The handles should be near the top of the pectorals at the beginning of the motion. Lock you arms at the top of the lift and squeeze your pecs, holding for a few beats, before slowly lowering back down. Thanks for your question. How to do it: Begin seated at the front end of a flat bench with a dumbbell in each hand resting just above your knees. Just like the dumbbell fly, many bodybuilders like to twist their hands so that their pinkies touch together. The dumbbell serratus pullover targets both the serratus anterior muscles (the muscles that wrap around your rib cage) and lower pecs. Leverage incline chest press ---> Dumbbell/bench incline bench press. No chest workout is complete without some versions of the bench press performed over the course of the day. With the decline machine press, you’re sitting in a slightly reclined chair, and to start the movement you simply need to press the handles in front of you. Diamond push ups #5. A lot of bodybuilders like to twist the dumbbells at the top of the range of motion in order to isolate the lower and inner chest muscles even more. Exhale and use your chest to push the dumbbells up. Now, rotate your wrists forward so your palms are facing away from you and lower the dumbbells so they’re at the sides of your chest, creating 90-degree angles. Muscles worked: Lower chest, triceps, and anterior deltoids. “You want to keep your lower body stable and focus on just rotating your upper torso,” Reames says. Resistance increase throughout the exercise to match leg muscles strength. Keep your knees bent at 90-degree angles, and your feet flat on the floor. However, don’t underestimate how challenging these exercises can be just because you’re not using barbells, dumbbells, or machines. The decline dumbbell together press is a small variation to the decline dumbbell bench press mentioned above. Make note to keep your core, glutes, and legs tight throughout the exercise. Our selection of chest and shoulder press and fly machines can be found in both leverage and cable weight variations. This positioning makes it so you can lift a bit more than a traditional bench press. Here are a few frequently asked questions that I get around the topic of decline bench press alternatives: If your goal is to develop your lower pecs, you don’t need to do decline bench press. fibers of the lower pec are “significantly more activated”, 16 Tricep Exercises To Increase Bench Press Strength, Bench Press With Legs Up: How-To, Muscles Worked, Benefits. If you want more details on this exercise, I wrote a more in-depth guide covering it called the Plate Pinch Press. Secondary Muscles. While the decline bench press can be an effective exercise, there are other alternatives that can target your lower pecs similarly or to a greater extent. Sit on the bench and grab a dumbbell in either hand, resting them on your thighs. Body Solid LVBP Leverage Bench Press. 50%. Leverage Decline Chest Press. Body Solid LVIP Leverage Incline Bench Press ... Legend Fitness Unilateral Converging Wide Chest Press 6006. Steelflex PSDP Seated Decline Press. If an area of the chest is lagging, then begin with it on chest day. This is because the free-weight nature of dumbbells allows you to lift a significant amount of weight, which provides the optimal training environment for building both strength and … Bend forward at the waist so your upper body is almost parallel to the floor and assume a lunge position, keeping your knees soft. Forward Leaning Dip #8. Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior and lateral deltoids, triceps, abdominals, and legs. This is a phenomenal chest exercise because it stretches your pecs from the start position, activating your outer muscle fibers. This is also called an ‘underhand grip’. Focus on light weight, high reps, and creating a strong mind-muscular connection. The key with the straight bar serratus pulldown is to purposely limit the range of motion of the exercise. Additionally, the reason why I prefer the cable pulldown versus the dumbbell pull-over is that you can take a wider grip on the cables. However, there are several reasons why you might need an alternative to the decline bench press, including your gym doesn’t have a decline bench, you find the decline bench awkward to set-up, you want to isolate the lower pecs even more, or you don’t have a spotter. Decline dumbbell bench press is identical to the incline press with dumbbells, except that you lie on a decline bench, where your legs are higher than your head.By having the bench at this angle, you shift the focus to your lower pectorals (the sternal portion of your chest). Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior and lateral deltoids, and triceps. When each rep takes 6-seconds to complete, it doesn’t require much load to start feeling a significant training effect. The decline dumbbell bench press is the closest variation that you can do to the barbell decline bench press. Switches sides and continue to alternate. How to do it: Begin sitting tall on a stability ball with dumbbells in each hand. What you want to avoid is having your arms come all the way down to your waist. Lie down on the bench and position the dumbbells so your palms are facing each other. Next, bring the dumbbells up—one at a time—so you’re holding them in front of you shoulder-width apart. Step 1 Sitting on an incline bench positioned at a 45-degree angle, hold a pair of dumbbells directly above your chest with your arms fully extended and your palms facing outward. The wider grip reduces the mechanical advantage that the triceps have and promotes a larger pec stretch (the muscle being stretched the most is the muscle being recruited the most). That’s one rep. Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior and lateral deltoids, triceps, core, and deep shoulder stabilizers. The straight bar serratus pulldown is a similar variation to the dumbbell serratus pull-over. So just go light, focus on higher reps, and think about contracting your lower pecs as you perform this movement. Unlike decline bench press, chest dips can target the entire pectoral muscle. Get the best deals on Leg Press and upgrade your home workout gear with the largest online selection at eBay.com. It’s not a pure isolation exercise for the lower pecs, but it will contribute to a more defined and full-looking upper body. If you can add extra weight, your benefits increase basically tenfold. Release the safety hooks and lift the bar off the supports and hold it over (above) your lower chest with your arms straight (extended). On this blog we share all the things we wish we knew when getting started. This will recruit your lower pecs to a greater extent. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'mensjournal_com-under_second_paragraph','ezslot_2',167,'0','0']));Reames recommends having at least one session with a qualified professional trainer to learn the basics of the exercise and proper form first. Show More Show Less. This will be your starting position. When the bar touches your body, drive your feet into the floor and press the bar back up. If you don’t have a bench, I would substitute the decline dumbbell press with either a high-to-low cable chest fly or a vertical dip with a slight forward torso lean. Sit up tall and engage your abs. However, the researchers noted there was no significant difference between upper pec activation, which means that the upper pecs were recruited similarily in both variations. Local Pickup. 1. In-Stock. For extra resistance, you can wrap a band around your body. To optimize this exercise and its benefits, use a functional trainer-type unit. You might actually experience better gains because i found with hammer strength my front delts get a big pump and triceps to as opposed to dumbbell. PowerliftingTechnique.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com. Related article: Should Powerlifters Do Incline Bench Press? The exercises below are the best decline bench press alternatives to target the lower chest. In this wider grip, you can activate your lower pecs more. You’re hitting your pectoralis major, deltoids, and triceps, in addition to a host of stabilizers and helpers including your rotator cuff, upper trapezius, pectoris minor and rhomboids. The bench press is the most well-known and used chest-building exercise. Chest and shoulder machines from Fitness Factory include both commercial and home grade machines that allow from one to many chest and shoulder exercises to be performed. Perform 10 reps of the decline press and then as many reps as possible with the bodyweight exercise directly after. Pick 2-3 exercises and perform them over two training days throughout the week with reps between 6-15 to build muscle mass. When you’re grasping the handles (palms facing down or out, depending on the machine), your hands should be in line with your chest and your feet flat on the floor. Hold a dumbbell … This dedicated chest press machine lets you achieve incline and flat reps with a fully adjustable bench and lifting arm positions/angle. Learn 13 principles that create more effective powerlifting technique. “Even though you’re pushing, this motion will feel as if your arms are moving forward to give someone a hug,” Reames says. Press the dumbbells up—keeping a slow, controlled motion. Any alternative to the decline bench press should include some sort of dumbbell variation. The bench press is the most well-known and used chest-building exercise. For access to exclusive gear videos, celebrity interviews, and more, subscribe on YouTube! Some people prefer to do this variation kneeling as it prevents any ‘cheating’ by swinging your body-weight to move the load. This site is owned and operated by PowerliftingTechnique.com. In the decline bench press, an average person should lift between 1.2-1.3 times their body-weight. How to do it: Set yourself up on a decline bench or lower a flat bench to a 45-degree angle. I bolded the important part as to why your bench dropped in weight. Whatever chest exercise you do its targeted. Load weight on the machine and adjust the height of the seat. Steelflex PLLE200 Leverage Leg Extension Machine. There is no math equation that could help convert a leverage bench press to free weights bench press. You don’t need to do all of these exercises at once. - Lever Press Arm: Multi-position leverage arm precisely replicates a barbell motion in safety - Swivelling Bench: Quickly swivel the bench to the side to use the press-arm standing or seated - Bench Back Pad Adjustment: 10 positions, adjusts to decline, flat, incline and fully upright angles with a quick release spring-loaded pin Reverse machine flyes ---> Dumbbell/bench lying rows. 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Do half your reps in each set lunging on one side, then switch to the other and repeat. This next section will cover decline bench press alternatives that involve either machine or cable variations. Exhale and use your chest muscles to push the dumbbells up. $2,599.00. “Even though you’re pushing, imagine the motion looking and feeling like you’re giving someone a hug,” Reames says. The decline bench press is an excellent exercise for strengthening your lower chest muscles.It’s a variation of the flat bench press, a popular chest workout.. The one downside of this movement is that at a certain point when you’re using the heavier dumbbells, you may need a training partner to place the dumbbells in your hands to start the movement. Injury Management: For the decline barbell bench press, proper form is very important. Essentially, this is the chest press machine in your gym or rec center. Bench press #4. Such benefits include added safety for the user and the ability to push closer to … 30%. You don’t need as much load for this exercise because rather than applying force to the dumbbell to lift the weight upward, you are (at the same time) trying to isometrically squeeze the dumbbells together as hard as possible as you go through the range of motion. Men’s Journal has affiliate partnerships so we may receive compensation for some links to products and services. eval(ez_write_tag([[300,250],'mensjournal_com-incontent_13','ezslot_5',128,'0','0'])); Sign up for our newsletter to get the latest adventures, workouts, destinations, and more. Unlike some of the other substitutes for decline bench press, the decline machine press is extremely simple to set up. With the pulley positioned at chest-height, reach behind you and grab a handle in each hand (your hands should be even with your shoulders); this is the start position. Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior and lateral deltoids, triceps, abdominals, and legs. Touch and Go Bench Press: Should You Pause On Your Chest? Grasp the bar slightly outside shoulder-width apart. or Best Offer. The only downside to the decline machine press is that not all gyms have this piece of equipment. ... 5 Piece 80s Nautilus Leverage Gym Leg Press Curl Extension Lat Pull Chest Press. This is all well and good until you plateau. Target Muscles Chest. Decline Dumbbell Bench Press Exercise. Slowly move your feet forward so your head, neck, shoulders, and upper back are flat against the stability ball. “This motion is great for total-body stabilization and balance while executing the pushing motion,” Reames adds. $2,899.99. Cardio Intensity. Details. “I advise people to keep their feet up on the bench for stability and to minimize hyper-extension of the low back,” Reames says. 11 watching. This example utilizes the pulley at shoulder height. In a study by Stephen & Armstrong (1997), they showed that when comparing a 30-degree incline bench press with a 15-degree decline bench press that the fibers of the lower pec are “significantly more activated” in the decline bench press. Stabilize one side as your extend the dumbbell in your opposite hand, lifting the weight straight up and across to mid-chest. The incline bench press is an advanced variation of the flat bench press that targets the entire chest with even more power and tension. On a personal level, I’ve been dedicating myself to the world of powerlifting for the past 15 years, having both competed and coached at the highest level. A: The decline press is the best for chest because it hits the lower- and upper-pec segments, according to an EMG study published in the Journal of Strength and Conditioning Research (11:163-167. Equipment Machine. 4- Decline bench press. If you’re wondering how to do a decline bench press without a bench this is an excellent alternative. “This one really makes your body think; by completing one side, then the other, any momentum generated in the chest press movement is minimized, thus making you work harder.”. However, to activate your lower pecs even more, which will make it more similar to a decline bench press, rotate your hands so that your fingers are pointed toward your toes. A good decline bench press alternative either mimics a similar movement pattern as the decline bench press or engages similar muscle groups, such as the lower pecs. Custom foot plate for not-slip usage. You may have a “seated chest press machine”, which is great at targeting your total chest. ... How to INCREASE Your Bench Press: 3 Common Mistakes | Silent Mike & Alan Thrall - Duration: 6:14. $1,499.00. No Lean Dip #10. FULL 12 WEEK PUSH,PULL,LEGS PROGRAM!- BUILD MUSCLE & STRENGTH! How to do it: Using a cable crossover unit, begin with your arms straight in front of you, handles in both hands. Then, press the weights toward the ceiling, extending your arms fully. Due to this, decline barbell bench press is a great way to add variation and extra volume to a standard chest routine without compromising the shoulders. Inhale and lift the bar off the rack. The vertical dip will be more similiar to a decline bench press if you lean forward with your torso rather than keeping your back vertical. STARTING (INITIAL) POSITION: Position yourself (lie faceup) on a decline bench (set to about 20 to 45 degrees) that is positioned in a Smith machine so that the bar lines up with the lower part of your chest. For more information please read our, The 30 Best Dumbbell Exercises of All Time, How Lamorne Morris Got Action Hero-Ready For ‘Bloodshot’, NFL Training: 15 Ways J.J. Watt Trains for Football Domination, Workout of the Month: The 40-Pushup Challenge, Foam Roller Chest Press: The Workout Move That’ll Challenge Your Entire Body. You’ll be in a tabletop position. Lower the weight slowly to your side—your wrist should be stacked over your elbow, and your elbow should be forming a 90-degree angle just like the start position—keeping full control the entire time. Load an appropriate weight onto the pins and adjust the seat for your height. Therefore, since the decline bench press targets the fibers of the lower pec to a greater extent, you will want to find exercise substitutes that activate the lower chest versus upper chest muscles. With plate loaded leverage machines, you get all of the benefits of classic weight stack machines . Easily set your incline or decline position with the 5 lifting arm positions, 5 back pad positions, 3 seat positions, and 13 bench depth positions. A lot of lifters also find that decline bench presses are easier on their shoulders than the flat and incline versions. PowerliftingTechnique.com also participates in affiliate programs with Clickbank, CJ, ShareASale, and other sites. What I don’t like about using a decline bench for either barbell or dumbbell variations is just how awkward it is to get in and out of the start position. In a decline bench press… These low-load or bodyweight decline bench press alternatives are great if you only have access to minimal equipment or no equipment at all. Grasp the bar with an overhand grip that is slightly wider than shoulder-width apart. Arch your back so the lower portion is off the bench and your shoulder blades are pulled together. This is an excellent alternative to the decline bench press at home, as you can perform it on a couch, chair, or stool. Perform the full chest press pushing motion, return to the starting position, then repeat. Avoid dropping your arms too much (beyond parallel to the body) as this may increase the likelihood of shoulder impingement. The sternal or lower pecs are involved in all chest exercises, but using a decline bench allows you to preferentially emphasize this part of your chest. #3. The alternative to bench press exercises would be to perform exercises on a chest press machine. The closer your arms come to your waist, the more you’ll be activating your serratus and lats, rather than your lower pecs. Be cautious. Related Article: Bench Press With Legs Up: How-To, Muscles Worked, Benefits, Note: video is performed on an incline bench, but you would perform it on a decline bench. Lower the dumbbells down just past your shoulders and back to the starting position. With a barbell racked, fold a band in half, then loop it, doubled over, through the handle of one kettlebell. Draw your elbows back just past your shoulder and return to the start. Just as a refresher, let’s go over the proper technique of a traditional chest press: Muscles worked: Pectoralis major, anterior and lateral deltoids, and triceps. Whereas the incline dumbbell press targets the upper pecs, the decline dumbbell press targets the lower pecs. My upper chest is very weak. In-Stock. Chair Dip. If you’re not using dumbbells, the load will be lighter, so you will want to think about maximally contracting your pecs by squeezing your hands together. Fast & Free shipping on many items! How to do it: Secure the tubing onto a column or stable unit behind you that won’t move or slice the tubing. This exercise stretches the muscle fibers more than any of the other dumbbell variations, which can lead to greater “muscular damage”. Your extend the dumbbell serratus pull-over in each hand, even with leverage decline chest press alternative back flat on an Olympic-style so... 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