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 Training Discussion Board
 Is the bench really a man's exercise?
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| Author | Topic: Is the bench really a man's exercise? | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder 
Posts: 385 |
All the basic old fashioned movements are squats, military presses, deads, barbell curls, etc...The bench press is the one exercise where you get to lay down. This does not seem very functional or suited to the human anatomy.     | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 471 |
bench is overated. If your into powerlifting then yep it's a Man's ex. if your into BB? I hate flat bench, fucks with my shoulders. Plus Dumbells seem so much more burly to me. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder 
Posts: 223 |
I love the bench press. I'm lucky, I never screwed my shoulders up so I can bench all I won't. Another exercise that I love probably a little more than the bench press would have to be Parallel Bar Dips with added weight. I can feel the burn when doing that exercise and a good stretch. ------------------ Check out http://pub30.ezboard.com/bhitsgymofbodybuilding -HB- | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 68 |
To answer your question, Yes it is a mans excersize.I get injuries on my shoulders (rotator cuffs) from time to time, but I just work through it. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 85 |
The bench press is overrated. I am so tired of hearing people say, "how much can you bench." In my book, dumbbells are much more effective in targeting the chest. When you think about all the exercises there are, the ultimate man's exercise is the sumo deadlift, now that's an exercise! ------------------ Train......................(S)mart | ||
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Freak 
Posts: 1781 |
I prefer incline bench...flat if the incline is too busy....but rather do dumbell | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 157 |
incline, incline, and more incline, bb and db, for mass, hell of alot better then flat or decline, do ya'll feel the same way? | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 196 |
I can get an awsome pump off four sets of flat benching. So I like...I don't overdo it like some people do though. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 78 |
im not pretending to be an expert but bench seems to me the most natural movement of pushing your arms away perpendicular from your chest. Which is what you do when you punch somebody in the face. hell thats why i like to be big. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 385 |
But when are you pushing while you are laying down? Maybe when you are on your back with a tree resting on you. Not very real if you ask me. Id rather squat a lot than have agood bench anyday.
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Elite Bodybuilder 
Posts: 1121 |
Bench press is one of my favorite lifts and probably always will be. It definately can't be applied to real life (functional) strength to the extent that deads, squats, or even overhead presses do. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 68 |
"it definitely can't be applied to real life (functional) strength to the extent that deads, squats, or even overhead presses do." That's bullshit. You ever wrestled Latimer? | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 78 |
I know why are you pussies bashing bench press? Of course you have to lay on your back how else will you push against gravity. This is the best upper body power exercise there is because it operates off the primitive animal instinct of humans to beat eachother up. i want my punch strong so i have to bench [This message has been edited by Tim7332 (edited November 04, 2000).] | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1121 |
Hungry1, I never did any organized wrestling. From the normal day to day life bench pressing ability/strength is less transitional to real life situations than the squat or deadlift. I have nothing against the bench press, like I said it's still one of my favorite lifts. Stop and think about it for a minute and you should see where I'm coming from. | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1121 |
Anyone who knows anything about the proper technique behind a punch, knows that true punching power comes from the shoulders and hips. The following is from a web page about boxing and punching technique. You need: Strong lats (pull-ups, seated row maching, shadowboxing, bag work, sparring). Strong shoulders and traps (upright rows, standing flyes, skipping rope, LOTS of shadowboxing, etc.). Strong Abs and Lower Back -- for conveying hip torque to the sweep of the shoulders. Strong Quads and Calves -- Legs and abs should be seen as a pyramid which generates your power and shifting. Strong Forearms -- for keeping the wrist aligned, and for a dense fist (underrated aspect of power punching). Wrist curls, hand squeezers, fingertip pushups, etc. etc. Secondarily: Strong Pectoralis Major -- this can help in your power (projecting and aligning the shoulder of the punching arm) if you already have good form. People who start with large pec's, though, tend to throw shoulder punches (like a bench press). No real power there. You DON'T need: Strong Biceps -- these do NOT add to your straight punching power, and only help in holding the angle of the elbow in your hook, and drawing it in on the end (that's the french curve I talked about before). Same for the uppercut. People with huge biceps are usually the easiest ones to slip. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 68 |
Latimer, I used to wrestle freestyle and a little bit Greco Roman. I currently do Brazilian Jiu Jitsu. (hey, thats all that's close to where I live) If you've ever rolled on the mat, you would see how a strong bench can help. When someone has a full guard on you, you can sometimes push them off and reverse them if you're low enough. A good bench works great for this. (that's just one example) Now maybe you wouldn't call this a "real world application", but to me it certainly is. In Greco Roman it's absolutely necessary to have good upper body strength, since you're not allowed to go for a single or a double. (can't go for the legs) "People with huge biceps are usually the easiest ones to slip." More BS. Have you ever heard of a boxer named Roy Jones Jr." He's pound for pound the best boxer in the world. Ever seen his biceps? There so big that they completely overshadow his triceps. He shows them off whenever I see him on tv. he seems to Flex them on every Tv show he goes on. (The Tonight Show for one) | ||
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Elite Bodybuilder
Posts: 1121 |
Hungry1, I totally agree with what you're saying about the bench being extremely helpful in wreslting and BJJ, among other sports. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 84 |
what real life situations are you talking about sitting behind a desk allday first we are not comparing squats deadlifts against the bench.i work construction as an ironworker and when the crane swings a load and you are trying to control it you are using the same muscles you use benchpressing when you push the load. all so i have found that the people who put down the bench cant bench a lot of weight on the bench.so they make excuses about why they dont bench. what do you bench vanguard? big bear [This message has been edited by big bear 1959 (edited November 07, 2000).] | ||
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Guru 
Posts: 2118 |
I would not want to be a linebacker with a weak bench. It is the basic upper body movement to keep people off you. To talk about a movement in terms of one muscle group - is false. Like the above boxing post, it is a whole body thing. A backer without legs is pretty much f-up also. A good solid bench is important as every other lift. How you get it doesn't matter. Bumbells, Barbells, Incline, Decline, Flat - I don't care if you use a machine. Just get it and do it. Also fighting movement and sports movement are about strength and technique - they involve the whole body functioning together. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 84 |
VANGUARD we are still waiting on what you benchpress big bear | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 78 |
latimer you mean to tell me that a strong bench isnt directly responsible for extra power when throwing a right cross? Hell I'd rather be hit by somebody with strong legs who bench pressed 150 then somebody with weak legs who bench pressed 350. One could knock me and out and the other couldnt. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 135 |
The reason why bench pressing is so great is because it allows you to handle a lot of weight. Sure Flys can isolate your pecs, military press can isolate your shoulders and french press can isolate the tris, but can you use as much weight as the BP? HELL NO!! Different variations are great, but you need balance. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 135 |
The reason why bench pressing is so great is because it allows you to handle a lot of weight. Sure Flys can isolate your pecs, military press can isolate your shoulders and french press can isolate the tris, but can you use as much weight as the BP? HELL NO!! Different variations are great, but you need balance. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 96 |
I noticed that all the big benchers in the gym d...o...n...t S...Q...U...A...T S...H...I...T!!!!!!!!!!! ------------------ | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 186 |
Heavy Push Pressing and rack jerks did more to improve my punching power than benching. The upper-lower body coordination is key in landing a good, fast shot. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 94 |
Boxers don't bench heavy. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 359 |
I think that this reply is very unthoughtful, if that is a word. I train in Martial Arts, and like boxers, the focus is on speed, not strength or power. Most boxers who are extremely strong punchers are either technically perfect in their punch, born that way, or a little of both. Formula for Power is Mass*Velocity^2 Velocity is the key. If you are a mack truck and you hit a tree doing 1mph, it will not do more damage than a Chevy Silverado doing 50. Hope this makes sense, ohhhh, and by the way...I am a Mack Truck, ha ha B True | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 68 |
"boxers dont bench heavy" Mike Tyson is said to bench 455 for reps. | ||
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Guru
Posts: 3393 |
im weak as hell on my bench..maybe thats why i dont like it..but i prefer slight incline barbell presses and flat DB presses...works for me ------------------ "...damn you for not giving my TEST" - Metallica "After this show i'll be fat and happy again.....If i make it to the show...." - Lee Priest "Lets put some weight on the bar.." - Shawn Ray "IT DOESN'T MATTER" - The Rock | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 471 |
"mike tyson is said to bench 450" I was watching a golf tournament and the actually said that tiger woods could bench press 300lbs hahahhahahaha, give me a fucking break!! what a bunch of nonsense! | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 385 |
Actually I have no idea what I can bench for a single. I wouldn't want to try it on any exercise. The question isn't a personal slam on people who love to bench. The question is is the bench really an accurate method to determine strength/power? It wasn't until relatively recently that the bench was used so often. Vince Gironda thought it was over rated. If punching is an argument as to it's usefulness, speed of movement is taken out of the eqautiuon. However, I think those people who swear by benching are the last ones to get underneath a heavy bar and go rock bottom. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 84 |
vince gironda also slammed the squat said it gave you a big ass he all so suggested that you bench to the neck and not to the chest region so you can see he still used the bench just a differant style why dont you do singles?i bench heavy and squat heavy i work on developing functional stregnth. big bear | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 301 |
Woods can bench over 300, he actually likes to workout. I'm not sure about tyson, cant back that one up, he was pretty big for a time however. 300 is not that much, a few of my friends can do that and they never workout. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 471 |
I will believe that when I see little "tiger" do it in person. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 306 |
chest press machine saves my rotator cuffs and works good. | ||
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Pro Bodybuilder
Posts: 359 |
Weight training does not make the athlete, it helps them. I may be wrong, but this debate started while discussing the bench press and if it was a functional movement for the human. It is very functional. How many of you who do not like the bench press have a strong bench press????? I would bet that there are very few. Dorian said that he felt that Barbell Squats no longer were of benefit to his career, so he switched to Smith Machine Barbell Squats. Not a big difference from regular squats. Machine bench press and dumbell bench press are not the same as bench press. Using the heavy weight is more functional for wrestling, fighting, martial arts, etc... Just my opinion once again. B True | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 186 |
I don't think its surprising that Woods can bench 300. I can bench alot more than that, but for the life of me cannot hit a golf ball half as far as he does. | ||
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Amateur Bodybuilder
Posts: 96 |
dorian was big but honestly I think his quads could've been bigger. And I believe the squat is necessary but for some it doesn't fit. I love it. but I love the sumo dead the most. That lift is truely amazing. |
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posted October 31, 2000 04:50 PM