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Overview
If you’re looking for a wide, well cut chest with a strongly defined lower chest line that extends to your shoulders, then the decline bench press is an excellent way to carve out the shape you’ve been looking for. It’s a great variation to the bench press and helps to develop the lower and outer chest muscles by hitting then from a different angle.
Primary stress is placed on the lower and outer chest muscles, triceps, and shoulder muscles. Significantly greater stress is placed on the upper back muscles than is the case with the flat bench or incline bench press.
Setup
First, be sure to check the weight racks that hold up the bar and make sure they are in the correct position. Each rack may look slightly different, but you should be able to adjust the height of the bar above the bench. The racks should be in a position that allows you to lift the bar out of the rack and put it back without stretching or significant amount of arm movement.
Place your legs under the restraining pad at the high and of the bench and lie down on your back. The leg restraints will keep you from sliding downward and can sometimes be adjusted to fit you legs. Grasp the bar with a grip that is approximately 3-5 inches wider than your shoulders. Notice that the gripping has an outer mark to help you find where to put you hands.
For many users, the hand will be just inside this outer grip, or perhaps the pinky or ring finger will rest on top of the line. The width of your grip will vary from person to person your grip will depend on your shoulder width and the lengths of your arms.
Movement
With the help of a spotter, extend your arms so that the bar is lifted out of the racks. Slowly move the bar above your chest and take in a large breath to prepare for the lift. Slowly lower the bar to a resting point above your chest at approximately the lower pectoral line. Be careful to keep your elbows back to allow for maximum pectoral movement and stretch. Once the bar has come to a rest, exhale and press the bar forcefully upward. Repeat this motion for the desired number of repetitions. When you are finished, have your spotter grasp the bar and assist you as it is lowered and placed back onto the racks.
Tips From the Trainer
The decline bench press is a high-intensity exercise and can be tough on those with thinner bone structures. Greater stress is placed on the sternum, and this exercise should be discontinued at the first sign of pain felt in the bones and cartilage.
Be careful to always support the bar with your strength or the help of the spotter throughout the entire movement. Never rest the weight on your chest or bounce the bar off your chest. Remember, this should be a smooth motion for adding maximum definition and mass to your muscles.
Be sure to warm up properly before lifting heavy weights and work your way up to maximum exertion. Know your limits, and if you’re new to weight lifting, go light for a while until you get the hang of this movement. As with all exercises where weight is held above the head, this exercise should never be done without a spotter. If your muscles were to suddenly wear out and not be able to lift the bar to the racks, serious bodily injury could occur.
If absolutely no spotter is available to you, you may consider using the smith machine in case you can’t complete one of your repetitions. This option may not allow the full the same type of resistance as the bench press would otherwise allow, but it can be useful when no spotter is available to you.
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