Not a fan of the barbell bench press. I know, I know—it’s the most popular exercise in the gym.
But not because of the results. It’s because it’s one of the best look-how-much-I-can-lift moves. Plus, you get to do it lying on your back…
Still, it’s far from the best chest exercise. Using dumbbells is better—and on a decline bench even better yet. Why?
With a barbell, your hands are locked on the bar outside of your shoulders. That means your pecs’ range of motion is limited.
Think about it, and look at the pic of Arnold above. He’s almost at the top of the rep, and his arms are angled away from his torso. They should be more perpendicular, or straight up, for full pectoral activation—which is what occurs with dumbbells…
But here’s what really blew my mind, something Mr. America and Drug-Free Mr. Universe Doug Brignole (he won the latter contest at age 59) observed…
If the bar was greased, your hands would slide outward as you push. In the photo above, Arnold’s hands would slam into the inside collars on the bar…
To maximally stimulate your pecs, your arms should be pulling INWARD toward the breastbone. That’s the primary function of the pecs, not pushing your hands out. Driving outward engages too much triceps…
Now imagine the move with dumbbells. Your upper arms will drive inward as you push through an arc, a much more pec-centric motion.
And on a slight decline you provide a better line of force for recruiting the most pectoral fibers—even the upper chest.
Details like that are critically important when it comes to getting the most mass bang for your effort buck in the gym—efficiency of effort.
That’s exactly what helped me accelerate my results with only 35-minute workouts three days a week—and the very reason I wrote Old Man, Young Muscle…
I guarantee that a lot of the info included in it will blow your mind—and blow up your muscles…
New: Get the ideal exercise for each muscle, the best add-on moves for ultimate mass, complete 35-minute workouts, exercise start/finish photos, and details on building muscle fast and efficiently in Old Man, Young Muscle.
And you still get The Muscle-On, Belly-Gone “Diet” ebook FREE for a limited time when you add Old Man, Young Muscle to your mass-building library. Go HERE.
Steve Holman
Former Editor in Chief, Iron Man Magazine
www.X-Rep.com
Recommended
Get FREE Protein!
(while you can)
One of our favorite proteins has a try-it-free, no-strings offer, and we don’t want you to miss out. No, this is not a trick or scam—it’s simply a way for BioTrust to get you to try their great Low-Carb protein, no strings whatsoever (just pay a small shipping cost). We’re not kidding…This is an incredible offer, but there’s a limited supply, so grab yours today before the offer runs out** —and it’s delicious, by the way!
–> Secure Your FREE Container NOW! (limited inventory)
**One free container per household