Q: I’ve always had stubborn upper pecs. I think that’s how it is for most bodybuilders. I’ve seen that you don’t recommend incline presses, which puzzles me. I use that as the first exercise in my chest workout. Can you explain your thinking?
A: My many back-and-forths with Drug-Free Mr. Universe and biomechanics expert Doug Brignole had me realize a few things about inclines…
The upper-chest fibers assist the front delts to a great degree. Notice how the upper third, above the word “pectoralis,” are angled in the illustration…
Those upper-most fibers pull your upper arm toward your mid-neck area, which requires a low-bench angle—about 30 degrees.
At higher bench angles, our upper arm move toward your chin and face, which is almost all front delt….
However, incline presses also involve the triceps. That’s why I like incline flyes as the better choice—you get more upper-chest isolation…
The upper chest is hard enough to innervate alone, so why involve more muscle groups?
Also, your upper-chest fibers dominate at the bottom half of the stroke, as they have a leverage advantage over the front delts. But as your arms move up, the top half of the stroke brings in more front delt….
So for best upper-pec-fiber activation and continuous tension, do only the bottom half of the stroke on your 30-degree incline flyes.
While the front delts are still involved through the bottom half, they are only minor players—much like the Dallas Cowboys in the playoffs for the past 20 years.
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