for a long time or something? I think it's related to a shorter range of motion.

Either way, weighted dips are better.

[DiamondDelts]

Originally posted by korrrupt2004
That's pretty rare..........did you neglect decline for a long time or something? I think it's related to a shorter range of motion.

Either way, weighted dips are better.

It's funny how people believe that weighted dips are better than decline bench because you are moving your body through space, yet when I say that weighted pushups are better than flat bench for that same reason, people **** bricks around here.

[korrrupt2004]

Originally posted by DiamondDelts
It's funny how people believe that weighted dips are better than decline bench because you are moving your body through space, yet when I say that weighted pushups are better than flat bench for that same reason, people **** bricks around here.

lol, not sure about the bitterness for the boards you have in some respect but I find that weighted dips force you to keep the right form and concentrate on the chest and tris; which I always work out together. Decline on the other hand, when I used to do it, I found that I ended up using my lats as well and generall just didn't get that much in the way of results...........I know where you're coming from though.

PS, I owe you one, you're other thread made me strongly reconsider my rep scheme and just generally do a better job of "leaving my ego at the door."

[DiamondDelts]

Originally posted by korrrupt2004
lol, not sure about the bitterness for the boards you have in some respect but I find that weighted dips force you to keep the right form and concentrate on the chest and tris; which I always work out together. Decline on the other hand, when I used to do it, I found that I ended up using my lats as well and generall just didn't get that much in the way of results...........I know where you're coming from though.

PS, I owe you one, you're other thread made me strongly reconsider my rep scheme and just generally do a better job of "leaving my ego at the door."

Yeah I understand. My post was not directed at you, sorry if it came across that way. I am glad my other thread was able to help you out. Ego can be the biggest hindrance to growing in bodybuilding. I remember when I was curling up to 150 pounds, military pressing 200 pounds, and had a 300 pound benchpress, all at age 19. Yet my development still sucked in comparison. I kept "ego" lifting up until age 22 when I said **** it, it is time to make a change. S o I reduce the weight, started playing with my grips, used better form with more reps, and did some experimenting. And I have been getting steady results since then.

[monkeyface]

you must have been pretty big with those stats of yours

if you could post a link to the thread you mention, i would like to have a read.

[korrrupt2004]

Originally posted by DiamondDelts
Yeah I understand. My post was not directed at you, sorry if it came across that way. I am glad my other thread was able to help you out. Ego can be the biggest hindrance to growing in bodybuilding. I remember when I was curling up to 150 pounds, military pressing 200 pounds, and had a 300 pound benchpress, all at age 19. Yet my development still sucked in comparison. I kept "ego" lifting up until age 22 when I said **** it, it is time to make a change. S o I reduce the weight, started playing with my grips, used better form with more reps, and did some experimenting. And I have been getting steady results since then.

Agreed... I'm gonna save myself some wasted effort and just start now ... the boys fumbling around with the overly heavy weights will be jealous lol

[Xanatos]

Originally posted by korrrupt2004
That's pretty rare..........did you neglect decline for a long time or something?

Neglected and still neglecting

Havn't really had a need to do declines at this point.

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

leverage

[DiamondDelts]

Originally posted by korrrupt2004
Agreed... I'm gonna save myself some wasted effort and just start now ... the boys fumbling around with the overly heavy weights will be jealous lol

Noooooo! You must waste a few more years so me and you can be even. Nah, just playing. But this is one of the reasons I believe that it is not good for younger lifters to lift at a gym. It is always that "Keeping up with the bodybuilding joneses" in the gym mentaility in there. Where young people feel the the pressure to lift big weights to keep up with the big boys of the gym. It was when I began lifting at home when I had time to experiment and figure out new **** rather than worrying about what "everyone else at the gym" will think about me.

[DiamondDelts]

Originally posted by korrrupt2004
Agreed... I'm gonna save myself some wasted effort and just start now ... the boys fumbling around with the overly heavy weights will be jealous lol

That reminds me of this big guy named Eric. He was this 220 pound guy who was a former paratrooper and always pushing HEAVY weight around the gym. He would always tease me and call me "Little Girly Man" when he saw me experimenting and lifting lighter weights in the gym. Well I ran into him the other day outside a bar and he still looks the same, while my shoulders and back easily dwarfs his. His eyes were wide open when he saw me, I told him "not to bad for girly man lifting huh", and walked off laughing my ass off.

[korrrupt2004]

Originally posted by DiamondDelts
That reminds me of this big guy named Eric. He was this 220 pound guy who was a former paratrooper and always pushing HEAVY weight around the gym. He would always tease me and call me "Little Girly Man" when he saw me experimenting and lifting lighter weights in the gym. Well I ran into him the other day outside a bar and he still looks the same, while my shoulders and back easily dwarfs his. His eyes were wide open when he saw me, I told him "not to bad for girly man lifting huh", and walked off laughing my ass off.

hahahahaa.. ya a little time and a lot of calculated hard work is the sweetest revenge.

[Jotun]

Originally posted by DiamondDelts
That reminds me of this big guy named Eric. He was this 220 pound guy who was a former paratrooper and always pushing HEAVY weight around the gym. He would always tease me and call me "Little Girly Man" when he saw me experimenting and lifting lighter weights in the gym. Well I ran into him the other day outside a bar and he still looks the same, while my shoulders and back easily dwarfs his. His eyes were wide open when he saw me, I told him "not to bad for girly man lifting huh", and walked off laughing my ass off.

What are your stats now, Widebody? Looking impressive from the pics you posted.

[DiamondDelts]

Originally posted by Jotun
What are your stats now, Widebody? Looking impressive from the pics you posted.

My stats: 5'11-6", 227-230

Shoulders: 56"
Lat Spread: 50"
Waist: 34"
Arms: 18 1/2"
Legs (definite weakpoint) Quads: 26 1/2", Calves 16 1/2"

[Defiant1]

Originally posted by ReD3784
why is decline bench so much easier than flat?

Because you are using an angle that a majority of your pec fibers are contracting in a straighter line (for most people). If you practice them equally, for 99% of people their decline will be higher than their bench.

Also, if you lower the bar to the same place on the pecs (which you shouldn't, but if you do) than the range of motion is shorter on the decline.

[zelloc]

i feel less range of motion,
more upper body muscles being used specially shoulders
blood flow towards upper body must be helping

[Get-n-fit]

It's easier due to a very short ROM.

[DCSpartan]

i feel less range of motion,
more upper body muscles being used specially shoulders
blood flow towards upper body must be helping

I'm glad to see that you resurrected a 13 year old thread to put forth your theory that blood flow makes a decline bench easier.

[callan91]

Because you are using an angle that a majority of your pec fibers are contracting in a straighter line (for most people). If you practice them equally, for 99% of people their decline will be higher than their bench.

Also, if you lower the bar to the same place on the pecs (which you shouldn't, but if you do) than the range of motion is shorter on the decline.

correct. The pecs muscle fibres branch roughly from the shoulder to the inner/lower pec, thus, making a downward/outward press the best movement.

[Madmaster333]

It is easier.

[DCSpartan]

It is easier.

OP asked the question 15 years ago when you were most likely in diapers.