# How do you bench with your chest properly???



## kevo (Aug 7, 2003)

I mean like reduce the work done by your arms, as stupid as that sounds??!!! I hope you klind of know what I mean!! Just like when I train every other bodypart I can usualy feel something the bext day, but not with chest and its my slowest developing bodypart!!

:confused1:


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## brett the heart (May 11, 2008)

flat bench is positioning of hands on the bar to get itright.personslly id rather do do decline and incline more natural movement and less injuries


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

glad you posted this as i was going to do it later i seem to get a large focas on my shoulders when flat benching,

i been reading around on here and seems a wider grip is advised quite a lot.

also read on a e-book that it helps place more tension on chest and less on shoulders if the bar is not pushed directly vertical but wit a sligt angle back towards the top of the head ( if thats a understandable explaination)


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

To be honest id go with dumbbell bench press. Whenever i do this i can feel it alot more on the chest.

Give it a go with the DBs


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## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

one method is to warm up the chest pre-benching with flys


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## trickymicky69 (Oct 1, 2004)

i would make sure you try to pull your shoulder blades together when you inhale which will take the emphasis from your deltoids back onto your pectorals.

if you chest is slow to grow it could also be genetics?


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

IMHO- you are gonna have two option

1: BB_Flat Bench, grip shoulder width

or

2: DB-Flat Bench, in either exercise your gonna be looking for the long stretch, you wanna stretch the exercise to the point that you feel your back muscle's pinch in the middle then explode pressing up with a trwist of the wrist at the end of DB for good measure...again JMHO...


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

problem i have with db is that they are set weights going up in 2.5kgs and bad for progression at least with the bb i can if needed just ad 1kg on


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

warren_1987 said:


> problem i have with db is that they are set weights going up in 2.5kgs and bad for progression at least with the bb i can if needed just ad 1kg on


Think small, be small...nothing wrong adding 5 lbs...per side...


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## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

> Think small, be small...nothing wrong adding 5 lbs...per side...


 :thumbup1:

if you are on reps of 8 and cant do 8 with the extra 2.5kg then do 6 or something

adding 1kg is not great, i am adding small amounts like that at the moment but i am cutting so i am struggling to add anymore then that on and am waiting for the ar5e to fall out of my poundages


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

adding 1kg each week for 6-8 weeks i would imagine is a great progression , no?


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## trickymicky69 (Oct 1, 2004)

warren_1987 said:


> adding 1kg each week for 6-8 weeks i would imagine is a great progression , no?


any weight increase for 6-8 weeks is good unless you are just starting out


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## cellaratt (Jul 16, 2008)

warren_1987 said:


> adding 1kg each week for 6-8 weeks i would imagine is a great progression , no?


So if your 1 kg plate wasn't available you wouldn't allow yourself to get stronger because you wouldn't be able to progress yourself to use the next available weight being 2.5kg...? Think small, be small...just because the weights available doesn't mean it needs to be used...


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

no but i maxed outon the dumbells at 30kgs i physicall cant get the 32.5kgs up AT ALL. wat i am saying is it is easier to progress on the bb as if i cant handle upping te weight by 2.5kg i can still up it by a smaller ammountwhich is better than not uping it


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## ba baracuss (Apr 26, 2004)

Try the smith machine.

I find it allows me to squeeze the pecs much better than anything else.

Never lock out or go too deep - this keeps it focussed on the pecs rather than the triceps and shoulders which can happen if you go deep and then lock out.

The instructor in my gym also benches in this fashion, and he has a much better chest than mine to back it up


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## TaintedSoul (May 16, 2007)

cellaratt said:


> So if your 1 kg plate wasn't available you wouldn't allow yourself to get stronger because you wouldn't be able to progress yourself to use the next available weight being 2.5kg...? *Think small, be small...*just because the weights available doesn't mean it needs to be used...


Exactly. I have often used the idea. If my dumbell is not there then next size up will do.

With chest you need to be in tune with how the pecs contract and try avoid tri's and shoulders doing the work. You often see guys with big shoulders and tri's but a flat chest!!


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

so would you go up a weight too heavy and let frm go to hell for the sake of saying yeah i can now lift more?


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## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

theres arguements for and against the little discussion going on here

i agree that sacrificing form is not a good idea, however a progression of more then 1kg each session is needed imo, unless 1kg is actually each side (so thus 2kg)


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## EDG301 (Oct 18, 2005)

Bench to your sternum, not upper chest. Also, i altered an exercise i havent done for along time az didnt feel it- twaz the machine flye- dun it with one arm at a time, therefore being able to bring it across more- got a bloody good contraction- it has become my new favorite exercise- then moved on to heavy bb press's.

For bench (db or bb) wen bringing it up (this is hard to explain) try and force shoulder together using pecs therefore rounding the upper back- try it whilst sittin in front of comp- quite hard to explain but u feel contraction much better- have found contraction more forcefully wen doing this with db- visualising the biomechanics of the muscle contraction helps my concentration on the muscle aswell.


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## chrisj22 (Mar 22, 2006)

davetherave said:


> :thumbup1:
> 
> if you are on reps of 8 and cant do 8 with the extra 2.5kg then do 6 or something
> 
> *adding 1kg is not great*, i am adding small amounts like that at the moment but i am cutting so i am struggling to add anymore then that on and am waiting for the ar5e to fall out of my poundages


Why is adding 1kg a week not great?

Half a kilo a week is great, let alone one kilo.

It's all about steady progression.

1kg a week equals 52kg a year on to lifts.


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

chrisj22 said:


> Why is adding 1kg a week not great?
> 
> Half a kilo a week is great, let alone one kilo.
> 
> ...


thank you , this was my school of thought, id prefer to add 1kg each week untill hit a ma then lower it, one week and back up the next there was a good post by tall about doing it this way.


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## evad (Mar 17, 2008)

adding 1kg every session for a full year is highly unlikely, i do agree that 52kg (if it was likely) would pass as an accceptable increase

it is a hard question to answer though because if you look at the other end of the scale if you add, say 5+kg per session then the weight is either not heavy enough or you're doing REALLY well

warren, i use a bb as i cannot use dumbells, i understand what you mean of not beign able to get the weight up, as i used to struggle to get the db's up for seated db press, until i started jerking them to my shoulders to standing and then sitting and repping


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## the_muss (May 16, 2008)

cellaratt said:


> So if your 1 kg plate wasn't available you wouldn't allow yourself to get stronger because you wouldn't be able to progress yourself to use the next available weight being 2.5kg...? Think small, be small...just because the weights available doesn't mean it needs to be used...


I agree - most fixed DBs go up in 2.5kgs. Its pretty easy to progress, all you do is aim for say 6-10 of as heavy as you can, when you can do 10 change to the next one up and try for 6. Also we are discussing chest here not a small muscle - so 2.5kg should be nothing. <?xml:namespace prefix = o ns = "urn:schemas-microsoft-comfficeffice" /><o></o>

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Don't get too obsessed with adding a small amount of weight each time. Sometimes keeping the weight the same and going for a few extra reps is better. Go with how you feel and look rather then absolute weights as your form will suffer trying to beat your pbs.<o></o>


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## Incredible Bulk (Sep 19, 2007)

i use the smith and with the bench on an incline

it allows me to focus more on the movement rather than a balancing act that can be hit and miss with positioning. I train alone so keeping the form right can be a pain, especially when trying to have a productive workout


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## RK86 (Jun 2, 2008)

> I agree - most fixed DBs go up in 2.5kgs.


Consider yourself lucky... from 30kg onwards in my gym the dbs progress up in 5kgs, 35KG to 40KG is a big difference... for me at least


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## Incredible Bulk (Sep 19, 2007)

RK86 said:


> Consider yourself lucky... from 30kg onwards in my gym the dbs progress up in 5kgs, 35KG to 40KG is a big difference... for me at least


you train in cannons portsmouth?!


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## TaintedSoul (May 16, 2007)

warren_1987 said:


> so would you go up a weight too heavy and let frm go to hell for the sake of saying yeah i can now lift more?


Well if an extra kg or 2.5 kg breaks your form I doubt it's was perfect in the first place.


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

What their saying warren is if you manage 10 reps with 30kg dumbbells. The next week do as many as you can with 32.5kg Dumbbells.

If you firstly get 5 reps out of it, the next week aim for 6, then aim for 7.

But i also add 1kg to my bench each week and it seems to work.

There is no way i could keep increasing my bench 2.5kg a week.

Week 1 - 50kg

week 2 - 52.5kg

week 3 - 55kg

week 4 - 57.5kg

week 5 - 60kg

It just wouldnt happen.


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## bigacb (Nov 13, 2007)

When benching dont lock out your arms take them to 90% straight i guarantee you will feel this on your chest. By locking out your arms this gives your chest a rest. I now follow this on most pushing exercises including shoulders.


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## warren (Jun 16, 2008)

i had a chest session today and tried , each technique and my front delts were killing.

i tried with db and i did get a good strec when the db were fully down by my chest but on the upward movement my shoulders started to burn, i kept my shoulder blades together as much as i could and even tried to put legs behind benc so they didnt interfere with it.

then i tried a bb , used light weight to see if i could sort my form out tried different hand positions and also diff (landing pos) ie low n cest higer towards neck.

the closest i got to it not affecting my shoulders was wide grip to the upper cest / neck area , this gave a god stretch and i fet it less on my front delts more on the outer pec area


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## nathanlowe (Jan 8, 2008)

Go for whatever feels right for you warren. Everybody is different.


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## Toregar (Apr 5, 2006)

nathanlowe said:


> Go for whatever feels right for you warren. Everybody is different.


This

If you cannot feel the target muscle working, then cut that movement out of your repertoire, imo. Some people preach and preach that BB Bench Press is the corner stone of any chest program. However, if after X amount of time of trying every different hand position/technique available to you and you still cannot feel it then why would you continue to do it; some guy's bodies are just not 'built' for certain exercises. Experiment with every known chest exercise available to you and the ones that you feel the most, go with them, imo. Developing your muscles to their maximal potential is the name of the mind-muscle connection game. You must FEEL that muscle in order to develop it, optimally. It's also a very good idea to catch these things early on before you begin to build imbalances in your physique, then that's a whole other problem you have to deal with.

That being said, all of the suggestions thus far are great; try em all out and do what feels best !


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## bigacb (Nov 13, 2007)

Warren did you try not locking out your arms? Try it and only go to 90% straight. You'll have to do with a lighter weight but its much better. I used to hate bench but since doing this i love it.


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## EDG301 (Oct 18, 2005)

How about pre exhausting chest with crossovers/ flyes? then move on to bench


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## Wee G1436114539 (Oct 6, 2007)

Pre-exhaust reduces muscle activation of the fatigued muscle. In your example above all that happens is he triceps and front delts do more work to make up for the fatigued pecs. It a nonsense training system based on "feeling" fatigue, which has almost nothing to do with building muscle.

Regarding the original topic I've posted about this about 9million times. I'll see if I still have the vids regarding how to bench for pec activation Vs how to bench for max poundage. If I've got em i'll link to them.

Cheers,

G


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## Lux (Mar 23, 2006)

POSITIONING FOR PECS

by Eric Broser

Although I pride myself on having a balanced and even physique, I would still have to say that my pecs are my "standout" body part. In the offseason, I generally wear a size 54 jacket, and only a 34 pant. My jacket size is mostly due to the mass and thickness of my chest more than anything else (which makes me wonder what size jacket Ronnie Coleman or Marcus Ruhl must wear...WOW). Whenever people see me with my shirt off, the majority of questions and comments I get are in regards to my pecs. "How much do you bench? How do you find shirts? Wow, your chest is bigger than my wife's...and she has implants!!" But I digress...

The interesting thing about the fact that my chest is now my best body part is that when I started training, it was probably my worst! While I only weighed a paltry 125 lbs at a height of 5'11" the first time I touched a barbell, you could still see at least some muscular development in my arms, shoulders, and back. However, my chest was literally flat! I looked like an ironing board with nipples!

So, how did I get my chest to go from minuscule to massive...tiny to titanic... pathetic to powerful? Did I have a special, secret exercise taught to me by aliens from the planet Schwarzeneggeron? Nope. I just did the basics like bench presses, incline presses, flyes, dips, and pullovers. Did I have access to an experimental protein powder developed by Eastern Bloc scientists that caused site specific protein synthesis in the fast twitch fibers of the pectorals? Nope. I just used the same old whey, casein, and egg powders like everyone else.

"Great Eric...enough with the comedy. Just tell us your secret!"

Ok, it's all about "positioning" my iron-addicted friends! "Positioning? What the heck are you talking about now?" Let me illustrate my point by telling you about a friend I used to train with years ago. Every time we would go through an intense chest workout, doing the same exact exercises, sets, and reps, he would tell me that his shoulders and triceps got a tremendous pump, but that his chest felt like it had hardly been worked. Within the next day or two he would again complain that he was sore as could be in his anterior delts and inner triceps, but felt nothing in his pecs. For me it was the exact opposite! My chest always got incredibly pumped and sore from training it, while my shoulders and triceps seemed barely touched.

Over the years that we trained together my chest continued to grow and grow, while his chest never changed much. However, his shoulders and triceps were developing quite nicely. The strange thing about my friend's pec-dilemma was that he trained with great focus and concentration; used very tight and strict form; and progressed very regularly in terms of weight lifted in each of his chest exercises. He and I eventually chalked it up his lousy pecs to genetics. We felt that he simply did not have the genetic capacity to build a thick, massive chest.

Then one day, just for the fun of it, the two of us decided to videotape a chest training session when we were both nearing a competition we were preparing for. That day we did bench presses, incline dumbbell presses, flat flyes, and cable crossovers. We did a pretty complete job of taping all of the exercises from a variety of angles and heights. Later on, when we were watching the tape I began to notice something interesting in the way he was performing each of his exercises...something I never really caught onto before while acting as his spotter. On every movement, as he reached the top of the rep, his shoulders were ending up much higher than his pecs. This was making his chest basically concave at the point of contraction. In addition, he was also locking out very hard at the top...but you could see that he was not really locking out the rep by flexing his pecs, but his tris. However, when I examined my own form, I could see that my ribcage remained high throughout each set, while my shoulders stayed down, pressed into the bench.

My friend was effectively turning each of his pec exercises into shoulder and triceps exercises, while I was optimally stressing the chest with each movement. This is what I am talking about when I mention the word "positioning" in regard to chest training. As soon as I pointed out these "form flaws" to my friend he immediately set out to correct it. During his first chest workout using improved body positioning, he could feel a pump and burn in his chest like never before. He also started getting sore in his pecs, which is something he really never experienced. Within a few months his chest started taking on new fullness and shape, and began to quickly match up to his excellent delts and arms.

I urge any of you out there that feel your pecs to be lagging behind to have someone with a good eye examine your form on all of your chest movements. Every day that I am at the gym I see dozens of people with the same form flaws that my friend used to have. What people need to realize is that building a big chest is not as simple as lying on a bench...unracking a bar...and pushing it from point A to point B. No! Each chest exercise, whether it be a bench press, incline press, dip, flye, or crossover requires the exercise to begin before ever even moving the weight!

Here's how to start properly POSITIONING FOR PECS:

1-lay down on the bench and set your feet firmly on the floor

2-arch your lower back slightly

3-raise your ribcage up high

4-squeeze your scapulae together

5-pull your shoulders downward and push them into the bench

*These same principles apply to dips, crossovers, and seated press and flye machines as well, with the exception of rule one (although the feet should always firmly be planted).

Now you are in position to achieve maximum pectoral recruitment with far less delt and triceps interference. The key, however, is to keep your body in this position throughout the set. It is not enough to start this way and then slowly break back into bad habits as the set progresses. You must learn to "lock"your body in this position and stay there!

Trust me when I tell you that if you are not used to performing your chest exercises this manner, it will feel awfully strange at first, and you will probably not be able to use the same weights as you normally do. However, with time, you will get used to POSITIONING FOR PECS, and it will become second nature, like driving a car. Also, you will eventually work up to the same poundage as you were using previously. The greatest reward will be the new growth you will quickly begin to see in your chest!

Apply POSITIONING FOR PECS to the chest routines listed below, but don't be too upset if that tux hanging in your closet never sees the light of day again!

Upper Pec Pounder:

-Incline Dumbbell Press...3 x 6-8

-Smith Bench Press to Neck...3 x 8-12

-Superset: Incline Flye and Dumbbell Pullover...2 x 8-10 each

Middle Pec Madness:

-Narrow Grip Bench Press...3 x 6-8

-Narrow Grip Smith Incline Press...3 x 8-12

-Superset: Flat Cable Flye and Pec Deck...2 x 8-10 each

Lower Pec Pumper:

-Decline Bench Press...3 x 6-8

-Decline Flye...3 x 8-12

-Superset: Cable Crossover and Dips...2 x 8-10 each

**Ironman magazine 2006

__________________

Eric Broser~MD Columnist~NGA Pro~Online Training/Contest Prep Coaching Available @ www.prrstraining.com


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