# Should I be doing decline bench



## EctoSize (Nov 28, 2013)

Never do it, I occasionally finish off with dips but I only do either flat or incline with BB or DB...

What's the benefit of decline...?


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Its my primary chest movement. It seems to isolate the chest better than flat bench does (also I cant press flat very effectively due to a shoulder problem - OK with decline) As soon as you go flat or incline you are bringing your delts into play, and so not hitting the chest as well as you could. Ignore what people say about top middle and lower chest exercises, its a single muscle, I trained it yesterday and today I have DOMS across my whole pec.

Also it was apparently Dorian Yates's favoured chest exercise I found out recently.

Can take a bit of getting use to - always have a spotter or use a power rack, but I have pressed 140 on it for reps - currently down at 110-120 as am no longer chasing absolute weight.


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

my main compound for chest, since swapping from flat DB progress has been brilliant and the shoulders feel no stress. aslong as you can control the bar at the decline angle and really squeeze the press out its un beatable imo


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## EctoSize (Nov 28, 2013)

Ye I feel shoulder muscles coming into some chest exercises, especially incline. Will give it a go next week as I done chest tonight. I feel as if they are lacking as well despite training them hard on my current split, hopefully this might kick start some growth. Cheers lads


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## Echo (Sep 24, 2013)

@DiggyV @Josh Heslop

There's a lot of opinions and rumors, that decline bench can make your chest 'droopy'. I'm guessing broscience? It's never really made sense to me


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## sigarner (Mar 26, 2013)

I do it, out of preference I do incline as I do get the odd bit of shoulder pain doing decline.


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## Boshlop (Apr 1, 2012)

Echo said:


> @DiggyV @Josh Heslop
> 
> There's a lot of opinions and rumors, that decline bench can make your chest 'droopy'. I'm guessing broscience? It's never really made sense to me


i cant imagine that been true at all, all 3 angle of bench work both the major and minor pec muscle. unless you found a way to do a movement that managed to totally block off the minor from working it really cant be possible, different insersions on the pec tendoms might give the appearance of drooping i suppose, some people have very rounded lower chest attachments so when the muscle relaxes even when fairly lean it might look drooped


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## Heavyassweights (Jan 18, 2014)

Decline db I like although try flicking the 50s and stay on the bench


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Echo said:


> @DiggyV @Josh Heslop
> 
> There's a lot of opinions and rumors, that decline bench can make your chest 'droopy'. I'm guessing broscience? It's never really made sense to me


I call broscience mate :lol:

This all stems from the other broscience that decline hits the bottom of your chest (and incline hits the top etc). I get off a decline set and the line at the top of my chest is nice and deep, and a great full chest pump. :thumb: You do need to work three positions but not for the major muscle group.

I do a seated flat press, incline isolinear press (a bit like an incline flye) and cable crossers but again stood upright (ish) with the arms straight (like a crucifix) and brought straight down to touch in front of the gentleman sausage (be careful though) :lol: Kind of a decline cable crosser. ANd that's it. A good decline set will mess my chest up for a couple of days - I do negatives and drop sets, and the only rest between ALL sets is the time it takes me to change weight and then focus - so may be 20-30 seconds absolute max.


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## Echo (Sep 24, 2013)

Josh Heslop said:


> i cant imagine that been true at all, all 3 angle of bench work both the major and minor pec muscle. unless you found a way to do a movement that managed to totally block off the minor from working it really cant be possible, different insersions on the pec tendoms might give the appearance of drooping i suppose, some people have very rounded lower chest attachments so when the muscle relaxes even when fairly lean it might look drooped


Yeah exactly... It just doesn't seem to make sense. Even reptauble YouTube channels like HodgeTwins and Strength Camp (Elliot Hulse) have said it:

HT:






SC:


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## Echo (Sep 24, 2013)

DiggyV said:


> I call broscience mate :lol:
> 
> This all stems from the other broscience that decline hits the bottom of your chest (and incline hits the top etc). I get off a decline set and the line at the top of my chest is nice and deep, and a great full chest pump. :thumb:
> 
> I do a seated flat press, incline isolinear press (a bit like an incline flye) and cable crossers but again stood upright (ish) with the arms straight (like a crucifix) and brought straight down to touch in front of the gentleman sausage (be careful though) :lol: Kind of a decline cable crosser. ANd that's it. A good decline set will mess my chest up for a couple of days - I do negatives and drop sets, and the only rest between ALL sets is the time it takes me to change weight and then focus - so may be 20-30 seconds absolute max.


I normally do a few sets of Decline at the end of my chest workout, but I'm thinking now of putting it as my first. Pretty much of what you said really, I find that I 'feel' it in my Chest better than flat and incline.

Like I just posted to Josh, even reputable YouTube channels like the HodgeTwins and Strength Camp have made videos saying about it. Links in the reply.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Echo said:


> I normally do a few sets of Decline at the end of my chest workout, but I'm thinking now of putting it as my first. Pretty much of what you said really, I find that I 'feel' it in my Chest better than flat and incline.
> 
> Like I just posted to Josh, even reputable YouTube channels like the HodgeTwins and Strength Camp have made videos saying about it. Links in the reply.


I saw mate - will be having a look later. I just really like how hard it hits the chest and isolates it. Also you cant cheat a decline press, as you cant arch your back :lol:


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## ashmo (Jul 1, 2011)

Its my favourite bench!


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## Jason Bamse (Jan 18, 2014)

Never tried it and have never seen anyone at my gym do it either. the incline bench is only ever used for sit-ups as far as I have seen

Will give it a go tomorrow though.


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## ConP (Aug 18, 2013)

Great exercise it just takes a little while to get the form down perfectly.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

ConP said:


> Great exercise it just takes a little while to get the form down perfectly.


its also a bit disconcerting as you lower the bar down towards your throat :lol:

Obviously not actually the throat, just feels like it the first few times...


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Jason Bamse said:


> Never tried it and have never seen anyone at my gym do it either. the incline bench is only ever used for sit-ups as far as I have seen
> 
> Will give it a go tomorrow though.


Dont try and hit the same weights you would for other pressing exercises. There is no reason you wont get there at all, but as @ConP says it takes a bit of getting used to, but definitely worth persevering with.


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## Fishheadsoup (Apr 15, 2013)

Dorian Yates swears by it, that's good enough for me


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

Droopy lower pecs from decline press? Don't think so. Droopy moobs over lower pecs from eating too many mars bars? Much more likely.

I love the decline press, dips too, but it does seem to be a bit of a marmite exercise - very few people seem neutral about it, either claiming to really feel it hit the pecs or saying they get nothing much and don't feel comfortable.

Personally I think the mixed opinions are explained by leverage differences. Often form is a big factor too, although I think that technically the decline is easier to set up for than the flat bench - with flat bench pressing you have more scope to confuse yourself with set up between a PL style bench and a bodybuilding flat bench technique - with declines there isn't as much to be inconsistent over due to the declined body position forcing a more consistent position.

Going back to leverage though, I think generally decline seems to be favoured more by people with relatively long arms proportionate to the size of their ribcage... most people of more compact shape tend to gravitate more towards the flat press - queue all the people with short arms to comment and say they love declines :lol:


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## Jason Bamse (Jan 18, 2014)

DiggyV said:


> Dont try and hit the same weights you would for other pressing exercises. There is no reason you wont get there at all, but as @ConP says it takes a bit of getting used to, but definitely worth persevering with.


I can imagine. Thanks for the tip


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## Jason Bamse (Jan 18, 2014)

Just tried it. Probably too heavy and without a spotter. Shat myself 

Why don't i listen to advise?


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## 1010AD (May 30, 2009)

Probably do it more than flat bench, I feel like I hit the pecs more with dumbbell decline


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## Nuts (Aug 19, 2013)

Decline bench is my main chest exercise, I can bench more with decline than I can flat, just never seemed to get on with flat, and as @DiggyV says you can't cheat!


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

Jason Bamse said:


> Just tried it. Probably too heavy and without a spotter. Shat myself
> 
> Why don't i listen to advise?


You were warned.

I've been doing it a while as my primary and only increase weight once I know I can get 8 reps, also know my limits. I don't have a spotter, but have never had a problem, even with 140kg.


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## monkeybiker (Jul 21, 2010)

Jason Bamse said:


> Just tried it. Probably too heavy and without a spotter. Shat myself
> 
> Why don't i listen to advise?


Yep, never do decline without a spotter. At least with flat bench you roll the bar down your body but with decline your fooked.


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## Jason Bamse (Jan 18, 2014)

Yep, learnt my lesson. For now at least.


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## 16bobby90 (Feb 12, 2014)

I neglected decline press for a long time especially the 1st few times i tried it I didnt feel comfortable at all but gradually as technicque gets better and confidence grows with the exercise you'll learn to love it!!!

Very much doubt you'll get a 'droopy' chest from it tho the only exercise i know that gives you a droopy chest is when you bicep curl burgers down your throat lol


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## cudsyaj (Jul 5, 2011)

Since watching a Dorian Yates video - I only do Decline or Incline now... rarely do I do flat unless it's just a warm up or pumping out failure reps at the end.\

As everyone says, takes a little getting used to

Personally I keep my arms / elbows in, with a comfortable grip around shoulder width or a little wider, pushing through my chest NOT with my shoulders. You can get more weight on the bar once you've got the movement down!


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## Guest (Feb 13, 2014)

I prefer this over every other push compound but never do it due to lack of a spotter

Definitely a million times better on my ****ty shoulders than flat


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## Beats (Jun 9, 2011)

I see people doing Decline alot in my gym but everyone has the bench set to a different decline some set it as low as it goes others set it a bit higher. Is it just your preference?


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## dannw (Apr 7, 2010)

I feel it quite a bit in my Triceps is this right?


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## ryda (May 31, 2010)

Do it every week with dumbbells tho not the barbell! No barbells allowed in my chest session I think there crap


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## a.notherguy (Nov 17, 2008)

dont like it personally.

i feel it so much more in my triceps than my chest.

have tried different grip width, form, bars, dubells, degree of incline but it all feels more like im doing a narrow grip press

oddly enough, i am a big fan of chest dips tho.


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## dtlv (Jul 24, 2009)

If you look at the EMG data (which is a good guide but not totally reliable) it suggests that the decline position is pecs and triceps but not much front delt (which makes sense) - the flat bench is all three, and I think that some of the force generation in the flat position that would come from the front delts is transferred to the triceps when decline. The pecs however are put in a more biomechanically advantageous position in the decline position and so despite less front delt helping the lift a person should be stronger in decline presses and be better able to overload the pecs.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

dtlv said:


> If you look at the EMG data (which is a good guide but not totally reliable) it suggests that the decline position is pecs and triceps but not much front delt (which makes sense) - the flat bench is all three, and I think that some of the force generation in the flat position that would come from the front delts is transferred to the triceps when decline. The pecs however are put in a more biomechanically advantageous position in the decline position and so despite less front delt helping the lift a person should be stronger in decline presses and be better able to overload the pecs.


Nice post Det.


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## sambo1990 (Dec 31, 2013)

Flat bench hits all chest i rather not do decline as dips hit lower chest also its your own choice


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## JBrittan (Nov 22, 2013)

Done decline for the first time yesterday after doing flat for over a year. My gym didnt have a decline btw.

Anyway i can press 100k for reps on flat but when it came to decline i was struggling with 70k, i didnt want to go higher because im still getting used to the movement. Anyway...i did like the feel of it and once i get my form right i will start to add more weight.

Im definatley gunna do decline alot more  i had all kinds of chest pump action...all kiinnndssss


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## bigchickenlover (Jul 16, 2013)

Decline all the way for me since shoulder injury tho I do once a month/6 weeks keep in on the flat press just for strength


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

sambo1990 said:


> Flat bench hits all chest i rather not do decline as dips hit lower chest also its your own choice


but decline doesn't just hit the lower chest this is just broscience, and old broscience at that. Please see dtlv's post above which has the real science on it. Decline hits the complete major pec muscle top to bottom.

The best example of this that you would know is Dorian Yates - it is his primary chest exercise.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

JBrittan said:


> Done decline for the first time yesterday after doing flat for over a year. My gym didnt have a decline btw.
> 
> Anyway i can press 100k for reps on flat but when it came to decline i was struggling with 70k, i didnt want to go higher because im still getting used to the movement. Anyway...i did like the feel of it and once i get my form right i will start to add more weight.
> 
> Im definatley gunna do decline alot more  i had all kinds of chest pump action...all kiinnndssss


you will catch up on weight - I probably outpress now on decline compared to flat or incline. PB for reps (dont do 1rm) are 140 on decline - 140 on flat - but not for a long time and 120 on incline.


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## sambo1990 (Dec 31, 2013)

Still dont rate it mate ive done fine without my opinion iff u do flat properly and choose excersize wisely u dnt need decline just my opinion dont shoot me for it


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## sambo1990 (Dec 31, 2013)

DiggyV said:


> but decline doesn't just hit the lower chest this is just broscience, and old broscience at that. Please see dtlv's post above which has the real science on it. Decline hits the complete major pec muscle top to bottom.
> 
> The best example of this that you would know is Dorian Yates - it is his primary chest exercise.


What your sayin makes total sense cant beat science but my opinion is i dnt rate it thas all everyones different pal


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

sambo1990 said:


> What your sayin makes total sense cant beat science but my opinion is i dnt rate it thas all everyones different pal


no loaded gun mate don't worry. Like everything in this game from diet through supps and AAS to training you find what works for you and then hone it to make it perfect for you. My main point was that decline doesn't just hit the lower chest.

I switched for a number of reasons - having used flat as my main chest exercise for 20 years (yes I am old :lol: ) - firstly was a niggling shoulder injury that flat seemed to irritate, second was so I didn't hit my delts at all on chest day - on flat it is inevitable that you hit front delts, and thirdly as I was getting on I wanted to move to an exercise that was harder to cheat, cos lets face it we've all arched our backs at some point.... :wink: I think this is what was hurting my sholuder my shoulder. Since switching I have better muscle density and size in my chest and also no shoulder issue.... so for me it was perfect. Just wish I had found it 20 years earlier.


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## sambo1990 (Dec 31, 2013)

Well im gna be honest im gna give it ago today its chest day lol il try for a month without flat bench at all just incline and decline and il write back to u see how i go because it makes total sence about not hitting shoulders which is a major plus for chest maybe its because ive never done it long enough in the past


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## paullen (Sep 27, 2010)

DiggyV said:


> you will catch up on weight - I probably outpress now on decline compared to flat or incline. PB for reps (dont do 1rm) are 140 on decline - 140 on flat - but not for a long time and 120 on incline.


I swapped flat for decline on advice from here, I dropped about 15kg in weight, but a couple of months later and I'm pressing Pbs and more comfortably! Love decline now. It's trick though as I have a flat bench, so I have to bodge the whole bench into a decline position.


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## DiggyV (May 6, 2011)

sambo1990 said:


> Well im gna be honest im gna give it ago today its chest day lol il try for a month without flat bench at all just incline and decline and il write back to u see how i go because it makes total sence about not hitting shoulders which is a major plus for chest maybe its because ive never done it long enough in the past


Hit decline first would be my advice though...

and genuinely good luck... :thumb:


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## sambo1990 (Dec 31, 2013)

DiggyV said:


> Hit decline first would be my advice though...
> 
> and genuinely good luck... :thumb:


Ye will do cheers bro


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