Target Your UPPER CHEST (Pec Isolation Reality)
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Date: 2022-04-22
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Comments and reviews: 10
John
Going on that logic, isn't what everyone calls a Decline Bench/Dumbbell Press BETTER for upper pec targeting than Incline? This one has been baffling me for a while. Maybe someone who's an expert can help answer.
I seem to be feeling more muscle contraction in the upper pec region doing dumbbell pullovers, decline dumbbells, etc, than I ever do doing any kind of incline motion like incline bench or incline dumbbells. Although there are LOTS of websites claiming incline bench is the best, but then so many people, myself included, have bigger lower pecs than upper pecs because the average user looks for one piece of information, and gets a whole slew of sometimes uniform and sometimes conflicting information.
At least for me incline movements pulls a little on the muscle, but doesn't contract them, unless you have full range of motion, and even then, I think the gains doing incline bench are residual, you're not really influencing them to the degree of any kind of decline activity.
I could be wrong here, but then, all those big ripped bodybuilders on the net claiming incline is the way to go may be doing decline also and just not mention it, because they're targeting everything already in their workouts uniformly and not realizing what movements are actually benefiting what muscles.
Just a theory. Not saying I'm right, but my findings and it looks like Jeff's findings seem to be conflicting with the majority of information. The shrugs Jeff is doing here are kind of like a decline, just he's rotated relatively the same way as a decline, into a standing position so gravity is playing in a little differently.
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Going on that logic, isn't what everyone calls a Decline Bench/Dumbbell Press BETTER for upper pec targeting than Incline? This one has been baffling me for a while. Maybe someone who's an expert can help answer.
I seem to be feeling more muscle contraction in the upper pec region doing dumbbell pullovers, decline dumbbells, etc, than I ever do doing any kind of incline motion like incline bench or incline dumbbells. Although there are LOTS of websites claiming incline bench is the best, but then so many people, myself included, have bigger lower pecs than upper pecs because the average user looks for one piece of information, and gets a whole slew of sometimes uniform and sometimes conflicting information.
At least for me incline movements pulls a little on the muscle, but doesn't contract them, unless you have full range of motion, and even then, I think the gains doing incline bench are residual, you're not really influencing them to the degree of any kind of decline activity.
I could be wrong here, but then, all those big ripped bodybuilders on the net claiming incline is the way to go may be doing decline also and just not mention it, because they're targeting everything already in their workouts uniformly and not realizing what movements are actually benefiting what muscles.
Just a theory. Not saying I'm right, but my findings and it looks like Jeff's findings seem to be conflicting with the majority of information. The shrugs Jeff is doing here are kind of like a decline, just he's rotated relatively the same way as a decline, into a standing position so gravity is playing in a little differently.
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SuperMerlot
It was this video that convinced me I actually had upper chest muscle fibers and not just the sternum bone. Man boobs run in my family (those who excercised); my father and uncles had them. Not gynecomastia just lack of upper chest development. I tried several isolation excercises with cables in all sort of position and inclinations without seeing much of a result. In the end it was the incline dumbell press with strict form at moderate angle that I think made the difference; and only after I was able to handle heavy loads for 6-4 reps. I also pre exhausted the pectorals with cables and allocated 2 sessions per week. Then little by little I started to see the first lines of muscle separation between the clavicules and the pectoral muscles. My upper chest is nowhere near this guy but Im so happy with my results as modest as they are. I have now hope I can beat my genetic fate if I continue workng.
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It was this video that convinced me I actually had upper chest muscle fibers and not just the sternum bone. Man boobs run in my family (those who excercised); my father and uncles had them. Not gynecomastia just lack of upper chest development. I tried several isolation excercises with cables in all sort of position and inclinations without seeing much of a result. In the end it was the incline dumbell press with strict form at moderate angle that I think made the difference; and only after I was able to handle heavy loads for 6-4 reps. I also pre exhausted the pectorals with cables and allocated 2 sessions per week. Then little by little I started to see the first lines of muscle separation between the clavicules and the pectoral muscles. My upper chest is nowhere near this guy but Im so happy with my results as modest as they are. I have now hope I can beat my genetic fate if I continue workng.
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Sanju
In the course of training so far, all I could learn is that you need a big chest for a big upper chest. Some people genuinely have more mass in the upper part like me while lag in that lower definition, whereas some have the reverse way around. Some on the other hand have a full all around chest even without lifting. A lot of genetics play a big role here. Speaking about the video, I have tried this thing with cables and dumbbells standing with arched back. It feels amazing in the upper inner part. But I still believe that the hypertrophy will still occur much overall. You see the upper chest complaints do not come often from much mascullar dudes. I believe keep growing chest until you get those upper, inner, lower, outer and a fuller chest. Some people will succeed soon some will take time. It-s only about trying different things and trying consistently.
reply
In the course of training so far, all I could learn is that you need a big chest for a big upper chest. Some people genuinely have more mass in the upper part like me while lag in that lower definition, whereas some have the reverse way around. Some on the other hand have a full all around chest even without lifting. A lot of genetics play a big role here. Speaking about the video, I have tried this thing with cables and dumbbells standing with arched back. It feels amazing in the upper inner part. But I still believe that the hypertrophy will still occur much overall. You see the upper chest complaints do not come often from much mascullar dudes. I believe keep growing chest until you get those upper, inner, lower, outer and a fuller chest. Some people will succeed soon some will take time. It-s only about trying different things and trying consistently.
reply
David
Completely agree. There is an -all or nothing- principle when it comes to muscle contraction. You cannot -spot- contract a muscle. Muscles are just like elastic bands. They attach to bone in two places, their origination and their insertion. That's it. Muscles always pull toward their origin and they always pull parallel to their fibers. You'd have to add additional attachments along the way to change that. IMO, he is completely correct in the very beginning and then goes completely wrong. Once you establish the all-or-nothing principle, that's the end of the conversation. When he extends his arm upward, what you see working mostly is the anterior deltoid. The reason why you 'see more chest' in that position is because moving the arm upward is simply pushing more of the upper portion of the pectoralis major into that area.
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Completely agree. There is an -all or nothing- principle when it comes to muscle contraction. You cannot -spot- contract a muscle. Muscles are just like elastic bands. They attach to bone in two places, their origination and their insertion. That's it. Muscles always pull toward their origin and they always pull parallel to their fibers. You'd have to add additional attachments along the way to change that. IMO, he is completely correct in the very beginning and then goes completely wrong. Once you establish the all-or-nothing principle, that's the end of the conversation. When he extends his arm upward, what you see working mostly is the anterior deltoid. The reason why you 'see more chest' in that position is because moving the arm upward is simply pushing more of the upper portion of the pectoralis major into that area.
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NL3044
Scapular dyskinesia (poor scapular movement pattern) manifested as excessive shoulder elevation is not due to lack of pec minor/major activation or over activation of front fiber of deltoids. It's either due to mid/lower trapezius muscle weakness allowing excessive rotation of the scapular or shortening of pec minor causing excessive protraction. This causes depression in the subacromial space which impinges the rotator cuff and changes the angle of the rotor cuff tendon not allow it to work efficiently, this results in should instability because the rotator cuff muscles cannot activate effectively. Anatomically pecs have very little role in shoulder flexion but more so adduction below 90 deg should flexion.
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Scapular dyskinesia (poor scapular movement pattern) manifested as excessive shoulder elevation is not due to lack of pec minor/major activation or over activation of front fiber of deltoids. It's either due to mid/lower trapezius muscle weakness allowing excessive rotation of the scapular or shortening of pec minor causing excessive protraction. This causes depression in the subacromial space which impinges the rotator cuff and changes the angle of the rotor cuff tendon not allow it to work efficiently, this results in should instability because the rotator cuff muscles cannot activate effectively. Anatomically pecs have very little role in shoulder flexion but more so adduction below 90 deg should flexion.
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cris
Jeff, your instructions are the most accurate and scientifically sound, your drawings are illuminating. I have been going to the gym for seven years and I tried light weights and heavy weights and had some results. However as a 54 yo guy I don't want to injure myself lifting heavy all the time just to get some results. Understanding where the muscles are attached and how they run and function are so important. You have elucidated the best way to get a group of muscles working the way they are suppose to. I use less weights and get better results by following the normal movements of the muscles and how they should be exercised. Thank you for your knowledge
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Jeff, your instructions are the most accurate and scientifically sound, your drawings are illuminating. I have been going to the gym for seven years and I tried light weights and heavy weights and had some results. However as a 54 yo guy I don't want to injure myself lifting heavy all the time just to get some results. Understanding where the muscles are attached and how they run and function are so important. You have elucidated the best way to get a group of muscles working the way they are suppose to. I use less weights and get better results by following the normal movements of the muscles and how they should be exercised. Thank you for your knowledge
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King
Jeff you are priceless. I've been hitting my chest for over 30 years and never built my upper chest until I ran into your videos. My results have been amazing thanks to you. In return I tell everybody I can about your videos when they want to get better results on their bodies. I appreciate you taking the time by giving experienced advice and being the part that makes it easy for one to trust because you are a perfect picture of fitness.
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Jeff you are priceless. I've been hitting my chest for over 30 years and never built my upper chest until I ran into your videos. My results have been amazing thanks to you. In return I tell everybody I can about your videos when they want to get better results on their bodies. I appreciate you taking the time by giving experienced advice and being the part that makes it easy for one to trust because you are a perfect picture of fitness.
reply
kinkorev
Great video, man. And kind of debunks what some gym rats told me when I was first starting out. I have done TONS of dips and (here's the biggie for upper chest) -overhead cable crossovers- (extreme incline) and neutral grip overhead dumbbell presses (with elbows in front of body vs inline with the side of the chest. From these 3 movements alone, I have never wanted for pec mass, and VERY thick upper chest.
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Great video, man. And kind of debunks what some gym rats told me when I was first starting out. I have done TONS of dips and (here's the biggie for upper chest) -overhead cable crossovers- (extreme incline) and neutral grip overhead dumbbell presses (with elbows in front of body vs inline with the side of the chest. From these 3 movements alone, I have never wanted for pec mass, and VERY thick upper chest.
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vishnu
thanks Jeff I had a pain in my rotator cuff. it hurt mostly my front delt mainly during a warm up. I really had no issue after but it got worse when I used to hit chest. the doc told me it was a weak scapula. it could be but it hasn't been 100 % good after working on strengthening that part. this actually makes sense! thanks a lot I think I have found the cause
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thanks Jeff I had a pain in my rotator cuff. it hurt mostly my front delt mainly during a warm up. I really had no issue after but it got worse when I used to hit chest. the doc told me it was a weak scapula. it could be but it hasn't been 100 % good after working on strengthening that part. this actually makes sense! thanks a lot I think I have found the cause
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BackinBlack
it is so easy to prove there is an upper and lower chest. just push outward on a 35 degree angle up while holding your hand on your chest. what part flexes the most? do the same on a 35 degree angle down? what part flexes the most.
I had to show my wife this to get her to understand why incline bench is so important (and decline)
reply
it is so easy to prove there is an upper and lower chest. just push outward on a 35 degree angle up while holding your hand on your chest. what part flexes the most? do the same on a 35 degree angle down? what part flexes the most.
I had to show my wife this to get her to understand why incline bench is so important (and decline)
reply
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