Thank God for flat bb bench presses

[B-tech]

I used to avoid these like the plague, because I assumed it must be the correct thing to do after reading this board a lot. I picked these back up a few months ago. I know some of you don't like them, but they work really well for me.

"Size doesn't beget strength. It's vice versa" - Kevin Levrone

The bench press, being a great strength builder, packs on size. It's only an ego press if you make it that way.

Some people say "oh, it gives you a saggy chest look". Well, if that saggy look is muscle and not fat, then bring me the bitch tits.

Yes, I also do dips and incline presses or flyes. But I'm sticking with my favorite upper body "push" movement.

[W8isGR8]

A lot of people listen to U2, that doesn't make them a good band.

[Lencho]

I'm right there with you! (signs off and waits for the "alter of ego" comment from DD).

[swillybogs]

lol on the U2 comment!

flat bench doesn't give you bitch ass tittays -- don't believe the hype.

[DiamondDelts]

Flat bench is the shiznite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing better for true upper body strength than laying down and testing your pushing strength. I know I am approached on a daily basis by people asking me to push heavy objects around for them. Very functional! Anybody who says flat bench is a bad idea is not a true bodybuilder in my opinion.

[Hola Bola]

I used to avoid these like the plague, because I assumed it must be the correct thing to do after reading this board a lot. I picked these back up a few months ago. I know some of you don't like them, but they work really well for me.

"Size doesn't beget strength. It's vice versa" - Kevin Levrone

The bench press, being a great strength builder, packs on size. It's only an ego press if you make it that way.

Some people say "oh, it gives you a saggy chest look". Well, if that saggy look is muscle and not fat, then bring me the bitch tits.

Yes, I also do dips and incline presses or flyes. But I'm sticking with my favorite upper body "push" movement.

Good for you... heres a cookie.

[HoosierBoy]

Flat bench is the shiznite!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nothing better for true upper body strength than laying down and testing your pushing strength. I know I am approached on a daily basis by people asking me to push heavy objects around for them. Very functional! Anybody who says flat bench is a bad idea is not a true bodybuilder in my opinion.

Especially in sports. I can't think of a single sport that doesn't involve laying on your back and pushing something up and down.

Oh wait, that was your mom...

[W8isGR8]

Good for you... heres a cookie.

Oh! Oh! Can I have a cookie?

[W8isGR8]

Especially in sports. I can't think of a single sport that doesn't involve laying on your back and pushing something up and down.

Oh wait, that was your mom...

I like to show off my bench press strength by pushing doors open real hard.

[DiamondDelts]

Especially in sports. I can't think of a single sport that doesn't involve laying on your back and pushing something up and down.

Oh wait, that was your mom...

Sorry, but the women in my family don't fool with guys that have millimeter peters. Your peter next to any of the men in my family would be like serving up a ballpark sausage after everyone has already a foot long. Mandingo 9 and a quarter yes. Your neon noodle salchicha. NO.

[DiamondDelts]

I like to show off my bench press strength by pushing doors open real hard.

I push heavy dumpsters outside so everyone will fear my alpha male horizontal pushing powah!

[Bogaerts]

A lot of people listen to U2, that doesn't make them a good band.

Yes, but Slim Whitman sold more records than the Beatles and Elvis combined so he must be good...........

[DLFB]

I used to think benching isnt that important...but my cousin proved me wrong. Having the right chest size for my frame is good. I used to think its going to make me look even shorter (im 5'8).

I regret all the time that I wasted.

To that,Ive been working on my chest for the past 3 months. Im only getting the right way of benching now but im surely progressing.

[aqua-beowulf]

I used to avoid these like the plague, because I assumed it must be the correct thing to do after reading this board a lot. I picked these back up a few months ago. I know some of you don't like them, but they work really well for me.

"Size doesn't beget strength. It's vice versa" - Kevin Levrone

The bench press, being a great strength builder, packs on size. It's only an ego press if you make it that way.

Some people say "oh, it gives you a saggy chest look". Well, if that saggy look is muscle and not fat, then bring me the bitch tits.

Yes, I also do dips and incline presses or flyes. But I'm sticking with my favorite upper body "push" movement.

That's great man... I'm glad you found something that works well for you. I enjoy flat pressing as well.

[PoopEater]

You guys are all ragging on the bench, saying how you never have to "lie down and push on things" in real life. Yet, when do any of you have to load crap on your back and squat up and down in real life? How often are you required to "lay back" and press on things at a 45 degree angle?

[jmonty]

i wish i would have spent half as much time squatting when i was younger as i did on the flat bench. true strength has more to do with solid legs than solid pecs.

[W8isGR8]

Yet, when do any of you have to load crap on your back and squat up and down in real life?

When I lift up my wife on my shoulders to get the last bag of doritos off the top shelf.

[Tyrbolift]

When I lift up my wife on my shoulders to get the last bag of doritos off the top shelf.

haha

[W8isGR8]

That's great man... I'm glad you found something that works well for you. I enjoy flat pressing as well.

For some reason being perfectly flat puts all the stress on my shoulder joints. Even just a 10-15 degree incline is all I need.

[W8isGR8]

You guys are all ragging on the bench, saying how you never have to "lie down and push on things" in real life. Yet, when do any of you have to load crap on your back and squat up and down in real life? How often are you required to "lay back" and press on things at a 45 degree angle?

I'm not too crazy about the "functional strength" aspect, but I find it odd that for such a large muscle group, the pecs have no real use(aside from pushing open doors and clapping real loud). Even then the shoulders are capable of doing everything the pecs can.

[aqua-beowulf]

For some reason being perfectly flat puts all the stress on my shoulder joints. Even just a 10-15 degree incline is all I need.

It's probably your elbow position... I do all mine with elbows in. Elbows out places a lot more stress on my shoulders. I realize it's not the best for chest development when performed that way... but I still enjoy it.

[slippy]

I'm . . . um . . a U2 fan . . .

See, I actually think the flat BB bench press is near the bottom for me, and it's the most popular major lift at any given gym. The angle itself is "neither here nor there" compromise to get everything stimulated. I would rather do a decline or dip angle to work the triceps and pecs. I would rather go between an incline and overhead angle to work the delts and upper pecs. And if I were working strictly from the flat bench angle, I would still rather use DBs and emphasize the stretch at the bottom of the movement.

[W8isGR8]

It's probably your elbow position... I do all mine with elbows in. Elbows out places a lot more stress on my shoulders. I realize it's not the best for chest development when performed that way... but I still enjoy it.

Yeah, I was just going to post that I keep my elbows out(not all the way, @70 degrees or so).

It like rowing, when you have your arms tucked in close it's all muscle, but if you ever try rowing with arms at 90 degrees you feel it all in the shoulder joint.

Also, I have no problem with flat bench CGBP. But if my elbows are wide I need an angle.

[TJBRHT]

I used to hate the bench press. Hate it with a passion. I am tall and thin, so the bench press and I are mortal enemies for life.

See some guy come in the gym, dead lift 225 for 8 reps (when I could do 275 for 8 reps) then turn around and bench 225 for 8 reps (225 is my best max at the bench press). It is an ego lift, through and thought.

But with this said, the bench press has done more for my chest than any other lift.

After years of fighting it, avoiding it, DB'ing it, Hammer Strengthing it, I stumbled upon the solution.

1) Swallow my pride, and just lift what I can lift. If it is just 185, go for it, and don't worry what anyone else thinks.

2) Feet up on the bench. In the past I had my feet off the ground and would arch my back like crazy. I can lift more weight this way, always will be able to as well. But doing this takes the pressure off my chest and puts it more on the delts and even traps. With my feet up on the bench, it focuses on my chest.

I used to hate the bench, but the bench does great things for me. So I have come to accept the bench as a friend.

[W8isGR8]

I'm . . . um . . a U2 fan . . .

See, I actually think the flat BB bench press is near the bottom for me, and it's the most popular major lift at any given gym. The angle itself is "neither here nor there" compromise to get everything stimulated. I would rather do a decline or dip angle to work the triceps and pecs. I would rather go between an incline and overhead angle to work the delts and upper pecs. And if I were working strictly from the flat bench angle, I would still rather use DBs and emphasize the stretch at the bottom of the movement.

I used to like U2(Joshua Tree, Achtung(sp?) Baby), then they just got weird and turned to crap.


Here's the structual problem with flat bench. The farther out you upper arm goes, the more the movement becomes transverse flexion http://www.exrx.net/Articulations/Sh...l#anchor108688 of the upper arm, which is a anterior delt dominated movement. For the pecs to work at that angle the arm has to be rotated to allow for transverse adduction http://www.exrx.net/Articulations/Sh...l#anchor108688

Obviously you can't hold a barbell like this. So the pecs become a stabalizer while the delts/tri's do all the work.

[Hola Bola]

2) Feet up on the bench. In the past I had my feet off the ground and would arch my back like crazy. I can lift more weight this way, always will be able to as well. But doing this takes the pressure off my chest and puts it more on the delts and even traps. With my feet up on the bench, it focuses on my chest.

Or.... you could just have a little self control and use a weight you can handle.

Feet on the bench = the stupiest thing I've ever heard.

[DiamondDelts]

Or.... you could just have a little self control and use a weight you can handle.

Feet on the bench = the stupiest thing I've ever heard.

Hola "the sultan of mean" Bola

[DiamondDelts]

It's probably your elbow position... I do all mine with elbows in. Elbows out places a lot more stress on my shoulders. I realize it's not the best for chest development when performed that way... but I still enjoy it.

No Aqua, no!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! (reaches out bloody hands to sky asking why)

[bubbleboy_619]

For some reason being perfectly flat puts all the stress on my shoulder joints. Even just a 10-15 degree incline is all I need.

OMG, you have that problem too? I thought I was the only one. Do you feel most of it in your lateral delts? I do, no matter what grip I use.

[nads786]

happy bday DD