Decline bench=worthless?

[orca]

A friend told me that he read an article stating that decline bench was a destructive and all around stupid exercise to do. Is this true, I've used it for a long to to help develop my lower chest.

What have you guys heard.
ORCA

 

[MonStar1023]

What a crock of shit.. I dont know where people come off stating 'oh this exercise doesnt work at all' and bla bla bla. I dont believe that ANY exercise is COMPLETELY worthless. Every exercise has a specific purpose and was invented for a reason.

I believe that the decline bench is one of the best exercises for hitting the pecs. It reduces the chances of the front delts coming into play and puts the pecs in a very strong position. Most people can decline bench more then they can even flat bench.

I would suggest including declines and totally forgetting about what your friend said.

 

[blakbelt]

I have heard it said several times that you should be able to decline bench more than you flat bench. But, for me... its not the case, I dont even come close to pressing on the decline what I can on a flat bench.
Being a newbie at this, maybe im just doing the decline wrong... someone want to tell me the correct position for doing the decline, what angle, etc.

I also notice when doing the decline that I have an EXTREMELY hard time getting the weight just up.. but once its up.. I can do 8 reps with it, it just seems like it takes ALOT more energy to just get the weights into the starting position.

Maybe im just doing the whole thing wrong.

 

[big4life]

Everybody has a different opinion about one
exercise or another.

I do decline presses, I think they add to my
chest development. I just think it helps to work
your chest from different angles.

 

[Enock]

I have heard it said several times that you should be able to decline bench more than you flat bench. But, for me... its not the case, I dont even come close to pressing on the decline what I can on a flat bench.
Being a newbie at this, maybe im just doing the decline wrong... someone want to tell me the correct position for doing the decline, what angle, etc.

I also notice when doing the decline that I have an EXTREMELY hard time getting the weight just up.. but once its up.. I can do 8 reps with it, it just seems like it takes ALOT more energy to just get the weights into the starting position.

Maybe im just doing the whole thing wrong.

Declinging less is often the case when you first start. Since w/ the regular bench you have allot of other muscle groups aiding in the lift. However as you progress most people find that there decline is better because now the other muscles that were before aiding in the lift are now holding them back.

 

[Advaik]

I can't work out my chest without doing decline. My delts way overpower my chest, if I am doing flat bench my delts do all the work. Different strokes for different folks though - but whatever you do don't stop doing an excersize just because of one source information. Usually if something like this were true it would become a huge discussion, you can't beleive it just because you heard it from a friend who heard it from a relative who heard it from a brother who read it in a magazine. Its usually bs

 

[BodybuildingUniverse]

a bench with a small decline can be very beneficial in increasing your flat bench. One of the top trainers in the country has his athletes do this when their flats get stale.

Depends what you are going for I guess...

 

[DanielBishop]

I can bench more on decline, but I still don't feel it working quite as well in my pecs. And sometimes I get shoulder joint pain, especially when lifting the weight off the rack.... I think the decline bench at my gym is poorly designed, with the bench being too long and therefore the rack is way back from the shoulders. And I'm 6'2" so I'm sure I'm not the only one who has trouble with it.

 

[orca]

Well it sounds to me that decline is still a great exercise. I guess I will stick with them for a while.

Thanks guys
ORCA

 

[Valdez]

I get nothing out of declines, too small of a range of motion and my delts and tris do all the work. Dips are better IMHO opinion for anyone but they still hit my triceps for me to consider a direct chest exercise. My suggestion is that you give them a try for a couple weeks, if you start to like them... keep'em if not ditch'em.

 

[Mjollnir]

I had heard that the decline, esp. for close grip tricep worksets, was better than the standard bench.

I tried it last week, and it sucked for that.

 

[blood_drinker]

ill second valdez. weighted dips work better for me for overall chest development.

 

[goahead]

I'll third that, however, Heavy decline dumbell presses seem to wotk well for me

 

[gymtime]

I agree with MonStar, no excercise is totally worthless. Even the guys who go to the gym with completely fucked up form are doing more for themselves than those who don't go at all.

Decline benches are tough because, as Valdez said, it's hard to get a decent stretch/range of motion. Plus it incorporates a lot of shoulder work. I'll usually perfer dips, or hi-to-low cable flies, or even decline db flies.

 

[Cackerot69]

Declines = ace.

 

[Belial]

Yeah, but that's YOUR opinion, cack.

 

[luckiwan]

According to Serious Strength Training, by Bompa, EMG analysis shows that decline db bench press and barbell decline bench press have the highest stimulation on the chest.

 

[iron_sun_god]

Your friend was wrong!

Actually bro I wish that I still had the damn thing, but the college that I went to did a study on this and it was proven that the decline bench is actually more stimulatory than any other chest excercise. It hit the whole pec something like 55% better than any other chest excercise did. Hope this helps you on your path....Out

 

[THE BOUNCER]

I get nothing out of declines, too small of a range of motion and my delts and tris do all the work. Dips are better IMHO opinion for anyone but they still hit my triceps for me to consider a direct chest exercise. My suggestion is that you give them a try for a couple weeks, if you start to like them... keep'em if not ditch'em.

bump

 

[Tuna Guy]

most of the decline benches that ive ever ttried are shit, the decline is far to much, causing excessive arching of the back, for me a regular bench propped on one of those step box things is a lot better, with if needed a couple of heavy dumbells to hook your feet into.