re: .

quote:

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Really concentrate on form and feel your chest contact with each rep.

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This is an often overlooked advice. You need to get your muscle/mind connection right. Next chest day, do your reps fairly slowly...two seconds up, four seconds down..pinch your shoulder blades together while you're rotating them back and downward with a slight arch in your back. This should help you force the chest to stretch and contract. Going slower will help you focus on the movement and make the muscle/mind connect. Also, as someone else mentioned, your tris are probably lacking behind. Your grip is fine from what you describe and you should feel the pump in your chest once the tris "catch up". Another thing, smith machine has a purpose but I'd bypass it so you can get full range, especially if you're just getting into it. I've been lifting for a long time and just recently got into the smith machine for a specific routine (Dante's Doggcrap routine)..oh, and frick declines, waste of time.