Need some advice about chest

Most people I see do their chest exercises wrong to begin with. If you do them in the natural feeling position, you are mainly working your arms and shoulders. Next time you do a chest exercise, roll your shoulders back and make it seem like you are trying to push your shoulder blades into your back pockets. Then do your workout.

Not saying you aren't doing it this way, but it seems that most do it wrong. That's why you see a lot of big arms and bird chests.

Most people I see do their chest exercises wrong to begin with. If you do them in the natural feeling position, you are mainly working your arms and shoulders. Next time you do a chest exercise, roll your shoulders back and make it seem like you are trying to push your shoulder blades into your back pockets. Then do your workout.

Not saying you aren't doing it this way, but it seems that most do it wrong. That's why you see a lot of big arms and bird chests.

Thanks, I'll try this, I think I fall into the "natural feeling" category you described, is there a name for this technique I can use to check videos for form etc?

Not sure it has a name. It's just the right way to do it. From BodyBuilding.com.

Bench Press Form:
When you unrack the weight, draw your shoulders back, and pinch your shoulder blades together, which will help give you your natural arch, and puff out your chest. This will provide a stable base and as long as you keep your shoulders drawn back, it will keep the deltoid activation to a minimum.

Also, bring your legs back in close, to where it would be hard to put your feet flat to the ground. So you start on the balls of your feet. When you lower the weight, clench your butt, exhale forcefully and try to drive your heels into the ground. Keep your back down though. There will be a little arch, but don't go to extremes.

+ Tips for using chest on bench:

Another thing, flaring elbows can help place the focus on your chest. If you flare them real wide (at or close to your upper arm being perpendicular to your upper body) it reduces the role your triceps play and places more emphasis on your chest (you will be weaker, as you are taking a supporting muscle out of hte picture).

However, take note that flaring your elbows is harder on your shoulders. It places them in an unnatural range of motion, which can cause some rotator cuff issues. Some people never have these problems, otehrs do quite quickly. I will say flaring my elbows helped me really learn to push with my chest. I am trying to get away from it though, as I don't want to risk destroying my shoulders if I don't have to.

Another tip, when doing barbell bench press, imagine you are trying to squeeze the outside edges of the bar together as you push up (trying to make a horseshoe facing away from you).

Most people I see do their chest exercises wrong to begin with. If you do them in the natural feeling position, you are mainly working your arms and shoulders. Next time you do a chest exercise, roll your shoulders back and make it seem like you are trying to push your shoulder blades into your back pockets. Then do your workout.

Not saying you aren't doing it this way, but it seems that most do it wrong. That's why you see a lot of big arms and bird chests.

Thanks, I'll try this, I think I fall into the "natural feeling" category you described, is there a name for this technique I can use to check videos for form etc?

This is excellent advice. If I could rep you I would. This aint bb.com though

Not sure it has a name. It's just the right way to do it. From BodyBuilding.com.

Bench Press Form:
When you unrack the weight, draw your shoulders back, and pinch your shoulder blades together, which will help give you your natural arch, and puff out your chest. This will provide a stable base and as long as you keep your shoulders drawn back, it will keep the deltoid activation to a minimum.

Also, bring your legs back in close, to where it would be hard to put your feet flat to the ground. So you start on the balls of your feet. When you lower the weight, clench your butt, exhale forcefully and try to drive your heels into the ground. Keep your back down though. There will be a little arch, but don't go to extremes.

+ Tips for using chest on bench:

Another thing, flaring elbows can help place the focus on your chest. If you flare them real wide (at or close to your upper arm being perpendicular to your upper body) it reduces the role your triceps play and places more emphasis on your chest (you will be weaker, as you are taking a supporting muscle out of hte picture).

However, take note that flaring your elbows is harder on your shoulders. It places them in an unnatural range of motion, which can cause some rotator cuff issues. Some people never have these problems, otehrs do quite quickly. I will say flaring my elbows helped me really learn to push with my chest. I am trying to get away from it though, as I don't want to risk destroying my shoulders if I don't have to.

Another tip, when doing barbell bench press, imagine you are trying to squeeze the outside edges of the bar together as you push up (trying to make a horseshoe facing away from you).

Some may disagree, but you really don't have to do what most do. That is flat BP.

I get away with dips & some dumbell presses for the last 5-6 months.

I have to agree with one of the previous posters on form. Most people utilize the tri's more than chest.

I get a lot of compliments on my chest on how chiseled it is compared to the last 25-30 years of hitting flats mainly.

Incline press, either bb or db will help. Forget the flies, stick with presses and dips.

Hiya,
I posted this in another part of the forum should be of some help to you


No_photo_thumbnail lifting4fun Selector





Joined Dec 2012

Posts: 5

September 04, 2013 7:45 pm

Hi,
Are you benching via powerlifting or bodybuilding style ? bench press is a compound move and will not cause large gains in the upper and lower pec

Powerlifting style places much less stress on the posterior deltoid , more emphasis placed on the triceps's and pectoris, and the upper lats

Powerlifting you have the bar in your hands shoulder width apart...visualize " bending " the bar...your elbows should rotate inward apx 10%, now visualize " pulling " the weight to your sternum, don't just let its weight drop , pause at the sternum..then " snap " the bar up...your elbows will naturally rotate back out - Also it is important that you have your traps dug into the bench, and your shoulder blade pulled together, with a bit of an exaggerated arch in your lower back...keep your butt down through the lift , make sure you tension your core/legs, push the heels down.

Bodybuilding you are going for higher reps to OL the type2, and " pump " muscles with glycon.Also the lifting style causing a huge load ( overload ) on the poorly supported posterior deltoid and outer pect due to no support if NOT coming down to the sternum, AND having the elbows out higher towards your shoulders. This will cause a huge load on the elbows

Incline bench engages 85% of the posterior delt, very little of the upper pec...try " Reverse Grip bench press on the flat bench instead , you will see rapid gains if your intent is to isolate the upper pec , while not blowing your shoulders out you will need to lift up at a 45 degree angle and have your hands very wide for this movement

I haven't seen your lifting form so I cannot do anything but guess what could cause the elbow pain

Hope this helps,
Edited by lifting4fun On September 04, 2013 8:30 pm
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This was posted due to a guy saying he was having shoulder pain, Power lifters and hypotrophy style lifters please correct me if you think this is miss-information...I have been lifting both styles for over 20 years