Flat Bench Press vs Decline Bench Press vs Incline Bench Press
FULL ARTICLE: barbend.com/flat-decline-incl...
The flat, incline, and decline bench press are all popular options to use in training for the serious athlete and the recreational lifter.
This video is not intended to highlight groundbreaking information about these three bench press variations, but to confirm conventional training knowledge and to guide true beginners in the selection of their bench press usage.
Generally speaking, the flat bench press is a great exercise to use as a baseline for establishing upper body strength and pressing mechanics, while the incline and decline bench are useful as supplemental movements to assist lagging areas in strength/muscle development.
TYPICAL BENCH PRESS ANGLES
Flat Bench Press = 0 degree bench angle
Incline Bench Press = 10-60/70 degree bench angle (Author's Note: The higher your incline, the closer you are to doing shoulder presses and most coaches won't exceed a 40ish degree incline.)
Decline Bench Press = 10-40 degree bench angle
STUDY DISCUSSED
In this video and the article above, we reference a 2015 study that was published in the European Journal of Sports Science (1). For the study, authors analyzed muscle activity of the upper pec major, lower pec major, lateral tricep, and anterior deltoid during the concentric and eccentric phases of the flat, incline, and decline bench press.
Researchers noted that muscle activity was somewhat similar for all of the muscles throughout the concentric and eccentric portions of the movement, so both the concentric and eccentric are important for building strength and muscle. However, there were a few discrepancies that stood out between the four muscles and press variations.
MUSCLE ACTIVITY
Upper Pec Major: The incline bench press was suggested to be slightly better for the upper pec major during the concentric phase, while the flat bench had higher EMG ratings for this muscle during the eccentric phase.
Lower Pec Major: To no surprise, the decline and flat bench were both better at activating the lower pec major muscle. This could suggest that the decline and flat bench are both superior for targeting the lower pec major when it comes to muscle activation.
Anterior Deltoid: For those looking to strengthen and improve the anterior deltoid, then the incline bench was suggested to be the best way to activate this muscle group. This should come to no surprise, as incline pressing is the most similar to a shoulder press.
Lateral Tricep: The triceps brachii was most active in the concentric portion of the various bench presses. This comes as no surprise, as they support extension of the arm. There were no differences between the triceps for the eccentric portion of the three bench presses.
TAKEAWAY POINTS
Generally speaking, this study falls right in-line with conventional training wisdom: Use the incline bench for the upper chest, decline for the lower, and flat for best of all worlds.
Author's Note: It's important to remember that this is only one study and other studies may suggest different information.
The most important part of choosing between the three bench press variations presented in this video comes down to the context in which you're choosing to use them. We briefly covered three populations who bench press regularly with recommendations, however, the possibilities are endless when it comes to selection, loading, and usage.
How do you train and choose between these three bench press variations?
Share in the comments below!
References
1. Lauver JD, e. (2019). Influence of bench angle on upper extremity muscular activation during bench press exercise. - PubMed - NCBI . Ncbi.nlm.nih.gov. Retrieved 9 August 2019, from (www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/2...)
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