Chest exercises, Incline bench press – Bowflex Ultimate User Manual

Page 22

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Muscles worked: This exercise emphasizes the

chest muscles (pectoralis major), especially the

upper portion. It also involves the front shoulder

muscles (anterior deltoid, a portion of the middle

deltoid) and the triceps, which are located on the

back of the upper arm.

Pulley position: Wide or narrow (Wide offers a

greater challenge throughout the entire range

on specific movements, especially at the top of

these movements. This can make these exercises

even more effective. However, when both pulley

positions are listed as options, do not attempt to

use the same weight for each position).

Starting position:

• Seated in the 45 degree position, reach straight

behind your body, grasp the handles, and bend

your elbows until your hands are near your

chest. Rotate your upper arms away from your

torso so that your elbows are pointing outward

to each side and your palms are facing forward.

• Keeping knees bent and feet flat on the floor, lay

your head back against the bench and straighten

your arms to the front.

• You may also utilize the alternate incline bench

press position by placing your feet on the

forward leg of the Bowflex

®

Ultimate

Home

Gym and using your legs to slide the torso

upward on the bench so that your head is near

the lat tower. This will allow a greater incline of

the arms without losing alignment of the cables.

• From this position, raise your arms 10-15

degrees (cables touching the tops of your

arms/shoulders) above the regular bench press

position (cables lying along the backs of your

arms and center of the shoulders).

• Be sure that your arms are directly "in line" with

the cables, palms facing forward and wrists

straight. If the cables are "above" the arms, too

much elevation was introduced.

• Raise your chest and slightly "pinch" your

shoulder blades together. Maintain a very slight,

comfortable arch in your lower back.

Motion:

• Slowly move your elbows outward,

simultaneously bending your arms so that your

forearms remain parallel to each other and the

hands remain over the elbows throughout the

movement. From the side view it should appear

as if the forearms are in line with the cables at

all times.

• Stop when your upper arms are approximately

straight out to the sides (your elbows will be

level with your shoulders or very slightly below).

• Then, slowly press forward/upward, moving

hands toward the center. Then return to starting

position with arms straight to the front at

shoulder width and in-line with the cables. Keep

your chest muscles tightened during the entire

motion.

Optional motions:

• Bilateral movement - both arms pressing

forward at the same time.

• Unilateral movement – performing all reps with

one arm before moving to the next.

• Alternating – performing one rep on one side

and then the next rep on the other side.

• Simultaneously alternating – both arms moving,

although in opposite directions (one pressing

while the other is returning).

Key points:

• The upper arms will be 60-90 degrees from

the sides of your torso at the bottom of the

movement and slightly more than 90 degrees

from the front of your torso at the top.

• Limit and control the range of motion so that

your elbows travel only slightly behind your

shoulders — if at all.

• For normal pressing/pushing patterns of

movement you may choose to allow the shoulder

blades to "float" forward and backward naturally

with the arm movement, or for increased pec

involvement you may keep the shoulder blades

"pinched" together throughout both the upward

and downward movements.

Chest Exercises

FINISH

START

Incline Bench Press

Shoulder Horizontal Adduction (with elbow extension)

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