Chest Training - Incline only? - UK-Muscle Body Building Community

BSF James · 26-05-2005, 10:37 AM

I dont have the exact quote to hand, but I've been reading through sly stallones new book and in the training section he said roughly the following:

"Its best to train chest only on an incline - that way you get more slab like pecs rather than the overhanging bulk of a typical bodybuilding physique which may lead you to be mistaken for a silverback gorilla. As you get older the physique will hold up better. Look at some of our more famous bodybuilders - who's chests now closer resemble overgrown feedbags."

I also remember reading someone like Steve Reeves or Reg Park saying the same thing and also that overbearing pecs make the body look unsymmetrical and detract from the shoulders, arms and core.

Any thoughts?

SportDr · 26-05-2005, 12:43 PM

I have seen this written numerous times, but your pec major is One muscle, with its fibres aligned to pull all in one direction not two. THere is also no inner and outer pec, another BBing myth, look here: http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/...alismajor.html

Whether you train incline or flat, it is the amount of adduction (drawing in) of your humerus (upper arms) that will define how much your chest muscle is activated instead of your anterior (front) deltiod (shoulder) and your triceps. Inclining may only serve to rob the pec of effort by making the front delt do the work, hence it is usually a lower weight.

So I will go against the grain here and say flat bench is best, but dont let those elbows come below your midline or your anterior shoulder compartment will take a severe beating from your bench weight.

Dare I say that bech isn't actually the best chest exercise. period!!!!

Yes it is compound and should be at the start of any chest programme but there are better ways to work those pecs by far......

Try This:

Stand in a cable x-over,
put the cables at shoulder height,
grasp handles with each hand, left handle in left, right in right.
Now draw those handles across your body keeping them really close to your chest and abdomen, crossing one over the other.
Hold and release, repeat till burning with searing acid pain
Basically you are drawing your upper arms in together! that is all the pec does!

The other chest muscle Pec Minor, doesn't even help with bench, so if you have heard as I have that flat works one and incline the other, that is all tosh too

http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/...alisminor.html

Hope all this helps or at least provokes some thought

SD

**Great White** · 26-05-2005, 12:47 PM

I agree with Sports Doctor

But i do Flat bench / Laying chest pull overs one week and inclince bench with cable-x overs the other week, just for some variation

Paul

BSF James · 26-05-2005, 01:00 PM

Interesting. I too have also read that the idea of being able to hit the upper, lower, inner, outer chest separately is not realistic and in fact its a case of the whole pec contracting or not contracting.

I tend to do abut 60:40 flat:incline chest work myself.

I just found the view point quite interesting and I would say that a lot of guys do overdevelop their chest in comparison with the rest of the upper body.

**Great White** · 26-05-2005, 01:44 PM

My chest is by far the best muscle group in my body.

I train it twice a week, along with triceps and biceps.

Its not over developed, just better than anything else on me

And at 50" its cool

SportDr · 26-05-2005, 03:05 PM

You forgot to mention your cup size Pauly (DD)

SD

DB · 26-05-2005, 03:08 PM

yeah dorian was a firm believer of incline only for chest

i tend to do mainly incline aswell to be honest

SportDr · 26-05-2005, 04:43 PM

Inlcine Press

Purpose of Exercise: A basic exercise for developing size and power in the middle and upper pectoral muscles plus the front deltoid.

Got that complete load of tosh from the ministry of fitness .com lol middle & upper pec

SD

Edit: May not be complete Tosh see my last post!

Danny boy · 26-05-2005, 06:45 PM

Does anybody see any point in doing decline bench or dumbell press i used to do it each chest workout, havent done it for months on end and havent really noticed a difference in shape my chest work out

4 sets flat bench
3 sets incline bench
4 sets weighted dips

any body think there is any point in including decline bench into this routine or swapping it

**big** · 26-05-2005, 06:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny boy

Does anybody see any point in doing decline bench or dumbell press i used to do it each chest workout, havent done it for months on end and havent really noticed a difference in shape my chest work out

4 sets flat bench
3 sets incline bench
4 sets weighted dips

any body think there is any point in including decline bench into this routine or swapping it

11 work sets for your chest, you might be overtraining, especially if you're not noticing any difference in months. Is your strength going up each session?

Danny boy · 26-05-2005, 07:02 PM

yeh im getting stronger just wondering about decline bench press and is it worth adding to my routine or will i get the same benfits from dips

**big** · 26-05-2005, 07:05 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Danny boy

yeh im getting stronger just wondering about decline bench press and is it worth adding to my routine or will i get the same benfits from dips

I wouldn't do any more work there personally. You could always alternate between dips and decline bench though each session.

Danny boy · 26-05-2005, 07:09 PM

cheers mate ill give it a wirl

ONE SMART COOKIE · 27-05-2005, 07:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by SportDr

I have seen this written numerous times, but your pec major is One muscle, with its fibres aligned to pull all in one direction not two. THere is also no inner and outer pec, another BBing myth, look here: http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/...alismajor.html

Whether you train incline or flat, it is the amount of adduction (drawing in) of your humerus (upper arms) that will define how much your chest muscle is activated instead of your anterior (front) deltiod (shoulder) and your triceps. Inclining may only serve to rob the pec of effort by making the front delt do the work, hence it is usually a lower weight.

So I will go against the grain here and say flat bench is best, but dont let those elbows come below your midline or your anterior shoulder compartment will take a severe beating from your bench weight.

Dare I say that bech isn't actually the best chest exercise. period!!!!

Yes it is compound and should be at the start of any chest programme but there are better ways to work those pecs by far......

Try This:

Stand in a cable x-over,
put the cables at shoulder height,
grasp handles with each hand, left handle in left, right in right.
Now draw those handles across your body keeping them really close to your chest and abdomen, crossing one over the other.
Hold and release, repeat till burning with searing acid pain
Basically you are drawing your upper arms in together! that is all the pec does!

The other chest muscle Pec Minor, doesn't even help with bench, so if you have heard as I have that flat works one and incline the other, that is all tosh too

http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/...alisminor.html

Hope all this helps or at least provokes some thought

SD

I would have to disagree slightly in that if you/I do a different angled exercise for chest I feel the soreness the next day in a different area compared to the previous movement, ie if I do wide grip dips the outer & lower areas of my chest are contracting and are sore the next day if I do benching to the neck my chest is sore in the upper region with some soreness on the outer(flair) portion.....

Now if I were to do cable cross overs for chest when I did a rep going to the low position all the pec would contract as expected but when doing a rep to the point directly out in front of me(arms at 90%) only the upper portion of my pec contracts..this can be mimicked with just using your arm and you can feel that the lower pec are is not contracting at all but around the middle the pec starts to tighten up(contract) and if I run my finger along the starting point of the contraction you can fee a definate line of were it is.

IMO

samurai69 · 27-05-2005, 11:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONE SMART COOKIE

I would have to disagree slightly in that if you/I do a different angled exercise for chest I feel the soreness the next day in a different area compared to the previous movement, ie if I do wide grip dips the outer & lower areas of my chest are contracting and are sore the next day if I do benching to the neck my chest is sore in the upper region with some soreness on the outer(flair) portion.....

IMO

Have to say i agree with that too a degree

Quote:

Originally Posted by ONE SMART COOKIE

Now if I were to do cable cross overs for chest when I did a rep going to the low position all the pec would contract as expected but when doing a rep to the point directly out in front of me(arms at 90%) only the upper portion of my pec contracts..this can be mimicked with just using your arm and you can feel that the lower pec are is not contracting at all
IMO

Tried that and agree too, to a degree

26-05-2005, 10:37 AM	#1 (permalink)
BSF James BodyShapers Fitness MD Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Telford Posts: 1,255	Chest Training - Incline only? I dont have the exact quote to hand, but I've been reading through sly stallones new book and in the training section he said roughly the following: "Its best to train chest only on an incline - that way you get more slab like pecs rather than the overhanging bulk of a typical bodybuilding physique which may lead you to be mistaken for a silverback gorilla. As you get older the physique will hold up better. Look at some of our more famous bodybuilders - who's chests now closer resemble overgrown feedbags." I also remember reading someone like Steve Reeves or Reg Park saying the same thing and also that overbearing pecs make the body look unsymmetrical and detract from the shoulders, arms and core. Any thoughts? __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. -Now with FREE shipping available on all UK mainland orders! 5% off your first order - use discount code ukm6. The #1 choice for To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. with rapid, reliable service. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - research backed sports nutrition.

26-05-2005, 12:43 PM	#2 (permalink)
SportDr Getting HUGE! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: E-Sussex UK Posts: 2,623	I have seen this written numerous times, but your pec major is One muscle, with its fibres aligned to pull all in one direction not two. THere is also no inner and outer pec, another BBing myth, look here: http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/...alismajor.html Whether you train incline or flat, it is the amount of adduction (drawing in) of your humerus (upper arms) that will define how much your chest muscle is activated instead of your anterior (front) deltiod (shoulder) and your triceps. Inclining may only serve to rob the pec of effort by making the front delt do the work, hence it is usually a lower weight. So I will go against the grain here and say flat bench is best, but dont let those elbows come below your midline or your anterior shoulder compartment will take a severe beating from your bench weight. Dare I say that bech isn't actually the best chest exercise. period!!!! Yes it is compound and should be at the start of any chest programme but there are better ways to work those pecs by far...... Try This: Stand in a cable x-over, put the cables at shoulder height, grasp handles with each hand, left handle in left, right in right. Now draw those handles across your body keeping them really close to your chest and abdomen, crossing one over the other. Hold and release, repeat till burning with searing acid pain Basically you are drawing your upper arms in together! that is all the pec does! The other chest muscle Pec Minor, doesn't even help with bench, so if you have heard as I have that flat works one and incline the other, that is all tosh too http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/...alisminor.html Hope all this helps or at least provokes some thought SD __________________ I don't like Sports and I am not a Doctor! You expressed and challenged yourself, startled the dozing muscles and welcomed the sweet pain of gain. Boredom begets mediocrity. Enemies both, they deserve swift eradication. Let's hit the weights and build some muscle. Race ya to the bench press. Dave Draper A goal casually set and lightly taken will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle. Zig Ziglar Any advice given is for information only, always seek the advice of your medical practitioner. Use this My Protein refferer code and get a 5% DISCOUNT on your first order! MP2819

26-05-2005, 12:47 PM	#3 (permalink)
Great White Sexy Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 9,240	I agree with Sports Doctor But i do Flat bench / Laying chest pull overs one week and inclince bench with cable-x overs the other week, just for some variation Paul __________________ Welcome to Uk-Muscle.co.uk "I was born perfect, and just like the great white shark, have never had to evolve!" To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Hardcore Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Community! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Bodybuilding & Sports Video Sharing Community!

26-05-2005, 01:00 PM	#4 (permalink)
BSF James BodyShapers Fitness MD Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: Telford Posts: 1,255	Interesting. I too have also read that the idea of being able to hit the upper, lower, inner, outer chest separately is not realistic and in fact its a case of the whole pec contracting or not contracting. I tend to do abut 60:40 flat:incline chest work myself. I just found the view point quite interesting and I would say that a lot of guys do overdevelop their chest in comparison with the rest of the upper body. __________________ To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. -Now with FREE shipping available on all UK mainland orders! 5% off your first order - use discount code ukm6. The #1 choice for To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. with rapid, reliable service. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - research backed sports nutrition.

26-05-2005, 01:44 PM	#5 (permalink)
Great White Sexy Moderator Join Date: Apr 2003 Location: United Kingdom Posts: 9,240	My chest is by far the best muscle group in my body. I train it twice a week, along with triceps and biceps. Its not over developed, just better than anything else on me And at 50" its cool __________________ Welcome to Uk-Muscle.co.uk "I was born perfect, and just like the great white shark, have never had to evolve!" To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Hardcore Bodybuilding & Powerlifting Community! To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. - Bodybuilding & Sports Video Sharing Community!

26-05-2005, 03:05 PM	#6 (permalink)
SportDr Getting HUGE! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: E-Sussex UK Posts: 2,623	You forgot to mention your cup size Pauly (DD) SD __________________ I don't like Sports and I am not a Doctor! You expressed and challenged yourself, startled the dozing muscles and welcomed the sweet pain of gain. Boredom begets mediocrity. Enemies both, they deserve swift eradication. Let's hit the weights and build some muscle. Race ya to the bench press. Dave Draper A goal casually set and lightly taken will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle. Zig Ziglar Any advice given is for information only, always seek the advice of your medical practitioner. Use this My Protein refferer code and get a 5% DISCOUNT on your first order! MP2819

26-05-2005, 03:08 PM	#7 (permalink)
DB Moderator Join Date: Oct 2003 Location: SW London Posts: 11,131	yeah dorian was a firm believer of incline only for chest i tend to do mainly incline aswell to be honest __________________ DB To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. often imitated never duplicated To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts. DB sleeps with a night light. Not because DB is afraid of the dark, but the dark is afraid of DB. To view links or images in signatures your post count must be 0 or greater. You currently have 0 posts.

26-05-2005, 04:43 PM	#8 (permalink)
SportDr Getting HUGE! Join Date: Sep 2004 Location: E-Sussex UK Posts: 2,623	Classic statement Inlcine Press Purpose of Exercise: A basic exercise for developing size and power in the middle and upper pectoral muscles plus the front deltoid. Got that complete load of tosh from the ministry of fitness .com lol middle & upper pec SD Edit: May not be complete Tosh see my last post! __________________ I don't like Sports and I am not a Doctor! You expressed and challenged yourself, startled the dozing muscles and welcomed the sweet pain of gain. Boredom begets mediocrity. Enemies both, they deserve swift eradication. Let's hit the weights and build some muscle. Race ya to the bench press. Dave Draper A goal casually set and lightly taken will be freely abandoned at the first obstacle. Zig Ziglar Any advice given is for information only, always seek the advice of your medical practitioner. Use this My Protein refferer code and get a 5% DISCOUNT on your first order! MP2819 Last edited by SportDr; 28-05-2005 at 04:21 PM.

26-05-2005, 06:45 PM	#9 (permalink)
Danny boy Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	Does anybody see any point in doing decline bench or dumbell press i used to do it each chest workout, havent done it for months on end and havent really noticed a difference in shape my chest work out 4 sets flat bench 3 sets incline bench 4 sets weighted dips any body think there is any point in including decline bench into this routine or swapping it __________________ ONE OF THE GREATEST DISCOVERIES A MAN MAKES, ONE OF HIS GREAT SUPRISES, IS TO FIND HE CAN DO WHAT HE WAS AFRAID HE COULDN'T DO :lift:

26-05-2005, 07:02 PM	#11 (permalink)
Danny boy Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	yeh im getting stronger just wondering about decline bench press and is it worth adding to my routine or will i get the same benfits from dips __________________ ONE OF THE GREATEST DISCOVERIES A MAN MAKES, ONE OF HIS GREAT SUPRISES, IS TO FIND HE CAN DO WHAT HE WAS AFRAID HE COULDN'T DO :lift:

26-05-2005, 07:09 PM	#13 (permalink)
Danny boy Newbie Trainer Join Date: Mar 2005 Posts: 70	cheers mate ill give it a wirl __________________ ONE OF THE GREATEST DISCOVERIES A MAN MAKES, ONE OF HIS GREAT SUPRISES, IS TO FIND HE CAN DO WHAT HE WAS AFRAID HE COULDN'T DO :lift: