The Mystery Behind Uneven Pectoral Growth
The flat – bench press is a popular choice among many fitness enthusiasts. However, as they keep practicing it, some people start to notice that their chest muscles seem to be getting pointier, especially those who are in the fat – loss stage and still have some fat on them. This is often due to a weak upper chest, a well – developed middle chest, and the presence of fat. The key missing element here is the upward incline push – up. A perfect pectoral muscle development requires a coordinated approach.
Why the Upper Incline Dumbbell Bench Press?
For those who are not yet ready for the upper incline barbell bench press, dumbbells offer a great alternative in terms of safety and practicality. The dumbbell upward incline bench press is a compound movement that specifically targets the clavicular head of the pectoralis major. During this movement, the dumbbell is dropped at an angle between the frontal plane and the horizontal plane of movement. The anterior deltoid or triceps act as secondary muscle groups, while the short head of the biceps plays a stabilizing role. When done at the right angle, the sternal head of the pectoralis major is not significantly engaged.
How to Perform the Upper Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
First, choose an incline bench with an adjustable back. Ensure there is enough space on the bench for the movement and adjust the bench and backrest angle. The backrest should be set at an angle of 30 – 45 degrees to the floor. This angle doesn’t need to be measured precisely but should be between vertical and horizontal. A more upright backrest will transfer the stimulation to the shoulders, while a flatter incline will stimulate the upper pectoral muscles more. Adjust it to make the body comfortable and stable.
Next, select the right weight for the dumbbells. If you’ve just finished a barbell upward incline bench press, start with a lower weight. For example, even if you can do an 80kg barbell overhead press, two 40kg dumbbell overhead presses may be difficult. Choose two dumbbells of equal weight to avoid injury and ineffective training. For first – time trainers, it’s advisable to choose a conservative weight and do 8 to 12 safe reps. Once the weight is chosen, pick up the dumbbells, sit on the upper incline plate, and place the dumbbells on your thighs with them resting vertically on your legs, one on each side.
Perform the movement in a smooth, controlled, and fluid manner. Lift the dumbbells from your thighs and lean your upper body back against the backrest. Straighten (but don’t hyperextend) your elbows as the dumbbell moves up and remains in the same plane as your shoulders. At the highest point, use the traditional square grip (fingers on the bar, palms forward), lift your chest, sink your shoulders, and squeeze your shoulder blades and upper back together. This is the starting position. From here, take a deep breath, tighten your core, and lower the dumbbells towards the sides of your upper chest under muscular control. Keep your chest up, shoulder blades tightened, and upper back squeezed as you lower the dumbbells. In the starting position, the dumbbells are vertically aligned with the shoulders, but during the lowering phase, increase the distance between the two dumbbells so that the inner side of the dumbbells is wider than the shoulders. Once the dumbbells reach the desired depth, pause for a moment at or slightly below chest level. At the lowest point, the forearms should be perpendicular or almost perpendicular to the floor. If you feel a sharp stretch in your chest and shoulders after descending to a certain depth, stop going down to avoid increased injury risk.
After holding the dumbbell at its lowest point, push it up and inwards until the arms and elbows return to the starting position. The dumbbells should follow the same movement trajectory when lowering and pushing up. Some lifters choose to push up on the barbell or exhale between movements. Select a breathing style that feels the most natural and comfortable. This movement can be done using various techniques such as pre – fatigue sets, decreases, rest – pause sets, supersets, triples, giants, half movements, or slow centrifuges. As with other movements, maintaining good posture and increasing difficulty are crucial.
Tips for a Successful Upper Incline Dumbbell Bench Press
1. Sustained Contraction: To increase the intensity, try holding the dumbbell at the lowest point, in a straight line with or slightly below the chest, for 5 to 10 seconds. This not only stretches the chest but also increases the time the muscles are under sustained tension, which is beneficial for muscle growth.
2. Maintaining Tension: Keep the tension throughout the movement to reduce the risk of injury. Start from the correct starting position, keep your chest up, shoulders down, squeeze your shoulder blades hard, breathe deeply, and tighten your core to protect your shoulders and pecs in the long run.
3. Avoid Borrowing Force: Performing the upper incline bench press under muscle control yields good results. Don’t over – estimate your ability. For example, if you can do an 80kg upward incline barbell bench press, don’t immediately try a 40kg dumbbell upward incline bench press. Keep the tension on, with your head, gluteus maximus, and upper back resting on the backrest, and don’t let the dumbbell bounce at the lowest point to avoid injury and ineffective target muscle stimulation.
4. Don’t Empty Your Grip: Unless a hand injury forces you to, use a solid grip (thumb wrapped around the knuckle). Although some may be able to slightly increase the load with an empty grip, there’s a risk of the dumbbell slipping off the palm. If you insist on using this grip, have a partner to protect you.
5. Don’t Touch the Dumbbells Together: Many beginners and intermediates think the movement is complete when the dumbbells touch at the highest point. But this creates momentum, reduces target muscle group engagement, and increases the risk of injury to yourself and others.
