Since chest training is primarily performed with a flat back (either lying or seated, depending on the equipment used), there are many different options as far as what angle you can hit your pectoral muscles at. And this isn’t just for shits n’ giggles, either. Three main angles for three areas of the chest is the way that it works.
Let’s take a look at them broken down angle-wise:
FLAT
The most basic angle isn’t really one at all when you come to think of it. But this is the meat and potatoes of chest training. Flat bench/dumbbell presses and flyes are two staple exercises that should be a part of any routine. And there are even a few really good Hammer Strength machines that are helpful when you are working out solo and don’t have a spotter.
These movements really work the entire chest but focus more on the middle part. That’s good because it covers a lot of the meat on that bone, if you will.
INCLINE
You can fluctuate the actual incline angle but try to stick to something in the 45-degree area for presses. Right in between the flat and 90-degree area will really hit where you want it to. But when it comes to incline flyes, it’s a good idea to lower the angle somewhat so you really get a nice stretch at the top of your pecs. If you’re a Hammer Strength guy, the incline machine puts emphasis on your upper chest without any worry of it being given a break since you can only go straight up and out. You’ll feel the time under tension using that device, for sure.
The upper chest is a tricky one to focus on and it takes the longest out of all three pec areas to feel a pump and eventually see growth. So you have to be consistent with it and perform the reps in a slow and controlled manner, maximizing the time under tension.
DECLINE
Most people do these last and because of the shorter range of motion (compared to flat and incline), you can still put up some impressive weight, pre-exhaustion set in or not. Your best bet with declines are to use a barbell, as dumbbells tend to be difficult to navigate hanging partially upside down. You may find your stronger side ahead of the weaker, so the bar keeps things even. And the Hammer Strength decline machine is a really good one, too, so be sure to mix it up with it if one is available in your gym.
The lower pectorals are the target here and they can be a pain in the ass to reach properly. Saggy man boobs need to be combated with consistency so don’t skip declines at all on chest day.
NOTE: The chest is a muscle group that can take a good pounding, so don’t baby it as far as reps and sets go. 12-to-15 sets at the minimum and depending on the weight being used, the rep count can be anywhere as high as fifteen and as low as one (for your one rep max). But don’t count that last one for your ego as a working set. Do it as an extra afterwards.