Bench press inclination alters force production and regional thermal response of the pectoralis major
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.36453/cefe.2026.37824Keywords:
Pectoralis Muscles, Thermography, Muscle Strength, Isometric ContractionAbstract
BACKGROUND: Variations in bench inclination are widely used to target pectoralis major recruitment, but their simultaneous effects on isometric force production and the regional thermal response remain incompletely understood.
OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of three bench inclinations (flat, incline, and decline bench press) on isometric force production and on the surface temperature of the clavicular, sternal, and abdominal portions of the pectoralis major muscle in resistance-trained men.
METHODS: A cross-sectional experimental study with a within-subject design was conducted with 10 resistance-trained men (22.0±2.6 years). At each inclination, participants performed a 10-second maximal voluntary isometric contraction. Force was measured using a digital handheld dynamometer, and surface temperature was recorded by infrared thermography at rest and immediately after each contraction.
RESULTS: Force production was significantly greater in the flat and decline bench press conditions than in the incline condition, with no significant difference between the flat and decline conditions. After Bonferroni correction (p<0.017), this difference remained significant for the decline bench press on both sides and for the flat bench press on the right side only. The flat bench press showed the most consistent thermal response and was the only condition to significantly increase the temperature of the clavicular portion bilaterally; the increase remained significant in seven of the eight muscle-side combinations assessed. In the incline bench press, the clavicular portion showed no significant temperature increase, suggesting a lower local metabolic demand.
CONCLUSION: Bench inclination significantly influences the biomechanics and the acute metabolic stress of the exercise. Under the isometric conditions assessed, the flat bench press demonstrated greater overall efficiency, combining a high force-generating capacity with a widespread thermal response across all muscle portions assessed. These findings should not be extrapolated to the dynamically performed bench press.
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Copyright (c) 2026 Christian Rafael Rodrigues Farina, Guilherme Gallo Costa Gomes, Odair Alfredo Gomes, Mariana Oliveira Zorzenon, Gabriel Pádua da Silva, Edson Donizetti Verri
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