Over-Emphasizing the Bench Press

[louden_swain]

Seems like this is all people talk about on this board. Does anyone perform incline presses anymore? I guess overall chest development is not a priority for some people.

Here is what I hear almost everday:

How much can you bench?
My bench sucks.
I suck at bench presses, how can I improve?
I can bench 2 times my bodyweight, and I weigh 150lbs.

My question is, how many people actually start off with incline presses in their routine?

I know I do. After getting rid of bench presses in 1997, I have seen vast improvements in pectoral development, plus I have remain injury free.

 

[Optimus B]

i alternate every week between starting with flat or incline.

 

[gmanlax7]

i hate flat bench, always start a chest day with 5 sets of incline bench, and if i do go flat afterwards its with DB's. Flat bench sucks

 

[louden_swain]

i hate flat bench, always start a chest day with 5 sets of incline bench, and if i do go flat afterwards its with DB's. Flat bench sucks

What kind of results have you had?

 

[needsize]

I start with heavy flat, but then the last 2/3's of my workout is all incline, I find this approach has really helped balance things out

 

[jesus 2]

 

[Gretak9]

I'm sure most would agree that inclines are more productive at developing the chest muscles but I lift flat bench first purely for psychological reasons. You've got to admit that when people talk about lifting one of the first questions is, 'How much do you bench?', not "What's your incline up to now?'

 

[RusPA81]

I have always started off with flat for many years, but 3 weeks ago, I decided to switch and start with incline and then do flat. I am actually enjoying it. It is to early for me to tell how well it will work, but I plan to stick with it for a while, if for nothing else then a change of pace.

 

[endpoint]

I know I do. After getting rid of bench presses in 1997, I have seen vast improvements in pectoral development, plus I have remain injury free.

i am not agreeing that bench presses cause injury (i feel quite the oposite) but i agree to have a good chest you dont need to bench. (i think most beginners need to bench to develop somewhat of a base)

I think there is a place for both incline and flat....but should be rotated once in a while.

i believe that performing inclines first will allow more weight usage on this exercise causing strength in the front delts......which will benifit your bench press.

 

[JOKER47]

I guess overall chest development is not a priority for some people.

I think you just answered your own question.

IMO, this is a training board. Training for bodybuilding, powerlifting, strongman, OL, and anything else that may come up.

Pectoral development may not be the number 1 priority for everyone here, just as hitting a 500lbs bench press may not be a priority for others.

.02,
Joker

 

[gmanlax7]

i have pretty big chest and shoulders, although i would say my upper chest is larger then my lower, probably due to my love for incline.
Last week i started a new chest program though, which my friend told me Arnold used his first 5years of BBing. It goes 5sets of flat, 5 of incline, 5 of db flys, and 5 of dips, I aim for 6 reps on the benching, then for 8or10 on the flys, then whatever i can crank out for dips by the end.
We'll see how that goes, i like it so far despite the flat benching.

 

[Haz]

I usually start with flat bench, but when I feel my workouts are getting stagnant I will switch it up and start with inclines or dips. There have also been long stretches where I haven't flat benched at all. I still like the exericse though, but I do feel it gets too much emphasis (at least amongst the bodybuilders who don't need it anywhere near as much as the powerlifters).

 

[WarriorPL]

Heavy flat bench, heavy db incline bench, flat/incline db or cable flys. That's all i do.

 

[louden_swain]

My question is, why are people so preoccupied with the bench press?

 

[Testosterone boy]

I fired the flat bench press two weeks ago. Made shoulders pop and had not gone up in 1 1/2 years while everything else did.

My shoulders are thanking me. Some people simply are not bio mechanically suited for certain exercises and ignoring this WILL produce injuries.

We need to listen to our bodies, not other lifters.

Besides....I like incline and shoulder press. Flys are fine and I believe those definitely produce the best pectoral development.

 

[JOKER47]

My question is, why are people so preoccupied with the bench press?

Other than powerlifters, your guess is as good as mine.



Joker

 

[WarriorPL]

no one seems to know the benefits of incline.... 98% of the people at my gym don't do incline.

 

[louden_swain]

no one seems to know the benefits of incline.... 98% of the people at my gym don't do incline.

Sounds like you are in a gym where people do nothing but bench and curls.

 

[WarriorPL]

You're right.

People give me weird looks when i do lifts that have nothing to do with chest or arms, like squats, and deads ("hey what's that you're doin' there")

Train legs and back in my gym?
God forbid.

 

[gettinlarger]

I alternate a lot between the two. The past few months it had been incline bench first, then flat exercises. Before that it was flat first, then incline exercises. Like needsize said, it kinda balances things out. When I go back to bulking pretty soon, I'll probably do flat one week, incline a few weeks, flat another, etc. I dunno.

 

[AustinTX]

My question is, why are people so preoccupied with the bench press?

Yeah, I couldn't vote in the poll since right now I'm doing inclines and using DBs for flat press.

I think it's like the quote in someone's sig from Schwartzenegger about the Bicep being the show me the money muscle when people on the street want to see you flex; in the gym it seems to be more pecs (and bis) than anywhere else. People stare at a guy doing 3+ plates on the bench, but if they happen to do calf raises and I walk over and put more plates on I may get a curious look for a sec, but that's it.... Plus the ROM is much more exciting on the bench and he could always drop the bar and strangle himself or something, kinda like watching a car race waiting for the wrecks

 

[Fatty4You]

I start with Incline Barbell Press. Its fantastic. I used to do flat first, and rarely did incline at all. Lately i have noticed serious strength gains on incline. Plus i think my chest looks much fuller than it used to.

As for people's preocupation with bench.... i think its a self-strengthening cycle. I think people like bench at first cause they can see good gains or something, and people enjoy being good at it. Then they are better it than at anything else, which makes them like doing it more than anything else... which goes on and on and on.

But, i love everything in the gym

-Fatty

 

[michaelcoutts]

I think that incline bench presses are alot more gentel on the rotator cuffs compared to the regular flat benchpress.

The flat benchpress just seems to be an unnatural movement for me whereas the incline seems to be alot smoother and fluent.

You're right.
People give me weird looks when i do lifts that have nothing to do with chest or arms, like squats, and deads ("hey what's that you're doin' there")
Train legs and back in my gym?
God forbid.

lol i workout in the school gym sometimes and that is exactly the case. Then they wonder why there shoulders are so hunched forward. "perphaps if i did more benchpresses and bicep curls my shoulders will move backk" lool

 

[Lord_Suston]

I am an advocate of doing incline first since I believe this produces the best pectoral developement for myself... Flat benching I feel is better for the tris and ego....

I can actually flat bench better now after doing inclines than I could previously....

 

[The Architect]

I do flat, incline, and decline every chest workout. This has worked very well for me in my chest development. I think it is the combination of all three that is needed.

 

[TheOak84]

My question is, why are people so preoccupied with the bench press?

i dont know what your talking about... I take every exercise seriously.. but no one seems to care that i do skulls with 135 or Barbell rows with 225 or military 185 for reps in my gym..

if people only care about how much i bench, then ill show it off to them.. they seem to think its easy to do other exercises with heavy weight or something. like benchpress is the hardest most important thing in the world.. i dont sweat it though. if someone asks me how much i benchpress, i just say "More than you ever will", then they seem to shut up... i dunno

 

[solidj55]

Hands down (IMHO) best exercise for chest is the dumbell incline press.

 

[PolishHammer1977]

I have been doing inclines first for a little while now. My upper pecs are catching up quickly. Glad Lord Sus suggested the idea to me about 2 months ago.

The "bench press" is the macho bravado like lift for people who do not understand the symmetrical goal of bodybuilding.

 

[beastboy]

I too have given up on flat bench and for that matter and BB bench. I am strictly doing incline dumbell. It does bruise the ego at first, but I had to in order to limit my shoulder pain and not cause any more injuty to it then I already have. Since switching I have noticed a better response my my pecs. I may never flat BB becnh again.

Inlcine, Flys, and Dips. My chest workout.