Which board is closest...

[I'D RATHER BE DEADLIFTING]

I know that everyone has different strengths/weaknesses and different ROM on their bench, but I am curious for you which board press is closest to your shirted/paused bench? Also, about how much difference is there between boards for you with the same grip? Like how many pounds more than your 3-board is your 4-board and whatnot. I just want to get an idea for what everyone's difference is.

 

[spatts]

Hm...I'm gonna guess this is gonna be two board for most people?

I have a stronger lockout though, so if I competition grip extra wide, than my numbers jump. So apples, to apples, I'd say wide gip 2 board is most comparable to my wide grip comp bench...don't see how it would make sense any other way.

 

[JDarty6173]

Well this may sound kinda screwed up but so far my 3 Board is higher than my 5 board. Thursday on ME Bench I hit 405 on the 3 board... Three weeks ago on DE Bench day after speed bench I hit 5 board Press and 315 for 2 was as high as I could go...I don't know if my tris were just already so fatigued from speed bench with bands or what, but it really made me wonder. But I have noticed the same with rack lockouts...I have done them the past 2 weeks after speed bench for and 8 inch lockout, and this week only got to 365 x2.. Whereas before I began training WSB I had done Racklockout as my primary chest movement for a couple weeks and went around 525 at this height and 600 a couple pins heigher...

So this week I'm gonna give 2 Boards a try on ME day and see what happens...

 

[CytoMel]

The board presses are very difficult, much harder than a shirted bench with the same weight.

I can shirt more than I can get with the 2,3, or 4 board.

The board presses are tough because you have to restart the bar after it comes to a full stop and the weight in bearing down on your chest. A good bench shirt will give the lifter a good spring upwards where the boards will make the lift HARD when paused properly on the boards.

 

[powerlifterjay]

My shirt bench is more then my 4 brd and less then my 5! I do low 600's on the 4 and mid 600's on 5.

 

[Cubanito17]

well i guess i'm just weird I stil havn't lifted in a shirt but my comp grip bench is 2-4 inches away from the smooth(depending how i feel that day) and yes my grip is close but i can't help it it's the way i bench. Anyway i can pause the same amount off my chest raw than i can on the 5 board.

 

[IrishPower]

i have been experimenting with using bands instead of just raw weight on the board presses. i believe this brings the exercise to a new level.

with raw weight boards, you only have to break the weight off the bottom and it USUALLY will go up due to you having more leverage etc, but with the bands, your triceps are constantly having to 'outrun' the bands because the further up you go, the more tension gets added.

i believe this makes this exercise much more effective than raw weight alone. of course, i got this from halbert's video so i can't take credit for it.

/irish

 

[Imnotdutch]

Hm...I'm gonna guess this is gonna be two board for most people?

I have a stronger lockout though, so if I competition grip extra wide, than my numbers jump. So apples, to apples, I'd say wide gip 2 board is most comparable to my wide grip comp bench...don't see how it would make sense any other way.

When you say wide, how wide do you mean? Do you go as wide as the rules allow you to go when you compete? (I cant remember the maximum width grip allowed).

 

[Imnotdutch]

When you say wide, how wide do you mean? Do you go as wide as the rules allow you to go when you compete? (I cant remember the maximum width grip allowed).

I guess I'm not going to get an answer here huh??????

 

[TheProject]

BUMP

Think this is what Imnotdutch was referring to.

And the competition grip she's referring to is index finger on the rings.

Our understanding is that's the maximum width you can use.

 

[spatts]

Exactly...FOR ME, the widest (index in the grove) takes the best advantage of my strengths and minimizes shoulder rotation. I have never benched in competition, so I can't say for sure. In the gym, I lift a hell of alot more with an extra wide grip than close grip.

 

[Imnotdutch]

Yeah this was it........

I'm actually weaker with index fingers on the rings......but not by much. I use that only when I'm trying to hit the start of my bench......it seems to strengthen the bottom for me (I lift shirtless so thats a big issue).

 

[spatts]

That's why I do it too. My floor pressis "around" <snicker snicker> 200 and my lockout is around 400, so I REALLY need help out of the hole. Not to mention it shortens my bench stroke and allows for more of the movement to be in my "lockout" range.

 

[TheProject]

I feel awkward and weaker when I bench that wide. Once I get my shirt, I'll try it again, but I prefer pinkies on the rings.

 

[benchmonster]

For me none of them are even close. I can do a 3 board in the mid 400's or so. I have been using a shirt for board pressing for so long, I cannot say with any certainty exactly what I can do for a 3 board raw.

I rarely did 2 boards to a max before using the shirt for them, cause I had pretty significant shoulder pain from doing these, just like I got from trying to max raw. Since I have been using a shirt, no more pain, which, best I can tell, is a good thing.

Max legal grip, by the way, is index fingers on the rings. 31 inches, I believe.

B.

 

[Hannibal]

Max legal grip, by the way, is index fingers on the rings. 31 inches, I believe.

Of all the people that should know this answer, "benchmonster".

32"

 

[CytoMel]

My comp grip (used in 2 bench contests thus far) is middle finger on the rings. I have wide shoulders and long arms but the index on the rings doesnt feel comfortable for me yet. Perhaps it will soon though.

Its hard to say which board works best for everyone. I can do a 5 board and its like halfway down. I know some short armed lifters who have no range of motion with a 5-board but I think we all see the value in using boards for our traning. I know its helped me out a lot.

Also after DE bench with the bands I pull out a board and do 3 sets on a board with the bands on DE day. I have been cycling the board like 5 one week, 4 the next etc..