EMG analysis revealed that the Decline Bench activates the fibers of the sternal head of the pectoralis major.[1]. Writer and expert / We cannot search for an empty value, please enter a search term. You Got A Killer Workout! Read our detailed analysis on the, The decline bench press can be beneficial if someone is looking to increase overall pressing and chest development, as it can help to increase muscle activation in the lower regions of the chest muscles. Here's Why, Get a Beach Body and Improve Your Game With the Same Workout, Boot Camp Bodyweight Circuit To Improve Your Fitness, Exercise of the Week: Loaded Slideboard Lateral Lunge, Lie on a decline bench and grasp the bar with a shoulder-width grip, Let your shoulders depress into the bench as you let the bar settle, Inhale and tighten yours lats, upper back and core, Lower the bar down to the bottom of your chest, keeping your elbows and wrists directly beneath the bar, Exhale and drive the bar back up to starting position. A spotter helps here too just as a safety blanket. | There's a gym myth that doing the Decline Bench Press actually flattens your chest. PRESS Adding them into your lifting routine could really help you fix imbalances that you may have noticed in your chest due to lack of lower-pectoral stimulation and could help increase your chest strength greatly. Once you get the bar to your chest, explode up, pressing the bar back to its original position while exhaling. It can also reduce strain on your lower back that you may feel when performing the flat bench press. Mike holds a Master’s in Exercise Physiology and a Bachelor’s in Exercise Science. The decline bench press can be done with dumbbells to increase unilateral development of the lower pectorals and enhance muscle activation (due to increase stability demands, angular changes from wrist pronation/supination, and increases range of motion). The decline push up is done by placing the hands upon a 2-4 inch platform or plates, matching the typically -15 degree incline of the chest. By Isaac Syred, • Finding a decline bench can be a difficult task in most functional fitness/CrossFit facilities and home gyms. This can be helpful for lifters who are lacking in lower pectoralis development yet do not have access to a standard decline bench. You want to make sure that you put the most important core lifts first. Got ONE Dumbbell? Faye Reid has a Master of Science in Sport Physiology and Nutrition. Thankfully there is. By Lauren Dawes, • Here's why: Tucked away in the corner of your gym is the decline bench.