0:13 Intro 0:42 Mistake #1 - Looking for an "ideal" angle 1:59 Mistake #2 - Looking for an ideal" elbow position 2:46 Mistake #3- Improper Back arch and shoulder retraction 3:56 Mistake #4 - Not enough range of motion 5:12 Mistake #5 - Not having a standardized range of motion 6:20 Mistake #6 - Not controlling the eccentric 7:24 Mistake #7 - Allowing hips to rise 8:53 Mistake #8 - Going too heavy or too light 10:48 Concluding remarks
its nice to see how much has changed with dr. mike's presentation in his videos. the later ones are more fun and more engaging without sacrificing content quality
Thank you for the "don't do low reps on the dumbells tip", I can literally apply it to any other lift I was performing. You managed to help me connect the dots. I always felt that low rep ranges on barbells really did a good job on stimulating the muscles, but when I use heavy dumbells my body seems to be more focused on not falling sideways hahaha. This is specially true when doing standing single shoulder presses. Never again, if I want to lift heavy I will stick to barbells and machines.
This is the best series for learning form and technique. A young lad came up to me in the gym yesterday asking to show him how i was doing the floor to chest barbell row. Technique id learned from you i passed on to him and directed him to your channel. By far the most informative and instructional lessons. And they are free...
I love these technique videos and Jared's smile at 8:17 😊 I rely on these videos and Dr. Mike's advice. What he says from 9:00 to 10:48 is so critical for beginners & intermediates, and I really wish I had seen this before because I learned it the hard way. thank you!
I rarely comment on weight lifting videos, but one thing he said is critical to your long term success: do a lift that stimulates the target muscle and doesn’t create joint discomfort. Not fully understanding this concept set me back years from injuries. Be smart, y’all, and get the gains 💪.
Glad I found you mike. Your the fucking most honest guy on this youtube shit. Keep making good videos man. No fancy science just straight up knowledge and experience. Great shit
Love the fact you recognise the incline angle isn't one size fits all. This applies to other exercises as well like rear delts. I've had to heavily play with the angles to find what works for me. I've dumped too many exercises because I just didnt connect with the muscle. I really have to isolate muscles because I'm too dominant in others.
Just started to watch your videos. Love the content, really doing a great job educating people (for free)! I would like to see some other excersises like: RDL, hip thrust, Bulgarian split squats, overhead presses. Lol I can go on and on..
This was helpful. I just started doing DB incline press, since the gym is closed and I have to workout in the garage. I need better form, not really feeling the burn, fatigue or DOMS.
I love that the comment section is still (mostly) about the exercises. In other channels it's all memes and jokes. They look like kids that don't even train and watch fitness videos for fun.
Hey doc, question time: so I usually don't lock out on my incline or flat bench presses because I find it throws my scapula too far forward and I have to focus on pulling my scapula's back on every rep. Does that mean I'm doing something wrong? Should I be pulling my scapula's back every rep?
Lock out means elbows straight. Dumbbells don’t have to touch, or be as high as you can make them. Just straight elbows. If you are skinny, you could lack the muscle that makes an Arnold incline or Dorian incline look like a partial rep. They have muscles that fill the spaces.
Hey Lucas, drop sets are a way of adding intensity and volume as a mesocycle progresses and this is typically how I've seen Mike use them. So you'd start a programme cycle without using drop sets and towards the peak intensity stage of that cycle, drop sets can be used along with increasing RPE and other variables to increase stimulus. Hope that helps!
I only have dumbbells. Should I train a few mesocycles incline press and then a few normal press or both in the same mesocycle? Will I lose upper pec size if I focus on normal bench for a few mesocycles?
Hey Reiner, You definitely won't lose upper chest size from focusing on flat press for one mesocycle, the whole chest will be stimulated in any chest press, it's just that certain angles will slightly emphasis some areas more than others. Whether you keep them both together or separate cycle to cycle is up to you, there is no right or wrong there. Hope that helps!
Today is push day, and guess what.. my PRIORITY is upper chest! Boom. Back to back amazing vids. More like back to back to back to back to back to back.. but you know.
Would love to see a video on isohold and iso-chest exercises. For time longest time I had issues with doing any sort of benching or push exercises and actually feeling a pump or any soreness. It wasn't until I did a ton of iso holds and cable work, I made the mind muscle connection so I could then properly contract the pecks.
Your videos are awesome! Question. Ideal rep range is 10-20. If my first set is 13 reps, 2nd 11, 3rd 9 and I finish with 4th set at 7 reps is that proper rep range assuming I’m 2 RIR for each set?
Hey Edwin, anything over 5 reps will be capable of stimulating hypertrophy so technically that is fine, however I would prefer to slightly lighten the weight and have all 4 sets within the 10-20 rep range rather than having the bottom two drop out. Hope that helps!
is there such a thing as being able to train the "inner" chest? do some variations e.g. arm coming across the body emphasise this? or is this broscience
I believe that "middle line" you're looking for comes with time and depends a bit on genetics. But as far targeting the inner chest, that's impossible because there is no inner chest.
I dont believe in the whole inner chest excercise thing. Have you ever gotten only your inner chest sore? However I do think some of the inner chest exercises are valuable they just don't Target the inner chest as thought
For example i got better upper chest development using higher weights lower range of motion then using lighter weights and full range of motion plus full range of motion all the way done fucks my shoulder a lot
A personal aberration I like with incline dumbbell presses is to rotate my hands towards each other at the top of the press and bring the weights close together. It seems to give me a good crunch in the inside of the pecs. Also it makes the eccentric longer and slower. Perhaps the rotation under weight helps work some of the smaller controlling muscles (or maybe I am just deluded, lol)
If only I knew I should be watching these guys 5 years ago and not the ifbb idiots...man I would look much better today. I used Mike's volume recommendations for side delts and my shoulders grew quite a bit
I’ve been stressing about my dumbbell bench press technique for like a month now since I got a new set of heavier weight. I used to have just 2 20 lbs dumbbells laying around and I’d do 3-4 sets of 20 every now and then and my chest would feels great. Like I can see my chest muscles moving while I wash my hand and shit.But ever since I got the heavier sets to take my training more serious, I would do sets of 8-10 with 40-45 lbs and that shit kills my goddamn forearms and grip more than anything. I can’t even feel my chest working . The last point of this video confirmed all my doubts💪🏼. I’ve thought about lower the weight to like 30-35 lbs for awhile now but wasn’t sure if i should. Finally I can start seeing my chest muscles moving again tmr😍
I half to do side lats in reps of 30 to 50 ... idk why but i been using 20 lbs dumbells for 15 years .. its weard idk why but i can go up 3 tob5 lbs and shoulders always feel they rip and im injured for weeks or more.. even if i can do 30 reps just 5lbs less... i think my joints and connective cant handle weight
I would be interested in a 45 degree back extension instruction. I find i only feel it in my lower back and am not sure if my technique needs fixing or if the exercise just isn't for me.
Dr Mike any chance you could do a barbell hack squat video?? Some of us home gym guys that dont have a hack squat machine. Hopefully this isnt one of the stupid exercises you warned about....
I know this channel it more about hypertrophy than strength, but I've previously done heavy (sets of 3-5) incline dumbbell press as a bench accessory, the theory being the independent weights even out any asymmetries and the incline obviously stimulates more of the pec than you easily tap into with bench. Is this sound or foolish? Seems a lot of people do them for bench accessory, but if your sole goal is a bigger bench, are they recommended?
You can build muscle using incorrect range of motion. No one said you couldn’t, but from a biomechanical standpoint it’s not healthy or optimal long term.
I love how arnold has the biggest chest and when you watch him bench its like a anatomical representation of the pec major . I love how the majority of people with the big bench and big chest do full Rom . I love how your comparing elite bodybuilders that use 2x as much of ur body weight and for the sale of not braking there elbows they stop the ROM while every rep is still the same .
@@areenmc7033 I love how you personally know the majority of people who have the biggest bench and chest around the entire world. I love how a winning natural drug and lie detector tested bodybuilder swears by partial rom being the key to his success helps prove my point. I love how much better my shoulders feel and how much more soreness and pump I get from not letting the dbs touch my shoulders. I love how you think everybody has the same anatomy. But more than anything else, I love how triggered you are by my opinion.
My problem is the first rep. What exercises can I do to help getting that first rep up? I’m not looking to max out. After (if) managing to get first rep at 70 dumbbells, I can get at least 10. Yes, I’m old and weak and don’t have a spotter.
I am a terrible bencher. Long arms, tiny fore arms, small wrists.... large range of motion. Slightly incline feels te best for people with long arms I think (at least in my situation). *What's your expierence guys?*
Hey Serrano, it depends how strict your form is - a lot of people doing them seated will arch their back and turn it into a super high incline press and this will work the upper chest, but if you're using very strict form then it will isolate the shoulders much more. Hope that helps!
@@albertoserrano7854 No worries, happy to help! I regularly cover similar topics on my own channel so I'd recommend checking that out if you're interested :)
I found that keeping my forearms perpendicular to the ground during the whole execution helped me feel my pecs for the first time on this exercice. Before that adjustment I would never feel them.
You don’t HAVE to do anything. A larger range of motion increase muscle tension and activation. When you lock out your goal should be to SQUEEZE your chest while still maintaining constant tension. A large amount of popular fitness you tubers don’t train optimally, but it doesn’t mean you won’t gain muscle and strength it’s just no optimal.
I agree with Liam, not locking out doesn't mean you can't build muscle and strength at all, but it also isn't optimal. You want to use the fullest range of motion possible, which means locking out, while keeping tension on the target muscle, so while locked out your elbows should be squeezing towards eachother. But also, if you don't train your lockout every rep then you're going to get a weak lockout and probably injure yourself somewhere down the line.. Hope that helps!
0:13 Intro
0:42 Mistake #1 - Looking for an "ideal" angle
1:59 Mistake #2 - Looking for an ideal" elbow position
2:46 Mistake #3- Improper Back arch and shoulder retraction
3:56 Mistake #4 - Not enough range of motion
5:12 Mistake #5 - Not having a standardized range of motion
6:20 Mistake #6 - Not controlling the eccentric
7:24 Mistake #7 - Allowing hips to rise
8:53 Mistake #8 - Going too heavy or too light
10:48 Concluding remarks
Gud job bro
Next to your comment it says "3 days ago" when the video was uploaded 22 minutes ago.
🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔🤔
Karl Es Video might have been in private mode 3 days ago when Milo commented.
@@shaftofwisdom he works with RP
W
I love how hard it is for Jared to demonstrate bad form. It's like asking a golfer to demonstrate a "bad" swing.
its nice to see how much has changed with dr. mike's presentation in his videos. the later ones are more fun and more engaging without sacrificing content quality
I personally love using dumbbells in the 6-10 rep range. The stretch at the bottom feels amazing!
Thank you for the "don't do low reps on the dumbells tip", I can literally apply it to any other lift I was performing. You managed to help me connect the dots. I always felt that low rep ranges on barbells really did a good job on stimulating the muscles, but when I use heavy dumbells my body seems to be more focused on not falling sideways hahaha. This is specially true when doing standing single shoulder presses. Never again, if I want to lift heavy I will stick to barbells and machines.
I found that last point very surprising and also interesting.
This is the best series for learning form and technique. A young lad came up to me in the gym yesterday asking to show him how i was doing the floor to chest barbell row. Technique id learned from you i passed on to him and directed him to your channel. By far the most informative and instructional lessons. And they are free...
This channel is GOLD. When the good Dr. Is speaking, I'm listening.
Thanks to Dr. Mike, there's no need for any other RUclips channel. What a tremendous help all your videos have been !
Check out greg doucette then see if you still think that
@@KurtHokage LOL please be joking.
Lmao, tou cant be for real@@KurtHokage
I love these technique videos and Jared's smile at 8:17 😊 I rely on these videos and Dr. Mike's advice. What he says from 9:00 to 10:48 is so critical for beginners & intermediates, and I really wish I had seen this before because I learned it the hard way. thank you!
I rarely comment on weight lifting videos, but one thing he said is critical to your long term success: do a lift that stimulates the target muscle and doesn’t create joint discomfort. Not fully understanding this concept set me back years from injuries. Be smart, y’all, and get the gains 💪.
This channel is such a goldmine for a newbie like me.
Even for advanced lifters this stuff is gold
The demonstrator looking like Andriod 16... lol
Hahahahaah
Isnt it android 16?
@@rayffduvant4097 damn you right....lmao
#goals
Either that or buff Trunks or buff Frieza.
Lol
Great video learned a lot about the dumbell incline press, would be great if you were to do a video on the barbell variation.
I had no idea my incline dumbbell press was so bad! Thank you for this video!
Glad I found you mike. Your the fucking most honest guy on this youtube shit. Keep making good videos man. No fancy science just straight up knowledge and experience. Great shit
Love the fact you recognise the incline angle isn't one size fits all. This applies to other exercises as well like rear delts. I've had to heavily play with the angles to find what works for me. I've dumped too many exercises because I just didnt connect with the muscle. I really have to isolate muscles because I'm too dominant in others.
Guy demonstrating wearing Omar Isuf t-shirt 😂
sir after you i never listen to anybody on the internet anymore huge respect
just impulse bought a 2nd hand bench for £30 a few hours ago, this helped out a lot from progressing off of floor press to actual bench presses
Really great channel. One of the few i know of that takes the difference in anatomy between people into account.
Great point about going too heavy on dumbbells. Too much work on stabilizers and not enough on pecs.
The one dislike is a guy who tried to hit the like button after his incline press workout.
lol, that's funny
Dr. Mike you're a good my man. I just started to feel my upper pecs during incline press like never before
“iron & steel!” 🤣🤣
Great video Mike, Jared. Always good to check that form! Thanks Gents
This is starting to become the best channel on RUclips
Just started to watch your videos. Love the content, really doing a great job educating people (for free)! I would like to see some other excersises like: RDL, hip thrust, Bulgarian split squats, overhead presses. Lol I can go on and on..
They did rdl
Jacob Hinshaw will check it thx
Agree on OHP. I can’t picture any of these guys demonstrating and picking apart hip thrusts on YT but that would be amazing.
Good morning too, that's a tough one
This is brilliant. All these videos are amazing.
Real reliable information; I could relate to everything you said lmao; ROM and baby reps lol! Great vid and thanks for the facts.
You have a wealth of knowledge but what makes your content golden is that you make the content easily digestible for everyone.
I learned a lot from this, thanks
These videos are amazing amazing. Will upload in clients programs
Great demonstration and content. Thank you for sharing.
This was helpful. I just started doing DB incline press, since the gym is closed and I have to workout in the garage. I need better form, not really feeling the burn, fatigue or DOMS.
@Johnny Comps yes, I just needed to add more weight and focus a bit more on my form.
7:50 what the FUCK are you doing?!?! Lmao i fucking died dude 😂😂😂
Dr. Mike the GOAT
this fool proof explanation, awsome!
Guilty of doing all the mistake on the incline presses
That's hard, congrats.
@@redmanhigh that's what HE said 🌝
Great video and content as always Dr Mike!!!👍😎💯
Thanks learning alot great video no bs just good tips
Can you make a video that builds upon these foundational tips focusing on improving upper chest activation?
i watched this while drunk and all i could see what mike's head floating around. was a trip
I love that the comment section is still (mostly) about the exercises.
In other channels it's all memes and jokes. They look like kids that don't even train and watch fitness videos for fun.
Top comment is about how the demonstrator looks like Android 16 from Dragonball Z lol, but the rest are pretty good.
@@Horus-Lupercal haha but you go on that AX guy and it's ONLY jokes.
@Biff Tannen's Dad I don't think so..
The life of the party
Would you do a video on doing the exercise called the good morning?
Wow Dr Mike’s voice has gotten much deeper in 2024.
Thank you, great episode
AWESOME VIDEO! Maybe one of your favourite workouts next time please? 😁❤
8:17 is that okay if i really want to push that final rep? not so much hip drive tho.
Hey doc, question time: so I usually don't lock out on my incline or flat bench presses because I find it throws my scapula too far forward and I have to focus on pulling my scapula's back on every rep. Does that mean I'm doing something wrong? Should I be pulling my scapula's back every rep?
Lock out means elbows straight. Dumbbells don’t have to touch, or be as high as you can make them. Just straight elbows. If you are skinny, you could lack the muscle that makes an Arnold incline or Dorian incline look like a partial rep. They have muscles that fill the spaces.
Fine ill watch it twice.
great advice man..thank you
who the heck would dislike such a video? oO
How about drop sets? Where do drop sets fit in a program? Do they just pump blood and add to fatigue or are they worth throwing in?
Hey Lucas, drop sets are a way of adding intensity and volume as a mesocycle progresses and this is typically how I've seen Mike use them.
So you'd start a programme cycle without using drop sets and towards the peak intensity stage of that cycle, drop sets can be used along with increasing RPE and other variables to increase stimulus.
Hope that helps!
Please do Dumbbell Shoulder press or machine shoulder press!!!
5:05 Time under tension, bro!
I heard sergio oliva used to train like that. doing only a small part of the ROM and stay under tension. So there is definitly something to it
7:50 he said a 🤬BAD🤬 word! 🤯
Brilliant stuff!
Dumbell should come on face or chest?
Would you be willing to do a video on facepulls? I honestly am not sure if i am doing dumbell face pulls properly.
I only have dumbbells. Should I train a few mesocycles incline press and then a few normal press or both in the same mesocycle? Will I lose upper pec size if I focus on normal bench for a few mesocycles?
Hey Reiner,
You definitely won't lose upper chest size from focusing on flat press for one mesocycle, the whole chest will be stimulated in any chest press, it's just that certain angles will slightly emphasis some areas more than others.
Whether you keep them both together or separate cycle to cycle is up to you, there is no right or wrong there.
Hope that helps!
Today is push day, and guess what.. my PRIORITY is upper chest! Boom. Back to back amazing vids. More like back to back to back to back to back to back.. but you know.
Would love to see a video on isohold and iso-chest exercises. For time longest time I had issues with doing any sort of benching or push exercises and actually feeling a pump or any soreness. It wasn't until I did a ton of iso holds and cable work, I made the mind muscle connection so I could then properly contract the pecks.
Love the graffiti dude !!
Your videos are awesome! Question. Ideal rep range is 10-20. If my first set is 13 reps, 2nd 11, 3rd 9 and I finish with 4th set at 7 reps is that proper rep range assuming I’m 2 RIR for each set?
If you can hit more reps on the next session then yes. Progressive overload is what matters not rep range.
Hey Edwin, anything over 5 reps will be capable of stimulating hypertrophy so technically that is fine, however I would prefer to slightly lighten the weight and have all 4 sets within the 10-20 rep range rather than having the bottom two drop out.
Hope that helps!
These videos should be on rotation at all gyms around the world fixing shitty form 1 video at a time
The amount of times I’ve heard “this is super rare” and it’s like ya, me again.
Losing tension on the pecs at 4:55. Wouldn't you consider that to be sub-optimal?
The load is still on his upper pecs?
is there such a thing as being able to train the "inner" chest? do some variations e.g. arm coming across the body emphasise this? or is this broscience
I believe that "middle line" you're looking for comes with time and depends a bit on genetics. But as far targeting the inner chest, that's impossible because there is no inner chest.
I dont believe in the whole inner chest excercise thing. Have you ever gotten only your inner chest sore? However I do think some of the inner chest exercises are valuable they just don't Target the inner chest as thought
You can open your hands to find angle which gonna put a maximum pressure on your chest and less on your delts.
For example i got better upper chest development using higher weights lower range of motion then using lighter weights and full range of motion plus full range of motion all the way done fucks my shoulder a lot
Dang younger Dr Mike Israetel sure has that carpe diem in his voice. Good to see he's carpe'd all the diems in the last 3 years and mellowed out
Great info!
A personal aberration I like with incline dumbbell presses is to rotate my hands towards each other at the top of the press and bring the weights close together. It seems to give me a good crunch in the inside of the pecs. Also it makes the eccentric longer and slower. Perhaps the rotation under weight helps work some of the smaller controlling muscles (or maybe I am just deluded, lol)
So what's your thoughts on Ben pakulski active range of motion
Great video Dr Mike. I never go below 8 reps on dumbbells. Could you do a complete video on a dumbbell back workout?
If only I knew I should be watching these guys 5 years ago and not the ifbb idiots...man I would look much better today. I used Mike's volume recommendations for side delts and my shoulders grew quite a bit
Thank you 👍🏼👍🏼
love the intro track 👌
I’ve been stressing about my dumbbell bench press technique for like a month now since I got a new set of heavier weight. I used to have just 2 20 lbs dumbbells laying around and I’d do 3-4 sets of 20 every now and then and my chest would feels great. Like I can see my chest muscles moving while I wash my hand and shit.But ever since I got the heavier sets to take my training more serious, I would do sets of 8-10 with 40-45 lbs and that shit kills my goddamn forearms and grip more than anything. I can’t even feel my chest working . The last point of this video confirmed all my doubts💪🏼. I’ve thought about lower the weight to like 30-35 lbs for awhile now but wasn’t sure if i should. Finally I can start seeing my chest muscles moving again tmr😍
whoever did that beast mural in the back needs a kiss on the mouth… holy shit
What's your thoughts on not locking out due to trying to keep more time under tension?
Damn, the only position I feel my chest working fucking kills my shoulder
I half to do side lats in reps of 30 to 50 ... idk why but i been using 20 lbs dumbells for 15 years .. its weard idk why but i can go up 3 tob5 lbs and shoulders always feel they rip and im injured for weeks or more.. even if i can do 30 reps just 5lbs less... i think my joints and connective cant handle weight
I would be interested in a 45 degree back extension instruction. I find i only feel it in my lower back and am not sure if my technique needs fixing or if the exercise just isn't for me.
You've probably already found this out but try rounding the upper back
It's called BACK extension for a reason
Dr Mike any chance you could do a barbell hack squat video?? Some of us home gym guys that dont have a hack squat machine. Hopefully this isnt one of the stupid exercises you warned about....
I know this channel it more about hypertrophy than strength, but I've previously done heavy (sets of 3-5) incline dumbbell press as a bench accessory, the theory being the independent weights even out any asymmetries and the incline obviously stimulates more of the pec than you easily tap into with bench. Is this sound or foolish? Seems a lot of people do them for bench accessory, but if your sole goal is a bigger bench, are they recommended?
this is true. everybody is built deferent. what works for one guy is not gonna work for the other.
I love how the guys with the biggest chests in the world are supposedly using "the wrong range of motion"
You can build muscle using incorrect range of motion. No one said you couldn’t, but from a biomechanical standpoint it’s not healthy or optimal long term.
I love how arnold has the biggest chest and when you watch him bench its like a anatomical representation of the pec major . I love how the majority of people with the big bench and big chest do full Rom . I love how your comparing elite bodybuilders that use 2x as much of ur body weight and for the sale of not braking there elbows they stop the ROM while every rep is still the same .
@@areenmc7033 I love how you personally know the majority of people who have the biggest bench and chest around the entire world. I love how a winning natural drug and lie detector tested bodybuilder swears by partial rom being the key to his success helps prove my point. I love how much better my shoulders feel and how much more soreness and pump I get from not letting the dbs touch my shoulders. I love how you think everybody has the same anatomy. But more than anything else, I love how triggered you are by my opinion.
@@Tinkerbell0320 not going all the way down on an incline db press is unhealthy? How so?
Was thinking this also
My problem is the first rep. What exercises can I do to help getting that first rep up? I’m not looking to max out. After (if) managing to get first rep at 70 dumbbells, I can get at least 10. Yes, I’m old and weak and don’t have a spotter.
That just means your not doing full ROM on your additional reps..the additional reps should be no different than the first. Lighten the weight.
I am a terrible bencher. Long arms, tiny fore arms, small wrists.... large range of motion. Slightly incline feels te best for people with long arms I think (at least in my situation).
*What's your expierence guys?*
I’m similarly proportioned, but strongly prefer flat bench to incline
Ayy is that a lil raskol apparel shoutout by Jared there? Omor surfclam will be pleased
I do reverse bb press for upper pecs. Why do incline db?
Jared’s upper pecs flex every time Dr. Mike says “upper pecs” in the opening
Do Paused OHP works the upper Chest?
Hey Serrano, it depends how strict your form is - a lot of people doing them seated will arch their back and turn it into a super high incline press and this will work the upper chest, but if you're using very strict form then it will isolate the shoulders much more.
Hope that helps!
@@ashmaypt Thanks!
@@albertoserrano7854 No worries, happy to help!
I regularly cover similar topics on my own channel so I'd recommend checking that out if you're interested :)
I do DB incline exactly like him and look nothing like him. Either you're lying or I'm lying.
Serratus anterior work
I found that keeping my forearms perpendicular to the ground during the whole execution helped me feel my pecs for the first time on this exercice. Before that adjustment I would never feel them.
Do you have to lock out. Other you tubers like Steve Cook say you don't
You don’t HAVE to do anything. A larger range of motion increase muscle tension and activation. When you lock out your goal should be to SQUEEZE your chest while still maintaining constant tension. A large amount of popular fitness you tubers don’t train optimally, but it doesn’t mean you won’t gain muscle and strength it’s just no optimal.
I agree with Liam, not locking out doesn't mean you can't build muscle and strength at all, but it also isn't optimal.
You want to use the fullest range of motion possible, which means locking out, while keeping tension on the target muscle, so while locked out your elbows should be squeezing towards eachother.
But also, if you don't train your lockout every rep then you're going to get a weak lockout and probably injure yourself somewhere down the line..
Hope that helps!
@@ashmaypt cheers I understand I always have a slight bend in elbows but always squeeze
I realise I’m not locking out!! Always having to mind my shoulders.