Decline Bench.....REALLY worth my time?

[Prime Rib]

I have never bothered with this lift. Flat bench does plenty good job building the lower chest IMO. Opinions?


josh

 

[from zero]

Some say it's great. Some say it's waste. The only real way to know if it works for you is to experiment.

 

[Buck89]

I like doing decline for the sole purpose of getting used to the heavy weight. I can do quite a bit more on decline, so when I do it for a while, I get used to having that much weight on the bar, and when I return to flat, it seems light. Maybe just a mental thing too.

 

[from zero]

I like doing decline for the sole purpose of getting used to the heavy weight. I can do quite a bit more on decline, so when I do it for a while, I get used to having that much weight on the bar, and when I return to flat, it seems light. Maybe just a mental thing too.

You may be doing so much more weight because you're not using full ROM. Just something to think about.

 

[Eatmorechicken]

Greater overall muscle recruitment and greater recruitment of the pectoralis major specifically according to EMG. Flat bench is just more popular, probably as a result of competitive powerlifting. More popular does not equate to preferable though. All depends on your goals.

 

[Buck89]

I do use full ROM, and I guess I made it sound like I am using a ton more when declining. I'm talking 20-25 lbs on my 1RM.

 

[Buck89]

Decline seems harder on the rotator cuff. When I do start to lift heavy on a fairly steep decline, my shoulders start to feel it.

 

[Mike_Rojas]

Personally I like to do declines. It has a shorter ROM which isn't necessarily a bad thing - board presses have a shorter ROM too. Your triceps will get used to locking out heavier weights than normal. Tuck those elbows in if it hurts your cuffs.

 

[Backlash]

Declines hurt my back for some reason so I stopped doing them. Don't really miss them.

 

[Devastation]

if you powerlift and have an above average arch, decline is the shiznit for your flat bench