HELP, Can't master the bench press

I've been training for over 4 years. I'm in the middle of a cycle at the moment, everything grows apart from my chest because I can't do the bench press/incline presses properly. I just keep hitting the front delts hard, but can't seem to isolate the pecs. After a set of bench press, my shoulders are killing me, but my pecs seem to get 10% of the intensity.

Please someone tell me how to do the bench/incline/decline presses properly so as to move the intensity to the pecs and not the front & side delts.

I'm desperate. :unsure:

Try a wider grip on the bar

Wider grip... When you lower the bar try and make you shoulder blades touch, this will help put your pecs in a stretch

Try pre-exhausting the pecs w/another movement like crossovers or flyes.

Next, get AWAY from barbells which lock your shoulders into ONE PLACE.

Use d-bells for a fuller range of motion and a waaaaaaaaaaaaay better stretch.

~SC~

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Originally Posted by SwoleCat

Try pre-exhausting the pecs w/another movement like crossovers or flyes.

Next, get AWAY from barbells which lock your shoulders into ONE PLACE.

Use d-bells for a fuller range of motion and a waaaaaaaaaaaaay better stretch.

~SC~

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good info but the barbell can be very useful for pecs too. Proper technique is key - go back to a weight you can handle comfortably and work on form, this is what I did after getting knowhere with flat bench, so I moved to incline with better form.
*Feet firmly on ground, driving thru them
*Shoulder blades back, chest out (V. IMPORTANT)
*Stop descent of bar about 1" from chest and drive it back up
*Dont be scared to arch your lower back a little because having shoulders back will bring a small curve anyway
*good spot is great

you will always be learning ways to improve technique but these should be enough to spur some improvement in your chest. Hope this helps, it did for me

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Originally Posted by dirtybrit55

good info but the barbell can be very useful for pecs too. Proper technique is key - go back to a weight you can handle comfortably and work on form, this is what I did after getting knowhere with flat bench, so I moved to incline with better form.
*Feet firmly on ground, driving thru them
*Shoulder blades back, chest out (V. IMPORTANT)
*Stop descent of bar about 1" from chest and drive it back up
*Dont be scared to arch your lower back a little because having shoulders back will bring a small curve anyway
*good spot is great

you will always be learning ways to improve technique but these should be enough to spur some improvement in your chest. Hope this helps, it did for me

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Thanks a lot bros.

Another mate of mine the other dau told me to pre-exhaust the pecs with pec deck machine. Something like what you said swole. I'm trying it next workout.

Place the barbell just below the nipples and not towards your upper chest. This isolates the chest more and places less emphasis on your delts. Its harder though and you might need to use alittle less weight than what you're used to.

make sure your chest is out and you should concentrate on making sure your elbows are on a flush plain with your shoulder on your negative. Try that for one rep and youll see your chest does all the work no your shoulders.

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Originally Posted by Beernutz

make sure your chest is out and you should concentrate on making sure your elbows are on a flush plain with your shoulder on your negative. Try that for one rep and youll see your chest does all the work no your shoulders.

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i didnt really understand this. can you re-word it lol like what is a flush plain?

I was thinking a CLOSE grip. Wide grip works the outer muscles which is why he keeps hitting his delts. Use dumb bells and keep them close together, like a foot apart.

Sounds like your elbows are in too close to your body. Your elbows should be out to your sides, as far away from your body as they can get. If you keep your elbows in towards your body, you're working your shoulder muscles and your tri's more than anything else.

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Originally Posted by cpt steele

Wider grip... When you lower the bar try and make you shoulder blades touch, this will help put your pecs in a stretch

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Yeah, this worked for me as well. Wide grip, and even going so far at to pretend you're doing a pulldown when you bring the weight to your lower chest, so you squeeze the shoulder blades harder. When you switch gears and start pushing the weight back up, the chest just seems to kick in a lot better.

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Originally Posted by worldknown

i didnt really understand this. can you re-word it lol like what is a flush plain?

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Think of it as a datum surface :wg:, and he meant 'plane', not 'plain'...
He's referring to it being even with it, aligned.

yhea sorry guys i meant plane....and BlownSC reworded what i meant.

another way of saying it is make sure your elbows arent close to your ribs. Raise them up so that when lying down flat your forearms will make an "L" with the floor

read this:

http://www.muscleandfitness.com/training/22

I just found it, its pretty informative of how to minimalize your shoulders and maximize your chest... plus I would suggest dumbell presses & dumbell flyes, helps my chest grow the most.

No, if you want to be a pec bencher it's elbows high and wide. The exact opposite of most PL's bench technique. In the long run going high and wide is murder on the shoulders for most people. DirtyBrit summed up some good pointers, I will add a couple more:

1) Shoulder blades back, chest out -- Pull your scapulae together, tight, before you begin the descent.
2) Arch, arch, arch. Your back should be tight, spine stabilization is important.
3) Always warm up/practice with the bar for a minimum of 2 sets before you do any working sets.
4) Apply the same rigid techinque no matter if you are repping 135 for 10 or a max single.
5) Keep your ass on the bench!!

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Originally Posted by bermich

I was thinking a CLOSE grip. Wide grip works the outer muscles which is why he keeps hitting his delts. Use dumb bells and keep them close together, like a foot apart.

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You already have lots of suggestions but let me throw one more at you... What I have found works well is to 1) Use Dumbbells as well as Barbells and 2) Use the bench in different positions. My current workout I'm doing Incline Barbell Bench, Cable Flys, Decline Dumbbell Bench, & Decline Dumbbell Flys.

So Basically to sum up what you guys said; it's elbows as wide as possible from the rib cage and high as well, and a wide grip. When on the negative, the elbows should form an L shape. Bench should not be lowered more than an inch from the chest.

Correct ?

With wide grip, can I hold the bar on each side right next to the weights?

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Originally Posted by Toenail Juice Z

So Basically to sum up what you guys said; it's elbows as wide as possible from the rib cage and high as well, and a wide grip. When on the negative, the elbows should form an L shape. Bench should not be lowered more than an inch from the chest.

Correct ?

With wide grip, can I hold the bar on each side right next to the weights?

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All sounds good but I do not think you want to go that wide. I would say that you want to go wide enough to get 90 degrees, not any wider not any narrower. JMO

I would start by placing your ring fingers around the score and experiment with slightly different hand placement a couple of inches in either direction. Go with whichever position you feel most comfortable when repping.

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Originally Posted by Toenail Juice Z

...
With wide grip, can I hold the bar on each side right next to the weights?

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It's all about feeling the weight. Go about 80% of your max and rep using the strictest of form with a slow positive movement. Feel where it is you are pushing from in your chest and put real concentration into isolating all your push from your chest. If you're not used to training like this it can take a little while to perfect it, but by putting your "mind into your muscle" you will develop a lot greater form and more perfect isolation.