# Should you touch your chest with the bar on incline bench?



## Dayv (Nov 1, 2015)

For bodybuilding/hypertrophy purposes to build as much muscle as possible. I always lock out so I have a pretty huge range of motion due to having a 6'8 arm span. Does it make a massive difference if you touch the bar off your chest or stop a couple of inches before it? I notice I have to go a little lighter on the weight to get the same amount of reps if I touch my chest. I also have to widen my grip slightly


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

The problem with bench it's not for everyone and its not optimal for chest stimulation in general. Triceps and shoulders are the prime movers and with long arms they will give up before your chest wakes up. *3 seconds down 1 sec up 90 degree elbows no lockouts constant tension. *

I personally would throw the bench out and use dumbbells and cabels. Everyone with experience and 2 cents of anatomic knowledge knows this. But If you wanna compete in powerlifting or impress other men then you got no option my son.


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## GCMAX (Dec 31, 2013)

Dayv said:


> For bodybuilding/hypertrophy purposes to build as much muscle as possible. I always lock out so I have a pretty huge range of motion due to having a 6'8 arm span. Does it make a massive difference if you touch the bar off your chest or stop a couple of inches before it? I notice I have to go a little lighter on the weight to get the same amount of reps if I touch my chest. I also have to widen my grip slightly


 I see what you are getting at here, it's "time under tension". As soon as you lock out, the stress on the muscle is vastly reduced as your joints are holding it. As for touching the chest, if the weight can be comfortably held on the chest before pressing up, then for that small duration the tension is less. Try not locking out and very briefly touch your chest, merely as a positional aid and you should get a better muscle pump. I did this for biceps tonight on machine, constant tension, 2 sets and I still have a pump 3/4 hour later. It usually dissipates after 1/2 hour.


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Use the bench press/incline as a strength builder and use dumbells and cable for hypertrophy but always press in a full range of motion


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## Dayv (Nov 1, 2015)

Mogadishu said:


> The problem with bench it's not for everyone and its not optimal for chest stimulation in general. Triceps and shoulders are the prime movers and with long arms they will give up before your chest wakes up. *3 seconds down 1 sec up 90 degree elbows no lockouts constant tension. *
> 
> I personally would throw the bench out and use dumbbells and cabels. Everyone with experience and 2 cents of anatomic knowledge knows this. But If you wanna compete in powerlifting or impress other men then you got no option my son.


 At the moment I do incline bench 2x per week and decline DB 1x per week, everything else is cable work

Dumbbells are a bit awkward coz you kinda need a spotter once you start using heavier weights

I have a habit of locking out on all push exercises coz it means I keep my ROM consistent, might need to change this


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

Dayv said:


> At the moment I do incline bench 2x per week and decline DB 1x per week, everything else is cable work
> 
> Dumbbells are a bit awkward coz you kinda need a spotter once you start using heavier weights
> 
> I have a habit of locking out on all push exercises coz it means I keep my ROM consistent, might need to change this


 I think incline is overrated just stick with flat/decline cable/dumbbells and make progress overtime. You dont need heavy ass weight to build muscle my son.


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## Dayv (Nov 1, 2015)

Mogadishu said:


> I think incline is overrated just stick with flat/decline cable/dumbbells and make progress overtime. You dont need heavy ass weight to build muscle my son.


 I don't do flat as I find it emphasises front delts too much and seemed to injure me more than any other exercise

I do incline to give my chest a better balance as I have a lagging upper chest. Trust me I'm not using heavy ass weight lol


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

Dayv said:


> I don't do flat as I find it emphasises front delts too much and seemed to injure me more than any other exercise
> 
> I do incline to give my chest a better balance as I have a lagging upper chest. Trust me I'm not using heavy ass weight lol


 




Watch this and you will improve your pressing my son.


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## Dayv (Nov 1, 2015)

^ Tucking in elbows is also something I struggle with, may be time to drop barbell bench as you suggested


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## sauliuhas (Dec 29, 2008)

Flat bench is a must, core exercise, max concentration on negative phase, and don't go all the way down if it hits your shoulders, incline with dumbells - job done!


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Mogadishu said:


> Watch this and you will improve your pressing my son.


 God Chris jones has an annoying voice... But from judging what he was about to get into about setting your back up this is correct get your back tight get everything tight and tuck your elbows slightly and touch lower on the chest. If your shoulders are hurting you are benching wrong i can press a decent amount of weight and never have shouder pain and i pause on the chest and lock out


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

Jakemaguire said:


> God Chris jones has an annoying voice... But from judging what he was about to get into about setting your back up this is correct get your back tight get everything tight and tuck your elbows slightly and touch lower on the chest. If your shoulders are hurting you are benching wrong i can press a decent amount of weight and never have shouder pain and i pause on the chest and lock out


 You are correct but in terms of chest activation there's better options.


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## Jakemaguire (Feb 17, 2016)

Mogadishu said:


> You are correct but in terms of chest activation there's better options.


 I know thats why i said do bench for strength and dumbells and cables for hypertrophy


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## Mogadishu (Aug 29, 2014)

Jakemaguire said:


> I know thats why i said do bench for strength and dumbells and cables for hypertrophy


 Missed that part, you are correct my friend.


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