Exercise variations explained
Choosing exercise variations can be a bit of a minefield so we’ve created a simple guide to selecting the right variation for your goals.
Today we start with the chest press – Neutral Grip vs Pronated Grip
Both a neutral grip (palms towards you) and a pronated grip (Palms towards your feet) recruit the chest, triceps and shoulder muscles. The difference between these two grips is the percentage of the load lifted by one of these three muscles during the chest press.
- Neutral chest press (palms towards your body) places more load on the triceps and less of the chest muscles therefore recruits more of the tricep muscle fibres. This grip during a neutral chest press may take some pressure off the shoulder when performing the exercise. This is advisable for people who suffer from shoulder impingement.
- A pronated chest press (palms towards your lower body) places more load through the chest if performed correctly. With both these exercise make sure you work through your active range and try to keep the muscle ‘switch on’.
Struggling with your training programme? Sign up to our REFORM group personal training or 121 Personal Training to take your training up a gear.
