The incline barbell is terrible and I will argue that the flat is just as useless as the incline. Whenever I do flat/incline bench it doesn’t feel like I’m working anything - actually it feels immensely uncomfortable. The decline has helped me become insanely strong without the discomfort of doing the flat or incline. There is something remarkable about this exercise and it’s a shame nobody seems to respect it
Useless for someone who does them with Doug's form yes look at all the pro's they mainly do flat and incline machine or db or BB presses for chest and their pecs are the best
Try the standing decline cable press for upper pecs! Stand at a cable machine with handles. Face away from the cable machine and grab the handles with both hands. Press down toward your stomach, with your torso at a 45% angle. This mimics the decline press and your upper pecs will be literally bouncing with this movement. Insane pump! Thanks Doug!!!
The pecs are a fan shaped muscle that have multiple lines of pull, The incline press shown here has a super high arm angle that most lines up with the resistance with the anterior delts and coracobrachialis. You could easily lower the arm angle and train the clavicular chest fibres and sternal pec fibres(and also anterior delts) in their lengthened range. The argument that there are no pec fibres on the chin puzzles me since the the clavicular fibres have a slanted direction of the fibre that well kind of does point to the chin when you keep the upper arm in a proper pressing position. No one in their right mind would ever teach an incline press with the form demonstrated here. While I think the decline dumbell press shown here is a good exercise ( to mostly target costal/sternal pec fibres) it doesnt mean incline presses done with better form cant be a beneficial exercise. Preferably a program to maximize chest development would have more than one exercise.
The incline bench we used when we filmed this video was the lowest as compared to the other benches available in the gym. People use this bench on a daily basis.
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics its the arm angle relative to the rib cage not the level of incline that matters here. Also every chest press example you guys show uses that high arm position which is odd
I literally only do flat bench but with a big arch which makes it a decline, my pecs AND my strength grows much better by only doing presses on this angle, inclines are really a waste of time and effort when it comes to the pecs
I just bought Dougs Book I've always said decline dumbells build the most chest size But I do feel a very low incline works the upper chest best But I am very surprised he recommends ninety degrees from the torso 45ish feels so much safer and all also better strech
Mo could you explain to me as a owner of Doug’s book and owner in the Brig-20. I’m puzzled why on all these videos people ask why Doug talks about why he doesn’t recommend doing compound exercises and how they create injuries. Does he not simple state that isolation gives the best workout with less time and without injury. What am I missing in their mindset when they ask or debate this. I scratch my head
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics thanks for replying, but I'm wondering if you ever recall Doug instructing to lock the scapula back and down during a decline movement
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics I once had a consult with Frank Zane, and I asked him about this, he said all he was focusing on, was to lower the weight slower and push hard up, with a back ground of counting reps
I just do a chest press using the “x-bar” with resistance bands By putting my hands on the bar directly in front of me in an upside down v shape, then pushing down, I work my chest, and because I’m standing, my core has to keep me stable so It’s activated as well. This workout helped me tremendously with my core issues! This technique is way better then any other exercises I’ve done for chest. The “x-bar” and it’s resistance bands are such a blessing for me
Might be true by that's awful incline press form. elbows flaring way out to the sides vs. coming down closer to the torso, lowering bar to the lower chest and then pressing at an up and back angle to get it directly over shoulders.
The movement you described activates more the shoulders and the triceps as compared to the movement shown in this video. Flaring the elbow is a good thing when working the chest. People don't do that because they either have a shoulder discomfort or they are using heavy weight. Building muscle is not about moving heavy weight is about muscle load and other factors we discuss in our channel.
Geez, Arnold always kept his arms flared wide away from the torso on inclines and he had some of the best upper pecs in the history of bodybuilding. Go figure. ruclips.net/video/y070Cm71u50/видео.html
What you said is true, that's how people typically do the incline press. However, as Doug said (rip) that would still just turn it into a shoulder and triceps exercise.
What's your opinion on someone with as big a following as Athlean X coming out and saying that incline barbell bench press and incline dumbell bench press are the best exercises for the upper chest?
People should try the exercises and suggestions for a few weeks and see which exercise works best for them. If they want to save time they have to narrow it down to few exercises. Anyone can say anything to 10 people or 10M, the number of followers is not an indicator that the information is right or wrong.
Doug is deficient in: upper pecks, traps and neck. The ones he refuses to train optimally, i.e. 30 degree incline bench press, shrugs with DB or BB in FRONT of the body, neck extension/flexion.
He mentioned before that he spent nearly a year doing nothing but incline work for the upper pecs with no significant difference... so you can't blame lack of upper pecs on exercise selection.
so true ... all the wasted years trying to find the best way for chest development, which was my weakest area. I bought Doug's book and have learned many things.
This is the only thing I don't agree with. You can CLEARLY see the upper pecks activated when just doing an incline press motion with your arms without any weighs.
It's almost like multiple decades worth of bodybuilders used incline benching as a part of their routine to build their chest. Must be a 70 year conspiracy though
You can also see the front delt activated when you do standing dumbbell bicep curl, should be call it a front delt exercise? the lower back is also working "activated" during a standing db bicep curl, should we call it a lower back exercise?
@@connorstjean but they also did flat bench, decline, flyes, cable... The bad exercises won't erase the benefit of the good ones. They didn't do incline benches only for 70 years right??
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics exactly- because they understood the pecs are a fan shaped muscle and required more than one direction of pull which included barbell inclines
@@davepazz580 not true , anyone who trains properly knows this , douges physic in his later years demonstrates this his upper chest became weak compared to previous years when he did do incline work
As I said, he did spend a year doing nothing but incline work and didn't see any noticeable difference... and having been a competitive bodybuilder for many years, am sure he knew how to train "properly". When I started lifting many years ago, my gym had a fixed incline bench press, but I hated how it felt... I didn't feel any upper pec stimulation at all, felt like a pure delt exercise to me. My gym at the time later got in some adjustable benches and I set the incline to where it felt just right for me, which was *barely* higher than flat (only a slight incline)... I did begin to feel my upper pecs using this angle and the press movement felt comfortable... but making my upper pecs grow? My overall chest grew but I was using multiple other exercises for chest as well... but I didn't notice any significant gains in my upper pecs in particular (just general growth over time).
@@davepazz580 so that's your experience fair enough , Now look at dough later years photos , his upper pecks are very lacking, , Check early years and later years photos . My experience,, if incline work is not done , my upper pecks do not grow . Giving out a one size fits all approach shows a lack of understanding about how this stuff works , there is no one size is right for all .
I stopped doing Inclines years ago, my shoulders thanked me immediately.
For me it was the opposite
Results speak volumes.....Doug's program has done wonders for me and Ive been training a long time...
thanks guys .I have done decline press with dumbbells and cables and my chest development is better than ever
The incline barbell is terrible and I will argue that the flat is just as useless as the incline. Whenever I do flat/incline bench it doesn’t feel like I’m working anything - actually it feels immensely uncomfortable.
The decline has helped me become insanely strong without the discomfort of doing the flat or incline. There is something remarkable about this exercise and it’s a shame nobody seems to respect it
Useless for someone who does them with Doug's form yes look at all the pro's they mainly do flat and incline machine or db or BB presses for chest and their pecs are the best
@@slavaukrainitv2716 The pros are either genetic freaks or on tons of drugs... definitely not a substantive example of effectiveness of training...
Love it! I actually find I like the decline cable version even better now! Although db is still awesome
Yes good ones
Try the standing decline cable press for upper pecs! Stand at a cable machine with handles. Face away from the cable machine and grab the handles with both hands. Press down toward your stomach, with your torso at a 45% angle. This mimics the decline press and your upper pecs will be literally bouncing with this movement. Insane pump! Thanks Doug!!!
The pecs are a fan shaped muscle that have multiple lines of pull, The incline press shown here has a super high arm angle that most lines up with the resistance with the anterior delts and coracobrachialis. You could easily lower the arm angle and train the clavicular chest fibres and sternal pec fibres(and also anterior delts) in their lengthened range. The argument that there are no pec fibres on the chin puzzles me since the the clavicular fibres have a slanted direction of the fibre that well kind of does point to the chin when you keep the upper arm in a proper pressing position. No one in their right mind would ever teach an incline press with the form demonstrated here. While I think the decline dumbell press shown here is a good exercise ( to mostly target costal/sternal pec fibres) it doesnt mean incline presses done with better form cant be a beneficial exercise. Preferably a program to maximize chest development would have more than one exercise.
The incline bench we used when we filmed this video was the lowest as compared to the other benches available in the gym. People use this bench on a daily basis.
Connor stjean, show the video of your better form
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics its the arm angle relative to the rib cage not the level of incline that matters here. Also every chest press example you guys show uses that high arm position which is odd
@@brucele2776 keep the humerus closer to the rib cage and not way wide
@@connorstjean my arms are parallel with gravity
I literally only do flat bench but with a big arch which makes it a decline, my pecs AND my strength grows much better by only doing presses on this angle, inclines are really a waste of time and effort when it comes to the pecs
I found that decline works the upper chest best! 👍
inlcine and decline flat dumbell are the best.
I just bought Dougs Book I've always said decline dumbells build the most chest size But I do feel a very low incline works the upper chest best But I am very surprised he recommends ninety degrees from the torso 45ish feels so much safer and all also better strech
Enlightening
Thank you
What angle of decline is correct?
30%
Mo could you explain to me as a owner of Doug’s book and owner in the Brig-20. I’m puzzled why on all these videos people ask why Doug talks about why he doesn’t recommend doing compound exercises and how they create injuries. Does he not simple state that isolation gives the best workout with less time and without injury. What am I missing in their mindset when they ask or debate this. I scratch my head
Some people have selecting hearing. Some people enjoy pain lol
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics 😝🍺👍
@@fourftr 🍻
did Doug instruct to pull shoulders blades back as going down for the decline almost like rowing back down?
@Gianluca33672 it's safer to keep shoulders locked back throughout the motion and focusing on the elongation and shortening in a controlled manner.
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics thanks for replying, but I'm wondering if you ever recall Doug instructing to lock the scapula back and down during a decline movement
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics I once had a consult with Frank Zane, and I asked him about this, he said all he was focusing on, was to lower the weight slower and push hard up, with a back ground of counting reps
The question is do you push shoulders back and down wen doin this exercise or just keep everything natural
Neutral position unless you're a power lifter attempting heavy lifts.
I just do a chest press using the “x-bar” with resistance bands
By putting my hands on the bar directly in front of me in an upside down v shape, then pushing down, I work my chest, and because I’m standing, my core has to keep me stable so It’s activated as well. This workout helped me tremendously with my core issues!
This technique is way better then any other exercises I’ve done for chest. The “x-bar” and it’s resistance bands are such a blessing for me
Might be true by that's awful incline press form. elbows flaring way out to the sides vs. coming down closer to the torso, lowering bar to the lower chest and then pressing at an up and back angle to get it directly over shoulders.
The movement you described activates more the shoulders and the triceps as compared to the movement shown in this video. Flaring the elbow is a good thing when working the chest. People don't do that because they either have a shoulder discomfort or they are using heavy weight. Building muscle is not about moving heavy weight is about muscle load and other factors we discuss in our channel.
Geez, Arnold always kept his arms flared wide away from the torso on inclines and he had some of the best upper pecs in the history of bodybuilding.
Go figure.
ruclips.net/video/y070Cm71u50/видео.html
What you said is true, that's how people typically do the incline press. However, as Doug said (rip) that would still just turn it into a shoulder and triceps exercise.
What's your opinion on someone with as big a following as Athlean X coming out and saying that incline barbell bench press and incline dumbell bench press are the best exercises for the upper chest?
People should try the exercises and suggestions for a few weeks and see which exercise works best for them. If they want to save time they have to narrow it down to few exercises. Anyone can say anything to 10 people or 10M, the number of followers is not an indicator that the information is right or wrong.
Doug is deficient in: upper pecks, traps and neck. The ones he refuses to train optimally, i.e. 30 degree incline bench press, shrugs with DB or BB in FRONT of the body, neck extension/flexion.
He mentioned before that he spent nearly a year doing nothing but incline work for the upper pecs with no significant difference... so you can't blame lack of upper pecs on exercise selection.
💪🏾
Just do 10 sets of 10 reps of incline on a 30 degrees. Your upper pecs will be sore AF. Mystery solved
so true ... all the wasted years trying to find the best way for chest development, which was my weakest area. I bought Doug's book and have learned many things.
👍😊👌
This is the only thing I don't agree with. You can CLEARLY see the upper pecks activated when just doing an incline press motion with your arms without any weighs.
It's almost like multiple decades worth of bodybuilders used incline benching as a part of their routine to build their chest. Must be a 70 year conspiracy though
You can also see the front delt activated when you do standing dumbbell bicep curl, should be call it a front delt exercise? the lower back is also working "activated" during a standing db bicep curl, should we call it a lower back exercise?
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics no but it has a higher degree of activation, and aligns with fibre direction, not sure how that's consing
@@connorstjean but they also did flat bench, decline, flyes, cable... The bad exercises won't erase the benefit of the good ones. They didn't do incline benches only for 70 years right??
@@SmartTraining365Biomechanics exactly- because they understood the pecs are a fan shaped muscle and required more than one direction of pull which included barbell inclines
Ridiculous , decline to build upper chest , come on you go too far with this nonsense
It will grow regardless...
@@davepazz580 not true , anyone who trains properly knows this , douges physic in his later years demonstrates this his upper chest became weak compared to previous years when he did do incline work
As I said, he did spend a year doing nothing but incline work and didn't see any noticeable difference... and having been a competitive bodybuilder for many years, am sure he knew how to train "properly".
When I started lifting many years ago, my gym had a fixed incline bench press, but I hated how it felt... I didn't feel any upper pec stimulation at all, felt like a pure delt exercise to me.
My gym at the time later got in some adjustable benches and I set the incline to where it felt just right for me, which was *barely* higher than flat (only a slight incline)...
I did begin to feel my upper pecs using this angle and the press movement felt comfortable... but making my upper pecs grow?
My overall chest grew but I was using multiple other exercises for chest as well... but I didn't notice any significant gains in my upper pecs in particular (just general growth over time).
@@davepazz580 so that's your experience fair enough ,
Now look at dough later years photos , his upper pecks are very lacking, , Check early years and later years photos .
My experience,, if incline work is not done , my upper pecks do not grow .
Giving out a one size fits all approach shows a lack of understanding about how this stuff works , there is no one size is right for all .