Introduction
The pectoral muscles are a favorite among gym – goers for training, and the barbell bench press is one of their preferred exercises. However, some people find that when performing the bench press, they don’t feel the chest muscles working as expected, but rather experience a stronger sensation in the triceps and anterior shoulder bundle.
The Mechanics of the Barbell Bench Press
The barbell bench press mainly involves horizontal shoulder joint movement in the horizontal plane for shoulder adduction, and also includes elbow joint extension. Thus, it stimulates the pectoralis major, triceps, and anterior deltoid simultaneously. Although the anterior deltoid and pectoralis major have some common functions and all three muscles cooperate to complete the bench press, a weak target muscle (pectoralis major in this case) can affect the bench press performance.
Possible Reasons for the Lack of Chest Sensation
Excessive Weight
The main purpose of bench – pressing is usually to develop the pectoralis major. But if the weight used is heavier than what the pectoralis major can handle, the pectoralis major will be unable to work effectively and will rely on synergistic muscles such as the triceps and anterior deltoids to help lift the barbell. As a result, these muscles will be more active and you will feel more of their contraction. In such a situation, it is recommended to reduce the bench – press weight. The goal is to train the pectoralis major, so it is better to choose a weight that is suitable for you and gradually increase it.
Distorted Movement Angle
When doing a heavy – weight bench press, a distorted movement angle may also occur. This can affect the engagement of the pectoralis major, and the triceps may compensate, which, if not properly controlled, can lead to injury.
Pre – Fatigue Training Methods
In general, it is important to choose a bench – press weight according to your actual situation. Strength training is more about stimulating muscle fiber destruction rather than simply lifting heavier weights. If your goal is muscle building, bodybuilding – style workouts are more appropriate. To better train the pectoralis major, pre – fatigue sets are advisable before the bench press. This means doing some chest isolation exercises first to pre – fatigue the pectoralis major.
Pre – Fatigue Training Movements
Butterfly Machine Chest Clenching Method 1
You may not often start your chest training with a butterfly machine chest clip. However, once you try it as the first exercise, you may be surprised at how much it can enhance your pectoral strength. Do 3 sets of progressively heavier butterfly clips, followed by two sets of “21s” clips: 7 full clips, then 7 clips from pec extension to mid – point, and then 7 clips from mid – point to fully contracted position.
Butterfly Machine Chest Clamps Method 2
This method is slightly different from the traditional one. In traditional chest clamps, the elbows are at 90 degrees, while here, the arms are kept extended. During the centripetal phase of the movement, rotate your palms upwards to ensure the best contraction of the mid – pectoral muscles. During the centrifugal phase, rotate the palms back to a neutral position, allowing the elbows to open slightly outwards for full muscle stretch between movements.
These two butterfly machine chest – clamping methods, as well as dumbbell flyes before bench pressing, are ways to avoid insufficient chest exercise during bench pressing. Finally, when bench – pressing, always pay attention to safety and avoid using overly heavy weights.
