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What
Does the Incline Press Do?
Steve Daisey
MPT, CSCS
One of the enduring myths
of weightlifting centers around the subject of the bench press. It
is commonly thought that an incline press emphasizes the upper pectoralis
muscles, decline hits the lower pecs, and the flat bench covers the
middle pecs. Research shows however, that this is in fact not true
(1).
When EMG (electromyography which measures how much of a particular
muscle is actually firing) studies are performed on the pecs, we find
out that an incline press does not shift the muscle contraction to
the upper portion (clavicular head) of the pectoralis major muscles
the way everyone once thought.
In fact, it is a close-grip flat
bench press that elicits the greatest firing from the upper pecs.
This makes sense when you think about it, because the closer your
hands are together during a bench press the more the motion of your
arms resembles an “uppercut” motion. This recruits the
clavicular head of the pectoralis major.
Have a friend push up against your hand in an uppercut motion and
put your other hand over his/her upper pec. You’ll feel the
upper pec kick in dramatically.
Furthermore, the research shows that the flat bench press works the
entire pectoral muscle - upper, middle and lower.
Close-grip bench press is a more effective and safer way to emphasize
the upper chest during weightlifting since the incline press puts
your shoulder and rotator cuff in an awkward position.
REFERENCES:
1. Barnett
C, Kippers V, Turner P: Effects of variations of the bench press exercise
on the EMG activity of five shoulder muscles. J Strength and Conditioning
Research, 1995, 9(4), 222-227.
2. Clemons JM, Aaron C: Effect of grip width on the myoelectric activity
of the prime movers in the bench press. J Strength and Condition Research
1997, 11(2), 82-87. |
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