Article: Ditch The Barbell Bench Press
- Thread starter The Press
- Start date
Gutterpump
Banned
I agree that dips are superior to decline bench... but I have a question for anyone reading this. I've had to remove dips from my routine after I had shoulder surgery. Can I work in some decline bench now, or will it have the same detrimental effects on my shoulders that dips do?
Foxlion
New member
Ask your surgeon, not us.
Gutterpump
Banned
Good answer actually. I was fine with dips for a while though, but it wasn't until I started going heavier with them that I noticed problems. Figured decline bench with lower weight and higher volume would be a decent alternative. But Dr knows best. Also, nothing beats good ol' trial and error.
dbrock504
Active member
I would try elevated feet bench dips. Not true dips. Puts a lot less strain on your shoulders. I too have shoulder issues
ohiostate2827
Well-known member
depending on how long you had your surgery and your range of motion..i would avoid any presses over head...i dont so shoulder presses at all and i dont do any type of chest fly..but if you had to i woiuld go very light on decline presses
Gutterpump
Banned
Surgery was a couple years ago. The repaired shoulder is feeling great but I have a minor SLAP tear that I'm training around in the other shoulder. I've been working on stability doing static holds (during chest flies), etc, holding at the down position. I think this is going to help a lot. I'd love to be able to do weighted dips again. Honestly they felt fine on my operated should, it's just that other one....if I go too far down, it's bad news. I'm able to bench press again now though as long as I don't hold the bar too wide.
One thing I've yet to try are gironda dips.
j4ever41
Member
I have had shoulder surgery, and now back to doing dips, but it took my a long time as dips were very difficult for me to do even months after surgery, I think dips are better than declines but I am not anywhere close to the mind set that declines are useless. Did you injure your shoulder doing dips? Personally I never go deeper than parallel but than again I never do on any chest movements. About 5-6 months after I had surgery I started doing declines but I started very very light, to tell the truth I had to start with the bar only, lol, then after another 4-5 months I started back on dips.
mrclm
New member
I've been putting off shoulder surgery for over a decade. Decline is far less aggravating for me than Dips are. I still do dips, but ever other week. More than that and my shoulders go back to hurting 24/7. It is the balance that I've found works for me at this point. That said, I Decline with dumbbells 50% of the time also. Switching to using dumbbells on decline is a very humbling experience BTW.
ohiostate2827
Well-known member
i wouldnt take the chance...i grow fine with high reps...i dont use or need much weight for any exercise...i have knee and hip probs..i fixed it with my own body weight
Zebulion
New member
GutterP, an idea to try that will take some of the weight off your shoulder but keep the movement the same as a wide grip dip is to use the assisted pull up machine for your dips instead of your body weight... You can adjust the amount of resistance on the shoulder but still focus the blood to the same area of the chest... Just an idea...
Gutterpump
Banned
It's been years since I've done decline dumbbell press, almost forgot about these, they are pretty amazing! I had switched to a more powerlifting routine years ago, but it's time to incorporate some of these exercises again. Decline DB press / flies are great for chest activation.
Yolked
Member
That's what spotter/workout partner is for... you think the big dogs avoid d/b press because big heavy weights? Also no reason for injuries when you can avoid it with a proper spotter...
Gutterpump
Banned
Can also do decline flies with bands added for resistance. I found that decline flies worked the greatest amount of muscle fibers. But my main problem is I need to build more upper chest (and can't do reverse grip BP because of shoulders). I've been using cables to target upper chest instead (doing one side at a time to help focus on maximal contraction, and crossing right over to the opposite side/shoulder)
Yolked
Member
I stopped flat bar benching for many years, opting for a low incline (less than 45°) and bring bar down to neck. Pinch your shoulder blades and stick chest out for proper technique. Then going to flat db fly presses (like Arnold did) for a full stretch and contraction. Sometimes I'd go back to incline press flyes but for many years that was basically my chest workout. Actually chest development always came easy and will dlminate other bodyparts if I let it.. A 50 inch chest
Gutterpump
Banned
Thanks. I am very shoulder/delt dominant naturally. I don't have to train my delts very hard for them to grow, but my chest is different. I normally pinch my shoulders back and would focus on trying to bend the bar when pressing, to focus on the contraction. Cables have seemed to help me a lot as well and diagonal cable flies are really forgiving on the shoulders. I've lately just been sticking to diagonal cable flies and machine flies. Sometimes my one shoulder clicks when I bring the DB"s down on flat bench flies though, which is always a bad sign for me. When this happens, I have to minimize the range of motion or else I could end up really sore the next few days/week.
Yolked
Member
Oops... A 50 inch chest came fairly easily and delts a developed quickly as well, especially anterior and medial delts. I'd start shoulders with bent over laterals and then side laterals and wide upright rows, no pressing. Even stopped doing direct chest exercises only using dips or close grip bench during triceps work.. Only legs, back and arms for about 2 years because the first few years of training mostly pressing and squats... big chest, shoulders and @$$- because I'm tall squats mostly made my glutes grow after some initial quad and hamstring development. I totally revamped my workout prioritizing my weak bodyparts I didn't get much growth out of during first years training. Leg days became: calves, hams and THEN FRONT squats.. cut back on chest and delt work.. more deadlifts.. Once I decided to actually "bodybuild" the workouts changed completely
Gutterpump
Banned
I hear ya. Ughh I wish I could do dips properly. They work the best for me too. Going to try to incorporate assisted dips at high volume while also working in shoulder stability exercises.
Gutterpump
Banned
Likewise. I squat deep (atg) always, and it mostly builds glutes and that teardrop above my knees. GHR's are great to add in with front squats. I'm blessed with naturally massive calves, so I don't have to do any calve isolation, thank God. The less isolation work needed, the better imo haha.. saves on time
Yolked
Member
Lol. I raced BMX until I was 16(funny how the car replaced the bike) and used to ride hills sitting down on the bike so had these big knobs for the medialis muscle before I ever started lifting... Yeah every once in awhile you'll see someone with cows below they're knees (cow is a full grown calf) and they never been near the calf raise machine... lol... you guys make me sick..
Gutterpump
Banned
Haha nice.. so you race cars now? That's pretty awesome. I've always wanted to get onto a track.
So I tried high rep assisted wide-grip dips last night, seems to be A-OK.
Yolked
Member
Just for fun. My uncle has a 9 second econo dragster and I have a 68 Nova..
ohiostate2827
Well-known member
push up in between chairs make my chest and back grow the best..ego keeps me doing bb bench still
tommurph
Active member
I just started doing decline DB press a couple weeks ago due to shoulder pain on flat or incline BB & DB press, and honestly my chest gets sooo sore all over and NO shoulder pain! I love them!
alexoc949
Active member
Yeah man, decline has gotten a bad rap for too long. Was surprised to see a "new" article continuing that same line of thinking. I mean, there are real studies out there that show the muscle activation
Yolked
Member
Sure... it puts the pec in a more natural, much stronger anatomical position like when you arche and pinch your shoulder blades together during a flat bench, except even more so.. less stress in shoulder and more direct stim of muscle. That's the whole idea... do what works for you.