BENCH PRESS: Make up your mind

[Hannibal]

You hear it all the time..."how muchya bench?" I guess it is the only way that people that don't lift know how to strike up a conversation with us that do. It seems as if the bench press is the standard measure of a man in the gym and or fitness center. And it doesn't really help the matter that Monday is officially "Bench and Bicep Day" for the masses of part time lifters. They somehow manage to find excuses for the rest of the week..don't want their legs to get "too big".

The point of this rambling is that unless you are a powerlifter does it really matter how much you bench? If you are a bodybuilder...then you workout to increase muscle mass and *shiver* symetry. If that's your thing...then do it. I see BB post on the training board asking how they can make their bench go up. The only problem with this is that they want to train like a bodybuilder, but have the strength of a powerlifter. For about 99% of the world that is not a realistic goal.

If you want your bench to go up....train like the people that do it "for a living"..powerlifters. If you want to bench like a bodybuilder to isolate your pecs...then don't worry about the weight...your rotator cuffs will thank you.

 

[louden_swain]

I totally agree with this!! It is getting old when people are always asking how much you bench!!

Does anyone ever come up to you and ask you how much can you squat or deadlift? Probably not. As a matter of fact, most people do not squat and deadlift.

It is also funny when people brag about a 315lb bench for 6 reps. In powerlfiting and bodybuilding, this weight is nothing!!!

 

[Intenceman]

True, but the name of the game is still progressive resistance.....
but on ALL lifts, not just the stupid bench press.....I think thats hy I hate it now cuase thats about the idiots ever do.........bench and db curls.......

 

[solidj55]

I know what your saying on this, I hate that question. Why dont they ever ask how much you can incline press or squat or deadlift or hang clean or push press or or or or or... This is because of the fact that the bench press was once to be said the true test of upper body strength(which I dont really agree with).

 

[Intenceman]

exactly. Why not deadlifts or rows or squats?

 

[revexrevex]

There are problems with what you said. It is very important for a bodybuilder to have a big bench, or should I say constant progress in benchpress. You will never build big chest by benching 225 and never progress. It is not only benchpress, its also on all other exercises. The stronger you are, the bigger you are. Obviously many gains are due to CNS adaptation, but if a bodybuilder goes from 225 x 10 to 365 x 10, you can be sure he will have a bigger chest.

So when people ask how to increase their bench, don't immediately laugh at them. They want a bigger chest, and the way to get a bigger chest is to have a bigger bench (or constant upward progress in benchpress).

 

[revexrevex]

exactly. Why not deadlifts or rows or squats?

You see many bodybuilding posts asking "How do I get my squat strength up" or "How do I make my deadlift strength go up". What is wrong with "How do I make my bench strength go up". YOU NEED TO GET STRONGER TO GET BIGGER

 

[Hannibal]

So when people ask how to increase their bench, don't immediately laugh at them. They want a bigger chest, and the way to get a bigger chest is to have a bigger bench (or constant upward progress in benchpress).

Whoa...lets back up a bit. I have never laughed at anyone for wanting to better themself at anything. And I wasn't saying that increasing the bench isn't important to a bodybuilder.

However the best way to increase your bench press is to NOT train or bench like a bodybuilder. Take bignate for example. He was willng to be open minded about it...made some form changes and his bench press is increasing..and he is much safer doing it. The problem is that alot of BB are not open minded...or willing to change. They want to bench with the same form they have been using...with the same periodization....but they want different results this time. It doesn't work that way.

The other problem with the "typical" boybuilding bench form...elbows wide pressing back towards the rack. Is that there is a tremendous amount of shoulder rotation. There are so many shoulder injuries as a result. And instead of changing their form...people will start doing partial reps. Worse yet...they will scrap flat bench altogether instead of just learning to press the right way.

 

[JOKER47]

It is also funny when people brag about a 315lb bench for 6 reps. In powerlfiting and bodybuilding, this weight is nothing!!!

Great.....thanks.....Now I feel worse than I did before.......

 

[revexrevex]

agree

Whoa...lets back up a bit. I have never laughed at anyone for wanting to better themself at anything. And I wasn't saying that increasing the bench isn't important to a bodybuilder.

However the best way to increase your bench press is to NOT train or bench like a bodybuilder. Take bignate for example. He was willng to be open minded about it...made some form changes and his bench press is increasing..and he is much safer doing it. The problem is that alot of BB are not open minded...or willing to change. They want to bench with the same form they have been using...with the same periodization....but they want different results this time. It doesn't work that way.

The other problem with the "typical" boybuilding bench form...elbows wide pressing back towards the rack. Is that there is a tremendous amount of shoulder rotation. There are so many shoulder injuries as a result. And instead of changing their form...people will start doing partial reps. Worse yet...they will scrap flat bench altogether instead of just learning to press the right way.

I agree with periodization, no way will you be able to increase your bench even by 5 lbs if you keep doing 8 -12 rep fucking 'hypertrophy' range. But as long as you are making progress, even 5 lbs every 3 months, using full range of motion and same form its all good. I also agree that the BEST (notice BEST in capitals) way to increase bench is to do powerlifting bench.

For bodybuilder though, what really counts is not the number that he/she benches, but the constant upward progression (or lack of it) he/she achieves.