Bfold and others - Is it possible to do flat bench safely?

[mekannik]

Spatts - I can agree with you to a point. However my stance is that d.b. (combined) total weight will be considerably less than the total weight of any max/near max bb bench weight - and hence less stress on the shoulders.

Also the d.b.'s allow for more natural movement on the path of the weight than does the bb (and to extrapolate - the smith machine).

One last point - a PL's bench style will not translate to a "developed" chest as seen thru the eyes of a bodybuilder (or physique artist). Again - d.b.'s are more suited for this (in my opinion) as is the bb's style of bench (elbows out, etc).


cool?

cool.

 

[Frackal]

I am looking to use it strictly for bodybuilding purposes but I have a little problem. My gym has dumbells that go from 100 straight to 110's, and while I've pressed them I need to focus on my upper chest more, doing 2 sets of the inclines with the 100s, and with my shoulder that is weak I am wary about attempting flats after that, I'm also just tired of doing DB presses since I have been doing them forever.


Hannibal, in your honest opinion, is this going to primarily target my chest, or be a good chest developing movement?

 

[JDarty6173]

Frackal, the PL bench form Hannibal talked about focuses primarily on your Triceps. I get very little Pec recruitment from pressing this way, but then again my concern is pressing the most weight I possibly can not developing my pecs.. So no, I would say it is not optimal for chest development..

 

[spatts]

The PL bench is tris/lats/shoulders. However, I have yet to see a powerlifter with an underdeveloped chest. One could argue that a flat/wide bench isn't optimal for chest isolation either...especially if you're prone to shoulder issues.

 

[b fold the truth]

I bench like a powerlifter (primarily) and add in some inclines and overhead work too...

I don't seem to be having too much trouble with chest development. Remember that if you are hurting your rotators it is usually one of two things...

1) Your form is bad.
2) You have weak rotators.

Both of these problems are fixable. Don't avoid the exercise because of these factors...FIX them!!!

B True

 

[skaman607]

Sorry, but what's a board press?

 

[bignate73]

my old bench press was an injury waiting to happen. the flexibility in my chest with a "pec bench" or typical bodybuilding style bench press would stop me about 2 inches above my chest....with a big stretch feeling. learn to tuck the elbows a bit (45 deg works for me) and lower the bar to your upper ab/xyphoid process area. the stretch on the chest is gone. a similar principle works for me on inclines as well. i have to bring it down to my mid chest but no stretch to hang up on, just nice full range of motion.

when watching guys bench traditionally (bb style) i sometimes shudder when looking at all the shoulder "play" i see. and people wonder why benching gets a bad reputation.

now on to the technique itself. as was mentioned earlier. pinch those shoulder blades back and your shoulders are locked into place. it places the stress now on the tris/delts and pecs with the lats to keep you solid. get a good foundation with your feet and shoulder blades and (i do this) squeeze your glutes. (helps with keeping me tight on my leg drive.

since incorporating this style, my bench went from an all time sticking point of 1-3 with 225 (since i started...years) to 1-3 with 295 a couple months later. very nice improvement. ill break 300 within the next couple weeks.

ive started incorporating some dbell cleans as bfold does which feel nice too. i may throw some hang snatches in the mix soon as i can get some shoulder flexibility back.

but all in all, very healthy shoulders despite the load i put them through.

---nate

 

[b fold the truth]

Still thinking that if you focus on ripping the bar apart that you will help to take a lot of the stress off of your shoulders when you bench...

B True

 

[coolcolj]

heh I used to lower the bar to my collar bone as a young lad.
great stretch, had no probs getting the bar to touch my body.

But I lower the bar to my mid chest now. Elbows are still somewhat tucked in. Fairly evenly balance stress on chest, shoulders and triceps.

I tried lowering it to my sternum yesterday, feels different, more triceps and chest, less shoulder by subjective feel. Definitely more triceps.

Personally I think one should bench exactly how one would naturally do a push up. When you get on the floor the body knows instinctively where to align the hands and where to aim the movement for the best power.