Great chest workout that has worked for me

[J89]

Flat dummbell press 4x 6
Incline dumbbell press 4 x 6
Decline dumbbell press 3 x 8

Simple yet effective

 

[kabatura]

why the change in reps on the decline?

 

[J89]

why the change in reps on the decline?

thats a push day, afer chest i still gotta do shoulders so i decided to slow down on the decine.

will move on to dips soon

 

[Andromax]

I'd say scratch the decline in favor of dips

 

[john paul]

Is flat dummbell press very similair to bench pressing when talking about the types of muscles they work out?

 

[BMX]

I do dips instead of the decline because I'm afraid of the declines w/o a spotter. I think dumbell presses also utilize more stabilizer muscles in controlling your range of motion.

 

[Drum&Bass]

Thats funny...when I do dips I work my chest out MILDLY but my triceps take a majority of the punishment.

When I do declines, I work my triceps but NO where near the stress it puts on my chest.

Substituting Dips instead of Declines is a horrible idea. If your worried about a spotter use dumb bells.

 

[shaunuk]

D&B - that seems odd to me, dips tear my chest apart (in a good way). Maybe you're doing it with your torso upright. There's nothing 'horrible' about putting in dips instead of a third bench press mate..

 

[Drum&Bass]

Maybe you're doing it with your torso upright.

Isn't that the correct way to do them ??

There's nothing 'horrible' about putting in dips instead of a third bench press mate

If its working for you, then keep doing your thing. I just think its alot more optimal to keep them as separate exercises.

 

[The Bat]

I gotta agree with D&B about substituting dips for decline. Just think about your body's orientation in space when doing these exercises. They definitely hit different aspects of chest/triceps with different degree. How much and how little all depends on one thing: form.

Throw in some dumbbell flyes in there. It will make a world of difference.

 

[Mad Manic]

Isn't that the correct way to do them ??

No and it's also pointless to do decline dumbell press along with the others. I bet you don't do rows on 3 different angles for your back to balance it out either. Dips are a great chest and tricep builder, bar width and torso position help to shift the emphasis.

MM

 

[Drum&Bass]

No and it's also pointless to do decline dumbell press along with the others.

I'm not a big fan of Leaning forward when doing dips, especially when you start incorporating weight. Why do you think its pointless to do decline presses along with others ?? what exactly are "others" ?

I bet you don't do rows on 3 different angles for your back to balance it out either.

The back is not the same as a chest. Motion is different, mechanics are different Everything is different. You can very the angles of your arms and safely get different results for how your chest develops. You can't really alter to much with a back exercise without turning it into another exercise.

Dips are a great chest and tricep builder

If your getting great results then stick with it, but for me personally Dips and inclines would not be enough to build a fuller looking chest.

 

[j0n024]

Sorry but I am pretty new and dont know lots about this type of stuff....would be just doing regular benchpress with a single bar be the same thing and work out the chest? I mean whats the difference between a single bar and dumbells ....Decline/incline/flat?

 

[Crazy Asian]

does decline hurt ur shoulder as bad as the flat bench does?

 

[Mr.Positive]

Thats funny...when I do dips I work my chest out MILDLY but my triceps take a majority of the punishment.

I agree. Except, for me, it seems dips work out shoulders more than anything.

I just started doing decline bench press. Dumbells seem to do nothing for me, however, using the bar makes the difference.

I guess what works for one man, may or may not, work for another man.

 

[Drum&Bass]

I just talked with one of my co-workers (another trainer*)
and he said wide dips while your tilting forward and maintaining a natural arch in your back works really well for lower part of the chest. I'm gonna give it a shot and see what happens.

I agree. Except, for me, it seems dips work out shoulders more than anything.

your right my shoulders get real tight after doing them I think it might be the kinda bars I use. There not parallel but instead make a V shape. I think doing them with a closer grip causes you to squeeze the shoulders together when lowering yourself, so that might be what cause our shoulders to feel stressed.

 

[fireguy]

To see what muscles an exersise works the most (example WIDE DIPS) - do 10 sets of the movment only (for example on chest/tris/shoulder day, dont do any other movments than dips. No other work for chest-tri-delts is done that day) and see wich muscles gets the most sore. If chest is mildly sore and your triceps are shot to death, you know that for your indevidual body - dips are greate for your triceps.

 

[Mad Manic]

I'm not a big fan of Leaning forward when doing dips, especially when you start incorporating weight. Why do you think its pointless to do decline presses along with others ?? what exactly are "others" ?

The back is not the same as a chest. Motion is different, mechanics are different Everything is different. You can very the angles of your arms and safely get different results for how your chest develops. You can't really alter to much with a back exercise without turning it into another exercise.

If your getting great results then stick with it, but for me personally Dips and inclines would not be enough to build a fuller looking chest.

I just think two presses are enough and Dips adds more variation and another plane of movement. As I said, people bang out the presses for chest but they aren't doing 3 types of rows to balance it out. If you're doing 3 types of rowing movements then so be it. I do Flat Barbell, Incline Dumbell and Wide Dips for Chest, low reps on flat, medium on incline, higher on wide dips.

MM

 

[simba_]

does decline hurt ur shoulder as bad as the flat bench does?

look up proper benching technique. t-nation has a few good articles.

 

[J89]

nah decline doesnt hurt my shoulders

I've noticed the decline gives me a fuller chest.

There was also a study to show which excercises work the best bodyparts and decline came first for chest