[Rush]

Actually he wasn't telling him to eat correctly, he was telling him to be in "caloric deficit" which in layman's terms is eat less. Not disputing his advice though, just saying you have to be wary of what you tell newer/novice lifters so they don't get the wrong ideas.

[El Conquistador]

Originally Posted by Barry_Darsow

Ive scrapped the flat bench myself over the last couple months and have really been focusing on incline. Its been a neglected exercise of mine and i weakness ive needed to fix. Im really digging it more than flat. I was wondering though about the strength carryover to flat? Meaning if you say go up 50 lbs in incline, will your flat bench also have increased as well... even if you havent been doing it? Or are the gains just angle specific?

The carry over is obvious, in my opinion. Incline really helps overload the front delts. Many people say that incline only works the upper part of your chest or that cable flies work the inner part of your chest, etc,... well that isn't necessarily true. In principle, when exercising or isolating a muscle, the entire muscle contracts - not just one part of the muscle.

But back to the question. Incline is a great way to hit the delts and emphasize the upper chest. Stronger delts and a stronger chest will always directly effect one's benching performance.

To an extent, I think that advanced lifters wont have the same carry over with incline > flat as beginner/novice lifters will but again, that's just speculation and a perception formed by myself.

With all that said, close grip bench and incline bench really work well for me. Those two exercises and some paused benching at the bottom of flat bench correlates well with the flat bench press.

[Barry_Darsow]

Thanks for the info. My goal right now is to get around 290-300 on incline (my bench at home goes roughly 30 or 35 degree on incline if i had to guess)by the end of the year...so ive been using that as my heavy chest exercise. Im also going to start doing close grip flat every week but probably in the 8-12 range for that. That way im still using the flat and im not left wondering whether its progressing or not like i asked about in my post. I dont have bodybuilding aspirations or anything and really just workout 2-3 times a week so im thinking that would probably be enough for me as far as benching goes.

[Kamikaze™]

I just began a Ketogenic diet with help from a few wrestlers I work alongside. It's going amazing thus far, I've gone down from 223lbs to 212lbs, so dropped nearly a stone which I imagine mostly is water retention. My goal is 14 stone (196lbs). But I am doing this for the six weeks until I return to the Uni (where I get free gym) and then will work back onto carbs. I've been informed about cheat meals and maybe it's foolish opitmism by I feel by the time I go back, I will have hit my goal.

[Outkazt2k9]

Originally Posted by Kamikaze™

I just began a Ketogenic diet with help from a few wrestlers I work alongside. It's going amazing thus far, I've gone down from 223lbs to 212lbs, so dropped nearly a stone which I imagine mostly is water retention. My goal is 14 stone (196lbs). But I am doing this for the six weeks until I return to the Uni (where I get free gym) and then will work back onto carbs. I've been informed about cheat meals and maybe it's foolish opitmism by I feel by the time I go back, I will have hit my goal.

What are cheat meals? Is it when you eat something you are not supposed to because its bad for your diet? If it is, I do the same. Not necessarily a meal, but a snack. Like Hot Cheetos or a slice of pie. But sometimes I will eat a slice of pizza (along with what I usually eat) like once every 2 to 3 months.

Anybody else have meals or snacks that they have on their "cheating day(s)?"

[Rajah]

Originally Posted by Outkazt2k9

What are cheat meals? Is it when you eat something you are not supposed to because its bad for your diet?

You've answered your own question.

[Kamikaze™]

Originally Posted by Outkazt2k9

What are cheat meals? Is it when you eat something you are not supposed to because its bad for your diet? If it is, I do the same. Not necessarily a meal, but a snack. Like Hot Cheetos or a slice of pie. But sometimes I will eat a slice of pizza (along with what I usually eat) like once every 2 to 3 months.

Anybody else have meals or snacks that they have on their "cheating day(s)?"

Well I was told just to do a cheat meal, not a day. Basically you eat loads of carbs and calories to trick the body. On a Keto diet, one of the main changes is blocking out almost all carbohydrates, which are used by the body for energy. If you have a lot of carbs and a lot of fat, the body will burn (and even have an excess of carbs) and store fat and essentially that's how you get fat. Where as blocking the carbs out, means your body has nothing there to burn and then begins to burn stored fat. But it's also key to keep high on protein because theses diets can cause you to lose muscle mass.

But yeah, the cheat meal tricks the body and makes your body think that it's taking in carbs. So basically it will stop your body hitting that plataeu where it is used to a no-carb diet, and you will continue to lose weight and cut at a good rate. Personally I cannot wait for mine lol. I am missing so many things right now like; pizza, pasta, chips, BBQ sauce and so on. It's hell but for the results it's so worth it.

[Outkazt2k9]

Originally Posted by Kamikaze™

Well I was told just to do a cheat meal, not a day. Basically you eat loads of carbs and calories to trick the body. On a Keto diet, one of the main changes is blocking out almost all carbohydrates, which are used by the body for energy. If you have a lot of carbs and a lot of fat, the body will burn (and even have an excess of carbs) and store fat and essentially that's how you get fat. Where as blocking the carbs out, means your body has nothing there to burn and then begins to burn stored fat. But it's also key to keep high on protein because theses diets can cause you to lose muscle mass.

But yeah, the cheat meal tricks the body and makes your body think that it's taking in carbs. So basically it will stop your body hitting that plataeu where it is used to a no-carb diet, and you will continue to lose weight and cut at a good rate. Personally I cannot wait for mine lol. I am missing so many things right now like; pizza, pasta, chips, BBQ sauce and so on. It's hell but for the results it's so worth it.

Sounds interesting. I think I might try that. Thanks.

[Outkazt2k9]

What is on your mp3 playlist when you workout?

I listen to mostly trance and Rock music when I workout, depending what I am doing. Armin Van Buren, Tiesto, and a dance podcast during cardio. For rock I listen to Motley Crew, Metallica, Drowning Pool, and Pantera are one I think of the top of my head for lifting.

[RatedRudy]

man i sure do need an ipod, stupid psp is bulky as hell, feels like a brick that is in my shorts, not worth it when working out, ill tell ya that much. anyway, does anyone in here do decline bench press, i heard it isn't good and it makes your chest look like a block or square or weird, i'am not sure, i mean the bench press does work all the pec muscle right? upper, middle, lower pec? it feels like my lower pec never feels sore from my workout, i mean i do flat bench, incline, incline flys, dumbbell flys, dips. idk its weird. anyone else have this problem