Is there any reason to do BB Bench Press?

[Swedish Viking]

I can't actually think of great one.

[nodeal]

i would like to think there isnt a reason, since it is one of my worst exercises. but it really is also one of the most basic strength movements, and i think it should be done at least once in a while. is it absolutely necessary to obtain a well  developed chest? i dont think so. there are some jacked guys who just use dumbbells.

[Swedish Viking]

Honestly, I don't even consider it the number one upper body builder-that's got to be chins or Rows.  Db chest makes a whole hell of a lot more sense given that short pecs and anterior delts aren't nearly as much of a possibility.  I think from here on out it's going to be Chins, rows, shoulder presses and then some chest work.  After doing that for a while, I'll probably switch the order of the last two but shoulder presses are going to be a top priority for a while.

[mass 04]

yes. it will make your chest grow.

[wes]

After training a zillion years and finally realizing it`s mostly an ego lift..........NO !

[iron_dawg]

After training a zillion years and finally realizing it`s mostly an ego lift..........NO !

I agree totally with that statement...I develope better with DB's anyways I will still bench from time to time but mainly I find myself trying to push myself to do more weight and I have never been a great bencher.

[QuakerOats]

yes. it will make your chest grow.

exactly, heavy sets of 5-6 on the flat bench are the best thing for chest IMO.

[tonymctones]

the only thing i can think of is that it lets you use more weight but iono if its worth the risk injury.

[pumpster]

For some it's great, for others there are good alternatives. You have to try every good exercise for a good while then decide whether to continue based on results and injury potential.

[QuakerOats]

For some it's great, for others there are good alternatives. You have to try every good exercise for a good while then decide whether to continue based on results and injury potential.

exactly.

[Soundness]

No. The best reason is simply to know "how much you can bench." 

The wise thing to do is to drop the BB Bench Press from your routine altogether and just make sure you include 1) Weighted Dips and 2) Overhead Press. The Dips will sufficiently stimulate growth in your chest, lower chest moreso than the upper chest, while the Overhead ("Military") Press will sufficiently stimulate growth in your upper chest. This way, the chest will be fully stimulated from two opposite extremes, pushing up and pushing down, plus eliminating the bench press will eliminate not only the risk of injury it is know to pose, but a lot of overlap in the chest and shoulders that may have actually been hindering your progress in the chest and shoulders.

So, drop the Bench Press, then make sure your routine includes:
1) Weighted Dips and

2) Overhead Press

Take at least 1 set to failure in each.

[QuakerOats]

from my exerience guys try to use every excuse in the book not to bench heavy because MOST guys including me aren't naturally good at it and they then make excuses like "you don't need benches, just do dips, use dumbbells, etc. etc."

[NaturalWonder83]

do dips!

[wes]

Good post Pumpster!!

One thing`s for certain,people go too heavy too often when doing benches.............this has caused more shoulder injuries than any other exercise.

When we start out training in the beginning,we all dream of benching 500 pounds but sadly enough,not many will even reach 300 in good form.

Back off on poundages and go for 8-12 reps...........best for hypertrophy.

Throw in some 5x5 once in a while to shake things up.

Some are born to bench and get great results in power and pec growth..........most are not!!

Leave the ego at the door unless you are a great bencher or a powerlifter.

[QuakerOats]

Good post Pumpster!!

One thing`s for certain,people go too heavy too often when doing benches.............this has caused more shoulder injuries than any other exercise.

When we start out training in the beginning,we all dream of benching 500 pounds but sadly enough,not many will even reach 300 in good form.

Back off on poundages and go for 8-12 reps...........best for hypertrophy.

Throw in some 5x5 once in a while to shake things up.

Some are born to bench and get great results in power and pec growth..........most are not!!

Leave the ego at the door unless you are a great bencher or a powerlifter.

i agree 100%.

[webcake]

Like already stated, for some it's great, for others there are better alternatives. I always start with inclines (DB or BB), then do flyes then dips.

Occasionally i'll do flat DB presses. I kept doing BB bench just because it felt kinda weird to do chest and not bench, but since dropping them my chest seems to be improving. Just gotta find out what works for you.

[Bobby]

I use it as a second exercise with lighter weights (8-12 reps) after i've done the heavy pressing on the 1st exercise with dbs.

[tbombz]

yesterday i started my chest with cable crossovers from the top pin, then did flat bench, then finished with cable crossovers from the bottom pin...6-10 sets per exercise..never been more pumped and full all over my chest. hardest set on bench i only used 195 heaviest weight for 12 reps too.. which is craqzy because during the summer i was benching 315 for 7.. and my chest now absolutely destroys my ch3st from then..

[Bobby]

yesterday i started my chest with cable crossovers from the top pin, then did flat bench, then finished with cable crossovers from the bottom pin...6-10 sets per exercise..never been more pumped and full all over my chest. hardest set on bench i only used 195 heaviest weight for 12 reps too.. which is craqzy because during the summer i was benching 315 for 7.. and my chest now absolutely destroys my ch3st from then..

why the f do you start with a finishing exercise

pre exhaust?... never understood this, you get less pressing power.

[Swedish Viking]

What if he doesn't care about his pressing power?  What if his rotator cuffs do not have the strength to stabalize a fresh heavy bench, but can handle a pre-exhausted one.

[Rimbaud]

I don't care for it. I agree with whoever said it's mainly an ego lift. I've personally like Incline Benchpress & Incline Dumbbell Presses much more. In fact I've gotten better results doing push-ups. But that's just me.

[tbombz]

why the f do you start with a finishing exercise

pre exhaust?... never understood this, you get less pressing power.

inmy opinion i dont think there is such a thing as a 'finishing exercise'. a muscle contraction is a muscle contraction. and your right, when i pre exhaust a muscle with more of an isolation movement, then move to a compound movement, i am weaker than i could be on that compound movement. however, the muscle does nto know how much weight itsw lifting, it only knows how much weight it feels like its lifting. so the results from the bench, are the same, except because i pre exausted, now i get much better fee in the pecs on that compound press than i woudl have got without the pre exaust.

What if he doesn't care about his pressing power?  What if his rotator cuffs do not have the strength to stabalize a fresh heavy bench, but can handle a pre-exhausted one.

[pumpster]

inmy opinion i dont think there is such a thing as a 'finishing exercise'. a muscle contraction is a muscle contraction. and your right, when i pre exhaust a muscle with more of an isolation movement, then move to a compound movement, i am weaker than i could be on that compound movement. however, the muscle does nto know how much weight itsw lifting, it only knows how much weight it feels like its lifting. so the results from the bench, are the same, except because i pre exausted, now i get much better fee in the pecs on that compound press than i woudl have got without the pre exaust.
 

Agree on both the fallacy of relegating good exercises to only "finishing" status, and the mistaken notion that it's a waste to do "finishing" or "defining" exercises first when in fact it might work better and lead to better development. Personally speaking i've always found flys, cable flys and pec deck alot better for development than flat BB benches. Those things hit my chest better, alot better.

[Bobby]

To me 'finishing' exercises only work if that muscle group has been thoroughly worked prior to doing them. Hence the name, finishing exercises

That's what i think, Heavy compound exercises stimulate the most growth! then "post exhaust" as Soundness calls it. to finish it off.

Soundness thread:
http://www.getbig.com/boards/index.php?topic=254218.0

very good explanation of it all

[pumpster]

To me 'finishing' exercises only work if that muscle group has been thoroughly worked prior to doing them. Hence the name, finishing exercises

A valid point but i think that's mainly psychological. There's sometimes a basis for saving certain exercises for a little later in a workout, to be done after the tissues are warmed up. That doesn't mean they have to be relagated to the end of the workout though. For example using a compound exercise like pushdowns or close-grips for tris first, because it helps warm up the elbows before doing extensions that can be tough on elbows. That doesn't mean that extensions or any other exercise have to be done last though, as finishing exercises. 

There's some kind of tradition that essentially comes down to relegating certain exercises to "finishing" exercises at the end of a workout, mainly based on the fact that those exercises aren't considered good enough to be done earlier. Kickbacks for example. But the truth is that any good exercise can be done anywhere in the routine. Also, any exercise that's considered less-good and less effective shouldn't be in the routine to begin with, find something else.