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Shades McCool
New member
How will Decline press shape the chest? I am going to start doing them today. Will it make my chest have that nice rounded bottom?
Peace
Shades
Peace
Shades
Decline Press...how will it shape?
- Thread starter Shades McCool
- Start date
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kronk
Guest
I can only speak for myself, but since adding it to my chest routine, I have noticed my lower pecs, getting much more rounded. Some people say they are worthless, however, I personally love them.
Not to mention, I seem to be able to go much heaver on them. Just my 2 cents.
Not to mention, I seem to be able to go much heaver on them. Just my 2 cents.
Shades McCool
New member
Do you use barbell or dumbell???
Shades
Shades
liquidmuscle
Well-known member
i quit decline now all i do for chest is incline/flat/fly's/dips i will bring em back soon though, but as of right now i cant do anything upper body except abs due to my broke ass arm
the UNDERTAKER
New member
all i use is heavy incline dumbells and decline barbell. flat bench hurts!! incline at 20-30degrees is as flat as i get. but yes declines rule!!! close grip declines too
Shades McCool
New member
So I take it that doing declines can really put some shape into the pecs? Right now I have been doing flat bar/dumbell and incline...and my pecs ahve gotten much bigger at the top and have separated alot but I have no roundess or thinkness at the bottom. Will this help?
the gringo
New member
I second Kronk's advice. I, too, wonder why my decline bench is much heavier than its flat counterpart. Easily 50 pds.
Your range of motion (actually distance moving the weight) on a decline is a lot less than on a flat bench. Also you get a great deal of support from your triceps. As for "shaping" your pecs, that's going to be genetic, not "lift made". Different guys just have differently shaped chests and that's just the way it is. IMHO, with flat and incline work you can hit your pecs as hard and from as many angles as you need to for optimal development.
Do this.....put your arm straight out in front of you and contract the pecs. Now put your arms down on a 45-60 degree angle and contrat the pecs..........Which gives a stronger contration to the Pecs? The second one does by far.
More fibers are activited in a decline bench and or dips with elbows out over the regular bench press. As far as I am concerned the decline bench and dip is superior to the regular bench for adding overall mass to the chest.
More fibers are activited in a decline bench and or dips with elbows out over the regular bench press. As far as I am concerned the decline bench and dip is superior to the regular bench for adding overall mass to the chest.
rippedtrojan
New member
i wish my school gym had a fucking decline bench for barbell here 
larsulrich
New member
come on, use your brains man!
my gym doesn´t have a decline bench too, but just put a box under the bench. DONE! Now u have a decline bench
my gym doesn´t have a decline bench too, but just put a box under the bench. DONE! Now u have a decline bench
rippedtrojan
New member
we have a separate decline bench, but there's no rack suitable for using it to use a barbell to do the declines.
macho21
New member
Shades McCool said:
OK, I probably will get alot of disagreement, but you cannot alter the shape of your muscles, that is genetically pre-determined. Example, you cannot do certain workouts to get that bicep peak or double bicep, you just either have it or you don't. Different exercises are used to keep the muscles confused, and as a form of intensity, but contrary to popular belief, it will not manipulate the way your muscle is shaped. Let the flames begin.
badgermilk
New member
I agree with Realgains here, After working out with flat, incline, decline benches, I notice a huge difference in pumps when doing the decline.
Although I do believe that you can alter the size of a particular part of a muscle, depending on the form used during an exercise I do agree with macho21 and Mischief on the shape of your muscle, they are what they are, that's what makes us all different.
To clarify what I am talking about as far as altering the size of a particular part of a muscle. I do very wide grip on the decline so that to work the lower outer corners of the chest, to give it a more square shape. I also do them close grip to limit the amount the chest muscles gap in the middle of the chest.
I probably just confused the hell out of everyone.
Although I do believe that you can alter the size of a particular part of a muscle, depending on the form used during an exercise I do agree with macho21 and Mischief on the shape of your muscle, they are what they are, that's what makes us all different.
To clarify what I am talking about as far as altering the size of a particular part of a muscle. I do very wide grip on the decline so that to work the lower outer corners of the chest, to give it a more square shape. I also do them close grip to limit the amount the chest muscles gap in the middle of the chest.
I probably just confused the hell out of everyone.
supertech69
New member
I haven't done decline for at least a year now & my lower chest is just as round as when I was doing them. I started doing all incline movements & a couple sets of flat to finish my pump & my upper chest has developed quite nicely. Agreed that you can't change the shape of your muscle but, I do believe that you can accentuate the upper chest and other muscles by different movements. I have also had good results on my bicep peaks by doing un-supported concentration curls. The peaks haven't actually changed shape but they are definately much fuller, the same with my upper chest. Everyone is different so you wont really know unless you try it for a while.
I feel along with others that DECLINE PRESS is nothing but an Ego Booster solely for the reason that you can push more weight, which if you notice your complete stride on an incline press is equal to about 1/3 of a flat bench press or an incline I dont bother doing them personally.
Rippeddrago
New member
I agree with Macho21. You cannot alter the shape of your muscle, only add or decrease it's size. This is your genetics. From a kineseology point of interest, the most involvment for your pec muscle is (horizontal adduction) flat press, full r.o.m. You have three main attachments for your pecs (humerus-clavicle)=upper pecs and (humerus-sternum)lower pecs. If you look at this muscle you will see that there are very few fibers that run horizontally and down. Your body will always make changes when a new stimulus is applied. (homeostasis) so you may see benefits just because it's a new exercise, but lb for lb it's not the most effective exercise, and even puts undue stress on the GH(shoulder) joint. A minimal 10degree down angle would be all that's necessary to achieve stimulating these few fibers. most Decline benches are far too low.
http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/pectoralismajor.html
http://www.rad.washington.edu/atlas/pectoralismajor.html
Rippeddrago
New member
Yes but can't you alter the shape of the muscle by using GH which adds muscle fiber-therefore altering its shape as well as size?
<~~~ This I'm not aware of, but I would tend to think that they would distribute in exactly the same percentages according to your genetics. But this I really have no clue about. GH and all.
<~~~ This I'm not aware of, but I would tend to think that they would distribute in exactly the same percentages according to your genetics. But this I really have no clue about. GH and all.
DNIndustry
New member
Id like to get some Ideas as to where you guys are at on Incline & Decline weights.
Incline
8x225
4x275
1x335
Decline Hammer(We dont have a decline bench..just a decline hammer press->no bar weight)
8x230
8x360
8x450 <-Max that can be fit on
Theoretical 1RMax would be around 650 (I cant fit any more plates on)
I dont know how this would translate to free bar decline press.
What do you guys look like ?
Incline
8x225
4x275
1x335
Decline Hammer(We dont have a decline bench..just a decline hammer press->no bar weight)
8x230
8x360
8x450 <-Max that can be fit on
Theoretical 1RMax would be around 650 (I cant fit any more plates on)
I dont know how this would translate to free bar decline press.
What do you guys look like ?
the UNDERTAKER
New member
i'm suprised at the huge difference in opinions. didn't think it would be that diverse. one thing i do know .......every gym i go to i seem to be the only one doing declines!!! but they really work great for me. they really add to the bottom inner and bottom middle of my pecs as well as in the middle where my pecs meet.can really get a squeeze out of it.
