Month / January 2019

by Gym Equipment Manufacturers NtaiFitness

How to Choose: Incline vs. Flat Bench

How to Choose: Incline vs. Flat Bench?  There’s no right or wrong answer. It is more a matter of taste, what your personal goals are, and what exactly you are attempting to achieve. To optimize your results, do both types of chest presses because they both operate almost all the very same muscles but reach the muscle in slightly different ways.

Incline bench presses

Incline bench is an alternative exercise into the flat bench which puts the rear of the chair in a 15 to 60-degree angle. The overall consensus appears to be that an incline of 15-30 levels will place optimal pressure on the upper pec while keeping the recruitment of the front delts into a minimum.

Most incline benches that may not be adjusted generally possess a 45-degree angle. In case you have an adjustable bench, the higher the back is angled, the more front delts will probably be involved.

Any seat you utilize that is greater than 45-degree angle functions mainly anterior deltoids. Because of this, I do not consider this motion an incline bench press.

The pectoralis major muscle is comprised of a clavicular along with a sternocostal head (upper and lower pec). The purpose of the incline press would be to concentrate more of this work on the upper pecs. The principal benefit in performing incline presses is to develop the top portion of the pectoral muscles.

When the bench is set at an incline (15 to 30 degrees), you activate your shoulders more because it is comparable to a shoulder press. Additionally, due to the angle of the seat, this exercise places less strain on your rotator cuff, and it is commonplace for harm while using the flat bench.

 

However, there are a few disadvantages when performing an incline chest press. Because the incline chest press puts more stress on your upper pec, it develops this muscle group longer, while the flat bench tends to build mass over the entire pec.

You are also actively using your deltoids (shoulders) at this angle, so you don’t want to work on your deltoids the following day. Overusing any muscle may lead to injuries.

Incline chest press step by step

Be sure that the seat is corrected to between 15 and 30 degrees on an incline. Anything greater than 30 levels mainly works the anterior deltoids (shoulders).

Using a shoulder-width grip, wrap your fingers across the bar with your palms facing away from you. Lift the bar up from the rack and hold it directly over you with your arms locked.

As you breathe in, return slowly until the pub is an inch away from the chest. You want the pub to be consistent with your upper chest the whole time. Your arms should be at a 45-degree angle and tucked into your sides.

Hold this position for one count in the bottom of the movement also, with one big exhale, push the bar back up to your starting position.

Do 12 repetitions and then place the bar back on the rack.

Complete a total of five sets, adding weight after each set.

Flat bench presses

The flat bench press is potentially the most popular exercise at the fitness center. Whenever someone finds out you lift weights, necessarily the first thing that comes out of people’s mouths are”how much can you bench?” Because we have a National Bench Day, there must be something to the flat bench press. It’s very good for building your chest up, right?

As mentioned, the pectoralis major is contained in the top and lower pec. When flat benching, the two heads are worried equally, which makes this exercise best for overall pec development. The flat bench press is a far more natural fluid movement, compared to your everyday activities.

There are plenty of articles and videos that teach you how you can get the most out of this flat barbell bench press. With so much information available about this exercise, it is obvious that the bench press is a worthwhile exercise, right?

IFBB Pro Eddie Robinson states”I feel that the flat bench press, with a large grip, is best for overall pec development…”

 

The flat bench is just one of those”big 3 exercises” I feel have to be integrated into a training program so as to be the most effective and construct a balanced and muscular physique.

Flat benching requires minimum equipment and is a natural motion. This implies that with just a little practice, you can start adding weight to the bar and building some muscle.

Simply by changing grip width, you also can put pressure on different areas of your chest that can be used dynamically in a training regimen. Using dumbbells on the flat bench will give you the advantages of a barbell bench press while giving you the ability to move your arms in a more natural manner.

Possessing a more dominant facet lifting most of the weight, meaning they were likely at a tilt

As with any kind of press, you need to warm up your chest and shoulders properly by using resistance bands and by stretching. With flat benching, you need to make sure you have full shoulder freedom and scapular stability to decrease the possibility of harm.

If you find discomfort whatsoever throughout the flat bench exercise, then you really ought to look at the incline bench exercise or use weights instead.

In the end, it’s a matter of preference and what your objectives are. The flat bench press does a better job of creating your own pecs. With all these exercises to reinforce your chest, the chest press either bench will succeed.

Below are a few pointers to be sure you’re performing each exercise correctly.

 

Flat bench chest press, Step-by-step

Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor. If your back comes off the bench, you might consider placing your feet on the bench rather than the floor. Position yourself beneath the bar so the bar is in line with your chest. Put your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, with your elbows flexed at a 90-degree angle. Grab the bar, palms facing away from you, with your fingers wrapped around it.

Exhale, squeeze your core, and push the barbell off the rack and up toward the ceiling using your pectoral muscles. Straighten out your arms at the contracted position, and squeeze your chest.

Inhale and bring the barbell down slowly to your chest, again about an inch off. It ought to take you twice as long to bring the barbell down as it will to push this up.

Explode back up to your starting position with your pectoral muscles. Do 12 repetitions and then add more weight for your next set.

If you are using dumbbells, then it is vital that you don’t drop down the dumbbells to your side when you are done together. This is dangerous to your rotator cuff and to people around you. If you don’t have a spotter to take the weights away, break the dumbbells in your chest and do a pinch to lift yourself up to a seated position. Then lower the dumbbells to your thighs and then to the floor.

If you’re new in this particular exercise, please use a spotter. If no spotter is available, then be cautious with the amount of weight that you use.

Chest Routine Suggestions

If you’ve never incorporated an incline bench press into your regular, I have a few methods to add in certain incline perform to your routine.

Should you flat bench but always Appear to have hurt shoulders then:

Test the waters with incline barbell benching. The incline is going to help place your shoulders in a better, more powerful and more secure position.

Start light and perform the same quantity you normally do on the flat bench, while it is 3 sets of 8 reps, 5 sets of 5 reps, or 10 sets of 10 reps. Skip flat benching for a while to understand how your shoulders react to the incline, and if shoulder pain subsides.

If you find the pain subsides however you’re missing flat bench, consider doing a barbell flat bench press. Dumbbell bench pressing will allow your arms to move in a more natural routine and you’ll still hit the upper and lower pec evenly without the hassle.

If you like flat barbell bench pressing on and need to include in certain incline spice:

Adding in dumbbell incline bench pressing following your barbell flat benching will give your upper pecs a great workout.

As you’ve fatigued your upper and lower pec while barbell benching, there’s not any need to perform a huge volume of incline benching to get the extra benefit.

 

If you prefer barbell incline benching, that is okay. Doing exercises effectively and safely is the name of this game, so in the event that you feel more comfortable using a barbell on your hands, run with it.

 

If You Would like to switch your chest routine all together:

If you enjoy everything about your current routine but would love to switch up your chest routine, I have a proposal for you.

  • 3 sets of 8: Incline Dumbbell Bench
  • 3 sets of 12: Incline Dumbbell Flyes
  • 3 sets of 12: Pec Dec

 

Shifting your current chest routine for this will give your muscles a wakeup call and allow you to create the chest you’ve always desired.

The flat bench will be your very best bet for improving bench press strength as a whole for 2 reasons. To begin with, it’s the most specific to this goal at hand, and this will be improving the seat. That is where sporting specificity kicks in and is among the main reasons powerlifter practices the flat bench most often. Exercise and repetitions of the identical movement are going to be the very best for producing results in that motion.

 

Secondly, the body is able to handle more weight on the flat bench and contains comparatively equal muscle activation. In the next study, writers noted that 6-RM bench press strength decreased roughly 25% in an athlete’s incline press and about 18% in the decline. If you’re able to handle more weight, then there’ll be a higher stimulation for your aim of strength in the press. Plus, this angle makes it marginally easier to incorporate into tools such as accommodated resistance.

 

But don’t count out the incline and decline only yet. These moves can be useful when working through sticking points. By way of example, if you are having difficulties finishing the lockout, then an incline press could be useful to strengthen the muscles such as the anterior deltoids, alongside the usage of a broad grip for issues of the torso.

 

Conclusion

So is incline bench better than flat bench for muscle building? Flat bench places an excessive amount of stress on the lower and upper pec whilst at the same time putting your shoulders at a vulnerable place. Incline bench puts more stress on the top pec and front delts and has a steeper learning curve in regards to appropriate form.

When picking which exercises to use to construct chest mass, weigh the advantages and disadvantages. Have a look in the mirror and see where you require development. There are IFBB Pros that tell you in the event that you’ve got a laggy upper torso, you should incorporate incline benching. Additionally, there are many men and women who build a great chest using the only flat bench.

As these are two exercises are very similar in implementation they have a few significant differences in impact. Common sense would tell you that the flat version stresses the middle and lower parts of the pecs and the incline would stress the top area. Well, the reality is that they do stress their respective regions of the chest; however, they still both stress the whole area to a degree. When done properly and the shoulders have been set as described both will do their tasks in packing on the bulk to the entire chest.

The incline bench barbell press does appear to extend the torso more requiring a longer range of motion. This is usually why less fat is needed and also poor form is occasionally used when ego creeps in. In many cases, the incline barbell press is rarely used with any regularity by the majority of gym-goers with all the flat bench version consistently included in the majority of programs. Weak upper pecs and a bigger, stronger middle and lower torso seem to be the standard in most gyms.

Be certain to use both versions on your app starting with the incline press in your own routine. Starting your following chest program with a focus on upper pec work will slowly but definitely shore-up your weakness and balance out your chest to get a completely proportioned upper body.

Bear in mind both dumbbells and barbells add various dynamics to your training; ones you may not have thought about. They allow you to really stack to the pounds, work stabilizer muscles and also utilize the pub to assist balance and keep your media.

 

by Gym Equipment Manufacturers NtaiFitness

Incline vs. Flat Bench: Which Is A Better

Incline vs. Flat Bench: What’s Most Effective?

How do you choose between the flat, incline, and decline bench press for your workouts? A few of the ways an athlete typically chooses between each bench variation revolves around their sport, body composition, and strength goals. Each bench variation can be useful for everyone in the right context, regardless of their strength sport.

https://www.fitness-china.com/incline-chest-press-oneup-3103

Whether you’re swimming, pushing a grocery cart, or throwing a ball, having strong chest muscles is essential for everyday activities.

Olympic Incline Bench

Olympic Incline Bench

It’s extremely important to train your chest muscles just as you would any other muscle group. One of the most common and effective exercises for working your chest muscles is the chest press. But which chest press is the most effective, the incline or the flat bench chest press?

This article will dive into what some of the barbell bench press research is saying about using different angles to facilitate different outcomes. In this article, we’ll assess which bench variation is best for body composition goals and pressing strength. Keep in mind, most of this will come down to the reps, sets, and intensities used, but it’s still interesting to look at the research and compare it to what’s commonly used in the gym.

There’s really no right or wrong answer. It’s more a matter of preference, what your personal goals are, and what you’re trying to achieve. To maximize your results, do both types of chest presses since they both work almost all the same muscles but hit the muscle in slightly different ways.

Incline bench presses

Incline bench is an alternative exercise to the flat bench that places the back of the bench at a 15 to 60-degree angle. The general consensus seems to be that an incline of 15-30 degrees will put optimal stress on the upper pec while keeping the recruitment of the front delts to a minimum.

Most incline benches that cannot be adjusted usually have a 45-degree angle. If you have an adjustable bench, the higher the back is angled, the more the front delts will be involved.

Any bench you use that is higher than a 45-degree angle works mostly anterior deltoids. Because of this, I do not consider this movement an incline bench press.

The pectoralis major muscle is comprised of a clavicular and a sternocostal head (upper and lower pec). The purpose of the incline press is to focus more of the work on the upper pecs. The main benefit in performing incline presses is to develop the upper portion of the pectoral muscles.

When the bench is set at an incline (15 to 30 degrees), you activate your shoulders more since it’s comparable to a shoulder press. Also, because of the angle of the bench, this exercise puts less stress on your rotator cuff, which is a common area for injury when using the flat bench.

However, there are some cons when performing an incline chest press. Because the incline chest press puts more stress on your upper pec, it develops this muscle group more, while the flat bench tends to build mass over the entire pec.

You’re also actively using your deltoids (shoulders) at this angle, so you don’t want to work on your deltoids the next day. You never want to overtrain your muscles, which can happen if you train the same muscle group two days in a row. Overusing any muscle can lead to injuries.

Incline chest press, step by step

Lie back on an incline bench. Make sure the bench is adjusted to between 15 and 30 degrees on an incline. Anything higher than 30 degrees mainly works the anterior deltoids (shoulders). Your grip should be where your elbows make a 90-degree angle.

Using a shoulder-width grip, wrap your fingers around the bar with your palms facing away from you. Lift the bar up from the rack and hold it straight over you with your arms locked.

As you breathe in, come down slowly until the bar is an inch away from your chest. You want the bar to be in line with your upper chest the whole time. Your arms should be at a 45-degree angle and tucked into your sides.

Hold this position for one count at the bottom of this movement and, with one big exhale, push the bar back up to your starting position. Lock your arms, hold, and come down slowly.

Do 12 repetitions and then place the bar back on the rack.

Complete a total of five sets, adding weight after each set.

Super Bench Adjustable Utility Bench

Super Bench Adjustable Utility Bench

Flat bench presses

The flat bench press is arguably the most popular exercise in the gym. When someone finds out you lift weights, inevitably the first thing that comes out of most people’s mouths are “how much do you bench?” Because we have a National Bench Day, there must be something to the flat bench press. It is great for building your chest up, right?

https://www.fitness-china.com/flat-bench

As mentioned, the pectoralis major is comprised of the upper and lower pec. When flat benching, both heads are stressed evenly, which makes this exercise best for overall pec development. The flat bench press is a much more natural fluid movement, compared to your everyday activities. However, just like the incline chest press, there are some cons.

There are plenty of articles and videos that teach you how to get the most out of the flat barbell bench press. With so much information available about this exercise, it’s obvious that the bench press is a worthwhile exercise, right?

IFBB Pro Eddie Robinson says “I feel the flat bench press, with a wide grip, is best for overall pec development…”

The flat bench is one of the “big 3 exercises” that I feel need to be incorporated into a training program in order to be the most effective and build a balanced and muscular physique.

Flat benching requires minimal equipment and is a natural movement. This means that with a little practice, you can start adding weight to the bar and building some muscle.

By simply changing grip width, you can put pressure on different areas of your chest which can be used dynamically in a training routine. Using dumbbells on the flat bench will give you the benefits of a barbell bench press while giving you the ability to move your arms in a more natural fashion.

As a personal trainer, I see shoulder injuries among men as the most common injuries. Common mistakes are:

not having anyone to spot them properly

not having helped to re-rack the bar

uneven grip

having a more dominant side lifting most of the weight, meaning they were probably at a tilt

As with any kind of press, you really need to warm up your chest and shoulders properly by using resistance bands and by stretching. With flat benching, you need to make sure you have full shoulder mobility and scapular stability to reduce the potential for injury.

If you find discomfort at all during the flat bench exercise, you should really consider the incline bench exercise or use dumbbells instead

Ultimately, it’s a matter of preference and what your goals are. The flat bench press does a better job of developing your pecs. But many trainers agree that the incline press is safer on your pecs, shoulders, and rotator cuffs. With so many exercises to strengthen your chest, the chest press with either bench will be effective.

Here are some pointers to make sure you’re performing each exercise properly.

Flat bench chest press, step by step

Lay down on the flat bench so that your neck and head are supported. Your knees should be at a 90-degree angle with your feet flat on the floor. If your back comes off the bench, you might consider putting your feet on the bench instead of the floor. Position yourself underneath the bar so that the bar is in line with your chest. Place your hands slightly wider than your shoulders, with your elbows flexed at a 90-degree angle. Grasp the bar, palms facing away from you, with your fingers wrapped around it.

Exhale, squeeze your core, and push the barbell off the rack and up toward the ceiling using your pectoral muscles. Straighten your arms out in the contracted position, and squeeze your chest.

Inhale and bring the barbell down slowly to your chest, again about an inch away. It should take you twice as long to bring the barbell down as it does to push it up.

Explode back up to your starting position using your pectoral muscles. Do 12 repetitions and then add more weight for your next set.

Perform five sets.

Safety precaution

If you’re using dumbbells, it’s important that you don’t drop the dumbbells down to your side when you’re done using them. This is dangerous to your rotator cuff and to people around you. If you don’t have a spotter to take the weights away, rest the dumbbells on your chest and do a crunch to lift yourself up to a seated position. Then lower the dumbbells to your thighs and then down to the floor.

If you’re new at this exercise, please use a spotter. If no spotter is available, then be cautious with the amount of weight you use.

Chest Routine Suggestions

If you’ve never incorporated an incline bench press into your routine, I have a few tips to add in some incline work to your routine.

If you flat bench but always seem to have hurt shoulders afterward:

Test the waters with incline barbell benching. The incline is going to help put your shoulders in a better, stronger and more protected position.

Start light and do the same volume you normally do on the flat bench, whether it is 3 sets of 8 reps, 5 sets of 5 reps, or 10 sets of 10 reps. Skip flat benching for a while to see how your shoulders react to the incline, and if shoulder pain subsides.

If you find the pain subsides but you are missing flat bench, try doing a dumbbell flat bench press. Dumbbell bench pressing will let your arms move in a more natural pattern and you will still hit the lower and upper pec evenly without the pain.

If you like flat barbell bench pressing and want to add in some incline spice:

Test the waters and see if you prefer barbell or dumbbell incline bench pressing.

Adding in dumbbell incline bench pressing after your barbell flat benching will give your upper pecs a great workout.

Since you’ve fatigued your upper and lower pec while barbell benching, there is no need to do a huge volume of incline benching to get the added benefit.

If you prefer barbell incline benching, that is okay. Doing exercises effectively and safely is the name of the game, so if you feel more comfortable with a barbell in your hands, run with it.

If you want to switch up your chest routine all together:

If you like everything about your current routine but would like to switch up your chest routine, I have a suggestion for you.

  • 3 sets of 8: Decline Barbell Bench
  • 3 sets of 8: Incline Dumbbell Bench
  • 3 sets of 12: Incline Dumbbell Flyes
  • 3 sets of 12: Pec Dec

Switching your current chest routine for this will give your muscles a wakeup call and help you develop the chest you’ve always wanted.

The flat bench will be your best bet for improving bench press strength as a whole for two reasons. First, it’s the most specific to the goal at hand, which is improving the bench. This is where sports specificity kicks in and is one of the main reasons a powerlifter practices the flat bench most often. Practice and reps of the same movement will be the best for producing results in that movement.

Second, the body can handle more weight on the flat bench and has relatively equal muscle activation. In the second study, authors noted that 6-RM bench press strength decreased roughly 25% in an athlete’s incline press and around 18% in the decline. If you’re able to handle more weight, then there will be a higher stimulus for your goal of strength in the press. Plus, this angle makes it slightly easier to add in tools like accommodated resistance.

But don’t count out the incline and decline just yet. These movements can be useful when working through sticking points. For example, if you’re having issues finishing the lockout, then an incline press may be useful to strengthen the muscles like the anterior deltoids, along with the use of a wide grip for issues of the chest.

Conclusion

So is incline bench better than flat bench for muscle building? Flat bench places an even amount of stress on the lower and upper pec while also putting your shoulders in a vulnerable position. Incline bench puts more stress on the upper pec and front delts and has a steeper learning curve when it comes to proper form.

When deciding which exercise to use to build chest mass, weigh the pros and cons. Take a look in the mirror and see where you need development. There are IFBB Pros that tell you if you have a laggy upper chest, you should incorporate incline benching. There are also many people who build a great chest using the only flat bench.

As these are two exercises are very similar in execution they have a few significant differences in effect. Common sense would tell you that the flat version stresses the middle and lower portions of the pecs and the incline would stress the upper area. Well, the truth is that they do stress their respective areas of the chest; however, they still both stress the entire area to some degree. When done properly and the shoulders are set as described both will do their jobs in packing on the mass to the entire chest.

The incline bench barbell press does seem to stretch the chest more requiring a longer range of motion. This is usually why less weight is needed and bad form is sometimes used when ego creeps in. In many cases, the incline barbell press is rarely used with any regularity by most gym-goers with the flat bench version always included in most programs. Weak upper pecs and a larger, stronger middle and lower chest seem to be the norm in most gyms.

Be sure to use both versions in your program even starting with the incline press first in your routine. Starting your next chest program with a focus on upper pec work will slowly but surely shore-up your weakness and balance out your chest for a fully proportioned upper body.

Remember that both dumbbells and barbells add different dynamics to your training; ones you might not have thought about. Barbells are tried and true muscle builders. They allow you to really stack on the weight, work stabilizer muscles and use the bar to help balance and keep your press even.

Dumbbells, on the other hand, are a completely different monster. You have to use even more stabilizer muscle strength to keep the dumbbells positioned correctly while pressing. The more stabilizer muscles being used generally means the more muscle that can be built. Greater stabilizer muscle inclusion also means there is a greater chance for injury, especially if you try to do more than you are ready for.

Your chest programming should be determined by how fast your body recovers and builds muscle. It’s important to choose your exercises wisely. The amount of incline bench, grip width variety, or barbell and dumbbell variations can make a difference in your training and results.

There are multiple factors that should be taken into context when programming for chest size and strength. All three bench angles can be useful tools for pursuing your goals and have all been suggested to be effective in various settings. Buy Gym Equipment from Ntaifitness.