Should I bench press? If so, why?

[makedah]

This is something I've been mulling for months. I bench press because I feel like I "should" and because it is the most challenging of the big moves for me. But I wonder if my time would be better spent doing other moves.

Reasons not to bench:

1. I don't want to compete in BB or PL. (I lift because I enjoy it and because I want to be stronger and more muscular.)

2. My breasts cover my pecs (except for the clavicular head), so any aesthetic reasons for developing my pecs are all but nil.

3. I don't know how it benefits me to have especially strong pecs.
I'd love to be educated on this one. BTW: I bench PL style, so although it hits my chest, it's not the same as the way a BB bench does.

 

[b fold the truth]

Hmmm...you bring up good points. I don't really do the bench press to have a big bench press or to build big pecs... I train the bench press in a manner in which gives me strength/growth in the other major muscles that I need for my sport. The standard WSB DE day is all that I do for flat bench...then I do some inclines...

You raise really good points though...but I personally think that it is something that should be done by most everyone because of how it can develop the entire upper body. If done properly I think that it can develop (in any manner that you choose) the upper body nicely... I just can't see trading anything else in its place...

B True

 

[casualbb]

There really is no reason to do bench press unless you compete in powerlifting. In fact I'd say that potential rotator cuff issues are a reason NOT to bench.

If you're open to suggestion, chest dips rule.

 

[Zander1983]

If I had a dip station at home I would do a lot less flat pressing than I currently do.

 

[FatRat]

I agree its an interesting question, but I think you guys have it right in that you would want some sort of compound pushing movement that strengthens most of the upper body in there somewhere.

For a rounded physic, I would suggest one of either dips, flat or incline press, and perhaps in your case go for the incline to bring some nice shape and strength to the upper chest / shoulders.

I guess the question is that because you can’t see a muscle, should you not train it? I would advise against purposely developing a weak spot. Creating an imbalance is asking for trouble, and does not seem like a sensible long term plan.

 

[coolcolj]

I no longer bench anymore, at least not with a barbell.

I don't enjoy it, and it makes me tight.

 

[pwr_machine]

Creating an imbalance is asking for trouble, and does not seem like a sensible long term plan.

You beat me to the point. Imbalance creates injury!

 

[bigstve12]

as long as you still incorporate another compound chest movement, dips, incline, db's, id say it would be ok then to not bench. I personally love benching and will never give it up

 

[makedah]

What, no one recommended the pec deck?

I do have a creaky rotator cuff (right side) that I've rehabbed and continue to 'prehab.' I was under the impression that dips were baaaaad for rotator cuffs. They certainly make me wince when I see them done.

So, can someone give me the biomechanics (in laywoman's terms) of the pecs - what do they help me do? That will help me as I rework my chest/upper body routine.

Excellent point about imbalance. I do want some kind of pushing move (it comes in handy when I move furniture around the house). I was thinking pushups instead of bench press. B, or other Strongpeople, anything "eccentric" you can think of for pushing strength for someone who isn't very strong yet?

I'm not lifting just for aesthetics, so please don't think that I don't want to strengthen what I can't see (the pecs under my breasts). It just seems to me that a lot of pec work is done to acheive bigger pecs, not for strength or physical balance per se, but in pursuit of a notion of an 'ideal physique.'

Cool Col J - are you saying that your Oly lifts take care of your chest for you? Or that you don't care as much about chest?

Well, today is "bench day" on the calendar, so I've got some quick decisions to make before I head for the gym in a few minutes.

 

[PancakeFiend]

you can always try dumbells, they feel more natural and you don't have to rack and unrack the weight, which i think hurts your rotator cuffs, but anyways if you want pushing strength then a strong chest, shoulders, and triceps are what you need and bench press does is the best for that...

 

[bigguns15]

I couldn't imagine not bench pressing. But, I do it for competition purposes, and because I think it's a lot of fun I think it should be a fundamental part of any woman's strength training program. Women tend to be so much weaker in their upper body. But there are also so many variations of bench press that you could just swap them around. Instead of flat, do incline or instead of barbell bench, do dumbbell.

 

[FatRat]

Serious question Bigguns15: For a woman’s comp, what is the rule for lowering the bar to the chest, where does it need to touch? Do some women have a certain advantage if their chaest is rather higher than others...?

 

[jerkbox]

you do not neccessarily have to do flat bench barbell presses...

for a while I didn't do them myself.

however, I don't think you should eliminate pressing movements altogether. Like bigguns said, there are many variations on this basic movement.

and for a women, wouldn't a strong chest help to keep a firmer bust? Also, I think perhaps eventually you might notice a physical imbalance if you didn't work the chest at all...bigger arms and shoulders that didn't quite look right with your chest.

 

[bigguns15]

Serious question Bigguns15: For a woman’s comp, what is the rule for lowering the bar to the chest, where does it need to touch? Do some women have a certain advantage if their chaest is rather higher than others...?

The rule is the same for men and women. You have to lower the bar to your chest. In my raw training, I lower to bar to the end of my sternum, around my xyphoid process. With my arch, this is the highest point. As it turns out, when I put my bench press shirt on, it moves my breasts down to this point, so my range of motion shortens a tad bit more. Depending on where a girl lowers the bar, bigger breasts could be slightly advantageous. However, bigger ones are a LOT harder to put in a bench shirt

 

[FatRat]

Maybe ditch the shirt for a Wonderbra...?

 

[bigguns15]

Maybe ditch the shirt for a Wonderbra...?

 

[Exodus]

Maybe ditch the shirt for a Wonderbra...?

AND THE QUOTE OF THE DAY AWARD GOES TO FATRAT!!!!!

x

 

[megad]

There really is no reason to do bench press unless you compete in powerlifting. In fact I'd say that potential rotator cuff issues are a reason NOT to bench.

If you're open to suggestion, chest dips rule.

Sports?

 

[IronLion]

Flat Bench if done PL style is a total body move, and it is a great compound for the upper body. There is however no need to do it week after week. From what you stated Makedah i think you might enjoy a pressing day that rotates exercises. So like say you start with a push press, then the next time you get to that day maybe do bench press, then floor press, then maybe ohp.

Keep developing your pressing strength and use as many types of compound pressing moves as you can think of, but don't ditch the flat bench fully. Besides the aesthetic concerns it is one of the most efficient tricep builders and thus pressing strength builders. If your rotators bother you start doing more of your lower body stuff overhead. I recomend you start with overhead lunges if your shoulders are not actually injured

 

[Becoming]

I would agree with IL above and suggest using a combination of pressing movements.... I think what you would be giving up a heck of a lot in terms of an effective upperbody development exercise.

Also, I agree that the balance/etc issues would come into play after years of not using any particular types of movements and you would find yourself with a somewhat weird looking physique...(we have all seen these at the gym)

I think it is more worthy to persue balance in all aspects (both physique and workout practice) than to say "I never do _____"

 

[MsBeverlyHills]

because most the girls at my gym use chest machines & dbs...so i bench press (yes-- its an ego thing

 

[makedah]

because most the girls at my gym use chest machines & dbs...so i bench press (yes-- its an ego thing

I KNOW! It's an ego thing for me too. But I want it to be more than that to justify spending my time on it. The bench is the only move that makes me feel like I give a lot to it, but it doesn't give back (in noticable strength).

IronLion (and others) excellent suggestions. I'll mix it up more on my "push-upper" day.

FYI: Today I did flat bench, french presses, plate raises (for the first time ever, then got home and realized I did it wrong!) and lateral raises (first time in maybe a year?).

 

[makedah]

Sports?

I don't know if that was directed at him or me. But I don't play sports.

 

[Scotsman]

This is something I've been mulling for months. I bench press because I feel like I "should" and because it is the most challenging of the big moves for me. But I wonder if my time would be better spent doing other moves.

Reasons not to bench:

1. I don't want to compete in BB or PL. (I lift because I enjoy it and because I want to be stronger and more muscular.)

Compound movements will add strength and muscularity faster than isolation movements. The big compound movements for upper body are bench (including angle variations) and pulling motions like rows.

2. My breasts cover my pecs, so any aesthetic reasons for developing my pecs are all but nil.

Larger pecs will enhance and lift breasts. Not very important now but later in life the will stay "perky" for lack of a better term.

3. I don't know how it benefits me to have especially strong pecs.

The stronger your chest is the more upper body core strength you will have. You chest anchors your shoulders against you back muscles. Creating an imbalance can be very bad for posture resulting in back problems. Also if you want to be bigger and stronger why not use the larger muslces to speed this task along

Cheers,
Scotsman

 

[Peckz]

I do mostly dumbbell presses and dips but sometimes i bench just to check that i haven't gotten any weaker. Works for me.

 

[Becoming]

The bench is the only move that makes me feel like I give a lot to it, but it doesn't give back (in noticable strength

It might not show a large amount of improvement in bench poundage, but I guarantee, it is one (but only one) of the most effective upperbody strengtheners... I am sure if you totally quit you would notice in time a large degree of fall-off in your overall upper body strength....

 

[coolcolj]

Cool Col J - are you saying that your Oly lifts take care of your chest for you? Or that you don't care as much about chest?
:

I need to concentrate on overhead pressing strength, these work the shoulders through a full range, which the bench doesn't do.
Working bench hard with presses doesn't work too well.

Benches make my shoulders/pecs tight which makes snatching harder.

I basicly do some "benches" with low pulley cables, these hit the pecs more directly while not stressing the delts or triceps too much. Pecs require horzontally diagonal stress anyway for their main function. If its vertical the shoulders and triceps get the work, the pecs are secondary.
This keeps em in shape, while allowing em to hit my presses and snatches hard.

I just don't find benches fun, lying on back and pressing a weight is uncomfortable, annoying and boring. I must be on my feet!
Benches never added to my pec size anyway, incline dumbells surely have, as do the low pulley cables.