The Syla5 Files

BigPecsPeter · 29 Jun 2013 at 19:45

Syla5 said:
Yeap its going well so far, only done it twice but the feeling is good, it's definitely hitting areas of my chest that flat bench just wasnt.

Do you ever do dips? I've always found them to work better for lower chest than the decline.

Syla5 · 29 Jun 2013 at 20:17

I have always done dips. Since introducing decline I feel a lot more in my upper chest the day after. In general I am just doing a load more volume for my chest then I did before.

icecold · 29 Jun 2013 at 20:40

From memory, you're way too good at dips compared to benching. This is why I stopped doing them, it just becomes a ball ache to load up.

Syla5 · 29 Jun 2013 at 22:00

Yeah i decided to use the time to smash my chest more, I still do dips but by the I get to them 10kg for 3x8 is hard. That is after decline, flat, close grip and some rows though

icecold · 29 Jun 2013 at 22:11

A ok that's a more reasonable weight

Steedie · 29 Jun 2013 at 22:20

Syla5 said:
Since introducing decline I feel a lot more in my upper chest the day after.

Skillmister · 29 Jun 2013 at 22:20

Syla5 said:
Since introducing decline I feel a lot more in my upper chest the day after.

:x

Syla5 · 30 Jun 2013 at 08:00

Your welcome to explain your understanding guys...

Syla5 · 30 Jun 2013 at 19:58

Decline activates more chest then flat or incline, a good squeeze at the top of the rep as well for good measure, and I have has upper chest doms, which I have never had before.

Syla5 · 30 Jun 2013 at 20:29

Steedie · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:08

Syla5 said:
Decline activates more chest then flat or incline

For you maybe, but that's definitely not the case for the majority

MoNkeE · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:12

I can't imagine a world where decline activates chest more. Honestly, if you think that was really the case, do you not think a LOT more people would do it?

Delvis · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:23

Its the case for him, I'm pretty sure its been discussed already

As I've said, muscle activation can be different for everyone.

Syla5 · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:41

No it's the case fullstop, why do you think powerlifters learned to develop an arch? It turns the flat bench in to as close to a decline as it can. It brings more chest in to the movement.

Steedie · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:43

lol ok Syla...ok

mrthingyx · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:44

And lats, I'd imagine. They're a bit bigger than pecs, after all...

Syla5 · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:46

Annoyingly I have a nice informative link....at work, I shall post it up.

Steedie · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:49

I wouldn't bother, your informative link could be countered by many other informative links. I could probably find an "informative" link that suggests doing bench with your feet behind your head brings in more chest too, such is the way of the internet

Syla5 · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:56

So what makes you so sure that decline doesn't activate more chest mass then? Like you say I am obviously in the minority, why?

BennyC · 30 Jun 2013 at 21:56

Steedie said:
For you maybe, but that's definitely not the case for the majority

Funnily enough I have a stronger incline DB bench than flat. And a stronger flat BB than decline or incline.

I also find the greatest recruitment in my strongest angles (no shizzle shirlock). Whether this be due to my physical setup/current state I don't know.

I do know that the last time I declined I didn't get on with it at all. The direction the muscle fibres run through the pectorals and where the insertion points are based leads us to believe movements bringing the arms down and across the chest should be the strongest. But it just doesn't translate.

If decline really were the strongest angle the surely it would make sense for the official powerlift to be decline bench which would remove the variable of flexibility/arch from the equation.