Bench Press: Feel it working? Pumps, anyone?

[deltreefitness]

No matter what grip width, or wrist placement I use I NEVER feel bench presses on my chest. I always feel like I'm using my triceps and even biceps some. I know the bench press is the staple of all chest exercises but why? Can it be replaced with flys? I can feel flys (especially on the machine).

Any suggestions?

 

[BOOEY]

DB's

 

[deltreefitness]

DB's

I use DB's for incline bench press. I guess they are slightly better. Do you use DB's exclusively? Do you get pumps in your chest?

 

[tha_pllaya]

i had the same problem, it was my form, instead of asking people on the forums here, ask a trainer or maybe even someone helpfull at the gym, my advice

 

[Madcow2]

Pump means nothing to hypertrophy or strength increases. Forget about it. The benchpress is simply the best way to load a lot of weight on the upper torso in a fundemental pressing movement through a range of motion. As you progress in a reasonable volume/rep range you will stimulate the entire area. You probably feel it most in your arms because they are your weak link. While flies may isolate a muscle better, you'll find the whole "isolation" scheme very uncondusive to growth i.e. spend a year increasing your bench or spend a year increasing your capacity in the fly - your chest will be far far bigger using the former regardless of how well it did or did not isolate your pecs.

Also, you can't go by some personal trainer in your gym. For the most part, they are horrible and I can't say that I've ever met one who I was even remotely impressed with, I'm sure there are a few out there though. You'll find the same disparity in forums, people will ask a rediculous question about something impossible like training an inner chest and some lame brain will give them a "method". Incidentally, there is no inner chest and this exact circumstance happened on Meso after this was explained in to detail to someone, he then asked a personal trainer who recommended reverse grip seated cable crossovers - the kid then posts back to let everyone know that they were wrong. Unbelievable. The amount of misinformation is rediculous in BBing all the way to the Pros. If you want some real sources of training knowedge check out some of the books and links in here: http://www.elitefitness.com/forum/showpost.php?p=4323293&postcount=3

 

[deltreefitness]

Hey thanks madcow. I guess I shouldn't worry so much about "feeling it" at the moment. I usually feel it the next morning though.

I have another questioned I've been wondering about. Sometimes when I do a lighter day of working out I'm hardly sore at all the next day. Only after really pushing myself from the last week is when I feel sore. Does this mean (if I'm not sore) that the "light" days that I've only had a cardiovascular work out? Must you be real sore to grow?

 

[Madcow2]

Hey thanks madcow. I guess I shouldn't worry so much about "feeling it" at the moment. I usually feel it the next morning though.

I have another questioned I've been wondering about. Sometimes when I do a lighter day of working out I'm hardly sore at all the next day. Only after really pushing myself from the last week is when I feel sore. Does this mean (if I'm not sore) that the "light" days that I've only had a cardiovascular work out? Must you be real sore to grow?

Well, as long as we are nixing the pump we might as well shoot DOMS (soreness too). DOMS has no significance to a hypertrophy or strength stimulating workout. It's a byproduct of training and usually most severe when an athlete is not conditioned to the load being applied. So if you train a muscle 1x per week or less and hit it with a lot of volume to failure - you will get nice and sore very consistently. Would I advise this for actually making gains? Hell no, even though it's attrociously common and for beginners may work fairly well. Many many athletes have obtained excellent results and hardly ever been sore and this is true beyond the novice level all the way up to the best in the world - whereas the other method dies off quickly unless you are willing to take enough drugs to keep it going.

Here's some info on the causes of DOMS:
http://www.fortifiediron.net/invision/index.php?showtopic=23534

 

[deltreefitness]

Thanks again madcow! I used to worry and think "shit all that work for nothing" when I wasn't sore the next day. I do remember reading about DOMS and pumps having little to do with a direct indication of gains, now. I've been working out on/off for six years and used to subscribe to some BB mags. I haven't read much BB material in a while though. It's nice to hear some back-up. I agree with you there is a lot of BS out there.