Chest presses - how do you eat up yours ?

by **Gym-pig** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 11:56 am

For the last few weeks Ive been doing branch Warren style pressing in that I only go 2/3 up .
The idea being that the last 1/3 is predominately triceps

I dont know the science of this but the pump I get in my chest is amazing and that makes me think its a better way of doing the movement :?:

You experts got any thoughts ?

by **health4ni** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:02 pm

A pump doesn't mean it's a better movement. It just means you've got more blood in the muscle. Doesn't mean more strength &/or greater muscle mass will occur.

I say just vary it.

You could even vary within the same session and even the same set. Why not do ~5 pump 2/3 style reps (as you mention), then when you can't do any more, do standard type presses that will allow you to get a few more.

by **Gym-pig** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:07 pm

health4ni wrote:A pump doesn't mean it's a better movement. It just means you've got more blood in the muscle. Doesn't mean more strength &/or greater muscle mass will occur.

I say just vary it.

You could even vary within the same session and even the same set. Why not do ~5 pump 2/3 style reps (as you mention), then when you can't do any more, do standard type presses that will allow you to get a few more.

Cheers pal

I am getting better results by mixing things up .
Is the last 1/3 predominately triceps ?

by **health4ni** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 12:52 pm

generally the last 1/3 ish is mostly triceps. It's not 100% though. It also depends on the technique used for the press. But yeah, generally triceps dominant.

by **simon m** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:25 pm

Health is correct, and I would never lock out on chest as it chnages the exercise and can also cause elbow problems.

What I like to do on a seat Iso Chest Press is partials at the end of a set when I can't get any more out - those bastards really burn.

by **Rab** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:31 pm

I dotn lock out but go most of the way up

On certain things i sometimes use a very small ROM as it seems to hi the muscle beter. I dont think theres any rule on this and nobody can say doign things this way or that wal will be best for development...Its mostly down to training your arse off imo however you do it

by **health4ni** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 1:57 pm

I personally don't think there is anything wrong in locking out, but again just vary it. If you are a competing powerlifter you've gotta lock out. So practising as such makes sense. They all don't have fucked up elbows (although so will). Do what feels best for you.

I know I've mentioned this in a few places, but a strict military press into lock out, is a different beast to a strict military press without lock out done in a more pump style. And again a push press with lockout is also different. None are better or worse, just different. And so using all three styles will help build a solid physique. Same applies for many types of exercises. DB Rows can be done very strictly as well as with some body english.

by **Dtlv74** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:02 pm

Yep, and looking at it the other way, Floor Presses (ROM limited to last 40% compared to regular bench) and Press Lockouts are great triceps builders.

IMO the way to assess the ROM of a chest exercise, other than how it feels of course, is to look at when the upper arm is being moved into the body. As soon as that slows down and the rate of straightening at the elbow increases it's sudenly more triceps and less pec...and when the upper arm starts moving closer to the head more it's shifting the load to the anterior delts.

I think triceps strength is important for presses - there's a lot of value in training 'movements' as well as individual bodyparts.

by **simon m** on Thu Feb 04, 2010 2:13 pm

health4ni wrote:I personally don't think there is anything wrong in locking out, but again just vary it. If you are a competing powerlifter you've gotta lock out. So practising as such makes sense. They all don't have fucked up elbows (although so will). Do what feels best for you.

I know I've mentioned this in a few places, but a strict military press into lock out, is a different beast to a strict military press without lock out done in a more pump style. And again a push press with lockout is also different. None are better or worse, just different. And so using all three styles will help build a solid physique. Same applies for many types of exercises. DB Rows can be done very strictly as well as with some body english.

Powerlifters lock out, but they don't do the same volume as a bodybuilder, so I'm not sure that that applies. Elbows wise, constant locking out just doesn't make sense as you're transfering the load to the triceps and elbow joint, as as you get older joints get worse

I agree that variation is a good idea, plus you can strengthen certain aspects of the movement by using bands, boards etc..

Chest presses - how do you eat up yours ?

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