Benchpress : anyone?

[tylerschmidt70]

Over the last couple months, every time I go into workout, throughout my workout, I watch the amount of people doing basic benchpress. In my hour+ a day I spend, I literally see less than 2 ppl a day working out on the bech. and when I DO see ppl, it's usually highschoolers or ppl that do not work out often.

Ironically, there are 5 benches with bars which is the most of any one specific "excercise". and never once has even 2 been used at a time.

I myself havent maxed out or even done one standard bench press in a long time. Is it just me or does it seem that people have just stopped using them?

 

[silverbackn]

I still see legions of people crushing 135 on the bench constantly.

 

[riverrock]

Bench is a big one in our gym. 4 Benches and all in constant use. Fair is fair, the benching is good as regards technique and skill, but remember the Bench is just one exercise of a number in your Chest/Tri workout and there are plenty of alternatives out there to use instead. Some guys feel safer using Dumb-bells if they train by themselves and have no spotter..

 

[littleb]

i dont use barbell bench much myself, i used to but now most my chest routine is with dbs. at my gym most of the folks doing barbell bench are kids or weekend gym warriors. Its still a classic, but i prefer db anyday..

 

[nishnish]

i wish i had this problem at my gym. i usually can't get a flat bench becuase of all the assholes who do it for every workout.

 

[dr0832]

I don't agree. Bench pressing is the one excersise that all these idiots think they have to do every single workout. In any case who cares about these idiots? If theres a bunch of benches open for you thats great. At most gyms this is not the case, your lucky yours is not the norm.

 

[eamonn78]

I jumped on the bb benchpress for my last workout just for old times sake, but these days I mainly do db benches cos I dont have a partner and I like going to failure without breaking my neck...

 

[riverrock]

I jumped on the bb benchpress for my last workout just for old times sake, but these days I mainly do db benches cos I dont have a partner and I like going to failure without breaking my neck...

I rest my case. lol!

 

[TRAINHD]

At my GYM depending on the time of the day you've got to wait for a bench,granted I do chest every 4 days so its no big deal for me,but as for my GYM everyone seems to love BB bench press.

 

[ryan04]

The 5 or 6 benches at my gym are always packed, and I always do barbell flat bench. It's a classic and is especially easy for me to gauge how much my strength is going up during a cycle.

 

[silverbackn]

I hardly ever do flat bench press, ego lift. I realize some grow from it, but I think for most its very overrated.

 

[bicepts101]

I hardly ever do flat bench press, ego lift. I realize some grow from it, but I think for most its very overrated.

yep i start with incline...

 

[silverbackn]

yep i start with incline...

I much prefer incline too, I have never seen anyone with an overdeveloped upper chest. I have seen a ton of guys with bottom heavy boobs.

 

[bicepts101]

I much prefer incline too, I have never seen anyone with an overdeveloped upper chest. I have seen a ton of guys with bottom heavy boobs.

...and thats the initial reason i started doing it this way. then when i became more knowledgable about weight lifting and my own body i saw that flat BB sucks. sometimes ill start with it for an ego boost though...LOL...seriously

 

[silverbackn]

...and thats the initial reason i started doing it this way. then when i became more knowledgable about weight lifting and my own body i saw that flat BB sucks. sometimes ill start with it for an ego boost though...LOL...seriously

If I'm feeling strong as a mule I will sometimes jump on there and see what I can do, but usually even at that I prefer to crush big weights on incline. At my best I put up 315 for 4, I have done this many times, never got it 5 though.

 

[TRAINHD]

I prefer to start with flat bench it seems to get the muscle warmed up really well,then I go straight to incline,I'm not quite up to silverbackn's 315 for 4 on the incline but I'm close I get 2 with 315,but maybe by the end of this cycle I'll hit 5 or 6.

 

[silverbackn]

I prefer to start with flat bench it seems to get the muscle warmed up really well,then I go straight to incline,I'm not quite up to silverbackn's 315 for 4 on the incline but I'm close I get 2 with 315,but maybe by the end of this cycle I'll hit 5 or 6.

That's what I'm talking about!

 

[sparetire]

I much prefer incline too, I have never seen anyone with an overdeveloped upper chest. I have seen a ton of guys with bottom heavy boobs.

how funny.. I always start out with flat bench, never do decline, and then go straight to incline. I noticed after my last cycle that I was starting to get bottom heavy and that it wasn't equal to my upper chest and thought the same thing. Soooo, i'm going to start working out on the upper chest first now

 

[altoid1993]

I usually start out chest day on incline: warm up w/225 12 reps, 275 8 reps, 305 6 reps, 315 4 reps, 340 for 1. Then decline same sets just a little bit heavier. I usually superset chest/back. I like to do opposing body parts. I havent done a flatbench max in 2yrs. You dont get as much gains from flat bench. Its more of an ego booster, I went thru that phase when I was younger

 

[bicepts101]

If I'm feeling strong as a mule I will sometimes jump on there and see what I can do, but usually even at that I prefer to crush big weights on incline. At my best I put up 315 for 4, I have done this many times, never got it 5 though.

nice bro nice..i like to go heavy on incline also....but i can only do like 255 for 4 or 5....

 

[bicepts101]

how funny.. I always start out with flat bench, never do decline, and then go straight to incline. I noticed after my last cycle that I was starting to get bottom heavy and that it wasn't equal to my upper chest and thought the same thing. Soooo, i'm going to start working out on the upper chest first now

yeah incline is the optimal movement for chest IMO....you get plenty of lower chest involved.

 

[TRAINHD]

yeah incline is the optimal movement for chest IMO....you get plenty of lower chest involved.

Your right,I only start with flat to get warmed up,it seems to get my joints ready for the real work that lays ahead hehehehe

 

[bicepts101]

Your right,I only start with flat to get warmed up,it seems to get my joints ready for the real work that lays ahead hehehehe

how many set do u do on flat?.....what else do u do on chest day?

 

[TRAINHD]

I go 4 sets for flat 1 Set 10 Reps 135,2nd set 10 reps 225,3rd set 5 reps 275,4th set 5 reps 315,and that it for flat,I go staight to incline press generally I'll go 3 sets 275lbs 5-7 reps(if I feel good I'll do set # 4 315 for 2).Then straight to incline dumbells usually 125lb 2 sets to failier.That it by then my chest is toast,its the dumbells that finish me off,going to failier does it just right.

 

[calebdonnellyusmc]

I used to almost never do flat bench.
I don`t do incline at all anymore because I dislocated my shoulder doing incline DBs 6 years ago(tore something while I was at it) and it's never fully healed.
I've done BB flatbench more in the last 2-3 months than in the whole 5 years prior, and that's because I'm doing a bench competition this week. After this, I'll probably do flat bench once every 10 days or so, till I hit my life goal of 2x my BW, but that's not really a priority, so I don't feel much rush for it.
My mainstays for chest are Cable fly, Cable press, and Dips.

 

[riverrock]

I used to almost never do flat bench.
I don`t do incline at all anymore because I dislocated my shoulder doing incline DBs 6 years ago(tore something while I was at it) and it's never fully healed.
I've done BB flatbench more in the last 2-3 months than in the whole 5 years prior, and that's because I'm doing a bench competition this week. After this, I'll probably do flat bench once every 10 days or so, till I hit my life goal of 2x my BW, but that's not really a priority, so I don't feel much rush for it.
My mainstays for chest are Cable fly, Cable press, and Dips.

Are you sure your not from England because in your avatar you have the perfect "English Tan"!! (Tanned arms and face and white as a ghost everywhere else!!!!!!!

 

[bicepts101]

I used to almost never do flat bench.
I don`t do incline at all anymore because I dislocated my shoulder doing incline DBs 6 years ago(tore something while I was at it) and it's never fully healed.
I've done BB flatbench more in the last 2-3 months than in the whole 5 years prior, and that's because I'm doing a bench competition this week. After this, I'll probably do flat bench once every 10 days or so, till I hit my life goal of 2x my BW, but that's not really a priority, so I don't feel much rush for it.
My mainstays for chest are Cable fly, Cable press, and Dips.

hence you have a weak chest(growth wise)....to small for your arms....i understand if its from a injury. otherwise, reality check bro

 

[tylerschmidt70]

hence you have a weak chest(growth wise)....to small for your arms....i understand if its from a injury. otherwise, reality check bro

hmm interesting.. my chest isnt even close to where I want it in comparison to my arms. Going to start hitting incline, flat and declines and see how much it helps.

 

[silverbackn]

how funny.. I always start out with flat bench, never do decline, and then go straight to incline. I noticed after my last cycle that I was starting to get bottom heavy and that it wasn't equal to my upper chest and thought the same thing. Soooo, i'm going to start working out on the upper chest first now

I think most follow this exact same course, when I first started out I was killing flat bench press like there was no tomorrow.

 

[calebdonnellyusmc]

Are you sure your not from England because in your avatar you have the perfect "English Tan"!! (Tanned arms and face and white as a ghost everywhere else!!!!!!!

I'm an Irish mutt
I try to aviod the sun because I burn easy and it hurts my eyes, but being in the marines, I don't have a choice.

 

[calebdonnellyusmc]

hence you have a weak chest(growth wise)....to small for your arms....i understand if its from a injury. otherwise, reality check bro

I'm not sure I agree with you. My chest does need improvement, I can admit that, but I hadn't thought it looked disproportionate... Ohwell, I'm still working on it.