Thinking of dropping bench press

[BluntD]

Yeah ackward because you are seeing the hooks standing up and your grip is wider. Other than that it is ok.

Would you say it was noticeable enough to really effect your effort and thus had to drop the weights down, or really just a mind thing that you could get over in due time?

[grizzly64]

keep on with the flat bench. I've done it all my life and it's not going to hurt a thing with looks/mass. as for looks from the side, keep hitting the bench, but be sure to get some db flies in, or inverted flies. builds muscle while defining. And for the top of your chest, incline is the only way to go. Just be patient and stick with it.

[XXX666]

Oh don't get me wrong, I love to bench. For me it's the most fun exercise, I just was wondering if it is having negative effects.

As long as your doing the movement correctly i cannot fathom how there could be any negative effects. *note, there is injury risk involved with every exercise*

[Kmart23]

the best reason to drop it is if you want to avoid injury.

I had to finish my workout early today because my shoulders were just killing me and it had to be from flat bench press. Feels better now, but shoulders were killing me after about the 12th set. (only 4 on flat bench) other 8 were of incline bb and flies.

It was killing so much that into my second set of tris I had to call it a day. First time this ever happened, so I hope it is not a common thing, or I will have to drop them all together.

[XXX666]

Most people that flat bench "seems" to work for develop an elitist attitude that all others that it doesn't work for, must be doing it wrong.

how can a compound movement if done correctly not work?

[spirit3530]

Would you say it was noticeable enough to really effect your effort and thus had to drop the weights down, or really just a mind thing that you could get over in due time?

I think it was mental.

how can a compound movement if done correctly not work?

If I have to explain it ...

[mobikwa]

I had debated asking for a set of those for Christmas, but I felt it could be awkward pressing with those hooks jutting out, that it would almost feel weird/different. What did you think?

Not a major deal to me anyway because I train with a big guy who just hands me a DB in the up position anyway, but I was thinking more about future use when I'm on my own.

How much are hooks weighing maybe 1 lb each going to affect a dumbbell weighing 50 or 100 lbs?

[XXX666]

If I have to explain it ...

I would appreciate an explaination so i can understand what your trying to explain.

What i don't understand how you can say a movement that involves all the muscles in your shoulder girdle for stability, chest, shoulders, triceps,forearms *control of the weight*, etc cannot be an effective movement for building mass and strength.

I do agree that too many people put too much emphasis on this movement *to a point that the majority of people in a gym on monday are benching* and from observations i have made a lot of people don't know how to bench correctly at all.

[spirit3530]

How much are hooks weighing maybe 1 lb each going to affect a dumbbell weighing 50 or 100 lbs?

its a visual and grip thing.


Have you done it before? Have you DB pressed with thick handles before?

[Dominik]

how can a compound movement if done correctly not work?

His point is that the trend seems to be that if flat barbell bench works for them, they usually assume we should all be doing it.

Done properly it is effective. But there are often greater risks over the alternatives.

For starters you need a spotter or power rack with the safety pins set otherwise since there's no easy way to bail out as there is with dumbbells and machines.

And for some people, bench kills their shoulders. There's also a higher risk of tearing your pec. I've explained this many times before and my theory is when you're pressing a heavy barbell, especially at or near your max, unless the bar is perfectly balanced, one side can momentarily be loaded with resistance that exceeds the tensile strength of the pec tendon.

While you could still tear your pec with dumbbells, at any given moment the weight can only be the maximum weight of the DB. If that's 150lbs, then it's 150lbs. It can't suddenly become 200lbs. However with bench, if the bar weighs 400, 50/50 being 200lbs a side, a sudden fluctuation of 10% to one side would load up that side with 240lbs. That can't happen with dumbbells.

Bottom line: use whatever tools get the job done. You'll just notice more people hurt themselves on bench vs. anything else. Ego and shit form are obviously key factors, but it still doesn't suit everyone.

[Jack_Lupino]

dips + pec deck.

that's what i did on thursday (for chest anyway) and my moobs are still sore today.

conversely my shoulders and elbows aren't popping.

[spirit3530]

His point is that the trend seems to be that if flat barbell bench works for them, they usually assume we should all be doing it.

Done properly it is effective. But there are often greater risks over the alternatives.

For starters you need a spotter or power rack with the safety pins set otherwise since there's no easy way to bail out as there is with dumbbells and machines.

And for some people, bench kills their shoulders. There's also a higher risk of tearing your pec. I've explained this many times before and my theory is when you're pressing a heavy barbell, especially at or near your max, unless the bar is perfectly balanced, one side can momentarily be loaded with resistance that exceeds the tensile strength of the pec tendon.

While you could still tear your pec with dumbbells, at any given moment the weight can only be the maximum weight of the DB. If that's 150lbs, then it's 150lbs. It can't suddenly become 200lbs. However with bench, if the bar weighs 400, 50/50 being 200lbs a side, a sudden fluctuation of 10% to one side would load up that side with 240lbs. That can't happen with dumbbells.

Bottom line: use whatever tools get the job done. You'll just notice more people hurt themselves on bench vs. anything else. Ego and shit form are obviously key factors, but it still doesn't suit everyone.

Feels like groundhogs day, and here we are discussing the same thing that has been discussed before. Thats ok, it needed to be said again. Glad you did.

[XXX666]

His point is that the trend seems to be that if flat barbell bench works for them, they usually assume we should all be doing it.

Done properly it is effective. But there are often greater risks over the alternatives.

For starters you need a spotter or power rack with the safety pins set otherwise since there's no easy way to bail out as there is with dumbbells and machines.

And for some people, bench kills their shoulders. There's also a higher risk of tearing your pec. I've explained this many times before and my theory is when you're pressing a heavy barbell, especially at or near your max, unless the bar is perfectly balanced, one side can momentarily be loaded with resistance that exceeds the tensile strength of the pec tendon.

While you could still tear your pec with dumbbells, at any given moment the weight can only be the maximum weight of the DB. If that's 150lbs, then it's 150lbs. It can't suddenly become 200lbs. However with bench, if the bar weighs 400, 50/50 being 200lbs a side, a sudden fluctuation of 10% to one side would load up that side with 240lbs. That can't happen with dumbbells.

Bottom line: use whatever tools get the job done. You'll just notice more people hurt themselves on bench vs. anything else. Ego and shit form are obviously key factors, but it still doesn't suit everyone.

I understand your explaination but playing devils advocate that still doesn't explain how a compound movement done correctly can be uneffective at building mass and strength.

Likewise if your using DBs instead of a bar your are still doing a pressing movement that requires more stability control.

Pec tears are normally caused by terrible form/too much weight/lack of control or your pecs grew faster than the tendons due to an anabolic agent. A Bench press *a contraction movment for the pecs* doesn't put that much strain on your pecs compaired to that of a DB or cable fly *stretch and contraction movement*

This reflects my original statement, those who have problems bench pressing more than likely do not know how to bench properly. its not an success ego statement. Its a compound movement just like a squat or a deadlift, if you don't squat or deadlift properly your going to get ****ed up just like if you don't bench correctly.

[Dominik]

This reflects my original statement, those who have problems bench pressing more than likely do not know how to bench properly. its not an success ego statement. Its a compound movement just like a squat or a deadlift, if you don't squat or deadlift properly your going to get ****ed up just like if you don't bench correctly.

I'll agree a lot of the time it's a combination of bad form and ego. But the fact is bench is not for everyone and since there are effective alternatives, you don't have to do it.

I prefer to do heavy inclines and weighted dips instead and I made that decision at least 5 years ago. I haven't missed bench at all. Everyone's goals are different and I'm always weighing up the pros and cons of doing something. I'm not 18 with the luxury of years to recover from various injuries to reach my goals and that influences my decisions with exercises.

[Dr Clay]

My pecs are looking pretty saggy from the side, and I read an article on this site saying we are far to obsessed with bench press. What are your thoughts on dropping bench press and only doing incline press/incline flies and other upper chest exercises?

I have written articles like you mentioned.

IMO the bench press is the most overrated exercise of all time. Sure, it's a good (not great) chest exercise. But it's responsible for more torn pecs and shoulder problems (like osteolysis of the distal clavicle) than any other exercise.

I have decided to, for the most part, avoid doing the bb bench press, and neither me or my physique has missed it yet.

[theapexxxx]

I have written articles like you mentioned.

IMO the bench press is the most overrated exercise of all time. Sure, it's a good (not great) chest exercise. But it's responsible for more torn pecs and shoulder problems (like osteolysis of the distal clavicle) than any other exercise.

I have decided to, for the most part, avoid doing the bb bench press, and neither me or my physique has missed it yet.

what exercises do you do in place of the bench press?

[Ironwake]

Oh don't get me wrong, I love to bench. For me it's the most fun exercise, I just was wondering if it is having negative effects.

If benching produced a negative effect, wouldn't everyone in the gym have saggy pecs? :P

[theapexxxx]

If benching produced a negative effect, wouldn't everyone in the gym have saggy pecs? :P

Its only a negative effect if its an injury.