Decline Benchpress

Directions:

Preperation/body position

1. Load bar with correct weight. Put on safety collars.
2. Lay back on decline bench.
3. Grip barbell with desired width, using an overhand grip. Arms should be roughly perpendicular to your body throughout the movement.
4. Dismount barbell from rack.

Excution/Movement

1. Slowly control the barbell down to your chest, keeping arms perpendicularas possible to the body throughout execution.
2. Stop just shy of the chest.
3. Press the weight back up to the starting position.
4. Repeat for desired number of repetitions.

Comments

The decline bench press is a bench press variation used to stress the pectoralis from a different plane of motion compared to that of the flat bench press. The decline bench press will stimulate the sternal head of the pectoralis major effectively.

As with all bench pressing exercises, if our goal is to cause hypertrophy to the pectorals fibres, then execution of the movement is important. Our aim is to stimulate the chest fibres, and minimise secondary muscle involvement. Perform the exercise is a controlled manner, focusing on the recruit of the chest during the movement.

For hypertrophy 6-12 reps will likely yield the best results, providing optimal time under tension. This will provide adequate stimulation for sarcoplasmic hypertrophy, and acute response to anabolic hormone concentrations, compared to that of lower rep ranges.
For strength and power 1-5 reps is optimal for stimulating the type iiB fibres and neural adaptations of the nervous system.