Incline bench press with a wide grip. Incline dumbbell bench press - chips and secrets of the most effective chest exercise

Inclined bench press - refers to the basic exercises that pumps primarily the pectoralis major muscle, front deltas, triceps and keeps a bunch of auxiliary muscles in tension. Other muscle groups that are under tension are also indirectly involved. The degrees of difficulty are directly related to the weight of the bar involved. Beginner athletes should limit themselves to using only the bar. Performing an incline bench press in the prone position, even without pancakes, requires proper adherence to technique. It is best to exercise under the strict guidance of a trainer or one of the experienced gym mates. This allows you to learn and consolidate the correctness of movements and easily move on to a more complex version of the exercise - using weights for the neck.

Exercise has the desired effect only when correct execution. Each phase of the exercise requires careful attention.

To take the starting position, you must:

set the bench at an angle of 30-45 degrees;
sit on a bench, bring the shoulder blades together, and push your chest forward;
keeping the deflection in the lumbar region, grab the barbell;
hands on the neck are slightly wider than the shoulder girdle;
the barbell is removed from the stand and held on straightened arms.

Movement

You need to move according to the following principle:

inhaling air, the bar is lowered almost to upper part chest if it is difficult to hold the bar at a short distance, you can touch the chest with the projectile;
the bar is squeezed back (exhaling air) until the arms are fully extended, and then, after a short pause, lower again.

This movement should be brought to automatism.

Important Features

Correct execution implies that it is impossible:

Round your back or take your head off shoulder girdle from the surface of the bench. If this is allowed, almost the entire load will fall on the shoulders.
Set the incline bench at an angle greater than 60 degrees. A change in slope leads to a shift in the load on the delta.
Excessive arching of the lumbar region. Otherwise, the back muscles will start to engage to make the lift easier.

You should immediately take into account these features of the exercise and avoid such deviations.

To master the correct execution technique, two important points should be considered:

The elbows must be kept strictly under the bar and separated from the body to reduce the load on the triceps.
Work with a partner when working with too much weight. Otherwise, there is a high chance of injury.

It is a variation of the exercise with a narrow setting of the hands. This type of bench press allows you to reduce the load on the chest and increase the impact on the front deltas and triceps.

Anatomy of exercise: what muscles work?

Bench press performed on incline bench, is a variation of the basic classic exercise for the development of the chest muscle. An atypical position allows you to redistribute the load and use the upper chest to a greater extent, which by nature is much less developed. Performing this exercise allows bodybuilders to give this muscle group more strength. Consequently, the bodybuilder can develop a more proportionate and sculpted chest shape. Incline Presses for Trainers power types sports are used as auxiliary and allow you to achieve best results.

The load falls on the following muscle groups:

clavicular region of the large chest;
anterior bundle - delta;
small chest;
three-headed;
serrated front.

Preparing for execution

Any workout begins with a warm-up, and then proceed to the execution of a special block. To do a bench press, you need to properly prepare the muscles that are connected to participate in the exercise - the shoulder rotators, which are the main engines.

Warm up these muscles allows a special articular gymnastics. Do rotational movements with increasing amplitude. To prepare these muscles, the following actions are performed:

light weight bench press sets incline bench in a prone position, that is, half of the working first set;
classic push-ups from the floor surface with own weight but without burden.

In the pauses between sets, it is recommended to do stretching movements for the chest - pullovers, divorces with dumbbells. Thanks to these exercises, the muscles are liberated and the sets become much more effective in the next approach.

Instruction:

In the initial position, the bar is located above the collarbones. This makes it easier to lift the bar to the upper chest.
Raise and lower the projectile in one line, that is, exactly in the vertical direction.
The shoulder blades are brought together and constantly held in this position. The chest is kept forward during each phase of the movement.
The oblique version assumes a truncated amplitude. It is not recommended to touch the neck with the chest. Otherwise, there is a risk of injury, since the joints of the shoulders are sharply strained, which makes it difficult to make a powerful upward push with the barbell. Touching is acceptable when doing specialized shoulder mobility presses when using minimal weights.
The elbows are kept apart throughout the entire range of motion. They can be brought to the body. This position is also safe, which allows you to increase the degree of involvement of the triceps.
Forearms at the lowest point of movement when the projectile is located at upper region chest, keep parallel to each other. To achieve this, you need to experiment with the width of the grip. This will allow you to choose the best option. Usually achieve right position allows a grip when the arms are wider than the shoulders by about 10-15 centimeters.
Forced exhalation should be performed at the time of the bench press. Breathing is done when lowering the bar. Maintain this rhythm of breathing throughout the exercise. It is recommended to exhale at the most difficult difficult stage of the ascent. If you exhale air too early, the stability of the body will be compromised, which will reduce the power of the effort.
The negative phase, that is, the lowering of the projectile, should be twice as slow as the bench press.
At the extreme top point, you need to make a short pause. This allows you to improve the load on the chest, as well as improve the stability of the projectile.

Basic Mistakes

Too much slope at the bench

The smaller the angle, the lower the load on the target pectoral muscles. The optimal indicator is an inclination from the horizontal of 30 degrees, which helps to load the triceps. It is not always possible to adjust the position of the bench. If the possibilities are limited, it should be taken into account that the maximum allowable angle is 60 degrees. In a high slope shoulder joints experience more tension, and the focus shifts to the deltoid muscle.

Leading the elbows out of the neck projection

They must be under the heading of the projectile. You can not move your elbows towards the legs or head.

Using the same weights as in the "horizontal" press

The positive-slope version assumes that the working weights are always taken less than in the classical version. This is due to the fact that the exercise involves an isolated effect on the chest, when the assisting muscles are practically unused.

Springy chest strikes

In this version of the bench press, such a technique is cheating. It makes it easier to lift the working weight, but is unsafe. Repulsing the bench press can cause injury.

The bend of the hands

Such a mistake leads to injury. To prevent this, strict control over the fixation of the palms on the neck allows. They should always be in line with the forearms.

Lowering the bar to the center of the chest

A strictly formed movement skill when performing a classic bench press usually leads to such a mistake. This option requires a change of direction to the clavicle area.

"Bear" grip

Proper execution technique involves the use of a locking overhand grip when thumb is opposite the others. This helps to make the exercise as safe as possible. The hands should be quite tense all the time. Otherwise, the power of the effort during the press will decrease.

How to get the maximum effect from the exercise?

Bench press on an incline bench in the prone position gives the maximum result when:

Before lifting the projectile, you should try to simply tighten the muscles of the chest, and then focus all your attention on this sensation and fix it in your memory.
Targeting the muscles of the chest. The main thing is not to allow imitation of the bridge, tearing off the lower back from the bench. There should be no gap between the support and the back. Otherwise, the work of the muscles will be greatly complicated. It is much easier to first perform the exercise on a bench if it has special footrests.

These two simple rules make this bench variation much more effective.

Contraindications

Exercise is not recommended for those who have problems with the shoulder joints. When the situation is not critical, the bar is changed to dumbbells, which reduce the load. They allow the shoulder joints to move more freely and adapt to the kinematic optimal trajectory of the projectiles.

If the athlete has a back injury, then he must control the deflection in lumbar. Following this recommendation allows you to perform this bench press variation, but, of course, with caution.

How to include exercise in the program?

This variation of the bench press belongs to the basic one and should be included in the training. Exercise is recommended to be done in the first half of the lesson. It is best done either as an alternative to or after the classic bench press. When it is performed as the main one, the number of repetitions is 6-12 repetitions for 2-4 sets. After heavy exercises, the weight load is reduced, one cycle is done with 12-15 repetitions.

Type of exercise: basic

Core muscles: chest, front delta

Accessory muscles: triceps

The complexity of the exercise: high

Equipment: rod

Is basic exercise. While doing the bench press at an angle, you will not lose your strength indicators on the bench press, but do not forget that the execution technique is more important here, and not the maximum weights that you can bench. Bench press at an angle up forms the top of the chest, draws it. Note: Arnold Schwarzenegger paid great attention to the top of the chest.

In the bench press at an angle, your task is to find the optimal angle of the bench for yourself. An angle greater than 45 degrees loads the front delta more. The classic version is an angle of 45 degrees, benches with such an angle are made. However, I advise you to give preference to the angle of the bench below 45 degrees, so the triceps and chest are loaded more.

Initial position

Set the angle of the bench to 30 to 40 degrees, in this position the pectoral muscles work best. Take a position on the bench, spread your legs wider than your shoulders and rest them on the floor. The back should fit snugly against the bench, bring the shoulder blades together. In this exercise, only the pectoral muscles should work. You should not bend in the lower back or raise the pelvis, you should pay attention to technique and pumping. Take the bar wider than your shoulders or at a level so that due to the tilt of the bench, the load from the triceps is transferred to the pectoral muscles. Grasp the bar with your thumb, if you do without it, you will not hold the weight above you securely enough.

For those who are going to press a decent weight, it is necessary first of all to rest their feet on the floor, the main emphasis is from the heels. Be sure to bend in the lower back with tension. During the bench press, the bar should not walk, the movement occurs along a clearly defined trajectory.

Incline Bench Press Technique

Then take a breath and remove the barbell. You need to lower it to the level of the collarbone, the barbell gently rests on the chest. When lifting above half, squeezing out the heaviest section, begin to exhale. When you squeeze the bar, do not straighten your elbows to the limit, so you shift some of the load from the chest to the triceps. Then inhale and start the exercise again.

The incline bench press is a bodybuilding exercise aimed at working out the upper part of the pectoral muscle. The muscles of the shoulders and arms (triceps) are also included in the work.

Incline Bench Press Technique:

Lie down on a bench (the angle of the bench is 30-45 degrees) and press your back against it (during the entire exercise, keep your back pressed against the bench, do not arch your lower back). Rest your feet on the floor. Grab the barbell with a slightly wider than shoulder-width grip. Remove the barbell from the racks and begin to lower it under control to the level of the collarbone. With the bar touching the top of the chest, squeeze the bar up with force. Perform the exercise without sudden movements and jerks. Follow correct breathing, at the moment of lowering the bar, inhale, at the moment of lifting - exhale.

In order to improve your grip, you can smear your palms with chalk.
Don't hang too much big weight to the detriment of technology.

Incline Bench Press Mistakes:

Too wide grip. With this design, an additional load on the shoulder joints is created, which is highly undesirable.
Incomplete range. By reducing the amplitude of the exercise, you do not fully contract the muscle, thereby reducing efficiency.
Lowering the bar to the level of the throat. In this case, the work begins to include more muscle shoulders.

Important! To prevent injury, follow correct technique performing a bench press while lying on an incline bench.

Video demonstrating the incline bench press technique with detailed comments

Video bench press on an inclined bench in the simulator, for the correct study of the upper chest

In the gym you can find various simulators for pumping up the muscles of the chest, but the bench press on an incline bench is a classic of all exercises on this group muscles.

Moreover, to give the greatest relief, there are various options for changing the degree of inclination, depending on which muscles need to be pumped. To pump up each muscle group of the thoracic region, there is a basic bench press exercise:

classical (lying on a bench horizontally);
lying at an angle upward;
lying down at an angle.

However, constant exercise only in horizontal position will not give the desired relief. Pressing at various angles trains and develops the lower pectoral muscles, which give volume to the chest.

Bench press on an incline bench with an angle of 30 and 45 degrees

Any strength exercises suggest a warm-up, so before exercising on the simulator, you should stretch your muscles and joints well.

The incline bench press has a number of advantages:

develops strength and volume results of several chest muscles at the same time;
at an inclination of 30-45 degrees, a significant number of fibers of the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscle are involved;
help overcome the lack of muscle response to training (plateau).

So, for giving volume to the chest is perfect incline press at an angle with different degrees. In this case, the main load, and, accordingly, pumping, will be in the following muscles.

Major muscles:

pectoralis major;
pectoralis minor.

Additional muscles:

front deltas;
serratus anterior;
trapezius muscle;
triceps brachii (triceps).

The bench press is performed on an inclined bench according to the following scheme:

Most gyms the incline bench in the starting position has too much angle (up to 60 degrees). Therefore, before starting the exercise, you must set the angle to 30 or 45 degrees.
The bar must be installed on the supports of the bench rack and the necessary weight should be fixed on it. Next, you should take a lying position on the bench, grab the barbell with your hands slightly wider than your shoulders and bring it to straightened arms.
While inhaling, you need to slowly lower the bar until it comes into contact with top chest and linger for one count, straining the muscles of the chest.
Squeeze the bar of the bar up, tensing the muscles of the chest and return it to its original position as you exhale. Repeat the required number of times.

if the bar “walks” in the hands, then it is necessary to reduce the weight on it;
legs should be fixed on the floor, the exercise is done without lifting the heel off the floor;
the points of contact with the bench should be the shoulder blades, sacrum, head, shoulders;
the curvature of the lower back should be minimal;
it is necessary to reduce the shoulder blades during the exercise;
the neck should clearly fall on the upper point of the chest (collarbone), so sometimes you can take your head back a little.

Bench press on an incline bench head down

The incline press allows you to involve other muscles in the pumping process to give the chest a larger volume.

In this case, the main load goes to the lower parts of the chest muscles.

Main muscles:

pectoralis major;
pectoralis minor.

Additional muscles:

front deltas;
triceps

The downward tilt press exercise technique involves the following procedure:

The back of the bench should be located below the horizontal line in relation to the floor by 30-45 degrees. The legs should rest against the support rollers. The head, shoulder blades, sacrum and shoulders are pressed to the bench.
Lying on a bench, remove the bar from the support racks and lift it up with outstretched arms.
While inhaling, slowly lower the bar to the lower part of the pectoral muscle.
Straining the pectoral muscles, with a strong movement while exhaling, squeeze the barbell up to fully extended arms.

Additional recommendations for the downward incline press:

It is not recommended to perform such an exercise for a long time, because you can not immediately get used to the fact that blood rushes to the head (after all, it turns out that the exercise is done lying head down).
Breathing should be even and without delay to avoid dizziness.
Before adding weight to the bar, you should work out the technique of the exercise.
Lifting and lowering the bar must be slow and controlled.

As for the number of approaches, the exercise is usually done in three or four approaches:

2 sets - warm-up for 10-15 repetitions with light weight;
2 sets - the main exercise for 6-8 repetitions with the required weight.

For best results, you can do 2-3 additional partial repetitions while maintaining the technique of the exercise.

For women, the dumbbell press is better. The main difference between the dumbbell press and the barbell press is that due to the absence of a bar, the dumbbell press increases the amplitude and, accordingly, the work of the muscles is even more activated. Dumbbells, except pectoral muscles, involve the muscles of the abdomen and buttocks.

Some features in the dumbbell press technique:

The back of the bench should be at an angle of at least 30 degrees.
It is necessary to lie down on a bench: press your legs to the floor, body and head are pressed to the bench.
Join hands should be above shoulder level and spread them, bending at the elbows.
Raising your arms with dumbbells is required until mild pain or discomfort appears in the muscles.

Thus, the barbell bench press on an incline bench, as well as the dumbbell press at different angles, are the most effective exercises that are aimed at working out the upper or lower parts chest muscles.

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Most important exercise for building volumes, this is a bench press on an incline bench. It is precisely because of the presence of a positive slope and a little more narrow setting hands achieves a better effect of chest hypertrophy than in the classic bench press.

There are a few important points to consider before doing the exercise. These are the inclination of the bench, the width of the grip, the range of motion of the bar, the position of the lower back and breathing. Let's deal with this.

Incline bench press - how to do it right

What should be the slope? The angle of inclination should be about 30° to the horizon. You must drive this axiom firmly into your head. The higher the slope, the more useless the exercise due to the large shift in the load on the deltas.

The best inclination of the bench

Such an inclination removes a significant load from the bottom of the chest and transfers it to the entire surface of the pectoral muscle (and not specifically to the top, as many people think). Thus, the top of the chest receives the necessary stimulation. We can say that with such an inclination, the entire chest works.

A positive slope also significantly relieves the load on the triceps. For this reason, you can take the bar a little narrower than in the classic bench press, and work in a larger amplitude.

The width of the grip on the incline press should be slightly wider than shoulder width. This is exactly the golden mean that maintains good amplitude and does not include triceps (but do not think that they will not be loaded at all). This grip corresponds to your setting of hands in push-ups from the floor. In them, you must place your hands so as to develop maximum strength. Optimally - a little wider than the shoulders. Remember your grip in push-ups and use it in the incline press.

The grip width in the incline press is slightly narrower than in the classic

At the top point, do not straighten your arms completely blocking your elbows. Thus, you will give all the load to the triceps. By working inside the amplitude, you maintain chest tension throughout the entire set. At the bottom point, you only need to lightly touch the chest (you can not touch it at all) and immediately start lifting. It is unacceptable to put the barbell on the chest or do it in the "rebound" - the load will go away, which we do not need.

One of the most interesting points is the position of the legs. The fact is that the bodybuilding press and the lifter differ dramatically. The task of the builder is to load the target muscles using a lot of weight in a large number of repetitions, the task of the lifter is to squeeze the maximum Weight Limit in a single repetition, due to the whole body.

The lifter needs his legs as one of the points of support for the bridge, which makes it easier to press. The bodybuilder does not “bridge”, his lower back is pressed against the bench, and the load is distributed to the necessary muscles.

For greater isolation of the pectoral muscles in the incline press, you should remove the space between the lower back and the bench. Accordingly, the load will leave the bottom and go to the entire surface of the chest. This can be achieved by lifting your legs up (you can put them on a bench).

As for breathing, you should exhale with effort. Inhale as you lower the bar, while stretching your chest as much as possible. From bottom point push out not only the weight, but also the air.

Remember that the closer the elbows to the body, the more the triceps are included in the work. The further the elbows are spread apart, the more the chest works.

As for the number of repetitions, in bodybuilding it is 6-12 repetitions. To work out the technique, use a larger amount (15-30) and a small weight of weights. Having mastered the technique, you will be able to progress faster and better in the future than if you had not spent 1-2 months learning the exercise.

Squeeze your shoulder blades together, drop your shoulders, and push your chest forward. Lower the bar slowly, and raise it quickly, but smoothly.

Incline Bench Press - Important Features

Incline bench press is not an addition to, but replaces it. From the point of view of gaining chest volumes, the inclined bench press is more effective than the classic one. However, the classic bench press is a general strengthening exercise for the entire upper body, so you should not ignore it.

The incline press involves the use of slightly smaller weights than in the classic press. This happens due to the fact that we try to isolate the pectoral muscles to the maximum. And since there are fewer muscles involved in the exercise, then the strength that we can develop in movement will also be less. This should not upset you, because the working vector of movement allows you to perfectly stimulate the entire chest area.

The key point in breast growth is to maintain the principle of load progression in this exercise(more on that). The longer you can progress, the faster the muscles will grow. But remember that the working weight is secondary, the main thing is the correct technique for performing the movement and the correct inclusion of the necessary muscle groups.

Bench press on an incline bench: video

It is easier to perceive information visually. Therefore, watch the video, which tells about the correct technique for performing the bench press on an incline bench.

Conclusion

Use the incline bench press as your main chest workout, and remember to practice the principles described above. Technology is everything!