# Mass bulding for Chest



## DF (Dec 23, 2015)

Here's what I'm doing at the moment:

Flat DB's 4 sets  10 reps max
Incline DB's 4 sets 10 reps max
Incline or flat fly 4 sets 10 reps max
Cables 4 sets no more than 15 reps

I'm looking to sub out either the fly's or cables for another mass builder/big movement for chest.  Looking for comments/suggestions.


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## NbleSavage (Dec 23, 2015)

Flat DBs (activate & pump)
Slight Incline Heavy Bench Press (think 45 Lbs plate under the front of your bench if yours won't adjust)
Incline Db Hex press (VIDEO)
Cable Flies


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## Lilo (Dec 23, 2015)

NbleSavage said:


> Db Hex press



Used to do that but had no idea how it's called! I would do one rep of regular press then change to neutral grip for hex press. I would do one of each and consider it a single rep. Killer...

DF, how about chest dips?


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## DF (Dec 23, 2015)

NbleSavage said:


> Flat DBs (activate & pump)
> Slight Incline Heavy Bench Press (think 45 Lbs plate under the front of your bench if yours won't adjust)
> Incline Db Hex press (VIDEO)
> Cable Flies


I'm going to give those Hex press a go & see how that feels.  I like the Inc BB, but have been using DB's since just coming off a layoff & feel pretty weak.  I will be making the transition to BB soon.


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## DF (Dec 23, 2015)

Lilo said:


> Used to do that but had no idea how it's called! I would do one rep of regular press then change to neutral grip for hex press. I would do one of each and consider it a single rep. Killer...
> 
> DF, how about chest dips?



Unfortunately, My body hates dips. It hurts the shoulders, elbows & wrists. I wanted to do them for tri work.  I did find a hammer strength machine that simulates dips that doesn't feel too bad.  I'm going to use that for a bit then give dips a go again.


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## Assassin32 (Dec 23, 2015)

DF said:


> Unfortunately, My body hates dips. It hurts the shoulders, elbows & wrists. I wanted to do them for tri work.  I did find a hammer strength machine that simulates dips that doesn't feel too bad.  I'm going to use that for a bit then give dips a go again.



That's too bad DF. I love Heavy Bench and weighted dips for chest mass. I also used to love Incline DB press, but my old, decrepit shoulders disagree with them.


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## NbleSavage (Dec 23, 2015)

DF said:


> I'm going to give those Hex press a go & see how that feels.  I like the Inc BB, but have been using DB's since just coming off a layoff & feel pretty weak.  I will be making the transition to BB soon.



DB Hex Press IME takes the strain off the shoulders and places it squarely on the pecs as you're pressing the DBs against each other and driving them upwards at the same time. 

One of my favorite chest exercises


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## SuperBane (Dec 24, 2015)

For whatever reason I get lots of pec activation from floor presses.
Even more so than I do from regular flat bench.

Incline hammer press machine. I use those to finish off my chest routine.
Also if your gym has a dip assist machine you can use that to help build back up to regular body weight dips.
Also db champagne press on an incline is nice


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## ECKSRATED (Dec 24, 2015)

Floor press kill my chest also. 

Incline pin presses from about an inch from the chest is also one of my favorite.


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## Uncle manny (Dec 24, 2015)

I love heavy Dumbbells great chest activation.


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## GYMBRAT (Dec 24, 2015)

Super heavy everything for me. And yes Hex press is fkn awesome


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## DF (Dec 24, 2015)

SuperBane said:


> For whatever reason I get lots of pec activation from floor presses.
> Even more so than I do from regular flat bench.
> 
> Incline hammer press machine. I use those to finish off my chest routine.
> ...



My old gym had quite a bit of hammer stuff.... Loved it.  I think my new place only has a flat hammer.  I'll have to take a look.  I'm going to try out the floor press.  Thanks for the help



ECKSRATED said:


> Floor press kill my chest also.
> 
> Incline pin presses from about an inch from the chest is also one of my favorite.



What's the advantage of a pin press over a regular incline press.  Sounds interesting.



Uncle manny said:


> I love heavy Dumbbells great chest activation.



I like the feel of a heavy DB press over a BB press.  My gym only has up to 120lb DB's.


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## GYMBRAT (Dec 24, 2015)

DF said:


> My old gym had quite a bit of hammer stuff.... Loved it.  I think my new place only has a flat hammer.  I'll have to take a look.  I'm going to try out the floor press.  Thanks for the help
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Yup love hammer strength too
Love everything DB over BB as well. Much better muscle fiber activation imh. And the ability to manipulate the movement.


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## widehips71 (Dec 24, 2015)

Don't forget technique. Just a couple tips I picked up from a pro buddy of mine, which you may or may not already do, is to bring the bar high (like almost to the neck. I'm hitting my beard with it each rep) keeping the elbows flared out and humerus as close to perpendicular to the torso as possible, and squeeze the bar together throughput the entire movement. He will watch me and if my biceps aren't activating from "pulling" or squeezing the bar together he'll bitch at me. Chest was always a weak point for me because I didn't know how to activate them properly on pressing movements. My delts and tris always took over. My chest are as big as they've ever been because of these two changes alone


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## Onk (Dec 24, 2015)

some reason incline guillotine press or seated incline press work best for me.
after I do the latter, I do single arm side chest presses to work the inside portion.
Then over to flat or incline DB flys, then some cable work with a few sets at different elevations. 

All together it works a treat!


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## thqmas (Dec 24, 2015)

Weighted chest dips and/or heavy Dummbell Pullovers (tweaked correctly).

I may be the only guy at my gym doing pullovers (and I do incorporate it also in my back training). But believe me, it is so underrated and it gives amazing results.

The pullover works your serratus anterior as well (right under the pecs), and a sculpted serratus just make your chest look bigger.

Sometimes BB is just visual trickery. We think that if we work a body part it will grow, and it's true, to a degree. But when gains are no longer visual, it may be the time to concentrate on a different body part to maximize the appearance of the other muscle you are targeting.

Same principle works in powerlifting as well. Take the bench for example. My friend did not move up in weights for a year or so (was stuck on 250lbs or so). I advised him to strengthen his back. After a couple of months, and with wider, thicker lats, that MTF surpasses me and benched 352lbs (160kg) X5. Now he bench more than me and have a wider back? fuk him!

But you get my drift.


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## ECKSRATED (Dec 24, 2015)

Speaking of hammer strength my old gym had the iso low row hammer strength and it was by far one of the best back machine I've ever used. The angle and the way it hit your back was awesome. Miss that fukker


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## Assassin32 (Dec 24, 2015)

widehips71 said:


> Don't forget technique. Just a couple tips I picked up from a pro buddy of mine, which you may or may not already do, is to bring the bar high (like almost to the neck. I'm hitting my beard with it each rep) keeping the elbows flared out and humerus as close to perpendicular to the torso as possible, and squeeze the bar together throughput the entire movement. He will watch me and if my biceps aren't activating from "pulling" or squeezing the bar together he'll bitch at me. Chest was always a weak point for me because I didn't know how to activate them properly on pressing movements. My delts and tris always took over. My chest are as big as they've ever been because of these two changes alone



Wide, I know that's really good for growing you chest, but it's also a quick way to destroy your shoulders. It puts your shoulders in danger of impingement and rotator cuff arthritis. Impingement can often lead to surgery. Just thought I'd mention that in case you were unaware.


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## thqmas (Dec 24, 2015)

Assassin32 said:


> Wide, I know that's really good for growing you chest, but it's also a quick way to destroy your shoulders. It puts your shoulders in danger of impingement and rotator cuff arthritis. Impingement can often lead to surgery. Just thought I'd mention that in case you were unaware.



That's very true. I think it's called guillotine press or something no (as Onk mentioned)?


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## John Ziegler (Dec 24, 2015)

Not on steroids

Squat & Bench every 5th day. 

On steroids 

Squat & bench every 3rd day.

Sacrifice your social life fuk all that goofing around in public wasting energy on non sense.

No recreational drugs no alcohol no tobacco.

Eat big sleep like a bear wake up eat more and if you cant go back to sleep get back in bed and watch tv or something save your energy for building muscle.


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## widehips71 (Dec 24, 2015)

Assassin32 said:


> Wide, I know that's really good for growing you chest, but it's also a quick way to destroy your shoulders. It puts your shoulders in danger of impingement and rotator cuff arthritis. Impingement can often lead to surgery. Just thought I'd mention that in case you were unaware.



I am. You won't even see me use more than 135 for this movement. Thank you though, I should have pointed that out as well


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## PillarofBalance (Dec 24, 2015)

DF your best bet is to strengthen your press overall.  Do more heavy upper back work, and floor press in the 5 to 7 rep range.

Finish yourself off at the end of the work out with flies super set to facepulls.  Best way to do flies imo is with bands. I use the red micro mini bands. Attach to posts that are like 4 or 5 feet apart. Step forward until you have appropriate tension. Start swinging slowly.  As it gets close to failure back up to reduce the tension and keep going. Work up to a 100 rep set


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## SuperBane (Dec 24, 2015)

Also I forgot suicide grip / guillotine / incline bench.
I love those too. Slow and controlled


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## PillarofBalance (Dec 24, 2015)

Anyone ever do reverse grip bench? I tried it once but it just felt awkward...


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## John Ziegler (Dec 24, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Anyone ever do reverse grip bench? I tried it once but it just felt awkward...



I did a lot of reverse grip benchpress back in the 90's. I was made popular by these 2 dudes.


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## ToolSteel (Dec 24, 2015)

The fu k did I watch...


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## thqmas (Dec 24, 2015)

You asked for it Zeigler:


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## thqmas (Dec 24, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Anyone ever do reverse grip bench? I tried it once but it just felt awkward...



It's Awsome. The only problem is to unrack the bar...


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## John Ziegler (Dec 24, 2015)

ToolSteel said:


> The fu k did I watch...



Think big no doubt about it think big no doubt about it :32 (18):


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## Assassin32 (Dec 24, 2015)

widehips71 said:


> I am. You won't even see me use more than 135 for this movement. Thank you though, I should have pointed that out as well



I assumed you were bud, but I just figured I'd put it out there.


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## NbleSavage (Dec 24, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Anyone ever do reverse grip bench? I tried it once but it just felt awkward...



I've tried these. Never got into 'em myself. Awkward, yes. 

I'll work in a suicide press every so often though, keeping things light I get a great contraction. More of a volume-based exercise for hypertrophy IMO.


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## ECKSRATED (Dec 24, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> DF your best bet is to strengthen your press overall.  Do more heavy upper back work, and floor press in the 5 to 7 rep range.
> 
> Finish yourself off at the end of the work out with flies super set to facepulls.  Best way to do flies imo is with bands. I use the red micro mini bands. Attach to posts that are like 4 or 5 feet apart. Step forward until you have appropriate tension. Start swinging slowly.  As it gets close to failure back up to reduce the tension and keep going. Work up to a 100 rep set



When I was prepping for my meet on dynamic days I would do band presses. I'd loop it around the top of the power rack and do them as fast as I could. I used the medium orange bands.


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## Popeye (Dec 24, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Anyone ever do reverse grip bench? I tried it once but it just felt awkward...



I love reverse grip bench.

I do incline reverses and it blows my upper pecs WAY up. 

It is awkward, though...lol...you get used to it.


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## rburdge84 (Dec 24, 2015)

I always try to hit it from different angles with different methods. Such as pre exhaust and rest pause and drop sets. Also throwing in a bazare number of high reps can shock that muscle to growth.


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## ECKSRATED (Dec 24, 2015)

I never understood the whole pre exhaust shit. Why tire the muscle out with cable flies or something and then go do your compound movement. Why make it so your muscles are fatigued so u can't press as much as you should be able? I dunno it just don't make sense to me


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## rburdge84 (Dec 25, 2015)

I normally use it for pump and help her feel before starting big movements like pullover or flies.


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## ECKSRATED (Dec 25, 2015)

Big movements like pullovers or flies huh? Lol


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## rburdge84 (Dec 25, 2015)

Lol big movements for like bench and rows or pull-ups


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## goodfella (Dec 25, 2015)

Inclined reverse grip with something light after doing your other lifts is something that will help out. I always like closing out my chest with them.


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## SuperBane (Dec 25, 2015)

ECKSRATED said:


> I never understood the whole pre exhaust shit. Why tire the muscle out with cable flies or something and then go do your compound movement. Why make it so your muscles are fatigued so u can't press as much as you should be able? I dunno it just don't make sense to me



Bodybuilding technique. Something I wouldn't say is for strength.
Isolating the muscle attacking it for hypertrophy.
In a normal flat bench pressing either bodybuilding style or powerlifting style the pecs aren't activated nearly as much as the delta and triceps.
Having long arms I can attest that my delts have been built far faster than my pecs even without a dedicated shoulder day.

I for one do not like the elbow flare style of benching for bodybuilding which may or may not recruit more pec activation than the elbow tucked version of benching. Flaring the elbows sets one upon the road of injury at some point.

Pre exhausting the pecs and then doing the elbow flared is something I see "bodybuilder" in the gym do quite often.

Personally I do flat bench and try to setup like a powerlifters, then inclines with a suicide grip - guillotine to the neck slow and controlled. Then cable flye, Slight incline with db's then move to the hammer press machines.

Usually that is day two of benching for the week.
Day one is floor presses, board presses, pin press or some variant - heavy heavy heavy.

With long arms I have built a better chest along the way without so much emphasis on the standard flat bench.

Ecks I know this was way off from the point you were making or the question you ask.
Simply pre exhausting the pecs in isolation help with the standard flat bench for hypertrophy in bodybuilding.
Especially if you are a longer limb guy and not short with that minimal range of motion.
Just my .02 on the topic.


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## SuperBane (Dec 25, 2015)

Why not reverse grip in a prone hammer strength press machine?
I'm going to try it. No worries of unracking.


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## jojo58 (Dec 25, 2015)

I like standing high and low cable flys. I switch from the wide out cables to the closer cables. the wide outs seem to hit the center of my chest a little better. I'm not a big fan of the dumb bell flys b/c there is not much action at the top and I don't feel the pump as I would like.  I also like doing pullovers with an ez bar and then doing inside presses with the ez bar using the inside grips.These are pretty effective for me. I also do push ups wide out to focus on the rep. I steal the yoga blocks from the hippies or use the perfect push up  doing 10 full extension at a moderate pace in between sets almost daily. my body hates dips but I have gotten better at them over the years. I typically have to wrap the handles to give me a bigger grip and using a wider grip dip bar helps. the close grip ones on power towers isolate my triceps too much to be effective on my chest.


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## John Ziegler (Dec 25, 2015)

ECKSRATED said:


> Big movements like pullovers or flies huh? Lol



I think he was trying to say that he pumps up with the pullovers and flies before getting into the 



rburdge84 said:


> big movements for like bench and rows or pull-ups



rburge84 is english your first or second language, no offence either sir just curious ?


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## rburdge84 (Dec 25, 2015)

English is my primary lol I just didn't make sense I was talking about doing flies before bench and pullover before rows or pull downs. I agree if I was a guy focused solely on strength I wouldn't see the need to ore exhaust but for bodybuilding and trying to use different methods to build  I would def do pre exhaust. I don't now on my current plan, but in the past I have


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## jojo58 (Dec 25, 2015)

I'm not a big fan of pre exhaust but I do like to do post exhaust for pump after big lifts or pyramid down in succession after big lifts.


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## MindlessWork (Dec 25, 2015)

NbleSavage said:


> DB Hex Press IME takes the strain off the shoulders and places it squarely on the pecs as you're pressing the DBs against each other and driving them upwards at the same time.
> 
> One of my favorite chest exercises



So it must be like a close grip barbell press in the basic mechanics of the exercise? Will give these a try tomorrow.


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## NbleSavage (Dec 25, 2015)

MindlessWork said:


> So it must be like a close grip barbell press in the basic mechanics of the exercise? Will give these a try tomorrow.



I'd not equate it to a close grip barbell press as I find close grip BB to be more of a triceps-centric motion. DB hex press gives me a great pec contraction throughout the movement but especially at the peak. I tend to use moderate weight but like to use high volume for this one. Great finisher!


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## GYMBRAT (Dec 25, 2015)

MindlessWork said:


> So it must be like a close grip barbell press in the basic mechanics of the exercise? Will give these a try tomorrow.



Definitely not close grip. As close grip is for triceps.  Then again, the stronger the triceps the bigger the bench.

So in saying that, it is wise obviously to build your tricep power as well.

Eat big, lift big, get big, and strong of course


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## goodfella (Dec 25, 2015)

PillarofBalance said:


> Anyone ever do reverse grip bench? I tried it once but it just felt awkward...



I do to close out chest. Feels good to hit it at the end of your other chest lifts or after you hit some cables. So I go light with it 70-90lb barbell 10-20 reps or till burn out. It does feel awkward until you adjust/figure out the grip that works best for you.


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## Fsuphisig (Dec 26, 2015)

Learning how to flex the chest during any sort of press is the key, when you start really flexing the muscle under greater stresses it will grow but it doesn't always have to be a huge amount of weight. I used to bench a lot but I used so much legs and lats and triceps my chest wasn't that big, now I'm able to hit a couple warm up movements and by the time I hit bench I got a huge pump and I'm pressing with straight pecs. It's not easy to learn the connection, people have to lockout theirs elbows and they think that's flexing , no , you need to be stretching and flexing it under maximum tension you can handle safely


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## bigben66 (Dec 26, 2015)

Personally, I'm a big believer in 'it's not what you do, it's how you do it'....

Since I've been concentrating more on the mind/muscle connection, pec contraction and sparking the movement from the target area, I've seen huge improvements.

I used to be able to bench shitloads more than I can now, but never really saw much in the way of pec development as I was more worried about moving the weight from 'A' to 'B' and not how I was doing it.

Nowadays I employ lots more variation, better discipline, and concentrate fully on contraction and flaring the elbows to the angle where I need the work the most.
I also added a lot more supersets, fail sets, rest-pause sets, drop sets etc - and always take over 75% of my sets to failure.

Only in the last year have I got to the stage where I can look in the mirror and be satisfied with my pec fullness.


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## thqmas (Dec 26, 2015)

I can bench 150Kg easy. What bigben66 said is very true. Only after I dropped the act of benching big, checked my ego at the door and concentrated on muscle activation but with lower weights, I really started to see results in definition and mass of the chest.


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## MindlessWork (Dec 27, 2015)

thqmas said:


> I can bench 150Kg easy. What bigben66 said is very true. Only after I dropped the act of benching big, checked my ego at the door and concentrated on muscle activation but with lower weights, I really started to see results in definition and mass of the chest.



This is something I've decided to do as well as I am not getting any younger and old injuries come home to roost. My working sets have hovered around 185-205 lately (with bursts of 275) and been doing this much weight for reps. Great strategy thanks!


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## DF (Jan 8, 2016)

I tried out the Hex press yesterday.  I like the way they felt in the chest & tris.  I'm going to put these into my rotation.  I wanted to try the floor presses, but some douche had the rack tied up.  Thankd for all the sugestions fellas.  I'm going to give each of these a shot & see how things go.


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## saltylifter (Jan 10, 2016)

I have a hard time building my upper chest so what I do is almost always start off with a upper chest movement. U want that round chest look. A complete chest not just a lower chest.
A huge thing for chest is also the placement of your hands. Narrow your working triceps more so keep a eye out for that.
I also love drop sets. And kill squats on leg day. That will also help chest development


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## Jason126 (Jan 10, 2016)

DB hex press. Good idea. Today is chest and shoulder day for me and I'm going to throw them in the mix!


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## DF (Jan 15, 2016)

Last night I tried out the floor press for the first time ever.  I was a bit skeptical before trying them, but now I'm a believer.  I like how they felt throught the chest, shoulders & especially tris.  Do to various injuries elbows, wrists it's not easy for me to find a tri exercise that doesn't cause me some kind of pain.  These felt great!.  I'm putting them into the regular rotation.


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