Guillotine - the best chest exercise: a personal trainer's view

Author: Pavel Shaikin - master trainer in fitness (FPA).
2017-08-14

This exercise is becoming increasingly popular and is being used more often by gym goers, thanks to fitness bloggers and trainers. For those who are unfamiliar, an video at the end of the article showcases it. It is presented as a breakthrough, supported by scientific research on muscle activity using electromyography. But is it really that beneficial, and should you incorporate the guillotine exercise into your workouts? I have a clear understanding of the situation overall and want to remind you of some training fundamentals that are often overlooked.

The guillotine exercise effectively loads all the chest muscle bundles, especially the lower and middle portions, according to electromyographic data and personal sensation. From a chest activation standpoint, this is the best exercise! But how effective is it for chest growth? It seems straightforward: with greater muscle activity, growth should follow. Friends, let’s dig deeper and evaluate the substance rather than the appealing facade.

Some Training Basics

1. There are concepts like the naturalness of movement and injury risk. The guillotine is not a natural movement and carries a high risk of injury. The shoulder joint, due to its mobility, pays the price with instability, and the structures of the joint can be injured when the movement is unnatural. The humerus and scapular joint have a complex anatomical structure, and raising the elbow above the level of the sternum with a load in this exercise can pinch various structures between ligaments and bones—tendons, muscles, and bursae. Gradually, the structures wear down, leading to inflammation.

Recovery of these structures from micro-injuries takes more than a month, while training with the guillotine can occur almost weekly. One could assume that the rotator cuff—made up of four muscles, the tendon of the long head of the biceps, and even inflammation of the bursa, ligaments, and bones—could sustain injuries from training through pain. After inflammation of one or several muscles of the rotator cuff, you will struggle to perform almost any exercise involving shoulder movement intensely.

2. The goal of fitness training is to be healthy and fit. Muscle mass gain, without preparation for an upcoming bodybuilding competition, falls under fitness activities rather than sport. Most people in gyms are engaging in fitness.

3. Training for muscle mass gain is a lengthy process; it is impossible to significantly bulk up in 3-6 months. You must consider long-term prospects.

Considering these three points, one can conclude that you are unlikely to build significant muscle using this chest exercise since you risk acute or chronic injuries, halting your progress before reaching your goals.

4. The principle of progressive overload and the general adaptation syndrome is vital. The primary condition for growth is a gradual progression in loads and stress on the neuromuscular system, which should slightly exceed the typical levels. By applying these training truths, you can grow from any exercise, even without the guillotine, if everything is done correctly! If growth is absent, the reason is not due to the absence of the guillotine or other exercises; it lies elsewhere.

Recommendations

For those determined to test their limits and preparing for competitions, I’ll provide some recommendations regarding this exercise to minimize injury risks.

1. Planning:

• Use the exercise no more than once every 1-2 weeks and limit to no more than 3 working sets per workout;
• After cycles of preparation, allow for a 2-week rest;
• If pain occurs, immediately exclude the exercise.

2. Technique of the Exercise:

• The movement should be smooth and controlled in an isotonic mode;
• Maintain five points of contact (pressed feet, sacrum, shoulder blades, and ensure to include the back of the head);
• A closed grip of medium width;
• Minimize the lumbar arch. For stabilization, positioning the feet on platforms wider than shoulder width is better; as a last resort, use a bench, but stability may be compromised.

3. Work mode.

This exercise is intended for muscle hypertrophy, so the number of repetitions should range from 10 to 15, without dropping below that. It should not be performed in a strength style with heavy weights and low repetitions.

Conclusion

In any case, each of you must make an informed decision, weighing all the pros and cons. On the one hand, this is the best exercise for the chest; on the other hand, it carries significant risk of injury. With the proper approach to training, you will grow without the guillotine, but mistakes in execution will render the guillotine ineffective too.

Train wisely!

Contacts for Pavel: VK, Facebook, Website.