I think the bench press serves a purpose. In your case not as much as overhead presses or inclines, but like you said, you do them because they are a means to an end.
What you said about benching makes sense and I agree 100% with you. I also think benching takes a lot of flak from coaches and trainers who are against it. It isn't totally useless, but it isn't the be all and end all of exercises and the truest measure of strength.
I think most serious athletes know this and know it well. The average trainee, the average high school kid, and sedintary people do not know this. These are the "How much do ya bench?" people. I get it all the time, in the supermarket line, at the gas station, in the line at Blockbuster Video, at work, at family gatherings, you name it.......My response is 'A lot'. However, when I talk to anyone serious about training who happens to know their ass from a hole in the ground, they will usually ask something like "How do you train?"
I feel most people who bash benching either suck at it (not the case with you obviously), or they are just sick and tired of the general public jerking off over this lift when they know nothing about it and even less about training as a whole (I suspect this may be the case with you, and I will tell you this has been the case with me at times).
You train at home, but think back to your gym days. Remember all the wannabe 140lb tough guys and the fat middle aged men who only come to the gym on Mon and bench for 2 hours culminating into a 1 rep max attempt with 315 with their asses a foot off the bench and their spotter pulls he bar off of them , next, they do some bicep curls with form that more resembles the latest dance craze, and then leave, not to return the until the next Monday to mindlessly do the exact same thing. Then when you see them out and about they say "How much can ya bench?" and then you can either knock them out or act totally arrogant.
To sum up how I feel, I couldn't agree with you more B. The bench press is an effective tool in an athlete's arsenal, but no more effective than overheads, inclines, declines, or dips.
Now since you took your panties off, I will take my tampon out and go on with my day.
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