No More Benching!

[growin']

I used to be a fat kid, so I hit lots of Flyes to try and tighten my chest. This wenton for years. For the last five years, I have been trying to build a more symmetrical, and functional physique. This included lots of back work. I never really worked shoulders though, as I thought they got worked enough during chest and back work. Well I was wrong. Seems like my chest and back grow by just looking at weights, so here's my new motto: NO MORE BENCH.

Anyone else ever quit benching, and just stick to overhead pressing movements?

 

[blaster220]

It's not uncommon to focus more on other muscle groups, however, I wouldn't drop chest isolation from your routine, just maintain weight and up the reps. It's easier to maintain than to try and play catch up when you realize you've slacked too much, imo.

 

[b fold the truth]

I am leaning in that direction. All of my flat work is done with a close grip, board presses...and lots of overhead pressing. The flat bench press serves little function in athletics anyway...

B True

 

[onemind]

don't stop benching just go crazy on shoulders dedicate one day just for shoulders but make sure to get enough rest there easy to over train

 

[Hannibal]

The flat bench press serves little function in athletics anyway...

B True

Unless you are a Football player....or a wrestler for that matter. Picture linemen on opposite sides of the ball....the ability to shove people and gain position is something a strong bench press will greatly assist.

Speaking of which...powerlifters, including myself, are always teaching people to press with their elbows tucked. The reason, same reason Coaches have their football players...especially OLinemen keep their elbows tucked in on Pass Protect, its a MUCH STRONGER position.

 

[b fold the truth]

Unless you are a Football player....or a wrestler for that matter. Picture linemen on opposite sides of the ball....the ability to shove people and gain position is something a strong bench press will greatly assist.

Speaking of which...powerlifters, including myself, are always teaching people to press with their elbows tucked. The reason, same reason Coaches have their football players...especially OLinemen keep their elbows tucked in on Pass Protect, its a MUCH STRONGER position.

I still believe that the overhead press is a much more functional lift for all sports. The incline bench press at least. The clean and press uses more muscles, balance, and is more functional...in my opinion. Even for football players.

B True

 

[Hannibal]

Not to change the subject of this thread too much...but I dont understand the use of OLifts in training for sports. They are too technical...they put you in positions that you would never find yourself in competition. Its like coaches that advocate ATTF Squatting. If you find yourself in the bottom position of an ATTF Squat on a football field...doesnt matter how strong you are...you have just lost that battle. The other bad thing about OLifts...is that there is so much technique. In the time it takes to teach an athlete to do the movement...you could easily put 25-50lbs on their squat or deadlift. AND if your deadlift strength increases...then your Cleaning power will increase...the converse is not true.

 

[b fold the truth]

Note that I do both the powerlifts as well as the clean and press/jerk. I do not advocate an olympic routine at all, I could not leave out the squat or the deadlift...but I do feel that in athletic training...the clean and press is definately a very good movement to include.

It does require technique...but so does the squat. It blows me away how much good technique increases the squat.

I am not for sure how you can say that if you find yourself in an ATTF squat (butt to the floor) then you have lost the battle. If you find yourself sitting way back like in a box squat and you are tackled...you have lost the battle just the same.

The overhead press still does a lot for many athletes and I think that it does more than the flat bench press. From the line, you want to be very low and pushing your opponent back and upwards so that you can have the better leverage on them. I can see how the squat and deadlift can definately help these...but not the flat bench press. The incline and the overhead press too...but not the flat bench press.

The time that it takes teaching someone how to do the clean and press might take just as long as teaching someone how to properly squat or deadlift. We BOTH know how hard it is to squat properly. We have both been doing the squat for years and I know mine is no where near perfect.

Lots of olympic lifters have done well in strongman contests also, especially the deadlift. I know that big time olympic lifters, as well as other top notch athletes, are usually the exception to the rule...probably a bad point.

I guess that my point would be...lol...that you need to mix it up. I believe that the clean and press is a very beneficial exercise to all athletes...as well as the flat bench press.

B True