Normal Bench Presses vs. Incline Bench Presses

[Atom Smasher]

Just in case anyone here hasn't read my other thread, I was in a car accident 18 months ago and smashed some vertebrae and obliterated a disk.

I just bought some new adjustable dumbells, and I tried normak bench presses. This didn't work out to well because it bothered my back.

So I tried incline presses and that felt much better. What exactly is the difference between incline presses and normal presses in terms of effect on the various muscles? What am I gaining and what am I sacrificing by doing inclines only in lieu of normal presses?

Thanks guys.

 

[Jitterbug]

Incline uses less chest, more shoulders and tris.

You probably feel better with your back because it's easier to set up tight & correct in the incline press, whereas with a flat bench press, most people suck at setup.

Incline press is a fine exercise, so if it's working well for you, keep doing it.

 

[SharinganUser]

I also added the incline to my work out. I was wondering is it ok to do a wide grip and if so what are the effects compared to a normal or closer grip?

Or should I just stick to a normal shoulder width grip?

 

[Jitterbug]

Use a grip that when the bar touches your chest, your forearms will be perpendicular to it.

 

[d!ckmojo]

The research I've read universally condemns bench pressing. They say that DB presses and Incline Bench are far less likely to cause a pectoral tear n stuff.

TBH, I'm really starting to hate on the traditional "Big 3" power-lifting exercises.

I know a lot of you guys on here are religious about them, but imo they ain't for everyone. If you are a tough unit to start with, then you will get maximum benifit from them.

But in my experience, and from the research I've done, and from the stories I hear from clients in my clinic, Squats Deads and benches cause injuries, they just straight do.

You can blame poor technique if you wanna defend them, but not everyone's bodies are suited to moving in that way with weight configured to apply stress in that way.

I don't think I will do squats or deads myself anymore, they ****ed up my back and put me out of action for about 6 weeks. Maybe for short guys they're ok, but for me at a thin 6'4", with most of that height being pure leg length, they are just not suitable.

I will hit the leg press and do lunges and leaps and stuff I guess: I'm not risking more back injuries from doing powerlifting exercises that aren't suitable just because a bunch of you hardcore nuggets want to shame me into it. I know what's best for my own body, don't take it personal if I don't wanna do your pet exercises.

 

[user43770]

The research I've read universally condemns bench pressing. They say that DB presses and Incline Bench are far less likely to cause a pectoral tear n stuff.

TBH, I'm really starting to hate on the traditional "Big 3" power-lifting exercises.

I know a lot of you guys on here are religious about them, but imo they ain't for everyone. If you are a tough unit to start with, then you will get maximum benifit from them.

But in my experience, and from the research I've done, and from the stories I hear from clients in my clinic, Squats Deads and benches cause injuries, they just straight do.

You can blame poor technique if you wanna defend them, but not everyone's bodies are suited to moving in that way with weight configured to apply stress in that way.

I don't think I will do squats or deads myself anymore, they ****ed up my back and put me out of action for about 6 weeks. Maybe for short guys they're ok, but for me at a thin 6'4", with most of that height being pure leg length, they are just not suitable.

I will hit the leg press and do lunges and leaps and stuff I guess: I'm not risking more back injuries from doing powerlifting exercises that aren't suitable just because a bunch of you hardcore nuggets want to shame me into it. I know what's best for my own body, don't take it personal if I don't wanna do your pet exercises.

If people would take the time to learn proper technique they wouldn't injure themselves. Plain and simple.

Nobody is trying to shame you into doing the big 3. It just so happens that they are the best exercises for overall strength and development. Do whatever makes you happy.

 

[Kenny Powers]

d!ckmojo if you want to avoid injury the leg press is one of the worst things you can do because it puts a great deal of pressure on the hips and knees - i'm not just making this up, go to webmd and look up worst exercises and its one of them. Any exercise that requires as much movement and use of the back as squats and dead lifts will inevitably come with some risk but if you use your core enough, maintain proper form and don't do them too frequently you greatly decrease your risk.

I've actually given up on the bench press and replaced it with decline and incline presses, works the shoulders, tris and core much more.