Upper pecs

[badcar]

I want to put more emphesis on developing my upper pecs to get more of that solid,round bodybuilder type shape to them. I've always concentrated on incline press for this but still havn't filled in the gap on the inner (middle) part :x although outer has put on some size .

Any reccommendations on either new excercises or perhaps technique tips for incline press would be appriciated. cheers

[2guns]

i find incline bb press and incline db press does it for me.

abit of it comes down to genetics i mean white boys like myself usually dnt have as greater chest as islanders. but thts wat i think works for me

[Retro Blaster]

Incline flys will do it bro, IMO all presses are mostly but not restricted to pure strength, go for heavy incline flys bro but keep strict form.

My 2 cents

[Marcus]

I've had great success in adding upper chest mass using incline pressing movements. Take a look at how you set up - get those shoulder blades pinned back with a high chest. It feels a bit awkward at first but it takes the emphasis off the shoulders & places it purely on the chest. You could also pause at the bottom of the movement for a variation.

Most people are shoulder pressers on their benching movements & while they can get stronger, their chest development suffers.

I'm not overly strong on incline movements (42kg DB's for 6 reps), but I have good upper pec development from paying more attention to how I set up the movement & taking my shoulders out of play.

[Pseudonym]

Thanks, Marcus. I'd forgotten that trick (it really works well), and I've probably slipped back into bad habits.

/makes mental note to check form next chest day

[Brad]

A good one too is to set up an incline bench with the cable machine and do an incline press with 2 cables pulling from the bottom, because of where the resistance is coming from (both vertical and horizontal) you get a great squeeze right at the top, pushing up and squeezing inwards at the same time.

Hope I've explained this clearly?!?

[Varven]

is that sort of like starting off as a db incline flye and then turning it into a press ?

[Wynton]

is that sort of like starting off as a db incline flye and then turning it into a press ?

Yeah it is. Although I've found that instead of using a incline bench to use a flat bench but put it up onto a box.I've found alot of incline benches have to large an angle and place alot of stress on the front delts rather than the upper pecs. Unless of course your gym has incline bench with a large range of motion.

[Marcus]

The stress on your delts is caused by having a flat back on the bench. If you pin your shoulder blades back & sit them on the bench you will take your delts out of play. Keep a high chest.

[Wynton]

Yeah that's true aswell but even when pinning my shoulders back on the bench I've found the angle of the incline does play a role in shifting the emphasis of the exercise on to the front delts.

[waldo]

On the subject of pinning shoulders back etc, Charles Poliquin has a good theory on 'winging' scapulas and chest development. If your rhomboids aren't strong enough to pin your scapula back, then your chest will find it hard to grow.

I think you can find the article in his book the Poliquin Principles.

[Pseudonym]

So rhomboids are the cure for winging scapulas? I've just been wondering this very thing, as I've recently decided my own shoulder blades don't sit flat. I'd been playing around with various rotator cuff movements in an effort to to roll the shoulders back. Any suggestions?

[waldo]

Any row type movement with elbows out, seated wide grip rows, prone rows, you get the drift. Concentrating on retracting shoulders back and down, like you are trying to grip a twenty cent piece between your blades.

When standing relaxed, your scapulas should only be around five inches apart.

[badcar]

Cool thanks for all the help, guys. Am trying them all in turn. Also pating more attention to form on the presses I have been doing.