Incline bench form vs flat bench form

[Backlash]

There have been lots of posts lately about flat bench form. I am wondering what the differences are between this and incline. I figured most of the principles are the same.

However, this morning during incline bench I really felt it more in my shoulders than my chest (bench is at a fixed angle that I can't change). I was really trying to keep my elbows tucked and lie on my traps, keep my legs wide and slightly bent back (as in that Sebastion Burns article). The more I did those things (especially the elbow tuck) the more my shoulders seemed to take the load.

Is that the correct form to use? If so, what might I have been doing wrong?

 

[SeanHolmz]

Don't tuck your elbows if you want it to work chest more. Tucking elbows works your tris more. I think this is right anyway, plz correct me if im wrong any1 else.

 

[Serea]

I just let my elbows go where they want. When I try focusing on form it ends up putting stress on my shoulders like you said.

 

[onerepmaximum]

It makes it easier for me to ensure that I'm doing an excersize correctly if I have a good muscle/mind connection. Know why you are doing each movement and what you are trying to accomplish by doing it. Concentrate on squeezing the target muscle. If you are feeling a movement too much in a muscle that you're not trying to target, change something. You're gonna feel pressing movements like that in your shoulders no matter what you do. You might try to think about the path that the weight takes on the way up and down and what point on your body that the bar touches at the bottom.

 

[b fold the truth]

Always tuck your shoulders on every chest exercise...

When I do inclines...my elbows are fairly wide. I do these as an accessory lift to overheads and for my only real chest exercise.

B True

 

[FatRat]

I remember once reading studies that concluded that the chest was recruited more when a slightly narrower grip was used for inclines. I dont know if this is correct, but I usually move my grip in a finger or to and it seems to work well...

 

[Becoming]

Funny you should say that FatRat, my grip has always been just an inch or two more narrow than my flat (flat is elbows tucked style). Works fine for me, and seems to actually take some of the pressure off the shoulders vs wider.

 

[b fold the truth]

My pinky is on the power ring when I incline bench...

B True

 

[Becoming]

I guess my hands are probably centered on the knurled part (inside the ring about an inch?) on incline. When I go wide on it I do pinky to the ring.

 

[muscledog95]

whats the reasoning for bringing elbows in closer on bench? Does having your elbows wider do damage to your elbows???

 

[Backlash]

Damage to your shoulders.

 

[Becoming]

You will get used to bringing your elbows in... There is a big time difference between them doing more work (which is tough at first) and putting more stress on the joint at a bad angle (with elbows out). I guarantee your weights will start moving up within a few weeks of making the change... And no more shoulder pain to boot...

 

[PolishHammer1977]

Pinky on the power ring. I bench the same way on both benches. I prefer inclines for my accessory work.