James' DB Chest Press - Video on Page 3

From the April Muscletalker; http://newsletters.muscletalk.co.uk/1104.aspx
 
*** Dumbbell Chest Press - an Alternative Method ***
By James Collier, MuscleTalk Co-Owner
Dumbbell chest press is both a great mass builder and shaping exercise for the pecs. Most of us like to pile on a lot of weight and bang out a few reps. But is this the most effective method of training for a bodybuilder?
Dumbbell presses are best performed on a small incline bench of about 30°. Make sure the chest is warmed up properly before starting. Begin with a light weight. Hold the dumbbells at the bottom and straighten the arms only to shoulder width apart. The pec-delt tie in is easily worked and after 4-5 reps there is no need to go all the way to the bottom, as this is just taking the emphasis off the main pec area: i.e. the area you're trying to build. So, for the first 5 reps perform from all the way at the bottom to shoulder width straight arms then, on rep 5, bring the dumbbells together at the top and squeeze the pecs as if you are flexing them. Squeeze for 1-2 seconds, hard. Then lower the weight, but only until the elbows are about 120°, i.e. you're only coming down about half way. Then straighten the arms and squeeze at the top as before; repeat until failure.
You want to be aiming for around 15 reps in total (including the first 5 which are not squeezed) with a minimum of 12 reps. If you can do more than 15 reps then great, but you may want to up the weight for the next set. Perform 4 sets. It's the squeezing and the reps which are important not the amount of weight you're using. You'll start the exercise feeling the weight is way too light, but as you start squeezing - and it's crucial that you squeeze hard - you'll soon fail.
Training chest like this is not about the ego, as you'll only be using light dumbbells and people will also think you're not doing the full movement as you're not coming down very far with the dumbbells. However, your pecs will feel a massive pump and you'll certainly have DOMS. Over the weeks you'll develop both mass and shape to the pecs.


Just wondering who uses/has used these, and to what effect?
 

I might just be hard of understanding but the first half of the exercise makes no sense to me. 2nd half is squeeze hard together at the top and only a partial eccentric.. Yeah ???
But the first bit I can't fathom..

I think the general jist is to do 4-5 full range 'normal' reps and then as you say the remainder are only partials with a squeeze.

Right ok, was the straighten your arms to shoulder width bit that threw me.
Never tried really but I will have a try.
Suppose it takes a little in principal from the old 21's type full reps half reps training style, came out rehashed as matrix training a bit later.

Guy I know with an outstanding chest does a d/bell press but rotates the 'bells on the way up (like he Arnold press) I always think when I see him 'I'm gonner try that next time' but then alway forget to have a go next chest day... Lol

Any ideas how that may be a good movement ?
It seems to work wonders for him.

Strictly speaking it shouldn't as it goes, as the pec major functions to adduct (bring the arms together as per flyes) flex (the 'pressing' component) and internally rotate (thumbs up to thumbs down for example). So when you rotate the DB's you're actually externally, rather than internally, rotating.
 
I suppose you could argue he might 'fly' the DB's a bit more rather than pressing them which might help him use more pec and less delt, but theoretically it's not a movement that 'fits' with the muscles action.

ahh ok thanks for the insight.
on that note though, if you stand with your arms outstretched, with palms facing downwards and rotate your hands externaly so the palms face upwards you can feel the chest muscle contract more.
I was (some years ago) told by an old school pro to rotate my arms at the top of the movement on the d/bell flye so the little fingers of both hands are facing one another and squeeze the contraction at the top of the move.
For the added musclar contraction that the palms up position gives to the chest muscle.
 
Not sure if that makes sense but if you try rotating the hands to palms up with the arms outstretched you will see what i mean...lol
 
 

Ak_88


Strictly speaking it shouldn't as it goes, as the pec major functions to adduct (bring the arms together as per flyes) flex (the 'pressing' component) and internally rotate (thumbs up to thumbs down for example). So when you rotate the DB's you're actually externally, rather than internally, rotating.

 
i would disagree, while you may have externally rotated, the relatively small amount at the humerous wont have had much effect on the length of pec, but, rotating the BD's to face each other allows the arm to come into a much more adducted position, which takes pec into a shorter position.  it also allows you to 'squeeze' the muscle more, and activates the lower fibres more fully.
 
you missed an action of chest above, its also to extend the shoulder, but im being pedantic there... lol
 
 
Back to the original topic, i regularly use this style of chest training, it helps take the stress off the shoulders and focus entirely on the chest.  the squeeze and getting a maximal contraction at the top is utterly key.  most people dont squeeze hard enough or long enough.  get that right and you will have a chest workout like never before.
 
can often need someone to beast you into doing it properly untill you have done it a few times and fully commited, depends how well you self motivate to put yourself well into pain

Cool cheers Daz, I'll give this a bash next week, guessing the weight is gonna come down some to compensate!

i can easily do 50kg db press for 12 reps, but if i train this way and get the squeeze right ill be down to say 30-35kg

This was an interesting read. I am have always been strong working my chest but have never been happy with my overall shape. I have been working hard trying to build up the real center bit of my chest as this is the only bit thats lacking and the real bottom bit. I have been doing lots of decline and close grip bench press but it doesn't seem to be doing alot for me.
 
I wouldn't have thought incline bench press would help with over all shape only build upper chest and where the chest joins the shoulder but I do agree with the squeezing technique it does allow for a good pump of the chest.
 

Ak_88


From the April Muscletalker; http://newsletters.muscletalk.co.uk/1104.aspx

*** Dumbbell Chest Press - an Alternative Method ***
By James Collier, MuscleTalk Co-Owner
Dumbbell chest press is both a great mass builder and shaping exercise for the pecs. Most of us like to pile on a lot of weight and bang out a few reps. But is this the most effective method of training for a bodybuilder?
Dumbbell presses are best performed on a small incline bench of about 30°. Make sure the chest is warmed up properly before starting. Begin with a light weight. Hold the dumbbells at the bottom and straighten the arms only to shoulder width apart. The pec-delt tie in is easily worked and after 4-5 reps there is no need to go all the way to the bottom, as this is just taking the emphasis off the main pec area: i.e. the area you're trying to build. So, for the first 5 reps perform from all the way at the bottom to shoulder width straight arms then, on rep 5, bring the dumbbells together at the top and squeeze the pecs as if you are flexing them. Squeeze for 1-2 seconds, hard. Then lower the weight, but only until the elbows are about 120°, i.e. you're only coming down about half way. Then straighten the arms and squeeze at the top as before; repeat until failure.
You want to be aiming for around 15 reps in total (including the first 5 which are not squeezed) with a minimum of 12 reps. If you can do more than 15 reps then great, but you may want to up the weight for the next set. Perform 4 sets. It's the squeezing and the reps which are important not the amount of weight you're using. You'll start the exercise feeling the weight is way too light, but as you start squeezing - and it's crucial that you squeeze hard - you'll soon fail.
Training chest like this is not about the ego, as you'll only be using light dumbbells and people will also think you're not doing the full movement as you're not coming down very far with the dumbbells. However, your pecs will feel a massive pump and you'll certainly have DOMS. Over the weeks you'll develop both mass and shape to the pecs.


Just wondering who uses/has used these, and to what effect?

ive been using it since I started my journey with James beginning of november and it give a mch better pump/contraction and mind muscle connection with the pecs

I was gonna swing by your journal having read about them in there recently OJay - thanks!
 
The point at which the partials come down to seems a bit ambiguous to me though, in comparison to a full-depth rep, how far are you coming down from a locked out position from reps 6-15?

about 30 degrees flexion in the shoulder, from straight, is the lowest point
 
the 120 in the article doesnt sound right.

Do you mean extension? Either way, sounds like about 8-10 inches of RoM that way?

no, i mean flexion!
 
30 degrees, i think that drawing you had of scapular plane showed the humerous at 30 degrees.

hey all,
 
Im going to try this (as said above not happy with my shape i think it could be alot down to genetics but im going to give this ago) BUT can someone justy clarify again the excercise ive got a little confused from the additional posts. Dazc ?

I do this (5 full rom then 10 partial) and really rate it. It's my 3rd chest exercise on chest day. IMO works a charm.

So just to clarify, how low are the db's being lowered on the partial??? A vid would have been good to acompany the article

Its basically like static contraction training then that everyone was raving about back in the day?

SJL


So just to clarify, how low are the db's being lowered on the partial??? A vid would have been good to acompany the article

if you were lying on a bench DB's in hand, and humerous parellel to the floor, and take that as zero, 30 degrees up from there would be the lowest point to which you would lower the DB's.  arms straight out in front of you would be 90 degrees.