incline, neutral or decline fact or myth??

**digsy1983** · 08-22-2012, 01:48 PM

hi guys, during my workout today me and my training partner had a bit of a debate about different angles of lifting working different parts of the muscle. he said he read somewhere and a recent article aswel that its been proven that the angle doesnt work the muscle in a different way, a lift is a lift to the muscle. his not somebody that proclaims stupid stuff or says stuff just to try and sound clever, so i thought id ask you guys to see what your thoughts are.

**liftology** · 08-22-2012, 02:00 PM

It definitely makes a difference.. not a huge difference but it will affect the way your pecs grow. I never used to do incline so I had a big mid chest and a non existent upper chest until is tarted doing incline first all the time

**baseline_9** · 08-22-2012, 02:02 PM

I'm not sure I have ever seen any data that has focused on the actually area of the chest that is being worked...

Maybe there is some truth that you can recruit fibres in a certain area with different angles, however DB decline recruits the most overall peck fibres and I would focus on that, recruiting as many fibres overall as possible will lead to a bigger stronger chest

**steaknfries** · 08-22-2012, 07:27 PM

I have read and always held that incline= upper pec. flat= center pec. decline=bottom pec. I also have in the past used different lift positions to get over sticking points/plateaus in my strength gains with good results. ie- lets say you haven't been able to move your max flat bench up at all in the past 30 days. just plain stuck/ plateaued. adding in a couple or 3 sets of incline flys(or any other chest workout or incline /decline position that you don't normally use) over the next couple chest days will help you breakthrough. Always keep your muscles guessing.

**digsy1983** · 08-28-2012, 04:27 PM

sweet! so on the scale of things not a big difference, but a good break through tip and also incline press good for building mass. its a chest day tomorrow so gona blast the incline DB press and feel the pain! :-)

**alex.mitev** · 08-29-2012, 03:38 AM

Incline is great ....... SECONDARY exercise - too much strain would be put on your front delts. If you have the genetics, your pecs will grow regardless the exercise or the order you perform them!

**digsy1983** · 08-29-2012, 04:00 AM

so you think it shouldnt be a go to exercise?? i was doing 25's DB incline press the other day, 1st time of trying it out and apart from a slight wobble with new angle found it to be problem free, no strain on any areas front delts were ok.
this wasnt a thread about the pros and cons of decline..., more to see if incline, neutral or delcine had any great affect on how the muslce developed in regurads to shape and composition.

**songdog** · 08-29-2012, 07:08 AM

Hell Bro you can feel the difference.

**digsy1983** · 08-29-2012, 08:32 AM

ive not done enough variations between the 3 to distinguish. just been tagerting neutral press to build myself up at the start, but now im branching out. was doing 35's decline DB press today (only 2nd time doing decline press ever) and i wasnt feeling any pull at the top of my chest as i normally do with netural and incline press. so guess thats my question answered really.
think im going to target decline over neutral and follow baseline 9's advice. vvv

DB decline recruits the most overall peck fibres and I would focus on that, recruiting as many fibres overall as possible will lead to a bigger stronger chest

may even just alt decline and incline one day then neutral on the next chest workout.

Also, 35's are kg not lbs. Just like to point this out. Haha

**digsy1983** · 08-29-2012, 08:34 AM

p.s, replies are really appreciated!

**JohnnyVegas** · 08-29-2012, 10:59 AM

Originally Posted by baseline_9

I'm not sure I have ever seen any data that has focused on the actually area of the chest that is being worked...

Maybe there is some truth that you can recruit fibres in a certain area with different angles, however DB decline recruits the most overall peck fibres and I would focus on that, recruiting as many fibres overall as possible will lead to a bigger stronger chest

Interesting. I have always wondered why my strongest lift is the decline. Or maybe I am just strange.

**AXx** · 08-29-2012, 07:38 PM

Originally Posted by JohnnyVegas

Interesting. I have always wondered why my strongest lift is the decline. Or maybe I am just strange.

Nope mine is to, I also think it has to do with the ROM on decline.

**red_hulk** · 08-29-2012, 10:45 PM

I Always do all three during a chest workout. But I vary it up in the order I do them and between dumbbell and barbell

**havanakid** · 08-30-2012, 12:06 AM

Likewise..I think thats the right way to go.

**baseline_9** · 08-30-2012, 12:19 AM

Originally Posted by 3Js

Nope mine is to, I also think it has to do with the ROM on decline.

True with a BB

I would always recommend dumbbell TBH tho

**alex.mitev** · 08-30-2012, 05:14 AM

Originally Posted by digsy1983

so you think it shouldnt be a go to exercise?? i was doing 25's DB incline press the other day, 1st time of trying it out and apart from a slight wobble with new angle found it to be problem free, no strain on any areas front delts were ok.
this wasnt a thread about the pros and cons of decline..., more to see if incline, neutral or delcine had any great affect on how the muslce developed in regurads to shape and composition.

IMO incline has the least effect on pecs development out of those three. It is to be incorporated, but not as "go to exercise".
For instance - i get extreme soreness in my upper chests from doing only neutral bench presses (even decline). But you`ll find out what works best for you.