We all know that incline dumbbell presses and incline bench presses are the keys to a thick upper chest. For most bodybuilders, the lower-chest area is usually adequately covered through the use of flat bench press, a movement that very few bodybuilders in the history of training have ever neglected. However, for bodybuilders with a large sternum bone gap, the lower chest can become underdeveloped from standard bench presses. Sometimes, even decline bench presses aren’t enough to hit this area. If their pecs are lagging, their shoulders and triceps will do most of the work on the movement. And we have all seen competition pictures of bodybuilders with poor lower chests. The desired “squareness” of an Arnold Schwarzenegger chest is replaced with round mounds of muscle, neither pleasing to the eye of judges nor the fairer sex.
If you suffer from weak lower pectorals, you should consider employing decline dumbbell presses. Lying flat on a bench with a 15-degree incline, complete heavy repetitions in the 6 to 12 repetition range. Use slow, controlled motions. A spotter can be useful for stabilizing the arms throughout the completion of the movement, but cannot be of the same “under the elbow” spot that is available on incline and flat dumbbell presses without some awkward angling. When you complete the final repetition, you can usually drop the weights to the ground in most gyms, which is very good for working completely to failure, but can be dangerous for those training on the bench next to you. Keep an eye out for others when using the decline dumbbell press.
Decline dumbbell presses are often placed as the last pressing movement in the workout. It’s a relatively safe movement. Incline bench press, as the last pressing movement is a riskier move, as the range of motion is higher and the additional required leverage from the body. Follow them with your standard dumbbell flyes, cable crossovers, the butterfly pec-deck, and dumbbell pullovers.
Remember that some bodybuilders are blessed with great lower pec lines. Steve Reeves, Gustavo Badell, and Mike Mentzer come to mind as examples of men with superb natural shape on the lower pecs. If you have gapped lower pecs, you will always have them. The key is to attempt to make them as thick as possible so that the eye is draws away from that area. Decline dumbbell presses are the way to do that!