Guys, I’ve been lifting steady since 1988. Only time away has been for injuries and my 6 shoulder surgeries (gee, maybe I should learn something, no?). At any rate, in January of 2014 I had some serious elbow issues in my right arm. I suspected it was triceps tendonitis, as I did some research and the symptoms jived. I stopped pressing altogether for about 6 weeks, just doing cable flies, ring flies, and pec dec for chest. I was trying to maintain muscle mass enough that when I began to work in presses again it wouldn’t be too much of a drop.
I decided that instead of a flat/incline workout I’d try something different. I bought an angle measurement thing off Amazon and set the bench at about 12-13 degrees, right about halfway between a flat and an incline. It seemed to be the perfect angle, hitting the bulk of the chest muscles. Turns out I love it and have been exclusively pressing this way for over a year now. I haven’t done a flat bench or an incline since. I use dumbbells exclusively, as it feels the best for my shoulders by allowing a more natural range of motion during the exercise without having your hands locked into a specific width the whole time like on a barbell. Really hits the most muscle fibers of any single chest press I’ve ever done. I can highly recommend trying it. When I go heavy I can currently get 110lb dumbbells for 4-5 reps with good form (bottom of DB breaks the plane of the chest, all the way back up); 100lb DB’s for 9-10. Now, while these aren’t exactly power-lifting numbers they are DB’s, and at that angle smokes my chest! I’ll be 50 in a few months and I figure it’s not too shabby for an old bastard!
BTW, I do a “decline” at the exact opposite angle (just turn around on the bench) for several wide-grip BB presses later in my workout when I’m kinda smoked already, so I use lighter weights and higher reps for a few sets. This is primarily for the outer sweep of the pecs, as the low incline hits everything else. This has been the only use of a barbell for pressingl since I started into the low incline presses as my staple.
Not sure why but it is also the most pain-free (for me anyway) way to press, especially in the shoulders. Maybe it’s just that particular angle is my best alignment or something, I dunno.
Well it is a low incline, and at least for me hits the pecs in awesome fashion, the pectorals being the primary focus of this exercise (triceps being secondary as with most non-close grip pressing). I’m trying to maintain some semblance of strength as I get older and the key is avoiding injury. When I can do that all is well.
I’ve always liked dumbbells and felt that the involvement of secondary stabilizing muscles, as well as a more natural range of motion during the exercise, are definitely pluses. Like I mentioned earlier, having the hands fixed in position spells trouble for my shoulders over time. Of course in an emergency you can dump the weights without being pinned under a bar! Believe me, I’ve had almost 3 decades to learn some hard and painful lessons. I do what works. YMMV.
In another thread you mentioned you were in your early 30’s (?). You move some impressive weight. Hope your joints hold out better than mine in the next 16 years 'til you get to my age! The body doesn’t like to do what it once did, but if you’re like me you won’t give a damn and will force it to. I REFUSE to surrender! Best of luck!
I was mentioning that in terms of it being a good thing, as a reason why you’re able to do so without pain. The way I see it, if you can lift pain free it’s the way to go. I’m sure I’ll be where you are pain wise. We are all going to get old and hurt, but that’s life.