UB – PUSH – BENCH PRESS: INCLINE-FLAT-DECLINE – RESEARCH

BENCH ANGLE: INCLINE-FLAT-DECLINE

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EMG STUDIES

PECTORALIS MAJOR: UPPER, MIDDLE, TRICEPS, ANTERIOR DELT, LATS, BICEPS
– Bench Press Incline, Flat, Decline with Mid Grip

The Effects of Bench Press Variations in Competitive Athletes on Muscle Activity and Performance – Saeterbakken, – 2017
Aim-Procedure
– Compare 6RM competition style bench press (flat bench-wide grip) with:
(1) flat bench medium & narrow grip
(2) +25º inclined and −25º declined bench with a wide grip
– 12 bench press athletes competing at national and international level; 5 sets of 6-RM and EMG activity in the competition style
– wide grip = maximum grip width permitted in the bench press competition rules; 81cm spacing between forefingers (32″ approx.)
– medium grip width = 50% of wide-narrow grip; 61.5 ± 3.5 cm (24″ approx.)
– narrow grip width = biacromial distance; 42.0 ± 3.5 cm (16″ approx.)

PECTORALIS MAJOR: UPPER, MIDDLE, LOWER & TRICEPS LONG HEAD
– Bench Press Incline, Flat, Decline with Narrow and Wide Grips

Effect of 12 Variations of Bench Press on 3 Heads of Pectoral Major – 2020 – Roy, Sercia – PDF File .
Procedures
· 13 healthy men with more than a year of resistance training experience
Grip Width
(1) C = Close or Narrow: 100% biacromial = shoulder width
(2) W = Wide: 200% biacromial or 2x shoulder width
Type of Grip
· P = Pronated and S = Supinated
Bench Angles
(1) D = Decline -15º
(2) H = Horizontal or Flat
(3) I = Incline +30º
Results – MVIC
Note: I didn’t include supinated grip results; they place too much stress to the elbows and wrists; perhaps semi-supinated on the angled-handle bar
Clavicular Head of the Pectoralis Major: IPC 70%  ·  IPW 70%  ·  HPC 68%  · HPW 50%  ·  DPC 50%  ·  DPW 45%
Sternocostal Head of the Pectoralis Major: HPW 70%  ·  DPW 60%  ·  HPC 55%  ·  IPW 55%  ·  DPC 50%  ·  IPC 45%
Abdominal Head of the Pectoralis Major: HPW 65%  ·  DPW 65%  ·  DPC 50%  ·  HPC 50% ·   IPW 40%  ·  IPC 25%
+ Long Head of the Triceps Brachii: DPC 50%  ·  HPC 40% ·  IPC 35% ·   HPW 35%  ·  DPW 35%  ·  IPW 30%

PECTORALIS MAJOR: UPPER, MIDDLE, LOWER & TRICEPS MEDIAL HEAD
– Bench Press Flat with Mid Grip 150% Biacromial Width

5 Bench Press Inclinations – 2020 – Muyor; David Rodríguez-Ridao

Procedures
– 30 trained adults; ≥1 year experience; the participants had to lift a 1RM while maintaining an adequate technique
Grip Width
· Grip width =150% of the biacromial width and with the hands and forearms pronated during all repetitions
· The bar was lowered to 1 cm from the chest (sternum), with the shoulders abducted to approximately 45°
Results
Pectoralis Major – upper portion: 30 Incline 29% · 15 Incline 28% · Flat 27% · 45 Incline 25% · 60 Incline 18%
Pectoralis Major – middle portion: Flat 27% · 15 Incline 25% · 30 Incline 17% · 45 Incline 12% · 60 Incline 7%
Pectoralis Major – lower portion: Flat 27% · 15 Incline 23% · 30 Incline 17% · 45 Incline 8% · 60 Incline 7%
+ Anterior Deltoid: 45 Incline 33% · 60 Incline 33% · 30 Incline 32% · 15 Incline 31% · Flat 27%
+ Triceps brachii – Medial head: equal

PECTORALIS MAJOR: UPPER, MIDDLE, LOWER & LONG HEAD
– Bench Press Incline, Flat, Decline vs. Machine with Wide Grip

Free-weight bench press variations vs. Chest Press Machine – Includes PDF – 2019 – Coratella
Procedure
– 10 competitive bodybuilders; 4 non-exhaustive reps @80%1RM
– Grip Width: 90º angle between upper and lower arm when bar on the chest
Results
Pec Major – Clavicular Head: +45°Incline 95% · Flat 85% · 15°Decline 75% · Machine 60%
Pec Major – Sternocostal Head: -15°Decline 90% · Flat 80% · Machine 75% · 45°Incline 60%
+ Triceps Brachii – Long Head: -15°Decline 95% · Flat 90% · 45°Incline 80% · Machine 65%
+ Anterior Deltoid: Machine 70% · 45°Incline° 65% · Flat 65% · 15°Decline 25%
+ Lateral Deltoid: low activation
– use of BP variations vs. Machine allows overall greater triceps brachii and lateral deltoid excitation, due to the greater instability

PECTORALIS MAJOR: UPPER, MIDDLE
– Bench Press Incline, Flat, Decline with Mid Grip

Bench Angles in the Bench Press – 2015 – Lauver
Procedures
– 14 healthy resistance trained males with ≥12 months lifting experience; horizontal bench 1RM ≥ bodyweight
– free-weight barbell bench press; 1×6 reps @65%1RM
Grip Width
– 150% biacromial width or 1.5x shoulder width; medium width
Results – Concentric – Highest Readings
Pectoralis Major – Clavicular: 30°incline 120% · 45°incline 120% · Flat 95% · 15ºdecline 95%
Pectoralis Major – Sternocostal: Flat 120% · 15ºdecline 120% · 30°incline 110% · 45°incline 90%
+ Anterior Deltoid: +30°incline 110% · 45°incline 105% · Flat 80% · 15ºdecline 70%

PECTORALIS MAJOR: UPPER, MIDDLE & TRICEPS LONG HEAD
– Bench Press Incline, Flat, Decline with Wide and Narrow Grip

Variations of the Bench Press on the EMG Activity of 5 Shoulder Muscles – 1995 – Barnett
Procedure
– 6 male weight trainers ≥ 2 years of training; 4 conditions of trunk inclination and 2 of hand spacing @80%1RM
Bench Angle
(1) decline minus 18º
(2) flat
(3) incline 40º
(4) vertical: military press seated on flat bench
Grip Width
(1) wide = 200% biacromial or shoulder width
(2) narrow = 100% biacromial or shoulder width
Results
Pectoralis major – Clavicular Head: incline 55 · flat 50 · decline 35 (grip width unknown)
Pectoralis major – Sternocostal Head: wide flat 54 · narrow flat 50 · narrow decline 45 · wide decline 40 · wide incline 40  · narrow incline 30
+ Anterior Delt: wide/narrow vert. 90 · wide incline 85 · narrow incline 80 · narrow flat 70 · wide flat 50 · narrow decline 55 · wide decline 40
+ Triceps brachii – Long Head: flat 70 · decline 65 · vertical 40  · incline 38 (grip width unknown)

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