What is your opinion of the BENCH PRESS exercise?

[CowPimp]

The bench press is a nagging pain to me. It used to be my best exercise, but because of concerns regarding spotting, I quit them for a while. Needless to say, I do them sparingly, and usually a product of some super set (or pre-exhaust). People always ask; what do you bench?? At this point in time, I bench press barley more than my military press (240), so the answer usually makes me look much worse off than I am.

If I wanted to work at it more, I could probably be better off, but I'm way more interested in speed/lower body strength.

It's funny how everyone asks that. No one cares about lower body strength, explosive power, overhead pressing, pulling movements, etc.

It's okay DD, with an overhead press of 240 and the ability to squat in the 400s for reps, who the hell cares what you can bench press?!

 

[GFR]

Bench is great regardless if its BB or DB, I find that people who are naturally gifted at it love it and people who are not usually don't like it. The only upper body movements that rival it are: Rows..BB or Db and over head press...Db or BB....Olympic lifts also but they are more of a total body exercise IMO.

 

[Maynard Keenan]

I personally prefer the incline bench to create the surge of power for the chest!

 

[min0 lee]

I personally prefer the incline bench to create the surge of power for the chest!

My incline's suck so I focus more on them also.

 

[Mudge]

Lately I am doing overhead pressing again and I tell you I have to be carefull between these and benches, my shoulders are buggin' lately. I do zero upright rows btw (currently).

 

[JOHNYORK]

yea my shoulder feels like its going to fall out of soket after i do upright rows sp[ecially bringing it down

 

[Nate K]

I like it, definitely overused by the "Frat boy, Chest/bis/abs 3 days a week crowd"QUOTE]

Hehehe ........There are way to many damn bench press stations at my college gym

 

[JOHNYORK]

when bebop does bench press bebops chest grows therefore i feel as tho bench pres builds chest muscles

 

[jakeluvspunk]

I love Flat bench press, maybe because my chest is probably the strongest area on my body. It doesn't matter how much one loves a single lift because if they're really into weight lifting they would do all lifts that are neccessary. Shyte I FReakin Hate Squats and I do them just as much as i do bench.

 

[budhicks1]

I love Flat bench press, maybe because my chest is probably the strongest area on my body. It doesn't matter how much one loves a single lift because if they're really into weight lifting they would do all lifts that are neccessary. Shyte I FReakin Hate Squats and I do them just as much as i do bench.

I agree fully! Every lift is as important as the other when bodybuilding. Just dont over train. I see tons of people at my gym only doing bench pressing. They have a huge chest, no back muscles, tiny forearms, along with everything else. Looks terrible.

 

[ABLQ2]

I am starting to get frustrated with this new trend in people hating on the bench press. Bench press is THE KING of upper body movements. everybody just wants to try to be different.

 

[ABLQ2]

Bench is great regardless if its BB or DB, I find that people who are naturally gifted at it love it and people who are not usually don't like it. The only upper body movements that rival it are: Rows..BB or Db and over head press...Db or BB....Olympic lifts also but they are more of a total body exercise IMO.

I agree. I used to suck at BB, and still do- but rather than not do it and say how bad it is like a ton of people on this board *couh* *you know who you are* *cough* i decided to work on my weakness, and have found it to be my favorite mass builder along with deadlifts.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

I am starting to get frustrated with this new trend in people hating on the bench press. Bench press is THE KING of upper body movements. everybody just wants to try to be different.

I know what you mean, but I still disagree that it's the king of upper body movements. Why do you say it is? I'd say something like the jerk is - it requires balance, technique, speed and strength to do a proper jerk, whereas a bench press can be completed with much less balance, technique and speed. Given that the jerk is a lot of legs, it's still great for just about the entire upper body.

 

[ABLQ2]

I know what you mean, but I still disagree that it's the king of upper body movements. Why do you say it is? I'd say something like the jerk is - it requires balance, technique, speed and strength to do a proper jerk, whereas a bench press can be completed with much less balance, technique and speed. Given that the jerk is a lot of legs, it's still great for just about the entire upper body.

Jerk is total body- bench is king of upper body, because it works almost all of your upper body. after a good bench session, i feel it in my triceps, chest, lats, traps, and shoulders. I have packed on an unbelieveable amount of mass with this exercise. it is the best movement you can do that just involves upper body. I would like anyone to tell me another upper body movement that is better. bent rows and pullups are great, but I would say they come in second.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

Yet a proper bench press involves leg drive...

 

[ABLQ2]

Yet a proper bench press involves leg drive...

no it doesnt, and even if you choose to drive with your legs, it is most certainly not a leg "workout."

 

[Squaggleboggin]

no it doesnt, and even if you choose to drive with your legs, it is most certainly not a leg "workout."

Yes, it does. Try telling Gene or Scott that it doesn't. Then again, they're only two of the world's elite benchers alive today. You're right, it's not really a 'leg workout,' but neither is a jerk in comparison to a clean or a squat.

 

[ABLQ2]

Yes, it does. Try telling Gene or Scott that it doesn't. Then again, they're only two of the world's elite benchers alive today. You're right, it's not really a 'leg workout,' but neither is a jerk in comparison to a clean or a squat.

maybe thats because you can't clean enough to make it a leg workout.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

maybe thats because you can't clean enough to make it a leg workout.

Firstly, the jerk is typically the limiting factor in the C&J as far as I know. How many people can lift a weight overhead in excess of what they can clean? Probably not many once they're somewhat trained in both.

Secondly, that's not an argument in what is used in which lift. That's a crappy attempt at a personal shot, and not a very good one if I might add.

Thirdly, I hope you're not suggesting that the jerk is a leg workout in comparison to a clean. You're going to tell me that a quarter squat is difficult in comparison to a deadlift followed by a full squat? I don't think so...

Needless to say, your suggestions have no bearing on changing my opinion. Neither one is completely upper body; therefore, the jerk is the one that is the king of upper body exercises in my opinion. If you disagree, that's just fantastic.

 

[ABLQ2]

Firstly, the jerk is typically the limiting factor in the C&J as far as I know. How many people can lift a weight overhead in excess of what they can clean? Probably not many once they're somewhat trained in both.

Secondly, that's not an argument in what is used in which lift. That's a crappy attempt at a personal shot, and not a very good one if I might add.

Thirdly, I hope you're not suggesting that the jerk is a leg workout in comparison to a clean. You're going to tell me that a quarter squat is difficult in comparison to a deadlift followed by a full squat? I don't think so...

Needless to say, your suggestions have no bearing on changing my opinion. Neither one is completely upper body; therefore, the jerk is the one that is the king of upper body exercises in my opinion. If you disagree, that's just fantastic.

the jerk entails the clean. thats where the legwork comes in. I don't know how you do them, but i do sets of 10 and start from the ground on each one. You're right. it was an attempt at a personal shot lighten up.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

The clean is the portion of the lift fron the ground until the body straightens with the weight on the shoulders. The jerk is from that point until the body is straightened with the weight overhead. Collectively it's the C&J but it has separate parts.

A 215 clean at a 199 BW isn't that bad anyways. Make me cry why don't you...

 

[ABLQ2]

a clean of 215 at 16 is really good, actually. When i was in highschool, the top cleaner was only hitting 230. of course we had a football team full of babys. 260 at 18 would be a huge clean.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

I don't believe anyone on my team actually does cleans. I heard last year the top deadlifter hit 400, but I don't really believe that since I can get more than that and I'm just a junior. Hopefully I'll be upwards of 250 by the time I turn 17 though. I do appreciate that though; thank you.

 

[bulldogge]

The bench and its many variations(incline,Decline,DB) are tops for upper body developement

 

[Adamjs]

Yes, it does. Try telling Gene or Scott that it doesn't. Then again, they're only two of the world's elite benchers alive today. You're right, it's not really a 'leg workout,' but neither is a jerk in comparison to a clean or a squat.

You always lose your cool far to easy when people disagree with you. Besides, WTF does naming people have to do with the price of eggs in China?

The bench is king. DB/BB; incl;flat;decl.

 

[CowPimp]

Define the "best" upper body movement please.

Overhead pressing on the sagittal plane works virtually all the same muscles as the bench press: chest, shoulders, triceps... but it also stresses your core to a much greater degree if you are doing them standing.

Rowing and pull-ups also stress a multitude of upper body musculature. I personally think pull-ups are one of the most underrated upper body movements ever. People have this pre-occupation with everything that takes place on a horizontal plane of motion.

 

[Squaggleboggin]

You always lose your cool far to easy when people disagree with you. Besides, WTF does naming people have to do with the price of eggs in China?

The bench is king. DB/BB; incl;flat;decl.

Actually I've gotten mad maybe twice on this forum due to a disagreement with someone. I understand what you mean though - it can be very hard to tell how someone feels just from typed words. In fact, I think it's pretty amazing I don't go off on people. You'd be amazed at the crap I've had to deal with just because I'm 16 and I disagree with someone. It's called a different opinion. We'll both live, honest (not directed towards you)...

I was referring to the fact that Scott Mendelson and Gene Rychlak (don't know how to spell the names really) are two elite benchers. You can bet that they use leg drive to get up 900+ on the bench press, which reinforces the fact that leg drive is part of proper form in the bench press. Knowing what's really off-topic and what's not is very helpful to know before calling it...

I still don't think the bench is king for the exact reasons CowPimp stated. Basically all the same stuff is worked in bench and overhead movements, but the overhead stuff works the core to a much greater degree.

Now if you're talking about from a bodybuilding standpoint, I really don't care because I have zero interest in that. I'm just talking about a functional standpoint.

 

[CowPimp]

I was referring to the fact that Scott Mendelson and Gene Rychlak (don't know how to spell the names really) are two elite benchers. You can bet that they use leg drive to get up 900+ on the bench press, which reinforces the fact that leg drive is part of proper form in the bench press. Knowing what's really off-topic and what's not is very helpful to know before calling it...

You better bet your ass leg drive is important in the bench press! If you aren't using leg drive, then you are limiting yourself. Not to mention it helps create a more stable body, which helps prevent injuries and maintain proper bar path.

 

[Adamjs]

Actually I've gotten mad maybe twice on this forum due to a disagreement with someone. I understand what you mean though - it can be very hard to tell how someone feels just from typed words. In fact, I think it's pretty amazing I don't go off on people. You'd be amazed at the crap I've had to deal with just because I'm 16 and I disagree with someone. It's called a different opinion. We'll both live, honest (not directed towards you)...

I was referring to the fact that Scott Mendelson and Gene Rychlak (don't know how to spell the names really) are two elite benchers. You can bet that they use leg drive to get up 900+ on the bench press, which reinforces the fact that leg drive is part of proper form in the bench press. Knowing what's really off-topic and what's not is very helpful to know before calling it...

I still don't think the bench is king for the exact reasons CowPimp stated. Basically all the same stuff is worked in bench and overhead movements, but the overhead stuff works the core to a much greater degree.

Now if you're talking about from a bodybuilding standpoint, I really don't care because I have zero interest in that. I'm just talking about a functional standpoint.

Yeah i know, and agree with you for the most part, however, merely naming names does not endorse any argument. I just wanted to give you some shit and use the back to topic smile for no other reason than everyone else does, and it's been a slow weekend - don't take it to heart

 

[Squaggleboggin]

Yeah i know, and agree with you for the most part, however, merely naming names does not endorse any argument. I just wanted to give you some shit and use the back to topic smile for no other reason than everyone else does, and it's been a slow weekend - don't take it to heart

As I said before, a lot of people have given me a hard time for no other reason than my age. I tend to get a little defensive (although notice I didn't drop down to the level of some by calling you names, etc.) and defend myself appropriately and with examples and science. It's hard not to defend yourself when people become idiots when you don't. Don't take what I say to heart and don't assume that I mean it in an I'm-pissed-off way either, because it really is very difficult to get me angry anyways. No worries, any arguments I have stay in the thread they're in - I don't disagree with the same person just because it's that person or anything, so I won't be a dick like some people. That's pretty much all I wanted to say. Good day to you, sir.

Oh, and don't take everything I say seriously, either. There is a lot of humor in some of my posts that goes over 99% of the members' heads.