Looking for good upper chest exercise (not incline bench)

Hybrid · 10-25-2005, 08:08 PM

I'm looking for a good upper chest exercise OTHER than incline db/bb bench. I hate both and feel like neither works my chest.... feels like it just pumps the crap outta my tri's and shoulders. I'm almost sure my form is good, but I still don't feel it!! Perhaps it's just me...

Any suggestions? I was thinking incline db flies? I heard these are hard on the joints tho....

**Peaked_18** · 10-25-2005, 08:09 PM

Try low incline bench, anymore incline then 35% actually isn't needed, it will just hit the delts more. 5-35% has been proven to hit the upper chest better.

LaggingBiceps · 10-25-2005, 08:19 PM

Try Incline DB Flyes like you mentioned and give DB presses another try. try messing around with your form (in a good way) and find the best way to get that feel in your chest.

Like me on any DB presses, if I go straight up+down, I wont feel much. but if I press with the dumbells in a sort of a A-shape, i get a better feel.

BBAddict · 10-25-2005, 08:26 PM

Try incline cable x-overs. I just put a bench in there and use the cables to do my flyes. As long as I keep my shoulders down and squeezed back it doesn't hurt anything.
Like LG said, I would play with the form on the presses as well. I feel it more if I rotate through the motion and finish with palms facing each other and dumbells toughing at the top.

builtbeast · 10-25-2005, 11:05 PM

I'd stick with the incline barbell or db bench myself since I think it's a good exercise but incline db flyes is another exercise that I find effective.

**Peaked_18** · 10-25-2005, 11:12 PM

Incline Flies can be very bad for the joints.

Stradivarius · 10-26-2005, 07:55 AM

Weighted pushups on elevated handles (or even hands flat on ground) will develop upper chest REAL good.

GameDayDog · 10-26-2005, 08:50 AM

Hmm.. having your hands elevated would be simulating a decline press...

So, I'm thynkin' .. if your feet were elevated, that would be stimulating an incline press...

Ryght?? .. not sayin' you're wrong.. just got a mental image of it..

Peace..~G

geoffsherman · 10-26-2005, 02:23 PM

Suspended chain pushups

**johnsbod** · 10-26-2005, 03:25 PM

Incline ATrainer Flyes. They're cable flyes, but you do them with your palms towards your head.

BBAddict · 10-26-2005, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GameDayDog

if your feet were elevated, that would be stimulating an incline press...

:yes: That's correct--and if you try it as a finishing move, you can definitely feel it. I just put my feet on a bench and then do pushups with my hands on the ground--usually supersetted with something else at the end of the workout. Another decent upper chest option!

DarkFalcon · 10-30-2005, 01:54 AM

One that I don't see mentioned here that is a great scupting move is Standing Flyes. But instead of your hands meeting down at your waist like in this demo... http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...andingFly.html
you bring your hands together in front of your face. This will really help shape your upper chest if you do it slow and controlled and give a good 2 second sqeeze and hold at the top of the movement.

Hybrid · 10-31-2005, 02:48 PM

No cables in my school gym

... The only pulley machine is the high pulley (lat pulldown)

**NYCmitch25** · 10-31-2005, 03:20 PM

Ever try "bench press to neck"? http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exerc...resstoneck.htm

If you dont feel upper chest when doing incline DBs press your doing them wrong. Decrease the angle of the bench. This is a very common mistake (which ive made too).

Hybrid · 10-31-2005, 10:47 PM

There is a bench at my school gym that is made for incline. It's angled and unmoveable. There's also a moveable bench. I've tried both, and didn't like either... Felt it was working my shoulders/tris too much and chest not enough. Just couldn't hit the muscle to mind connection. I think my form is good, but I can't be 100% sure.

DiamondDelts · 11-01-2005, 07:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Hybrid

I'm looking for a good upper chest exercise OTHER than incline db/bb bench. I hate both and feel like neither works my chest.... feels like it just pumps the crap outta my tri's and shoulders. I'm almost sure my form is good, but I still don't feel it!! Perhaps it's just me...

Any suggestions? I was thinking incline db flies? I heard these are hard on the joints tho....

If you have access to a power rack. I would try incline weighted pushups. They have really helped out my upper chest where all forms of pressing had failed me miserably.

GameDayDog · 11-01-2005, 08:34 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiamondDelts

If you have access to a power rack. I would try incline weighted pushups. They have really helped out my upper chest where all forms of pressing had failed me miserably.

Double D.. feel free to explain thys exercyse... lyke how you set it up and execute it..

Peace..~G

Hybrid · 11-01-2005, 12:43 PM

I have these little step up things to do incline pushups, but why would I need a power rack.... and how do you keep the weights on ur back?

DiamondDelts · 11-02-2005, 01:28 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by GameDayDog

Double D.. feel free to explain thys exercyse... lyke how you set it up and execute it..

Peace..~G

Well you will need a set of dip handles such as these pictured here.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/1020.html

I just put them on a low adjustment setting and place my feet on a flat bench behind me.

**A.FreeRadical** · 11-02-2005, 02:23 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DiamondDelts

Well you will need a set of dip handles such as these pictured here.

http://www.newyorkbarbells.com/1020.html

I just put them on a low adjustment setting and place my feet on a flat bench behind me.

I was thinking of something similar, like using the dip machine and have someone hold my feet. (Someone that I trust very much.

) I'll have to look closer at the dip machine to see how low those bars go. Maybe I could do the same thing that you are suggesting.

Currently I am doing 4 sets of dips with 25 lbs and keeping my elbows out and leaning into the dip. I can really feel it on my upper pecs when I go deep.

*

10-25-2005, 08:08 PM	#1
Hybrid IMPC Contestant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gibsonia PA Posts: 824 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 14	Looking for good upper chest exercise (not incline bench) I'm looking for a good upper chest exercise OTHER than incline db/bb bench. I hate both and feel like neither works my chest.... feels like it just pumps the crap outta my tri's and shoulders. I'm almost sure my form is good, but I still don't feel it!! Perhaps it's just me... Any suggestions? I was thinking incline db flies? I heard these are hard on the joints tho.... __________________ If you even dream about beating me you'd better wake up and apologize - Muhammad Ali

10-25-2005, 08:26 PM	#4
BBAddict Pro Stature Join Date: Sep 2005 Location: In The Gym Posts: 101 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	Try incline cable x-overs. I just put a bench in there and use the cables to do my flyes. As long as I keep my shoulders down and squeezed back it doesn't hurt anything. Like LG said, I would play with the form on the presses as well. I feel it more if I rotate through the motion and finish with palms facing each other and dumbells toughing at the top. __________________ PAIN IS WEAKNESS LEAVING THE BODY.

10-26-2005, 08:50 AM	#8
GameDayDog The Dawg Is Back!! Join Date: May 2005 Location: Doin Compound Movements 4 Scooby Snacks! Posts: 1,914 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 32	Hmm.. having your hands elevated would be simulating a decline press... So, I'm thynkin' .. if your feet were elevated, that would be stimulating an incline press... Ryght?? .. not sayin' you're wrong.. just got a mental image of it.. Peace..~G __________________ I am Thee Alpha.. RaSP is Thee oMEGA.. Between the 2 of us - We have everythyng covered... I want to be bigger than all the humans!! "I'm sure I should be doing cardio too....but I don't run from anything...so why practice?" - 1stInDoor Goal - 200#'s 5/27/07 - 4/27/07 - 175# 3/27/07 - 167#

10-26-2005, 03:25 PM	#10
johnsbod Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 2,733 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 60	Incline ATrainer Flyes. They're cable flyes, but you do them with your palms towards your head. __________________ Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen können, posten Sie hier. Misc Perv #69

10-31-2005, 02:48 PM	#13
Hybrid IMPC Contestant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gibsonia PA Posts: 824 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 14	No cables in my school gym ... The only pulley machine is the high pulley (lat pulldown) __________________ If you even dream about beating me you'd better wake up and apologize - Muhammad Ali

10-25-2005, 08:09 PM	#2
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,247 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	Try low incline bench, anymore incline then 35% actually isn't needed, it will just hit the delts more. 5-35% has been proven to hit the upper chest better.

10-25-2005, 08:19 PM	#3
LaggingBiceps Pro Stature Join Date: Aug 2005 Location: New Jersey, USA Posts: 246 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 6	Try Incline DB Flyes like you mentioned and give DB presses another try. try messing around with your form (in a good way) and find the best way to get that feel in your chest. Like me on any DB presses, if I go straight up+down, I wont feel much. but if I press with the dumbells in a sort of a A-shape, i get a better feel.

10-25-2005, 11:05 PM	#5
builtbeast Großer Moderator Join Date: May 2005 Location: In a very red state Posts: 1,430 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 94	I'd stick with the incline barbell or db bench myself since I think it's a good exercise but incline db flyes is another exercise that I find effective.

10-25-2005, 11:12 PM	#6
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,247 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	Incline Flies can be very bad for the joints.

10-26-2005, 07:55 AM	#7
Stradivarius Amateur Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Squat Rack Posts: 38 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 0	Weighted pushups on elevated handles (or even hands flat on ground) will develop upper chest REAL good.

10-26-2005, 02:23 PM	#9
geoffsherman Pro Stature Join Date: Oct 2005 Posts: 194 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 5	Suspended chain pushups

10-30-2005, 01:54 AM	#12
DarkFalcon I've got a RAGING clue! Join Date: May 2005 Location: dnyc99's cleaning staff Posts: 11,511 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 299	One that I don't see mentioned here that is a great scupting move is Standing Flyes. But instead of your hands meeting down at your waist like in this demo... http://www.exrx.net/WeightExercises/...andingFly.html you bring your hands together in front of your face. This will really help shape your upper chest if you do it slow and controlled and give a good 2 second sqeeze and hold at the top of the movement.

10-31-2005, 03:20 PM	#14
NYCmitch25 Silver Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: New York Posts: 1,117 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 52	Ever try "bench press to neck"? http://www.abcbodybuilding.com/exerc...resstoneck.htm If you dont feel upper chest when doing incline DBs press your doing them wrong. Decrease the angle of the bench. This is a very common mistake (which ive made too).

10-31-2005, 10:47 PM	#15
Hybrid IMPC Contestant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gibsonia PA Posts: 824 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 14	There is a bench at my school gym that is made for incline. It's angled and unmoveable. There's also a moveable bench. I've tried both, and didn't like either... Felt it was working my shoulders/tris too much and chest not enough. Just couldn't hit the muscle to mind connection. I think my form is good, but I can't be 100% sure. __________________ If you even dream about beating me you'd better wake up and apologize - Muhammad Ali

11-01-2005, 12:43 PM	#18
Hybrid IMPC Contestant Join Date: Oct 2005 Location: Gibsonia PA Posts: 824 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 14	I have these little step up things to do incline pushups, but why would I need a power rack.... and how do you keep the weights on ur back? __________________ If you even dream about beating me you'd better wake up and apologize - Muhammad Ali