Everyone should be pressing with an ‘arch’ motion, its biochemically the safest/strongest and it recruits the chest how it should be. Lately I have been using BB floor presses to target upper chest while minimising shoulder use.
Low the bar to below the nipples, rest and pause at bottom for 1-2 seconds (dont stop your contraction though) and then shoot back towards your eyes with power. It HAMMERS your upper chest region 
what is the actual benefit of a barbell floor press over a normal barbell press done on a bench ?
I find it de-loads the anterior delts more, which means more chest activation… Secondly the pause removes the stretch reflex, which allows you to recruit maximally upon contraction… Third the pause also allows you to make a very direct inverted ‘U’ press towards your eyes, which recruits more of the clavicular (upper) chest… And finally, just try it and you will see 
I always thought that the floor press was mainly a triceps exercise.
[quote]mckdean wrote:
Everyone should be pressing with an ‘arch’ motion, its biochemically the safest/strongest and it recruits the chest how it should be. Lately I have been using BB floor presses to target upper chest while minimising shoulder use.
Low the bar to below the nipples, rest and pause at bottom for 1-2 seconds (dont stop your contraction though) and then shoot back towards your eyes with power. It HAMMERS your upper chest region :)[/quote]
is this how you lift chest? It hammers the upper chest? What does your chest and lifts look like?
If how I lift you mean with an inverted U motion then yes, if you mean floor presses then I use them at the end of my workout as a finisher for both tri’s and Chest.
I originally started using them with DB when I had shoulder problems as it de-loading the joint significantly. I liked the feeling i got for upper chest with minimal delt activation and continued to use them as a finisher to something like a hammer strength incline machine. It ‘hammers’ my upper chest and have had friends incorporate it too once I got their technique sorted.
My lifts are irrelevant but ive pressed 330 for 1 at 90kg about 6months ago, not that impressive but physique results are more important than lifts to me!
Then how about a pic of your chest? =)
The size of my chest is irrelevant on an idea of a different approach to hitting upper chest…
Its a relative new approach so the benefits (if any) would yet to be seen as of yet.
Not everyone who is a good coach/trainer/guru or whatever has to match the development of the athlete/individual they are giving advice too. And that’s all it is too, advice. Not a ‘must way’ to train
[quote]mckdean wrote:
If how I lift you mean with an inverted U motion then yes, if you mean floor presses then I use them at the end of my workout as a finisher for both tri’s and Chest.
I originally started using them with DB when I had shoulder problems as it de-loading the joint significantly. I liked the feeling i got for upper chest with minimal delt activation and continued to use them as a finisher to something like a hammer strength incline machine. It ‘hammers’ my upper chest and have had friends incorporate it too once I got their technique sorted.
My lifts are irrelevant but ive pressed 330 for 1 at 90kg about 6months ago, not that impressive but physique results are more important than lifts to me![/quote]
I wasnt asking in order to call you out, per say. I was asking because you are advocating a technique and I was wondering what kind of results you were getting (I.E. getting stronger or getting bigger) I was refering to the low angle and your rest pause lifting style.
[quote]mckdean wrote:
The size of my chest is irrelevant on an idea of a different approach to hitting upper chest…
[/quote]
You said you lift for size and looks (not necessarily strength numbers in your previous post) so the size of your chest IS relevant.
^^True… They might not have the development to match but they have clients who have the development. If you’re going to equate yourself to someone like that then you should probably give some examples of guys you have trained who arejacked.
Nah just making an excuse not to put pics up haha…
As I said, approach is relatively new (3-4 weeks) so can’t comment on effectiveness. I use the hammer strength plate loaded machine predominantly for upper chest, which I rate highly (good angle of movement).
Was merely throwing an example that usually wouldnt be used for this particular question that I am currently finding ‘seems to be working well’
I’d probably do inclines.
What I like to do is go to an adjustable incline bench and adjust it so it’s 3 notches up from the lowest setting. I’ll grab a weight that I can handle for about 8 reps on the first setting. For the next set I’ll drop the incline down a notch and do 6 more reps. After that, I’ll drop it down to the lowest notch and bang out 4-5 reps. No rest in between those sets.
Gregron:
"Years ago I had a conversation with IFBB pro-bodybuilder, Johnnie Jackson, that enlightened me regarding how well floor presses stimulate the upper chest. Allow me to explain.
At least one study has shown that using a slightly narrower grip improves upper chest activation even more so than an incline bench angle. This is because using a slightly narrower grip forces the elbows to come slightly in toward the sides (adduction of the humerus) as opposed to them being flared. Subsequently, this puts the clavicular pectoralis in a better mechanical advantage to do its primary function(s): flexion and horizontal adduction.
Do the floor press with a grip width that’s just outside of shoulder width and that places your upper arms about 30° away from your sides in the starting position. Then push the barbell up and back in a slight arc such that it ends up over your upper chest."
Article by Clay Hyght : Building a Bodybuilder Chest
Indeed… exactly how I have been doing them!
[quote]mckdean wrote:
its biochemically the safest/strongest
[/quote]
Do you mean biomechanically here?
[quote]Seize wrote:
What I like to do is go to an adjustable incline bench and adjust it so it’s 3 notches up from the lowest setting. I’ll grab a weight that I can handle for about 8 reps on the first setting. For the next set I’ll drop the incline down a notch and do 6 more reps. After that, I’ll drop it down to the lowest notch and bang out 4-5 reps. No rest in between those sets.[/quote]
Dude that’s an absolutely killer exercise. I do something very similar although I may start a notch higher (never bothered counting, but I get at least 4 mini-sets in until the bench is flat). I do this for one set, maybe two, then I’m done.
But I use this exercise only occasionally when I need to trash my entire pec (not just the upper area). I usually always need a day off after. Are you able to use this exercise more often, and I guess more importantly, are you pretty much going to failure on each of those mini-sets?
Obviously blaze… but thanks for pointing that out, GENIUS!!
Smith Machine Incline Press - discuss the optimal angle of lowering the bar (ie. neck vs. clavicle vs. mid-chest , etc) and overall advantages/disadvantages for upper chest development
