Bench Press - Better chest activation

**xt1nkt** · 02-07-2014, 12:52 PM

Whenever I hit the bench I feel that my (front) delts are hit harder than my chest thus leaving my chest underactivated. Are there any technique tips that may help my problem?

**NaturalUN** · 02-07-2014, 12:57 PM

Are you using correct form? I'm going to go ahead and say no, no offence. It's a big exercise to do and to nail the form down can take a while, I know my form ain't great but I'm improving. Try dropping the weight and basically starting from scratch, watch videos on how to use the correct form. Watch someone with experience, most videos you find will talk you through it and tell you why to do it like that. Hope that helps! It has helped me to start again.

**CrookedBones** · 02-20-2014, 07:26 PM

I haven't moved to bench press yet. I've been training on incline/flat bench with dumbbells only (since October). I've followed the doctrine that it activates more muscle tissue with dbells vs. barbell.

Anyway, I'm just here to follow the thread. Thanks.

**hellomycognomen** · 02-20-2014, 09:39 PM

Many muscles are activated and recruited with bench.

It could be that you "feel" your delts more because they are weaker than your chest and thus are getting more of a workout.

Keep elbows from flaring out too much, 45 degrees from body is optimum.

If you feel your chest is "underactivated" then increase the intensity.

-Cheers

**M302_Imola** · 02-21-2014, 07:20 AM

Originally Posted by hellomycognomen

Keep elbows from flaring out too much, 45 degrees from body is optimum.

This! Really analyze your shoulder to elbow alignment next chest workout...they should not be at a 90 deg. angle as this isolate more front delt than chest. So make sure your elbows are pointed more inward (toward your chest) and really pin your shoulder blades back during the movement. I had the same prob and concentrated on fixing my form and now my chest gets all the abuse...delts aren't sore the day after chest.

**rp7r** · 02-21-2014, 10:19 PM

do flies instead of press?

**Krb367** · 02-23-2014, 08:45 AM

Have to find that mind muscle focus. Really focus and try activating your chest when doing any chest workout. That goes with any workout.. its hard to explain until you actually tap in and do it

when I first started lat pulldowns, I was just going through the motion. Dropped the weight and started focusing on really flareing my lats out, not just laying back and pulling. They finally started to grow and the pump is almost painful but I lohe it

**wicked442** · 02-23-2014, 11:34 AM

Oh press will really bring your bench #s up. Keep your traps flexed and elbows tucked on bp. This should help. Remember,its not how much you lift but how you lift that counts. Good luck.

**Friesian** · 02-24-2014, 01:22 PM

Personally find that using flyes to pre-exhaust my chest allows me to put a better focus on chest when pressing. You won't be able to lift as much weight but you will target the correct muscles.

**athletic.guy** · 07-11-2014, 07:57 AM

Soon as you rear delts come off the bench your activating shoulders and releasing chest...

So bring you shoulder blades together and try keep you shoulders flat on the bench press.

Get a spotter to hold there fingers on your chest and if at any point the chest muscle "soften" at any part of the rep find a good trainer to show you how to do them properly. You keep going and you injure you shoulder and the chest won't be training to its potential.

**swolehead** · 07-11-2014, 08:17 AM

your only as strong as your Weakest link. but proper form bar should line up around ur nipples unless ur like me mine are uneven lol anyways and hand positioning should be in a spot were at the bottom of your bench in between eccentric and concentric motion your forearms should be perpendicular to the ground and if there not adjust accordingly this is easier with someone watching you. keep a slight natural curve in the lower back Nuthing like power lifters do just a slight curve. have you had any injury in your shoulders or upper body?

**OdinsOtherSon** · 07-11-2014, 03:41 PM

Wow...way to go. Bumped a 5 month old thread whose OP hasn't posted since 2/27/2014.

**swolehead** · 07-12-2014, 11:17 AM

threads still pop up from people Google searching. does it bother you enough that you had to post something about it

**OdinsOtherSon** · 07-12-2014, 03:46 PM

No more than it bothered you to respond

**Lee_1978** · 07-12-2014, 04:53 PM

I find using a wider grip on a B/P places more emphasis on my chest.

**Docd187123** · 07-12-2014, 05:30 PM

Originally Posted by rp7r

do flies instead of press?

Flies are an inferior exercise. If you wanted to add flies add them on top of the bench press not instead of.

**Fllifter** · 07-21-2014, 08:52 PM

Originally Posted by Docd187123

Flies are an inferior exercise. If you wanted to add flies add them on top of the bench press not instead of.

Curious as to what makes you say that? IMHO bench press is a useless Exercise. Especially when compared to a DB pressing movement. All you're doing is ruining your shoulders..

**Docd187123** · 07-22-2014, 06:24 AM

Originally Posted by Fllifter

Curious as to what makes you say that? IMHO bench press is a useless Exercise. Especially when compared to a DB pressing movement. All you're doing is ruining your shoulders..

I never stated dumbbells were inferior. In the right circumstances they can be better than using the bar but the drawback in most cases is you cannot micro load them and most gyms don't have dumbbells beyond 100-120lbs (not all gyms but most from what I've seen and heard).

Flat bench press, whether using a bar or dumbbells, will always be superior to lifts like flies. More muscles are used, more weight can be handled, and more homeostatic disruption occurs meaning more growth and strength potential.

You're hardly ruining your shoulders doing flat bench press. If you are the. Either your form is off or you're using a weight you can't handle properly.

**zempey** · 07-22-2014, 06:53 AM

I always had shoulder problems from benching in the past, took a long time to figure out I needed to close up my grip a bit. Now with my grip closer I can feel the muscle contracting and have less shoulder involvement, and my lifts have increased significantly.

**frighteous** · 07-27-2014, 02:49 PM

if you use the arch technique on your toes while you bench, you'll remove any shoulder issues.

**600@50** · 07-29-2014, 06:33 PM

Originally Posted by frighteous

if you use the arch technique on your toes while you bench, you'll remove any shoulder issues.

Not completely true but an arch will shorten the range of motion and reduce the amount of shoulder rotation when you touch at the bottom. Minimizing the amount of shoulder rotation minimizes the stress on the joint and rotator muscles.

**Lee_1978** · 07-31-2014, 06:50 AM

Originally Posted by 600@50

Not completely true but an arch will shorten the range of motion and reduce the amount of shoulder rotation when you touch at the bottom. Minimizing the amount of shoulder rotation minimizes the stress on the joint and rotator muscles.

Can you explain this arch technique?