Overlooking or undertraining the chest is probably one of the biggest mistakes newcomers and even expert gym-goers tend to make.
Everyone loves to do the chest press, as it shows how much strength one has, but, on many occasions, there’s little to no variation when it comes to training the chest.
Yes, the chest press is a crucial and foundational exercise that targets a great part of the upper body, as it involves various muscles which are fundamental for the correct realization of such exercise.
However, it’s important to understand and apply different chest press techniques in order to build a much bigger, stronger and better-looking chest, therefore signaling the importance of adding chest press variations into your workouts.
Understanding the basics of the bench press
What is the bench press?
The bench press is one of the most popular exercises amongst gym-goers. Whether you’re starting with your gym journey or you are an expert who has been consistently going to the gym for many years, the bench press is a very versatile exercise that helps enhance strength and movements.
Essentially, the bench press refers to the movement done by picking up a barbell (or a pair of dumbbells) whilst laying down on a bench and carefully putting such barbell to your chest, then moving it upwards.
This exercise, although very simple, allows for great versatility and a wide range of motion, as, thanks to the great amount of variations available, different parts of the body can be trained.
In this case, there are three possible variations of the bench press, with the regular bench press being the most popular movement. However, incline and decline bench presses are also common and have a different impact on the body when performing them.
Why different Bench Press Angles matter
We have already discussed how the bench press is a very versatile exercise that allows for the strengthening of various different parts of the upper body.
In this case, the angle you decide to use in order to perform the exercise has a massive impact on the muscular stress derived on specific areas of your body, as using an incline, decline or flat angle changes the muscles targeted.
Depending on the angle of choosing, some muscles will be trained more than others. For example, the flat bench press targets the middle chest, whilst the incline and decline bench press targets the upper and lower chest respectively, whilst also targeting the triceps, which are fundamental for the realization of the correct movements during the exercise.
Incline Bench Press
What is the Incline Bench Press?
Although you may have guessed what the exercise is during the first part of this article, the Incline Bench Press is a chest press variation that targets the upper chest. In order to train such area, the bench should be positioned between a 30-45º upwards angle to guarantee muscle stress on the upper chest.
The exercise is very simple, with the bench positioned on an upward angle, pick up the barbell (or dumbbells) with your desired weight, then, slowly, control the bar down until it reaches the lower chest, then, maintaining control, push the bar upwards and repeat.
What muscles are targeted on the Incline Bench Press?
During the incline bench press, various muscles are targeted, although the primary area of stress is, as explained before, the upper chest (pectoralis major).
However, there are various secondary and stabilizing muscles which are also worked during the realization of this exercise, which include:
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Deltoids
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Triceps
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Traps
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Rotator Cuffs
All these muscles help whilst performing the incline bench press, allowing for a bigger stress on the upper chest whilst also providing stability during the whole movement.
What are the benefits of the Incline Bench Press?
The incline bench press is a very complete exercise which, as said before, targets various parts of the upper body, primarily the upper chest.
However, the introduction of such exercise can help in the development of a bigger fuller chest. Not to mention that, due to the great amount of stabilizing and secondary muscles involved during the exercise, shoulder stability and upper body strength increases considerably, providing for a much more balanced physique.
This exercise is a great addition to any workout programme as it develops strength, helping athletes improve their pushing power.
Decline Bench Press
What is the Decline Bench Press?
The decline bench press is a chest press variation that targets the lower chest like the incline bench press. To correctly perform the exercise, thus training the lower chest, the bench should be placed at a15-30º downwards angle.
The overall movement is very simple: with the bench positioned at a declined position, pick the barbell (or dumbbells) and slowly put them down your upper chest, then, once down, push the weight upwards and repeat.
What muscles are targeted on the Decline Bench Press?
The decline bench press targets different parts of the body, some very different from the already discussed incline bench press. The primary muscle worked is the lower chest, but, same as with the previous variation, other secondary and stabilizing muscles are also trained during the exercise. These are:
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Deltoids (with less strain than the incline press)
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Triceps
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Upper back (scapula)
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Dorsals
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Rotator Cuffs
What are the benefits of the Decline Bench Press
Although different, the decline bench press has many benefits which are also found in the incline bench press variation. However, there are other very important factors/benefits that must be taken into consideration.The decline bench press allows for less pressure on the shoulder area whilst providing good performance. As it allows for less stress on the shoulders and the deltoids, the decline bench press, which maximizes the development of the lower chest, allows for heavier lifting, which works excellently for beginners who want to lift more weight, thus feeling more encouraged to go to the gym.
Flat Bench Press
What is the Flat Bench Press?
The foundation of the already mentioned variations of the bench press, the flat bench press is a chest press movement that targets the middle chest (although it helps with the development of both the upper and lower areas of the chest). Different from the two other exercises already discussed, the flat bench press is done on a regular workout bench without any incline/decline.
The movement is as simple as it gets: with the bench flattened out, pick the barbell (or dumbbells) and slowly drive them down to your middle chest, then, once such movement is done, push the weight upwards and repeat for as many reps as possible.
What muscles are targeted on the Flat Bench Press?
Although different from the other variations of the chest press, the flat chest press allows for bigger stress on the middle chest, although it also targets the upper and lower areas too, just not with as much pressure as the incline/decline bench presses would have.
The secondary and stabilizing muscles worked during this exercise are:
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Deltoids
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Triceps
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Scapula
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Traps
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Rotator Cuffs
What are the benefits of the Flat Bench Press?
A very simple exercise, the flat bench press has many benefits which convert it into one of the most frequent and liked exercises amongst gym-goers.
The flat bench press allows for a better and more comprehensive development of the chest, targeting the middle part of the chest and providing a balanced performance and development of the whole chest. Not to mention, the flat bench press is one of the best and most frequent ways to develop upper body strength, as it compromises practically all the muscles in such areas of the body.
Common mistakes and how to avoid them
The chest press and all its three variations are very simple exercises to do, yet it’s very important to take various safety precautions whilst performing such movements.
Starting with the incline bench press, one of the most common mistakes is putting the bench on a greater angle than 45º, which will transform the incline chest press into a regular shoulder press, thus not targeting the desired muscles. It’s also important to not overload too soon, as the incline bench press is much more demanding, weight-wise, than the other two variations.
Continuing with the decline bench press, two main precautions need to be taken. The first of which is correct foot positioning, as, being on a downward angle, it’s very dangerous to incorrectly position your feet, which could lead to pain in the ankle or the sole of your feet. Not to mention that to do the exercise correctly, the form through which the exercise is done must be done correctly and carefully.
Lastly, the flat bench press, although simple, is an exercise where mistakes are very frequent. The most common mistakes are not doing the correct arch with your back, resulting in lower back pain, and, of course, the use of an uneven grip, which can lead to imbalances and shoulder pain.
Complementary exercises to increase chest press performance
Once all about the chest press has been discussed, it’s also important to point out which exercises help to develop secondary and stabilizing muscles for the chest press movements. As the muscles involved vary from one variation to another, there are some exercises that help increase the volume and progress of the chest press.
In order to improve on the incline chest press, there are many exercises, especially those targeting the chest and the shoulders, which can help massively. In this case, adding dumbbell flyes and shoulder presses can turn into vast improvements regarding the incline chest press.
For the decline chest press, exercises are more simple, as they target the chest, the dorsals, and the triceps. Exercises such as push-ups (of all variations), tricep extensions, and dips will result in a better decline in chest press performance.
The flat bench press doesn’t actually need many complementary exercises as it allows for greater stress on the whole chest. However, adding more chest exercises such as cable flyes and pec deck machine presses can result in better performance and heavier lifts when doing the flat bench press.
How a foldable bench can change your bench press routine
Doing the exercise correctly, avoiding mistakes, and carefully looking at the form to which the exercise is done is very important, still, not having the correct equipment can lead to lesser development and much slower progress when it comes to achieving your gym goals.
Luckily, many pieces of equipment help to correctly perform this exercise.
In this case, having an adjustable weight bench that can adjust to the three different angles to which chest presses are done is essential for better and faster results.
Although there are many great options on the market, FLYBIRD’s range of adjustable benches, ranging from the FB139 to the FB3000 are excellent additions to anyone’s home gym.
With a durable steel structure, FLYBIRD’s adjustable weight benches allow for a much more comfortable experience and a lesser risk of injury thanks to its comfortable padding which maximizes comfort without compromising performance.
Not to mention that FLYBIRD’s benches are durable and practical solutions for your home gym that can be easily stored and transported for easy access at all times.
One exercise, three variations, one goal: building the perfect chest
Incorporating the three chest press variations discussed in this article is essential for the improvement of the chest during workouts. The three variations allow for bigger stress on specific parts of your chest that will guarantee rapid and balanced development.
Adding these exercises to your workout can be helpful, as training will now be better and more diverse, rather than just sticking with a simple movement for various sets. In this case, adding one of the three chest press variations explained in this article can quickly transform your training from boring to an exciting activity you’ll look forward to during the day. Develop your training plan based on your training goals. If you want to train your upper chest at this stage, you can include the incline bench press in your training plan. If your current goal is to train your upper chest, you can include the decline bench press in your training plan. If you want to enhance the perfection of your middle chest muscles, then the flat bench press may be more suitable for you. But if you want to train a perfect chest, then you can consider incorporating all three bench press variations into the plan, and develop a training plan for your chest based on your goals and current deficiencies. You can also consult a professional fitness trainer.
To have the best experience possible whilst doing the exercise, it’s also important to buy the correct equipment, allowing for the best balance between performance, durability, and comfort, three principles that each of FLYBIRD’s adjustable weight benches fulfils
