Originally posted by stubbs
ironfist, im still relatively new to learning exercise science. i was under the impression angles do matter. i thought most strength was gained at whatever angle or ROM the muscle was worked at, or are you taking it purely from a bodybuilding prospective? are incline or decline bench presses any different to a flat bench press in this respect?
Angles matter in that loads can have a different effect depending on where they are applied from. E.g. in your example, incline bench will transfer more work to your anterior deltoids (off your pectorals). Decline, I don't remember offhand exactly what it affects most. But flat, incline and decline don't work "upper" and "lower" pecs differently. With the abdominal exercises, angles may matter insofar as which muscles are worked. The rectus abdominus isn't the only abdominal muscle. There's also internal and external obliques and the transverse abdominus. Also the group of muscles referred to as the hip flexors. Different angles will work each muscle differently. But at the end of the day, each individual muscle can't tell which angle it's being worked from. Like Iron said.
I know what you're talking about re the ROM and strength. Like when people do a quarter bench or squat as opposed to a full ROM. The effects are different, but only (if I understand correctly) in that you are talking about complex compound movements. E.g. Iron does full squats, I do powerlifting squats. He might have some stronger muscles in the hip or somewhere since I know I'd have difficulty in going all the way down with his weights, even though I squat more than him. With bench, you want to improve around your sticking point (typically fairly low down). At that point, you might need to concentrate on e.g. triceps and lats, whereas if you did 1/4 benches most of the weight will be lifted by your pectorals. Get what I'm saying? I suck at explaining it (and I'm probably wrong, anyway). Ask Ford.
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