cg benchpress...how to stimulate the triceps?

[Maximum6]

When lying on a flat bench (i know eric said dec. is better)...

Should you keep your back totally flat..with no arch in the back...to do the press? Or would you stick your chest out a little bit?

keeping the back flat..would put load on shoulders...while arching the back just a little would put load on the chest.

Also...what's your oppinion on lowering the bar all the way to the chest? I've seen charles glass teach people to push only the "top half" and not the bottom half of the lift....therefore..the bar never touches the chest

[beckie]

I only take the bar down to about 1.5-2" above my chest,my triceps get a pretty good workout from doing that! I find if I take it lower it stresses my elbows and shoulders too much..

And yes I lift my chest slightly,like I would on an incline press,like of like elongating my torso instead of bringing my back off the bench.

[Sareen]

Eric is right about decline angle as it works all three heads of the triceps. Keep a slight arch in the back is just fine. Now tricep movements like closegrip bench press, reverse grip bench press parallel bar dips will involve delts as well as chest along with the triceps.

Here are some recommendations by Coach Christan on maximizing tricep recruitment :




1. Lower the bar to the chest.

2. Press it back up to the starting position.

3. Lower the bar halfway down.

4. Press it back up to the starting position.