# Flat vs incline Press



## Sicwun88 (Feb 24, 2020)

Which do you prefer?

Of course everyone has flat benched,
Probably the very 1st exercise that most attempted,way back when,? First thing anyone that suspects that
You may lift weights is...
"How much can you bench"? Lol,

Anyway over the years I've basically have abandoned flat bench,
I'm 6'4" w long arms, and feel w over 20+yrs of training & knowing what benefits me, that incline is best for me,
Flat seems to put too much stress on the shoulders
Regardless of the grip,even just putting 2plates under the flat bench is much better for me then,
Going flat,it seems to give me a better, chest work out by doing so,but I do incorporate reg flat bench flies in my workout!
Just wanted to hear some opinions!


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## CJ (Feb 24, 2020)

You know your own body, if an exercise doesn't work for you, don't do it just because someone says that you should.

That said, I like DB presses over the BB version. I just feel them much more in my chest, both incline and flat.


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## BigSwolePump (Feb 24, 2020)

Flat bench is an ego exercise. Unless you are powerlifting, I don't see a good reason to flat bench with barbells. Now flat flys or flat dumbell press, thats can build some muscle. 

Incline>Flat for chest growth IMO


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## tinymk (Feb 24, 2020)

Love both angles to work my chest. I do zero decline work though. For me it is just worthless.  I believe heavy inclines carry over into a big bench.  Unlike a big bench means a big incline. To get a big incline, I really have to pound incline and incline flys for it to get in the mid 400’s.  
I think they are both great strength movements from a PL POV.   Equally hard on the AC joints in the shoulders


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

BigSwolePump said:


> Flat bench is an ego exercise. Unless you are powerlifting, I don't see a good reason to flat bench with barbells. Now flat flys or flat dumbell press, thats can build some muscle.
> 
> Incline>Flat for chest growth IMO



This is so correct, decline gives the best for growth.

Flip flop from incline and decline, less weight but better chest!


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

tinymk said:


> Love both angles to work my chest. I do zero decline work though. For me it is just worthless.  I believe heavy inclines carry over into a big bench.  Unlike a big bench means a big incline. To get a big incline, I really have to pound incline and incline flys for it to get in the mid 400’s.
> I think they are both great strength movements from a PL POV.   Equally hard on the AC joints in the shoulders



Yup, incline was always our accessory work esspecially with dumbells.

Stopped decline once I became a powerlifter but for a lot of these guys it's a great angle.


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## tinymk (Feb 24, 2020)

I not knocking the exercise it self just that for me in my training I get little back on my investment in terms of a bigger total


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

tinymk said:


> I not knocking the exercise it self just that for me in my training I get little back on my investment in terms of a bigger total



I'm sure I was never at your level in total by the way, you got me by more then 300 in raw total lol.

Your bench was my squat!


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

1430 was my last meet

501
389
540

I know the total was 1430, squat 501 but the bench and deadlift maybe rounded off.

Coach was pissed I didn't add more weight on the pull as I smoke the 540ish.


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## brock8282 (Feb 24, 2020)

Flat barbell bench seems to give more people shoulder issues then anything else and I personally can't do it for more then maybe a month before mine start acting up. I love barbell incline though. I do agree putting a plate underneath a flat bench and making it a slight decline makes for a much stronger chest contraction, I actually got that idea originally from John Meadows, he does it with dumbbells and claimed it helps take the front delt out.


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## tinymk (Feb 24, 2020)

SFGiants said:


> 1430 was my last meet
> 
> 501
> 389
> ...


That is a great total brother!!


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## simplesteve (Feb 24, 2020)

Every now and again I'll hit the flat barbell, but I've mainly switched to incline for most chest exercises, I also hit three different angles on the cables.

I hate the feeling of blood rushing to my head so don't do much decline.... Maybe 8 months ago I did some?


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

simplesteve said:


> Every now and again I'll hit the flat barbell, but I've mainly switched to incline for most chest exercises, I also hit three different angles on the cables.
> 
> I hate the feeling of blood rushing to my head so don't do much decline.... Maybe 8 months ago I did some?



Having the feet supported like a leg extension always messed with my head.


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## Blacktail (Feb 24, 2020)

Sicwun88 said:


> Which do you prefer?
> 
> Of course everyone has flat benched,
> Probably the very 1st exercise that most attempted,way back when,? First thing anyone that suspects that
> ...



I agree with you. I’m 6’2” with long ass arms lol. I feel way more when I do incline vs flat.


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

Blacktail said:


> I agree with you. I’m 6’2” with long ass arms lol. I feel way more when I do incline vs flat.



Those tits got me hypnotized!


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## Blacktail (Feb 24, 2020)

SFGiants said:


> Those tits got me hypnotized!



thanks lol. Ya they still do that to me! She is awesome,I’m a very lucky man!


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## Sicwun88 (Feb 24, 2020)

Hammer strength
Flat bench,works well for me,I feel a better contraction in the middle of my chest
With the hammer strength flat bench,
Also able to do 1arm presses as well! And my incline is much stronger
Then my flat bench, I'm able to hit 415,
For a 2-3count on a good day,
Yet 415 on the flat bench,
I basically pinned at the bottom of the movement. if you have access to hex shape dumbbells?
Dumbbell together presses, really hit the inner chest
Like no other,
Especially on the incline,
But don't like doing them w regular plate dumbbells,they slip to easily & thts
Not a nice feeling when you get pinched!


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## BigSwolePump (Feb 24, 2020)

Blacktail said:


> thanks lol. Ya they still do that to me! She is awesome,I’m a very lucky man!



If you want to make everyone else lucky: Just sayin lol

https://www.ugbodybuilding.com/forums/82-Red-Light-District


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## Blacktail (Feb 24, 2020)

BigSwolePump said:


> If you want to make everyone else lucky: Just sayin lol
> 
> https://www.ugbodybuilding.com/forums/82-Red-Light-District



already there brother. Take a look. Boobs only, the rest is mine lol


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## Elivo (Feb 24, 2020)

I’ve gone to only dumbell flat bench and have got rid of flat bb totally. I also hit the hammer strength incline and decline as well then a mix of incline and flat fly. 

working well for me


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## Deadhead (Feb 24, 2020)

I personally love incline... but slight decline activates mre chest for me


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## YvngNewport (Feb 24, 2020)

You know what works best for you..
But I believe in hitting all angles of the chest to get optimum growth. Both angles are solid with bb and db for me.


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## Danny Bravo (Feb 24, 2020)

I’ve made my best gains lately decline, only dumbbells on the incline. In the past I’ve always been stronger from the incline. Definitely got front Delts swole from decline bench,&  front shoulder press.


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## German89 (Feb 24, 2020)

I don't flat bench.

I also don't use a barbell either.  DB or machines.

I like to play with my wrist angles, the degree in the bench, TUT/Tempo.


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## Trump (Feb 24, 2020)

I do both bb and db


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## chicago311 (Feb 24, 2020)

decline bench seems to be the best for me.


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## Gabriel (Feb 24, 2020)

I have always like incline over flat.................Set all my PR's about 12 yrs ago....incline was 315 for 4 reps.........at 177lbs...never hit that again!!


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## CLIHAU (Feb 24, 2020)

Incline.. the only thing I do flat are db flies


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## SFGiants (Feb 24, 2020)

I like flat, flat chested women, yes I really do!


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## Texan69 (Feb 25, 2020)

SFGiants said:


> This is so correct, decline gives the best for growth.
> 
> Flip flop from incline and decline, less weight but better chest!




Was it Dorian Yates who sticks to decline as his main exercise for chest? I tend to stick to bench only because I’m stuck at a 330 max and would love to hit more..although I do feel I get more benefit from incline and I do feel my chest contract way more on decline than anything else.
I did not read all the comments so if someone brought it up already forgive me..


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## Texan69 (Feb 25, 2020)

Blacktail said:


> thanks lol. Ya they still do that to me! She is awesome,I’m a very lucky man!



best avi on the site for sure


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## Joliver (Feb 25, 2020)

Weighted dips > decline.


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## SFGiants (Feb 25, 2020)

Texan69 said:


> Was it Dorian Yates who sticks to decline as his main exercise for chest? I tend to stick to bench only because I’m stuck at a 330 max and would love to hit more..although I do feel I get more benefit from incline and I do feel my chest contract way more on decline than anything else.
> I did not read all the comments so if someone brought it up already forgive me..



It might have been

Train your sticking points and overload the boar with bands, chains, floor press and boards if you can.

Learn what secondary exercise will improve your bench by knowing were your weakness is on the lift.

We always looked at the 1 movement as testing and training that movement with all the accessory work after the strength builders.


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## dk8594 (Feb 25, 2020)

Depends on a lot on the individual and their leverage. The test i go through is to test the range of motion without weights  each angle and see where I feel the contraction. For me, just standing and holding my arm at the angle I would be at on an incline and mimicking a pressing movement it’s primarily delts. Could be different for others


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## snake (Feb 25, 2020)

PLers have to flat bench; they have no choice. For building muscle, you first need to put the weights down and think about it. Put one arm out, pull it across your body and contract the chest; do that at different angles. The one that holds the best contraction holds your answer.


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## ripper (Feb 25, 2020)

Joliver said:


> Weighted dips > decline.



Incline DB and Dips have been my primary movements for chest for a long while.  I'll add cables/flys sometimes but have never really liked flat BB bench.


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## Texan69 (Feb 25, 2020)

My mentality is at the end of the day what works best is the exercise you are gonna put out 100% effort out consistently....for the most part at least 
you can’t refuse to do squats and only put out on leg extensions and expect results. While flat bench may not be the best chest builder if you work at and bench over 400 pounds I feel like your gonna have some decent mass. Find what you enjoy doing and put out on it consistently... can’t go wrong.


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## ECKSRATED (Feb 25, 2020)

Incline carries over well for me in powerlifting. I’ve always like doing a very slight decline too.


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## Voyagersixone (Feb 26, 2020)

Lots of gratitude to this thread. Had the best chest day in a while by skipping flats and focusing on incline/decline - much more focus on the boobs... still worked the shoulders but without the bite.


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## Seeker (Feb 26, 2020)

My chest workouts for the most part always started with incline, sometimes barbell, sometimes dumbell. Always finished with dips, and mixing it up in between. Every few weeks I would just run a flat bench workout then finishing with decline. That was then. Now I do incline and machines after. No more dips.


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## brock8282 (Feb 27, 2020)

I see a lot of guys like dips here, give banded dips a go sometime. I will link to a picture to show what I mean. I particularly like them because resistance is lowest at the bottom when your shoulder is in the worse position, and resistance increases as you push up which also happens to be where you are the strongest so the strength curve better aligns with what's natural for the body.

https://images.app.goo.gl/gtZNcDvpxHbg5UqT6


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