shoulders overpowering chest...

[TheDfromGC]

lately ive been having problems increasing my chest size but it seems like my shoulders have been progressing. when i do chest, i can do almost the same weight on incline as on flat...my buddy suggested my shoulders are probably doing alot of the work and not hitting my chest the way it should. i can rep 155 on shoulder press 10x's, but when i get on flat bench im only maxing about 265...i might be incorrect but it would seem with my shoulder press at where it is, my bench should be in a higher range?? anybody have any suggestions on what i should do?? i was thinking on just eliminating incline pressing for a while and focus on just flat and decline where my shoulders wont be incorporated as much...what u guys think??

[SwoleCat]

Yes, this is exactly how I got big caps on my shoulders, from benching the wrong way.

Aside from rolling the shoulders back/down when benching, I'd use dumb-bells instead so you are never locked into a bar. As well, I pre-exhaust the chest with flyes or cable flyes so that the triceps are fresh to push, but the pecs are already a bit tired, and this seems to tax them to a point that would otherwise be impossible to reach.

It's worked for me.

~SC~

[TheDfromGC]

Yes, this is exactly how I got big caps on my shoulders, from benching the wrong way.

Aside from rolling the shoulders back/down when benching, I'd use dumb-bells instead so you are never locked into a bar. As well, I pre-exhaust the chest with flyes or cable flyes so that the triceps are fresh to push, but the pecs are already a bit tired, and this seems to tax them to a point that would otherwise be impossible to reach.

It's worked for me.

~SC~

sounds good, ill try it out and see what happens

[Jantzen4k]

seems like its your form on benching.
try and keep shoulders in and down

[delroid]

i had the same problem, it is definetly your form just roll the shoulders back and down and try to make it as though you are trying to make your shoulders blades touch behind your back.

i had this problem for so long, but it did help me to develope some nice shoulders :-X

[stayinstacked]

i had the same problem, it is definetly your form just roll the shoulders back and down and try to make it as though you are trying to make your shoulders blades touch behind your back.

i had this problem for so long, but it did help me to develope some nice shoulders :-X

I agree with this to a point, but I also believe that there are some people with genetically stronger shoulders that will naturally want to take over a bench movement. I'd switch to db presses, I had the same problem you did and lately my chest has gotten huge from using just db's, it looks so much fuller too.

[HammerCurler]

Yes, this is exactly how I got big caps on my shoulders, from benching the wrong way.

Aside from rolling the shoulders back/down when benching, I'd use dumb-bells instead so you are never locked into a bar. As well, I pre-exhaust the chest with flyes or cable flyes so that the triceps are fresh to push, but the pecs are already a bit tired, and this seems to tax them to a point that would otherwise be impossible to reach.

It's worked for me.

~SC~

THanks for the reply, I am having the same problem...thought it might be my bench technique.

[catabolic kid]

I also have the same problem. Flat bench- 335 x 5 Incline- 335 x7.

I really, have not tryed to correct it, but i will try to pinch the shoulder blades together while benching.