Decline bench press is one of the compound exercises that many people rely on to target the chest muscles and triceps muscles, despite the effectiveness of this exercise, but it may not be the best exercise to target these muscles, so some of the Decline bench press alternatives can be very effective and help you achieve your gains.
Whatever your fitness level or goals, you are in the right place because in this post we will learn about the best alternatives that will help you build muscle mass, strength and endurance as well, as they are safe and well effective.
Let’s continue together!
What is decline bench press?
Decline bench press is a compound exercise that relies on Push force, in which athletes lie on a declined bench and lift some weights. The purpose of the exercise is to target the lower chest muscles, as well as the triceps muscles.
This exercise is relied upon in order to build the chest muscles, increase their strength, and stimulate them to be active and respond to exercises more.
Utility : Basic
Mechanics : Compound
Force : Push
Decline bench press muscle worked
The Decline bench Press exercise focuses on mainly targeting the pectoralis major, sternal, and a group of muscles is also targeted secondarily, meaning that the effect of the exercise is less on these muscles, and this cannot be considered a major exercise for these muscles, except for the main muscles.
Target:
- Pecs Major, Sternal
Synergists:
- Deltoid, Anterior
- Triceps brachii
Stabilizers
- Biceps brachii, Short head
What are the most effective decline bench press alternatives?
- Cable standing decline chest press
- Cable decline chest press
- Lever decline chest press
- Smith decline bench press
- Lever decline bench press
- Cable bar standing decline bench press
- Flat bench press
- Dumbbell pec deck fly
- Chest dips
- High cable crossover
Are decline bench press alternatives worth it?
Alternatives always work to target the same muscles but in different ways, so some alternatives may be stronger than the Decline Bench Press when it comes to targeting the lower chest muscles, such as the Flat Bench Press exercise. It is a strong exercise and achieves very good results at the level of the chest muscles.
There are also some alternatives that help you sculpt muscles because they do not require heavy weights, and the effect of repetitions plays a role. We often talk here about cable exercises or dumbbell exercises with light weight and high repetitions.
This will help you build high endurance and sculpt muscles, but this Part of what you can achieve with some alternatives.
The important thing is that alternatives help you achieve your gains, whatever they are, they will help you strengthen your muscles, build mass and increase endurance, so I think they are effective.
10 Best decline bench press alternatives
The exercises contained in this list were presented by specialized trainers, most of them are compound strength exercises that target a group of muscles and can help you effectively, and they gave good results in targeting the chest muscles and were highly relied upon in the fitness halls, so here are these Exercises and how to do them and tips from professionals.
1- Cable standing decline chest press
We start with the first exercise on the cable machine, standing behind the bar on the cable machine. It is an exercise that targets 100% of the chest muscles and a group of other muscles.
It is a compound exercise and depends on the force of the push. All the chest fibers are activated in order to be a comprehensive exercise for the chest muscles, including the lower muscles. .
How to do it correctly:
- Adjust the cable handles to a position slightly above your shoulder height.
- Get a bar and attach it to the fists. The position of the bar will be like a swing.
- Grab the cable bar with a wide grip, the bar will be in front of your chest at the beginning of the movement.
- Put a step forward and keep your back foot straight back, push your chest forward and keep your back straight.
- Push the bar down until it is in front of your hip, let it go back again slowly until your arms are straight at your sides and the bar is in front of your chest, and push down again.
Pro tip:
Try to get the cable pulleys relatively close together and narrower than the width of the arms extending to the sides (but not too close), then try to engage your muscles well with each repetition and keep the muscles engaged throughout the exercise.
2- Cable decline chest press
This is another exercise on the cable machine that targets most of the chest muscles and focuses on the lower muscles in particular.
This exercise is very popular with bodybuilders and you always find people doing it on the machine, whether in a seated or standing position. It is a good exercise and a good alternative that you can Rely on.
How to do it correctly:
- Adjust the cable grips again to a position above shoulder height.
- Standing in the middle, pull the two barbell grips to the side of the pectoral muscles.
- Move forward a little bit until the cable is tight.
- Stand straight, step forward, keep your back foot straight, chest pushed forward, back straight.
- Then start pushing the cable almost diagonally downward until the arm becomes straight and almost in front of the abdominal muscles.
- Let the cable slowly return until your arm is almost straight with your shoulder at the side, and repeat again.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your movement slow and also try to control the resistance of the cable. You must control the movement. If the resistance of the cable hinders your movement, you should reduce the weight a little, and keep your muscles engaged throughout the exercise and press them constantly.
3- Lever decline chest press
This is another exercise that is done with a lever, I rarely see someone doing this exercise although it is an effective exercise for the muscles of the chest and arms, it is a good compound exercise and puts your muscles under heavy pressure throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- Sit on the bench with the lever handles at a lower chest height.
- Keep your back straight and your chest pushed forward.
- Hold both fists apart, your elbows should be directly behind the fist, with your shoulder slightly bent downward.
- Press the lever until your arms are straight forward, then return the weight until you feel the tension in your lateral chest muscles, and repeat again.
Pro tip:
Your fists should not be too far apart because you should take into account that your elbow should be at a 90-degree angle when you pull back, so if your fists are wide, the angle of your elbows will be wider and your lats will be more targeted, also focus on slowly regaining weight and Push it forward slowly, the slower you are, the better the exercise.
4- Smith decline bench press
This is a very similar exercise to the Decline Bench Press exercise, but this alternative is on the Smith machine and when we say the Smith machine the first thing that goes into mind is that we’ll have a precise and strict trajectory of movement, you just have to push the weight and stay engaged, it’s a solid exercise and It will help you achieve your gains.
How to do it correctly:
- First determine the weight you will go with and fit your fitness level.
- Lie on a decline bench, put your feet on the supports of the bench from the bottom so that it does not slide backwards.
- Your chest should be directly under the bar.
- Hold the bar with a wide inclined upper grip.
- Push straight up, take the weight back until the forearms are straight to the sides.
Pro tip:
When we say wide fists, this does not mean that your fists are excessively far apart, the elbow should be at a 90-degree angle if you want to target the chest muscles and if the elbow is far, it will engage other muscles, so keep your fists slightly more than shoulder width apart, and focus on slow And squeeze your muscles well.
5- Lever decline bench press
This is also an exercise on the lever machine, and we can say that it is also very similar to the Decline bench press exercise, and this is what makes it precisely target the lower chest muscles and the triceps muscles and press them throughout the exercise, and my lever grips like the Smith machine will guarantee you You have a straight and good trajectory of movement.
How to do it correctly:
- Lie on a low bench, select the weight you want to go with.
- Lever fists will be next to your chest muscles, so grab both fists tightly.
- Push up until your arms are straight.
- Return the weight slowly until your chest muscles become tense, and push again.
Pro tip:
Focus on slowing your movement to a moderate speed, then try to feel the tension of your chest muscles with each repetition and always remember that the elbow should remain at a 90-degree angle during the recovery of the weight to the maximum.
6- Flat bench press
This exercise or this alternative is superior to the Decline Bench Press exercise because it succeeds in operating the lower chest muscles and activates the lower chest muscle fibers and the muscles respond to this exercise effectively, so it may be good to put this exercise as a main exercise to target the lower chest muscles.
How to do it correctly:
- Lie on the bench and determine the weight you will go with in advance.
- Position your fists on the bar so that they are more than shoulder width, and keep your thumbs on the bar.
- Push your shoulders back a little, keeping your chest muscles engaged and pushed forward.
- Hold the bar straight over your chest.
- Pull down and keep your arms at an angle between 45 and 70 degrees from your body.
- Push up until your arms are straight over your chest.
Pro tip:
It is better not to burn your elbows too much, and you should also pay attention to your lying position on the bench, it is like a bench press, that is, you should leave some space between your lower back and the bench and press your shoulder and butt muscles and try to keep your muscles engaged throughout the exercise.
7- Machine pec deck fly
This exercise targets different muscles in the upper part of the body, such as the chest muscles and the posterior deltoid. It also targets the serratus, which is a muscle related to the lats. The most important thing is that it is an exercise that puts your muscles under strong pressure and stretches them well and can be relied upon as a good alternative.
How to do it correctly:
- It is first important to adjust the fly machine to a position that provides you with comfort in performing the movement, the most important is that the grips of the machine be parallel to your shoulders.
- Grasp the grips of the machine, engage your chest muscles, keeping your hands straight to the sides.
- Pull your hands in a reverse circle forward, keeping your chest pushed forward and your back completely straight on the pillow of the machine.
- Let your hands return to the previous position again, and stop when your arms are straight with your shoulders at the sides.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your back straight. Lots of people push forward as a kind of assistance to the hands and this is not good for the chest muscles. Keep your back neutral and straight and focus on pulling your hands straight (there may be some bending but not a problem), focus on the movement of the arms and feel Your chest muscles tear with each repetition.
8- Chest dips
This is a body weight exercise, I think everyone knows it, but everyone does it to target the triceps muscles only, while it can also target the lower chest muscles and it helps greatly, because you deal with about 70% of your body weight, this means that you will stretch your muscles and Keep it under extreme pressure.
How to do it correctly:
- Place the palms of your hands on the parallel bar.
- Bend straight forward, and bend your knees back.
- Lower until your arms are parallel to the bar. Do not go down any further.
- Press the parallel bar again and rise until your arms are straight.
Pro tip:
Try to keep your body tilted forward because we want to target the chest muscles. If you keep your body vertical you will target the triceps muscles so make sure that the body is tilted forward a little, also don’t go down too much. Stop when your arms are parallel to the parallel bar, and finally squeeze your muscles with each repetition .
9- High cable crossover
A crossover cable is relied upon to train several muscles, because it allows the maximum extension of the muscle you want to train, and this is what makes it also effective in extending the chest muscles, so that the movement of the hands in extending the cable scissoring to the sides plays to keep the triceps muscles tense throughout the exercise.
How to do it correctly:
- Well you know Cable Cross, you have a cable coming on your right and a cable coming on your left.
- Stand straight in the middle, bend your knees slightly.
- Keep your back straight and keep your face down as well.
- Hold the cable on your left with your right hand, and hold the cable on your right with your left hand.
- Pull the cables tight until both hands are straight on each side. (it’s okay to let your elbows a little bent)
- Start slowly pulling grips until your fists are straight in front of your abdominal muscles, then extend them back to the previous position (extended almost straight on each side).
Pro tip:
You should not go with your elbows back excessively or your shoulders, try to stop when your arms become straight on the sides, also do not try to pull in front of your chest, press your chest muscles and go with your hands downward, that is, in front of the abdominal muscles and focus on pressing your muscles constantly.
10- Incline Push Ups
Another bodyweight exercise to target the chest muscles, Incline push-up exercise is also one of the exercises that works well to target the lower chest muscles and other chest muscles, where the Incline push-up exercise plays an effective role in stretching the chest muscles and working on sculpting them well.
How do you do it:
- It’s like a normal push-up.
- Bring a high box (half a meter would be fine).
- Place your hands on the box and keep them about shoulder width apart.
- Keep your whole body completely straight.
- Keep your feet close and parallel.
- Then start doing push-ups.
Pro tip:
You can adjust the chest to a slightly higher level if you are facing some difficulties, focus on stretching the chest muscles well and keeping them under pressure throughout the exercise.
Note: This exercise will not help you increase muscle mass, but it will help you strengthen and sculpt the muscles well. If you want to increase the intensity, you can wear a weighted vest. This will be more challenging and stimulate your muscles to be more active.
Decline chest press alternatives mistakes
There are some mistakes that many people make when trying to target the chest muscles, these mistakes are often common and are caused by lack of experience, so here are some general mistakes that you should avoid while training your muscles.
1- Not focusing on contraction and depression.
Many people don’t contract properly or don’t put enough pressure on the muscles, like when doing the cable chest press, you must first work your muscles because there are many people who keep their shoulders neutral, but the shoulder has a close relationship with the chest muscles, you have to push it back a little and keep it poised.
2- Do not isolate your chest muscles well.
Also, this is a common mistake that many make. It is not easy to isolate the chest muscles, but it is an important thing that you must practice, especially if you are actually doing isolation exercises. Try to do the movement in a more professional way and I advise you to always look at the anatomy of the muscles you want to target in order to know exactly the exercises and appropriate movements.
3- Your chest muscles do not stretch well.
Also, this is a mistake that many make. In many exercises, you need to compress your chest muscles well, but many people do not focus on this, so when you are on the Decline bench, you push your hands straight up, but there is no pressure on the chest muscles, you must fix this, try to feel Tighten your chest well.
4- Going with heavy weights.
This is another mistake that the alternate tends to go with weights that are not in line with their level of physical fitness and therefore they suffer injuries to their joints, or their muscles grow deformed, or they experience pain and muscle stiffness after training, because their muscles are not accustomed to lifting weights, but rather they should go with Gradually weights from light to heavier to gradually get used to the muscles.
5- Do not allow the chest muscles to recover.
If you train your chest muscles two or three times a week, this is fine, but you should not do three intense sessions to target the chest muscles, you may allow them to recover for 24 hours, but this is not enough, you should at least allow your muscles to recover for 48 hours after training long intense.
Training program
When it comes to setting a training program, that is up to you. You may be training your chest muscles twice a week. You can do one of the compound exercises at the beginning of the session, such as the Flat Bench Press or the Decline Bench Press, followed by some isolation exercises for the muscles that you want to focus on more.
Beginner :
- Compound : Sets 2 – 3 / Reps 4 – 6 MR / Rest 60 sec
- Isolation : Sets 3 / Reps 8 – 10 / Rest 60 sec
Intermediate :
- Compound : Sets 3 – 4/ Reps 6- 8 MR / Rest 60 sec
- Isolation : Sets 4 / Reps 10- 12/ Rest 60 sec
Advanced :
- Compound : Sets 4 – 5 / Reps 8 – 10 MR / Rest 60 sec
- Isolation : Sets 5 / Reps 12 – 15 / Rest 60 sec
Decline bench press alternatives benefits
Decline Bench Press alternatives target many muscles such as: Pectoralis major, sternal, Deltoid, anterior, Triceps brachii, Biceps brachii short head..
So every time you do one of the alternatives, you target a group of muscles, which are often the main muscles.
Alternatives will also help you carry different weights and do different exercises with varying intensity.
It will also improve the strength of the muscles of the upper part of the body quickly.
It will help you gain muscle mass.
You will reduce the risk of injury with other weight exercises
Useful Links
These links may be useful to you if you are a fan of building fitness and strength or gaining muscle at home, these links contain the most powerful CrossFit exercises that you can rely on mainly.
If you are a fan of strength workouts for the upper body, you can rely on these workouts at home, believe me, you may not need anyone to build strong fitness only at home.
Target your inner chest with dumbbell hex press (full guide)
Most chest press exercise at home
Target your delts with the most powerful exercise for shoulders (full guide)
Best exercises for ams (Biceps)
Also, if you want to focus on the muscles of the lower body, you may find these links very useful, you can rely on them to learn the correct movements and ways to build muscle.
Rear elevated squat guide for achieving the max gain
8 Best Romanian deadlift alternatives for max gain
