jabo
New Member
Does anyone have any advice on how to form a mind muscle connection for your chest on incline bench? I have the technique mostly down but I don't really feel the chest pushing the weight. I don't have this problem with flat either.
MESO-Rx
Anabolic Steroids
Incline bench
- Thread starter jabo
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FuriousWO
New Member
I've just started working on this and your probably way past me but what's been helping me on flat and incline is making sure my scapulas are retracted and my traps are pressed way into the bench. Then Im taking my shoulders out of it and can focus on pushing with my pecs. I also dropped weight until I could at least feel it better. I notice when I'm feeling strong and want to push a little weight around I fall back to sloppy form.
Idc what you all think about this guy but the Chris Jones video really helped me figure it out and start making that mind muscle connection. Skip to 3:45 he talks about setting up for inclines
Idc what you all think about this guy but the Chris Jones video really helped me figure it out and start making that mind muscle connection. Skip to 3:45 he talks about setting up for inclines
double-leg
New Member
Mi40 is pretty good
I find doin it on the smith machine I am able to get a better mind muscle connection.
I don't wrap my thumb around the bar and have it come down to just above my nipples.
And kinda like furious said, U pinch my shoulder blades back and together to stabilize. Elbows tucked in too
I don't wrap my thumb around the bar and have it come down to just above my nipples.
And kinda like furious said, U pinch my shoulder blades back and together to stabilize. Elbows tucked in too
defscreams
New Member
Form is everything. When I first started lifting my forms were all wrong and fucked up. Shoulders would hurt after benching. Soar back after dead lifts. Once I got my forms down and started doing things properly I really started to grow. Try playing with your grip width on the bar. On inclines I like to go little wider then flat. I'll really feel it in my chest.
FuriousWO
New Member
Smith machine too, great suggestion
I think it's cause it forces me to go straight up and down that I can focus on my pecs vs regular incline the bar can sway forward or back
Rez_dog_45
New Member
I do pause reps on bench and incline and i usually can feel a better conection that way
double-leg
New Member
I like the hammer strength so i can focus on form and full range of movement, contraction. I like to keep trying to push my hands together it adds a litte to the chest movement
As already said scapular retraction is important and so is going lighter... the heavier I go the more my back flattens and my body drags in delts and lats in an "all hands on deck" reaction.
Two big things in my opinion- put the fucking barbell down. Chest stimulation is far easier with dumbbells. The second is to reduce the incline you are using. On the bench in gyms that are meant for incline only I have always felt (and read) that they are far too upright to maximize chest stimulation.... they bring delts in to play much like a military press. Use an adjustable bench and roll it under the smith machine or use dumbbells with a very subtle incline- maybe two clicks.
Two big things in my opinion- put the fucking barbell down. Chest stimulation is far easier with dumbbells. The second is to reduce the incline you are using. On the bench in gyms that are meant for incline only I have always felt (and read) that they are far too upright to maximize chest stimulation.... they bring delts in to play much like a military press. Use an adjustable bench and roll it under the smith machine or use dumbbells with a very subtle incline- maybe two clicks.
Voltrader
New Member
I agree I use the bar if I want a compound exercise but if I want a pure upper chest movement I go db's and cut the incline in half of what is consider normal. I only use the incline bench when I do chest and shoulders on the same day.
double-leg
New Member
Like to rotate my workout with all three dumbell, bench, hammer strength. All like @70 to get a good stretch. Nice slow and control. I thought scalpular contraction was a given since t puts you in the right position. I do the same to finish a lat row.
You know bro that varies for everyone. You answered your own question though you may not know it.
You said it doesn't feel like it, exactly! Pick up a light barbell and do light reps with just enough weight to feel the burn. When the burn is where you want, take note og your position.
I find that a front barbell press hits my upper chest. The way I know this is because I used the method I just shared with you.
You said it doesn't feel like it, exactly! Pick up a light barbell and do light reps with just enough weight to feel the burn. When the burn is where you want, take note og your position.
I find that a front barbell press hits my upper chest. The way I know this is because I used the method I just shared with you.
jabo
New Member
This is a little late but I tried a lot of what you guys where saying and it helped a shitload so thanks. I started retracting my shoulders and lightened the load to 8-12 reps which really helped. I also added dumbell afterwards and now I feel sore as shit the next day in my upper chest. I tried the smith machine but it hurts my joints like crazy for some reason, probably because I'm not used to it I guess. Thanks guys
