incline bench then flat bench or flat bench then incline

[jimbone73]

my chest workout consists of incline bb press, flat bb press, incline db flyes and dips. i was wondering if it matters if i do incline before the flat or vice versa?

[LiftingIsLife]

i usually do flat first, because it involves less shoulder.

whatever works for you,
best,
lifer

[JustR]

My upper chest is really weak and is quite lagging..so I've been doing incline press ever since and I've never looked back....I think incline > flat..both are important though..some ppl switch it up every week or every two weeks...but I think i'm going to stick with Incline going first...once you do this though your flat numbers should decline a bit but don't let your ego ge tthe best out of you

[UNF12345]

i was always taught ur suppose to work upper chest first. could be wrong.
i always do incline dbell b4 flat d bell. but when i do striaght bar i usually do flat first just to be my strongest at it and too see if im weaker or stronger. ego thing i guess

[tbohacker]

Definetly do incline first. If you notice incline benching is much harder. That is why people do more weight on flat bench. I also find hitting upper chest first allows me to make sure i hit them hardest since they are the troublesome area for me.

Good Luck.

[A.FreeRadical]

It is good to mix up your routine from time to time. (periodization) It is good to do weakest areas first (priotitization). It depends on what you are trying to do.

*

aA.FreeRadical a
Visit my 8 week cutting journal. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=382697

[GameDayDog]

do inclines fyrst ... that way you can work this muscle...

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/PectoralisClavicular.html

and the main chest muscles will be a supporting muscle... Then do flat benches
to work the rest of your chest...

http://www.exrx.net/Muscles/PectoralisSternal.html

Eat & Lift Heavy!!!!

~G

[KIDRR]

If I were you i'd think about mixing up the dumbbells and the olympic bar too. Well, that is unless your trying to get muscle memory.

[Chris95]

I never do bb/bb the same day. If I incline heavy, I start out with that then go to db bench press (on a bench and on the floor also - much harder).

If I do bb bench first I then go to db incline.


Works like a charm. If I try and bb incline and then bb bench, my bench is ****.

[brokenchair]

my chest workout consists of incline bb press, flat bb press, incline db flyes and dips. i was wondering if it matters if i do incline before the flat or vice versa?

you could just alternate from workout to workout.

[mindraper]

you could just alternate from workout to workout.

bump.. Excatly what i do!

[Jujitsu]

Work whatever part of your chest is lacking the most first.

[$AJ]

personal prefrence.

[$AJ]

i was always taught ur suppose to work upper chest first. could be wrong.

there's no right/wrong way to it.

[Defiant1]

there's no right/wrong way to it.

Yep.

[RYU23]

It is good to mix up your routine from time to time. (periodization) It is good to do weakest areas first (priotitization). It depends on what you are trying to do.

*

aA.FreeRadical a
Visit my 8 week cutting journal. http://forum.bodybuilding.com/showthread.php?t=382697

Ahh.. I'm gonna cut out flat. I was planning on hitting Decline bench which I never do then followed by incline DB.
Would U recommend hitting INCLINE 1st since I'm weakest there AJ?

[BIG RC]

my chest workout consists of incline bb press, flat bb press, incline db flyes and dips. i was wondering if it matters if i do incline before the flat or vice versa?

On my heavy day I do flat bb, incline bb and flat flyes, decline bb then on Friday I do incline db, flat db, incline flys, cablecrossover, and finish with pullovers. Chest on tuesday-friday.

[Rocky_Maivia]

I would only do inclines first if my upper chest were lagging, otherwise start with flat.

[Khryz]

This is a good thread and I have a question ...

I have weak shoulders genetically and because of that I dislocated my right shoulder a bunch of times and thus needed surgery. This really effects movements which involves the shoulders, and I feel it effects flat bench press the most out of all other exercises. I just have no explosive power with flat bench. I do 170 pounds for incline but only 185 for flat bench. Shouldn't my flat be a lot higher? BB Military Press is at 135.

So my upper chest is either stronger or flat bench just puts the most stress on my shoulder. So should I do flat first? Or just take advantage of my incline and do that first to get a nicer chest?

[deserusan]

Variety!!!!!

[Rocky_Maivia]

This is a good thread and I have a question ...

I have weak shoulders genetically and because of that I dislocated my right shoulder a bunch of times and thus needed surgery. This really effects movements which involves the shoulders, and I feel it effects flat bench press the most out of all other exercises. I just have no explosive power with flat bench. I do 170 pounds for incline but only 185 for flat bench. Shouldn't my flat be a lot higher? BB Military Press is at 135.

So my upper chest is either stronger or flat bench just puts the most stress on my shoulder. So should I do flat first? Or just take advantage of my incline and do that first to get a nicer chest?

Dont worry about it, unless you are a powerlifter then you dont really need the flat bench press. Stick to inclines, declines, dips and flyes. You can still get optimum development without the flat bench.

EDIT: also stay away from exercises that cause pain and discomfort. You dont want to injure that shoulder again.

[Khryz]

Dont worry about it, unless you are a powerlifter then you dont really need the flat bench press. Stick to inclines, declines, dips and flyes. You can still get optimum development without the flat bench.

EDIT: also stay away from exercises that cause pain and discomfort. You dont want to injure that shoulder again.

Thanks a lot man. Yeah I'm good at all the rest of them, I hate flat. Lol.

[F W Nietszche]

If you have no upper chest and you need to bring it up drastically, you may want to exert the majority of your strength on upper chest movements than further develop your lower chest with flat bench. But for most people it is choice.

[tylertommons]

it depends on hat your looking for if you want your pectoralis major to improve in strenght and shape work the incline first and vice versa

[UnsungDemiGod]

Hit your weakest area first.

[mattman]

i think I'm gonna start doing inclines first every time. I don't think you can get the upper chest too big. If a guy has a big upper chest in his shirts you really notice.

[Khryz]

Can someone like post picks of like a guy who a strong/big upper chest? I don't know if that's what I want. I just want like flat and toned pecks I don't want them to stick out. Is that flat bench?

[mattman]

flat pecs? hahahaha, well then just don't do any chest exercises. I like how a big upper chest makes the tshirt immediately start sticking out.

[Khryz]

I dunno then, nevermind.

[Rocky_Maivia]

Can someone like post picks of like a guy who a strong/big upper chest? I don't know if that's what I want. I just want like flat and toned pecks I don't want them to stick out. Is that flat bench?

I dont know why any bodybuilder would want "flat pecs". Heres a pic that should good upper chest development as well as separation between upper/lower:

Franco Columbo Chest