No Bench for clients

[KyleAaron]

1. I said I don't use the smith machine

I was responding to the original post. I realise that actually responding to someone's comments or questions when they started the conversation is considered radical insanity on the internet, but there you go.

2. I believe the slight incline or decline is superior for shoulder health

You're wrong. It's neither superior nor inferior. What works best for people is to do a variety of things. Sedentary people get fcked up joints, athletes doing just one sport for years get fcked up joints. This is not the activity itself, it's that they do one thing for many years to extremes.

If you do nothing but bench press, you will no doubt fck up your shoulders and elbows. If you do some overhead work, some pulls, some squats, some deadlifts, and you don't try to keep up competition levels of strength for decades on end, you'll generally be alright.

Show me someone that does a bench 100% with perfect form every time, especially on those last reps.

The same goes for your preferred incline and decline. The issue is not whether the form is perfect on every rep, since it need not be. The important thing is that the form be overall good, and never - past the initial very light weight learning stage - a complete mess. It ain't ballet.

[carl.c]

footballa_19; A cuople of things confuse me about your post.
1. You admit to doing the bench press wrong and theat destroyed your shoulders.
A. Instead of learning how to do a proper bench press so you can teach your clients the list you skipp them in any program.
2. You use the Smith machine.
A. The Smith Machine was developed for hanging towels on and leaning on after doing a real excersice.
B. Yes I hate the Smith Machine and find it to be of no vaule in the gym.

[Footballa_19]

I appreciate all the input guys, although I have to admit that a lot of it was a little more derogatory than I would have preferred. As a trainer, sometimes you can get caught up in all the worries of making sure everything is 100% perfect for a client, and I think I was trying to create a 100% safe environment in the gym, which of course is impossible. I was just being over cautious. I will incorporate bench into some of my clients workout if their technique is safe enough. thanks cheers!

[PeteratCastle]

I appreciate all the input guys, although I have to admit that a lot of it was a little more derogatory than I would have preferred. As a trainer, sometimes you can get caught up in all the worries of making sure everything is 100% perfect for a client, and I think I was trying to create a 100% safe environment in the gym, which of course is impossible. I was just being over cautious. I will incorporate bench into some of my clients workout if their technique is safe enough. thanks cheers!

You could do have them do dumbbell presses whilst laying on the floor. This will prevent them going beyond the normal ROM on the ecentric phase of the press and make sure you don't injure shoulders etc.
Make sure you get have them do a 3d press though so you work all the pecs, rather than just a flat bench press which works the lower part of the pec (it pains me when I see people forgetting that the pec should be worked in more than 1 way)

[BabySwole]

You could do have them do dumbbell presses whilst laying on the floor. This will prevent them going beyond the normal ROM on the ecentric phase of the press and make sure you don't injure shoulders etc.
Make sure you get have them do a 3d press though so you work all the pecs, rather than just a flat bench press which works the lower part of the pec (it pains me when I see people forgetting that the pec should be worked in more than 1 way)

Wouldnt floor presses target the synergistic muscles(stabilizers) and the triceps more than the actual Pec itself? Correct me if im mistaken but I always did floor press to improve tricep strength while training for powerlifting.. I just dont see floor press giving the pectoral muscles the stress they need to actually give them any kind of beneficial training effect. But like i said correct me if im wrong

[Xuaxace]

Wouldnt floor presses target the synergistic muscles(stabilizers) and the triceps more than the actual Pec itself? Correct me if im mistaken but I always did floor press to improve tricep strength while training for powerlifting.. I just dont see floor press giving the pectoral muscles the stress they need to actually give them any kind of beneficial training effect. But like i said correct me if im wrong

When I do floor presses, I actually do them to improve my bottom portion (the hole). I just tuck my shoulders the same ammount I use on my normal bench and the bar ends up about an inch or less from my chest, by arching ever so slightly, and a wide grip, my chest really gets hit hard and I consider this variation a chest movement.

If you then use a narrower grip and less tuck in, the movements ends about half way, which obiously becomes a lockout execise, which is what most people do anyway.

[DeBaie]

I just want to say that OP's clients are working out and that's the main thing.
There are people at the gym that are so terrified of 'free weight' they refuse to do anything but machines.
As much as this is 'ineffective' it is a lot better than not doing anything at all.

That said, I flat bench as primary workout on Chest day focusing on form, and do flat DB press on shoulders day (mainly due to build ie. Shoulders bigger than chest so hit it more).

[BabySwole]

When I do floor presses, I actually do them to improve my bottom portion (the hole). I just tuck my shoulders the same ammount I use on my normal bench and the bar ends up about an inch or less from my chest, by arching ever so slightly, and a wide grip, my chest really gets hit hard and I consider this variation a chest movement.

If you then use a narrower grip and less tuck in, the movements ends about half way, which obiously becomes a lockout execise, which is what most people do anyway.

True point, those small variations do alter the way the press actually affects a muscle group. But yes i often used it as a lockout exercise especially a couple months from a PL comp.

[PeteratCastle]

When I do floor presses, I actually do them to improve my bottom portion (the hole). I just tuck my shoulders the same ammount I use on my normal bench and the bar ends up about an inch or less from my chest, by arching ever so slightly, and a wide grip, my chest really gets hit hard and I consider this variation a chest movement.

If you then use a narrower grip and less tuck in, the movements ends about half way, which obiously becomes a lockout execise, which is what most people do anyway.

Yeah pretty much this. I like it for people who have injuries, especially shoulders, I don't want to take them past a certain Range of motion and therefore I prefer it for those guys.

[Footballa_19]

Great points by all 3 of you guys Xua, Baby, and Pete. Def gonna implement these exercises into my routines. thanks guys!!