Description
Declined thrust which accentuates the recruitment of the sternal fascicles of the pectorals.
01 · Setup
Set up the movement
- Lie down on a decline bench and brace your pelvis before starting.
- Stable body, fixed pelvis, tight and lowered shoulder blades.
- Chest open, wrists aligned, elbows at 45-60 degrees.
- Fixed gaze and maintained core engagement.
- Stabilize both sides before descending to avoid imbalance.
02 · Execution
Perform the rep
- Descend in a controlled manner towards the bottom of the chest.
- Short stop without rebound.
- Push in a stable trajectory up to above the shoulders.
Technique cue
Control the descent and keep the elbows at a constant angle.
Common mistakes- bounce down
- elbows too open
- excessively extended wrists
- loss of core engagement
Safety notes
Risks of poor execution
- With heavy dumbbells, loss of control can result in the load falling onto the shoulder, chest or face.
- An unbalanced descent increases the risk of chest and shoulder injuries.
- A sudden descent increases shoulder-chest stress.
- A bad trajectory increases the risk of shoulder pain.