Decline vs Incline Bench

[Chris08]

link to my training log

http://www.anabolic-enhancement.com/forum/showthread.php?p=127690&posted=1#post127690

[buffness]

I'm also not a fan of Decline. If getting a bigger bench is what your after, work on your bench technique and movements that will carry over to bench press. For example, board presses. I'd also watch the amount of working sets. Looks like you have a lot going on in your C/S/T day

[Chris08]

I'm also not a fan of Decline. If getting a bigger bench is what your after, work on your bench technique and movements that will carry over to bench press. For example, board presses. I'd also watch the amount of working sets. Looks like you have a lot going on in your C/S/T day

I dont do chest triceps and shoulders all in one day. Chest/triceps is one day and shoulders is another(along with legs).

[FTC]

so your goal is to lift more on the flat barbell bench right?

only my opinion here- but first thing is to stick to free weights, dump the machine stuff. it will help you build stabilizing muscles and make the weight easier for you to balance and control. also i think declines are a waste. jump to benching dumbells for a while and back to flat, db inclines and weighted dips. dumbell shoulder presses, hang clean and presses, flyes (lateral raises) slow and controlled, etc...

mix up your rep ranges. go high 12-15 a few weeks, then go low for a couple days, and back high.

dont forget your core exercises on leg and back day- squats and deads. they will help a whole lot more than you think.

eat enough to grow stronger, and get plenty of rest.

things will happen you just need to give it time. if your liftin hard, eating enough and resting enough theres no reason you shouldnt be gettin bigger and stronger.

[mrhtbd]

Chris, if that is you in the avatar, then it is obvious you don't work your lats enough. I'm not trying to be ignorant with you, I am serious. Four years ago, when I was 43, I made the assumption that my max bench was linked to my 5x5 bent row. Whatever I could do on the row for 5x5, I could add 60 lbs and do a max bench. Once I got my bent row to 5x5 with 265, my bench shot up to 330 for one, after doing 315 for 2, and six other sets before that.
You gotta work those lats, bro! Lats are 2/3 the size of the pecs, and besides, I've heard a lot more girls say, "I like your back," than "I like your chest.

Stick to the 5x5 like I wrote earlier.
By the way, you can see from my avatar (taken 3 weeks ago) that my back is a bit wide, so I know of what I speak!
Not bad for a 48 year old. Must o' lernt somptin' all dem yeers!"

[underpsi]

post is kinda old but still interesting. think the above was good advice. for me, i'd fall into the trap of benching heavy for low reps, ie- 4-5 reps. all the time and wondering why i would hit walls all the time. found if i went with less weight and higher reps like 10-12 reps for a while i would build strength when i returned to the heavy bench. another good thing to do is go to dumbells for a bit. most have an ego thing about bar bench. don't want to be caught with little weight on the bar but don't care with dumbells. also, if you have a weaker side durring bench this will help you not to cheat. try dumbells for a few weeks keeping your reps in the 10 range and then return to bar with 8-12, then return to your 4-5 rep range with the bar. think you'll be surprised. worked for me many times over the years.

[meateater]

Chris08, listen to Zeus.

[cjas]

I don't do decline. Decline presses help expand the rib cage (not literally the bone, but you know what I mean). It gives you the illusion of a wider chest mass. Incline helps build up the upper chest muscle. It gives you a nice rounded hard look. And you should never neglect the best chest exercise, the flat bench. Whether it's the barbell or dumbbells. It's an all over muscle builder. My chest workout consists of

Flat bench
Incline bench
cable cross overs

That's it and my chest development and strength was C R A Z Y

Everyone has certain exercises they love, and if you like decline or incline or whatever then do them. But don't neglect the staples of muscle building. The good old traditional movements like the flat bench. Just my opinion.

[Dawgpound_Hank]

Well i'd like to keep doing decline cause i move more weight and i feel i can force reps more easily than on flat.

To do an exercise because you can "move more weight" is the wrong approach dude. The point IS, you do an exercise to target a specific muscle/muscle area. Declines focus more on the lower pec versus flats. So you are comparing apples and oranges. I can "move more weight" on the leg press vs the squat...does that mean I do leg presses instead for that sole purpose? NO! I do them coz I am old.LOL

[OLYMPIAN]

HAHAHAHHA..OH fuck..i miss that shit..he's alive ladies and gents.

[meateater]

Hank in da house!