How celebrities train: a male approach

Description

Machines provide an opportunity to diversify your workouts and, in many cases, make them more effective for muscle tone, which also applies to the chest press in the machine.

What muscles work

Presses designed to pump up the chest should be performed in a lying position or on an incline bench.

Considering exercises on the simulator, most of the load will fall on the pectoral muscles, but they are not the only ones that will take part; the following will also be involved:

1. The anterior bundle of the deltoid muscle - this bundle is located under the collarbone and begins to work during the press from the very beginning together with the pectoralis major muscle.
2. External part of the triceps. These muscles begin to work when the maximum lift of the arms occurs.
3. Inner triceps. The work of such a muscle will be involved in the middle of the process.

Benefit

When performing a bench press, the pectoral muscle group is used to a greater extent, and a secondary load falls on the muscles of the arms and shoulders. Similar exercises that will be similar to this include the bench press on a gymnastic bench using dumbbells or a barbell.

At the same time, working on a simulator will differ in many ways and have its own advantages, which include:

1. Equal load on the arms when performing the exercise. Achieving a similar result becomes possible thanks to the design of the simulator itself, thus pumping the arms and chest evenly on both sides.
2. Constant amplitude and trajectory of movements. This advantage will allow you to take control of all movements performed and work your muscles more efficiently.
3. Taking a certain position, as well as securing it in it for the entire duration of the training. This makes movement much easier and eliminates the need to maintain balance.
4. The Hammer is much safer than regular free weight exercises.
5. When performing training exercises on a simulator, stabilizer muscles practically do not take part in the work. Thanks to this, the main load falls on the pectoral muscles, which will soon allow you to achieve the desired result.

Possible harm

The harm from performing the bench press in Smith and Hammer is reduced to nothing. However, if the correct technique for performing the exercise is not followed, the athlete can cause harm to himself.

Contraindications

For people who have shoulder problems due to a previous injury, it is not recommended to perform full range of seated bench presses. For athletes who experience such deviations, a more correct solution would be to perform exercises in machines where the design has a weight feed using a lever.

Which simulator to choose

To effectively pump up your chest, you should choose a machine that will simulate a bench press. As a rule, such devices have a seat and a backrest at right angles to it. The handles should be located at the level of the bottom of the chest.

If an athlete needs to work out his shoulders, he can use a hammer machine or a Smith strength machine. In the first case, the athlete will be able to pump up the anterior bundle of deltoid muscles. With the Smith machine, the athlete will be able to perform bench presses from different angles, as well as barbell bench presses from a seated position, which allows you to adjust which part of the chest needs to be worked.

Basic exercises

The weight bench is designed to perform various types of pressing, but is not limited to this type of exercise. The simulator is ideal for comprehensive training of the muscles of the arms, chest, and back. It does an excellent job of training the gluteal, calf muscles and abs.

Barbell bench press

The best basic exercise that should be included in all upper body training programs is performed using a bench with special barbell racks. It involves the serratus, brachialis, pectoralis, anterior deltoids, and triceps. If an athlete has the opportunity to purchase not a fixed, but an adjustable bench model, this will make the training as effective as possible and will allow you to comprehensively work out all the listed muscle groups of the upper body.

Dumbbell flyes and presses

An alternative to the barbell bench press if the bench is not equipped with a rack. The amplitude of arm movements with dumbbells can be adjusted independently, which is especially important for those who are just starting to engage in strength training, as well as for representatives of the fair half of humanity. A shift in emphasis to working out different areas of the muscles is carried out by changing the angle of inclination of the simulator.

Push ups

They vary in degree of difficulty. For beginners, this type of push-up is ideal, when the emphasis is on the bench. Thanks to this, the torso located at an angle allows you to reduce the load and prepare the muscles for building up. Push-ups are considered a complex variation of the exercise, suitable for advanced athletes, if the emphasis is on the legs. Reverse push-ups performed from a bench provide effective training for the triceps.

Abs training

This universal strength trainer is an excellent sports equipment for working out the lower abs. The difficult-to-achieve result of working out the abdominal muscles with the main emphasis on the lower part can be easily achieved by performing reverse crunches with a lift of the buttocks on this machine. Thanks to the soft rollers that secure the legs, you can do classic (ordinary) crunches on the apparatus.

Bulgarian lunges

An excellent exercise for the formation of rounded beautiful buttocks. It is done both with and without weights. In this case, you need to stand on the floor with one foot, and rest the toe of the other on the exercise machine.

Execution technique

Depending on the correctness of the exercise, its effectiveness will be assessed.

Sitting in a Hummer

Stages of performing a seated chest press:

1. Adjust the seat height. It should be such that in the initial position the handles of the hummer are located at shoulder level, and the arms do not twist back. You should make sure that the seat is not located too low, as this will cause the athlete’s elbows to go far back and it will be difficult to start the repetition from this position.
2. To lift the weight using your foot, you will need to press a special pedal.
3. After the handles return to their original position, you will need to squeeze them with your hands. In this case, you don’t have to straighten your arms completely so that your elbow joints don’t lock.
4. Lower the weight, bringing it to a position that is comfortable for the athlete.
5. Repeat the warm-up movement 10 to 15 times.
6. Don't forget to exhale through your mouth as you ascend.
7. You should inhale air through your nose, while lowering your weight.
8. Using a special pedal you can help lower the weight to the starting position.

Lying in a Hummer

Execution steps:

1. First of all, you will need to take the starting position, which will depend on the settings of the bench itself and on your own comfort.
2. Bend your legs at the knee joints.
3. Place your feet on the floor or on the bench itself.
4. When taking a lying position, straighten your spine.
5. Raise the handles so that they are located slightly above chest level.
6. Extend your arms and lift the handles up.
7. Lower the handles and take a short break. It should be performed not while at the lowest point, but a little in advance in order to feel the muscle tension.

In Smith sitting at an angle

Stages of performing a press in Smith:

1. Place the bench at an angle of 75-80 degrees.
2. Sit in a sitting position, slightly inclined.
3. Hold the barbell in front of you.
4. The grip should be slightly wider than the shoulders so that at the lowest point the forearms are parallel to each other.
5. Raise the barbell up while fully straightening your arms.
6. Lower the barbell to the level of your upper chest.
7. The exercise should be performed at a slow pace.
8. When performing the exercise, the athlete should monitor his breathing.

In Smith vertically up

The Smith shoulder exercise will simulate a barbell seated shoulder press. Execution steps:

1. First of all, you will need to install an incline bench under the bar, which should be located above the seat.
2. Set the height of the bar so that in a sitting position it is located at the level of the crown.
3. You should make sure that the position of the bench allows you to lower the barbell behind your head.
4. Place the bar with an overhand grip and lift it up.
5. The grip should be slightly wider than shoulder width.
6. It is recommended to lift and lower the bar 10 to 15 times.
7. Hang the weights and perform 8 to 10 repetitions of 3-4 sets.

Recommendations

When working with a fixed bar, it is important to remember that the machine allows you to lift heavier weights than when performing with free weights. Therefore, before choosing the optimal weight, you need to check your maximum (1RM). This will allow you to work correctly using the same percentage as in the classic style.

The number of repetitions and approaches remains unchanged (when compared with a free barbell) and is selected depending on the tasks.

• To increase strength, it is optimal to do 6-8 repetitions.
• To Maximize Hypertrophy – 8-12.

Performing more than 12 repetitions is not recommended. Despite the myth that this style is considered “fat burning,” it only leads to increased lactate secretion and the destruction of muscle fibers.

Basic mistakes

The most common mistakes made in execution technique are:

1. Beginners often make mistakes by not observing proper breathing. Due to its delay, there is a sufficient impact on the applied weight. With a delay occurring during the stretching phase, muscle strength can be increased by up to 15%. If these conditions are not met, then new athletes will not be able to work with normal weight.
2. Many people do not pay attention to their own posture and often hunch their shoulders and round their lower back. In this position, the back receives increased load, but it should not take part in the press.
3. Many athletes, due to inexperience, bring their elbows very far. There is no need to do this, as they should diverge to the sides.

Technique

Load distribution

The 30-degree barbell press primarily targets the mid-chest muscle group and some of the upper chest. The inclination of the bench at 45 degrees involves the upper area in the work. To pump up the lower group of chest muscles, the incline bench press is performed in a modification with an upside down incline.

Elbow position.

When spreading the elbows to the sides, the activity of the triceps decreases, and the work of the pectoral muscle group increases (which are pumped in the exercise). It is permissible in the lower maximum of the press to bring the elbows to the body and spread to the sides.

Hand placement options

Narrow grip. To reduce the level of load on the thoracic segment and increase the work of the triceps muscle and anterior deltoids, grab the bar with a narrow grip. The range of movement with a narrow grip is maximum. Wide stance. For maximum pumping of the upper and middle pectoral muscles, use a wide position of your hands on the bar. This modification will reduce the range of motion.

Equipment modifications

Reverse grip press. Smith Bench Angle Press Modification. Use of Dumbbells. Angle Press in a Power Rack.

Practical nuances and aspects

To ensure that the bent-over bench press brings maximum results, use these tips:

The emphasis is not on weight, but on execution technique. It is better to choose a lower working weight with which you will feel comfortable. Press your heels or entire foot into the floor. This will increase your fixation, stability and emphasis. Points of contact of the body with the bench: head, both shoulders and shoulder blades, sacrum. Maintain a natural arch in the back while performing the press and keep the shoulder blades retracted to minimize the risk of injury. The higher the angle, the wider the grip. Lower the bar firmly into the collarbone area, but do not place the barbell on your chest. In this case, a slight pull of the head back is quite acceptable. Lower the barbell to the widow slower than you raise it. At the bottom point of the exercise, keep your forearms vertical. Absorb inertia to prevent injury. When you lie down on the bench, arch your spine and push your chest forward.

Bench press in the general training scheme

First, the main general muscle training is performed, and only after that they begin to load isolated segments of the pectoral muscle group. The incline press is done after basic training, for example, the classic press technique, dips.

Tips and tricks

You should follow these tips to get the most out of the shoulder press exercise:

1. You should concentrate on bringing your elbows together when pushing the working weight, which will allow you to better feel the work of the pectoral muscles.
2. Performing movements using only one hand on a hummer machine will allow you to pump up that pectoral muscle that is lagging behind in development.
3. The negative phase should be completed with maximum stretch of the pectoral muscles, which is achieved by working through the full amplitude and moving the elbows back as far as the flexibility of the shoulder joint will allow.

Pros and Cons of the Smith Bench Press

The Smith barbell press has a number of advantages and disadvantages compared to classic free bar work. The advantages of a barbell attached to the simulator include:

• Increasing the load on the chest muscles without the additional inclusion of stabilizers.
• Ability to perform movements in a variety of styles while minimizing injury.
• An effective tool for overcoming plateaus or stagnation in the growth of strength indicators and muscle mass.
• Less stress on tendons and joints.
• You can perform the exercise independently, without help or insurance.

In general, the Smith chest press is considered a powerful developmental exercise. It is used by both beginners to increase muscle mass and strength, and by professionals to overcome stagnation and improve performance in the classic style.

Examples of ready-made exercise complexes

Option 1:

1. Dumbbell curls in a lying position - 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
2. French press - 4 sets, 7 to 10 reps.
3. Hammer Bench Press - 3 sets of 10-12 reps.
4. Triceps on the block - perform 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
5. Dumbbell bench press with a positive incline - 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.

Option 2:

1. Smith press vertically up - 4 sets, 6 to 8 reps.
2. French press - 4 sets, 7 to 10 reps.
3. Dumbbell bench press with a positive incline - 3 sets of 10-12 repetitions.
4. Ab crunches on an incline bench - 4 sets, perform 20-30 repetitions.
5. Triceps on the block - perform 4 sets of 8-12 repetitions.
6. Bench press at an angle - 4 sets, 6 to 8 reps.
7. Dumbbell flyes on a straight bench - do 4 sets of 8 to 12 reps.

Press in Smith: all the pros and cons

The Smith machine significantly reduces the likelihood of injury and makes it possible to train independently without anyone's help. The role of an insurer is perfectly fulfilled by special stops and latches on the bar. When switching from a traditional bench press to a machine, fear disappears and the athlete is ready to take on heavy weights.

Thanks to the presence of guides in the Smith machine, along which the barbell moves up and down, it is possible to maintain a stable amplitude throughout the entire approach, which cannot be said about a regular bench press.

With the classic version of the bench press, small stabilizer muscles are involved in the swing process, helping to keep the barbell suspended. While in the Smith machine, these muscles “rest”, allowing the desired areas to tighten.

However, this also has its drawback. Since the power frame of the simulator completely takes on all the stabilizing work, an imaginary feeling of increasing actual capabilities and strength appears. It seems to the athlete that he will take on huge working weights that he could not handle relatively recently, but in fact the small stabilizer muscles are not pumped and therefore lose their strength. When switching to the classic bench press, this fictitious progress turns out to be insignificant or there will be no progress at all.

The Smith press should be left “for dessert” after the main basic exercises (dip-ups, bench presses and incline presses). At the same time, putting the exercise at the very end of the training schedule is not entirely advisable, because then there will be no strength left to work the chest with full dedication. An example option is to do 3–4 sets of 8–12 repetitions somewhere in the middle of the session. Depending on your goals, you can work with different weights, change the number of sets and the number of repetitions in them.

The effectiveness of training on the Smith machine is not in doubt. The movements when pressing in the Smith machine are more accentuated and allow you to work the muscle fibers 100%.

Video about the technique of performing the bench press in a special simulator:

Many gyms have a Smith machine, but not all athletes work in this machine, considering exercises in it ineffective compared to exercises with free weights. Let's figure out how to properly do a seated bench press in a Smith machine, and what advantages this simulator has.

Smith machine bench press

The Smith machine bench press is an exercise aimed at developing the pectoral muscles. Despite the fact that it is similar to the classic bench press, this exercise has a number of features, in particular, the movement of the projectile along a strictly defined trajectory. Due to the design features of the Smith machine, the exercise has less risk of injury and also allows the athlete to perform the exercise without assistance. In addition, the Smith machine bench press allows you to specifically focus on the chest muscles.

Another point is the stabilizing position of the apparatus in the simulator, thanks to which a beginner, when performing it in the Smith simulator, will be able to feel the load when working the target muscles, in this case the pectoral muscles. In addition, experienced athletes will also be able to obtain a number of benefits from performing it by lifting fairly heavy weights or using a large number of repetitions with a small weight to pump blood into the muscles, the so-called pumping. Correct execution of this exercise will not only allow you to get relief, but also increase the volume of the pectoral muscles.

Difficulty level: suitable for both experienced athletes and beginners

Due to the fact that the Smith bench press is similar to a regular bench press on a horizontal bench, the features of its implementation are generally similar. However, it is necessary to take into account some nuances, taking into account which you can work out the chest muscles as effectively as possible.

Technique:

1. To begin, place a horizontal bench centered under the Smith machine so that when performing a barbell press, the bar will be above the middle of your chest. Adjust the height of the barbell on the machine's clamps so that your arms can be fully extended when lying down.
2. After the weight is set, lie down on a horizontal bench. Using a pronated grip (palms facing away from you) slightly wider than shoulder-width apart, remove the barbell from the machine's rack clamps and hold the bar directly above your pecs. The back is tightly pressed to the bench, the feet are completely on the floor, the back of the head is also pressed and does not come off the bench.
3. As you inhale, slowly lower the barbell to the middle of your chest until you feel the bar touch your chest. Lock the bar at the lowest point of the amplitude for 1-2 seconds for maximum stretching of the pectoral muscles.
4. As you exhale, press the bar of the machine to the starting position, feeling the contraction of the pectoral muscles. Try to lift the projectile faster than you lower it to your chest. At the same time, do not straighten your arms completely, so as not to transfer the load to your elbow joints.
5. Complete the planned number of repetitions. Place the bar on the rack clamps before getting off the bench.

Will Smith's Rules of Life

I'm great at catching grapes in my mouth. Walk away as far as you want, throw a grape, and I swear I'll catch it.

My father is a retired military man, so as a child, everything seemed to be according to the rules. He insisted that everything must be done according to certain rules. When he retired from the Air Force, he started his own business selling refrigerators. I was about twelve years old, my brother was nine, when one fine day he decided to remodel the facade of his store. He broke the old one and said that he had come up with a job for us for the summer: to build a new wall. Just so you understand, it should have been about twelve meters long and about five meters high. My brother and I stood in front of the store and thought: “There will never, ever be a wall here again.” All summer we laid bricks, one after another, one after another. Summer smoothly flowed into autumn, autumn into winter, and winter into spring, and only then the facade was ready. I know my father planned it all. He said: “So that I never heard that you cannot do something there.” And Confucius said: “Both he who says he can and he who says he cannot is right.”

When I first came to Hollywood, I told my manager, “I want to be the biggest movie star in the world.” He and I sat down and began to analyze the most popular films of all time to understand how the system works. It turned out that ten out of ten films have special effects, nine out of ten have special effects and strange creatures, eight out of ten have special effects, strange creatures and a love story. So when I was offered Independence Day, I didn’t have any doubts.

Money and success do not spoil a person, they simply emphasize his innate qualities.

I once read about a climber who was determined to conquer Everest. He kept saying: I will do it, I will do it, I will do it. And when he finally climbed Everest, there, at the very top, he suddenly realized that he could not breathe. And he had only one thought in his head: how can I get out of here as quickly as possible? What I mean is that it’s better to be careful with your dreams. If you strive very hard for something, then when you achieve it, it becomes somehow uneasy. I've had this exact feeling for the past few years.

We are all monstrously ignorant, just in different areas.

There is no need for a plan "B", it only distracts from plan "A". If you even consider a plan B, you'll probably end up having to use it.

If I touch something in the frame, that’s it, it’s mine, that’s the agreement. At home I have a couple of crickets and black suits from Men in Black, touch weapons from I, Robot, a flight suit from Independence Day.

I was offered to play Neo in The Matrix, but if I agreed, I would definitely ruin everything.

Two plus two equals four only as long as you agree that two plus two equals four. The main thing is to know that you always have a choice.

Traditional education is based on facts, numbers, and exams rather than truly understanding the material and gaining the skills to use it in real life. That's why my wife and I don't send our children to school. Who cares what year the Boston Tea Party was? (the destruction of the cargo of British merchant ships in Boston Harbor, on Thursday, December 16, 1773, marking the beginning of the American Revolution. - Esquire.)

I don't believe that you can be a slave to the system if you understand how the system works.

Plato's Republic is what children should read. And also Aristotle's Politics. Why isn't this taught in first grade?

Thanks to my son, I have just now begun to understand and little by little accept this idea: some of the things you don’t know how to do well are the very things that can truly help people.

In Philadelphia, where I grew up, I have a friend, Charlie Mac. He taught me this: “No, dude, no, this is what you need to understand about women. Firstly, you must be able to make them laugh, and secondly, you must knock someone out with a fucking hairdryer in front of them. This is how I do it. The whole evening I act all funny and funny, and then we leave the pub, and I break into someone. Because women need to feel protected.” But it’s easy for him. He is more than two meters tall.

We, people, have too many problems, everything seems too complicated to us, but in fact everything is quite simple.

If you find yourself completely alone, the main thing is to develop a clear daily schedule. When I was preparing to film “I Am Legend,” I talked with people who had been in such situations, with former prisoners of war, people who spent a long time in prison in solitary confinement. So, Gironimo ji Jaga from the Black Panthers told me that when he was in the punishment cell, he spent two hours every day cleaning his nails - strictly according to the schedule. He also trained cockroaches in six weeks, and they brought him food. I don’t know if this is true, or if his brain needed to create such an image in order to survive. And one of the former prisoners of war taught me that you need to maintain an internal monologue all the time, otherwise you might actually go crazy. For example, at some point he forgot what the fingers on his hand were called.

Do you know what really scares me? That there are already cameras in stores that are programmed for intuition. They can remember the faces of robbers and then recognize them.

Boxing is such a thing that if you start, you can only stop when you reach the very end. If you take a guy out in the eighth round, knock him out, no matter how old you are or how well you fight, you will remember that there is one more round left. He will always haunt you. Won't let you stop. Boxing is a heady sport. Moreover, every time you step into the ring, you understand that this could be your best fight or your worst - regardless of your skills and age. In general, a completely incomprehensible, intoxicating thing.

When I was introduced to Muhammad Ali, he said, “You’re cute, almost fit to play me.” For many years later, he and I couldn’t decide which of us was prettier.

I don’t mind if Mike Tyson punches me in the face and knocks me out. But let me get it on the swing, and not when I’m trembling, backed into a corner.

Too many people now spend money they haven't earned on things they don't need to impress people they don't like.

This is, of course, very naive, but several years ago I said that I truly believed that I could become President of the United States. Probably, all sorts of political experts just laughed at me then. But put me through a lie detector test right now, and I will repeat: I am absolutely, one hundred percent sure that I could become President of the United States. And I am absolutely, one hundred percent sure that I am capable of flying into space. And period.

When I punched that alien and said, “Welcome to Earth,” that was really cool.

Recommendations for implementation: features and nuances

Although the military press has a number of advantages, it alone will not be enough to develop the deltoid girdle. The load that is created on the shoulders will clearly not be enough to build volumes.

Therefore, the training program should include other exercises aimed at working the middle and posterior bundles. They should also be given enough attention to ensure strength and mass.

Separately, it is worth saying a few words about the rear delta. Use bent over swings or arm abductions in the machine so that the rear deltoids receive enough load.

What should a training program look like? How many approaches should I do? And what should I combine it with? Alas, there is no universal training program and scheme that everyone can follow. Everything is selected individually, so everyone must create their own training program.

If difficulties arise, it is better to contact an experienced and qualified trainer who will help you realize your full potential:

• It is recommended to train delts on a separate day or combine them with arm training. Some do them on chest day, but in this case the front deltoid will be quite well worked out and you will have to focus on the middle and back ones. Therefore, a separate day for deltas is a good solution. The military press, as a basic exercise, is performed first. After which you can put the barbell row to the chin, and behind it - swings.
• If, when performing a military press, the deltoids are poorly felt, then in this case it is better to put it at the very end of the workout and work according to the pre-fatigue scheme. That is, at the very beginning there are dumbbell swings, rows to the chin, work in machines and other isolated exercises, and only after that the military press. Of course, in this case you will have to work with less weight. However, this is justified by high efficiency, since the deltas will react completely differently to the load.

Bench press on an incline bench. What, why and why?

Believe it or not, the bench press exercise is the most popular exercise in any gym. As soon as Monday begins, all the guys rush to the gym as quickly as possible in order to be the first to stake a bench for themselves. Sometimes it gets straight to the point of ridiculousness: the corner benches stand untouchable and untouchable, but at the horizontal bench there is simply nowhere for an apple to fall, everyone stands and waits for their turn. In this note, I will try to convince you that you won’t be satisfied with just a horizontal bench press and you need (even to a greater extent) to work your chest from different angles.

As you know, the pectoral muscle is usually divided into three sections - top, middle and bottom. To work out each of them, there is its own version of the basic bench press exercise:

• classic (lying on a horizontal bench);
• at an angle upward (incline);
• at an angle downwards (decline).

The last two are significantly inferior in popularity to their more famous counterpart. This is not good, and then we will figure out why.

Well, we’ll start, as usual, with the basics, or more precisely, with the anatomical atlas of the incline bench press. It presents the following picture:

The pectoralis major muscle is shaped like a fan. Its fibers have different orientations and angles of tension from the upper to the lower part of the chest. All the fibers converge in one place on the humerus of the upper arm. The pectoralis major has two heads: the clavicular - located on the front surface of the clavicle and the sternocostal - on the lateral part of the sternum and 6

upper ribs. These two heads meet near the humeral head:

The clavicular head of the pectoral muscle receives contractile force when performing the press at an upward angle. In other words, in an upward inclined press, the fibers of the clavicular head of the pectoralis major muscle (PMC) are activated to a greater extent, while the horizontal press primarily involves the fibers of the sternocostal head of the PMC. It is also important to remember that when performing incline presses, you cannot completely isolate the fibers of the upper and lower chest.

Note:

All further narration on the topic “bench press on an inclined bench” will be divided into subchapters.

Why do you need presses at different angles?

Who do you think had the most developed chest in ancient times? That's right, among the gladiators, these guys knew how to achieve her ideal proportions, symmetry of mass and volume. The secret of their high-quality breasts turns out to be simple, and it lies in paying special attention to the lagging sections, in particular the upper one.

If there are variations of the same exercise, it means that someone needs it... and it is needed primarily for the full (over the entire volume) development of the pectoral muscles. The classic horizontal press is great for building overall chest thickness and specifically developing the lower and outer portions of the pectoralis major muscle. However, one-sided work with a horizontal press will not create a balanced muscle mass of the chest with a “thick” upper part.

The lower regions of the rib cage have more fibers and potential depth of development compared to the upper regions. Therefore, if you do not pay attention to incline presses, then there is a high chance of becoming flat-chested. The upward angled press is designed to build a “high chest” and thereby improve its balance and square shape, like those of gladiators.

Advantages

Let's look at what benefits we will get from doing the incline bench press exercise.

The advantages include:

• development of several muscle groups simultaneously. The incline press simultaneously engages the pectoralis major/minor, anterior deltoids and triceps, allowing you to develop their strength and volume;
• analysis of the EMG activity of the press at an angle ( 40
  degrees) upward showed a significant inclusion of fibers of the clavicular head of the femoral bone;
• helps overcome the plateau - improve bench press results in the classic variation of the exercise.

Execution technique

In order for the load to target the target muscle group, it is necessary to adhere to the correct execution technique. The following step-by-step instructions will help you with this.

Step #1.

Go to the bench and set the required inclination angle (30-45

degrees). Place the barbell on the rack supports, equip it with weight and secure the clamps at both ends. Lie down on a bench, grasping a barbell with a grip slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Bring her to straight arms. This will be your starting position.

Step #2.

Slowly (as you inhale) lower the bar until it touches your upper chest. Hold for one count, squeezing your chest muscles.

Step #3.

After a second pause, using the force of the pectoral muscles, squeeze the bar up and return it to the IP, while exhaling. Repeat the specified number of times.

In the picture version it looks like this:

in motion as follows...

The exercise has many variations of execution, for example:

• depending on the width of the grip: wide – shifting the load on the shoulders, narrow – triceps;
• depending on the angle of the bench: at an angle of 30
  ,
  45
  ,
  60
  degrees, upside down;
• reverse grip press;
• press up at an angle;
• Incline dumbbell press;
• Press at an upward angle in a power rack.

Here are some visual examples of all this mess:

The following tips will help you perform the incline barbell press (at an upward angle) more effectively. So remember:

• the barbell should not move in your hands, otherwise reduce the weight of the weight;
• firmly fix your feet on the floor, focusing on your heel;
• contact with the bench should be made at the following points: shoulder blades, sacrum, head, shoulders;
• make sure that throughout the movement you maintain a natural arch in your lower back;
• your shoulder blades should be kept together the entire time you perform the exercise;
• the bar should clearly fall to the top of the chest (collarbone), for this in some cases it may be necessary to slightly move the head back;
• lowering the projectile (eccentric phase) should take 2
  times longer than lifting it (concentric phase);
• at the lowest point the forearms should be vertical;
• never bounce the barbell off your chest (extinguish inertia);
• lying on a bench, bend your spine and stick your chest forward;
• do not lift your chest and shoulders off the bench (this means that 3
  points of support should be formed - the middle/bottom of the trapezius and
  2
  are the shoulders. The chest does not come off the bench from the very top of the back).

Now let's go a little through the theoretical calculations.

Research: What's Best for Upper Muscle Development?

Now I will shock you a little with the news.

The bench press uses the full range of chest muscles. There is a belief that incline presses work better on the top/bottom of the chest, and flat presses work better on the middle. As I recently learned, this is not entirely true.

Below I will give calculations of one scientific work from the “Department of Human Movement Studies” and “Department of Anatomical Sciences”, University of Queensland, Australia.

15

years ago, a study was conducted using EMG (muscle electromyography). The purpose of which was to identify which muscles (and to what extent) are affected by certain variations of the bench press. So, it was found that the bottom of the pecs is best “hooked” by a horizontal press, in comparison with tilting the bench up or down. When it came to the top of the pecs, the study found that the upward angled press was slightly more effective than the flat or downward angled variations.

Variants of gripping the barbell were also studied and it was found that a narrower position of the hands in combination with an upward angle of the bench was the best (of all analyzed) options for developing the upper pectoral muscles. The conclusion of the study is this: There are no huge benefits to developing the pectoral muscles when working at different angles... so don't show off :) press horizontally.

Which bench press is best for growing pectoral muscles?

If you are used to trusting science, then the above research results will help you decide on exercises for breast development. In addition, I would like to say that by changing the apparatus from the bar to dumbbells, you get a “deeper” range of motion and better stretching. These two factors are vital for good pectoral growth.

In total, to create massive breasts throughout the entire volume, be sure to include the following exercises in your training program:

• horizontal barbell press;
• at an upward angle;
• Smith machine downward angle press.

Well, like this, in this spirit, in this way. This was the last thing I would like to report on, let's say goodbye.

Afterword

Today we got acquainted with such an exercise as the incline bench press. I am sure that now your breasts will “pop” in a completely different way, and after just a few workouts you will easily catch up with your girlfriend in breast size :).

That's all, I was glad to see and hear everyone, see you again!

PS.

Friends, what do you think about incline presses? Do you use them in your training?

P.P.S.

Did the project help?
Then leave a link to it in your social network status - plus 100
points to your karma, guaranteed.

With respect and gratitude, Dmitry Protasov

.

Hello athletes, now I will tell you what the Smith bench press is and what to prepare it with. The Smith machine bench press is an analogue or alternative to the basic free weight bench press.

The Smith machine takes away control over the sports equipment from the athlete, but provides a clear amplitude, which allows you to more accurately hit the desired muscle group. Brothers, I highly recommend starting bench presses with a machine if you have little experience or strength, because there are special hooks for the barbell, in case you don’t have enough strength to hold on.