[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
Inclines are harder for me too, but I told someone that I found bench easier than inclines and he was like “You think so?”
[/quote]
I’ve never met anyone who can incline press more than flat bench press. Anyone?
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
Inclines are harder for me too, but I told someone that I found bench easier than inclines and he was like “You think so?”
[/quote]
I’ve never met anyone who can incline press more than flat bench press. Anyone?[/quote]
No. The only way I could see it is if there was an imbalance/injury or they only trained OHP and incline and never trained flat bench–even then I doubt it. Flat bench should be stronger than incline bench by a significant margin.
foie gras!
carpaccio of aged lamb!
damn Kimba. thoroughly jealous. It sounds amazing.
now my boiled chicken breast has sunk to a new low. lol.
Those dips were NICE! and I can’t imagine lasting in a plank for more than a minute. I think you’re too hard on yourself! You’ve put forth a lot of effort and that’s what will take you good places in the long run.
How was dinner? and exactly what did you have? your poorer fans want to know!
Oh, Nikki. I’ve been married longer than you’ve been alive. Trust me, that last sentence scares the shit out of me. 
N., for once I’ve got frenchy on the food front. YEAH!
Thanks Plucky! I’m all about the persistence.
George, that fancy dinner isn’t until Saturday night. I’ll be back with all the meal details.
I do DB presses on the bench and TG had me doing inclines one month and regular bench the other. I can push much more weight on a flat bench. I think it’s the ability to pinch the shoulder blades and brace better with my feet. It was driving me insane when I did the inclines and had to use lighter weights!
I know I’m a bit late on the topic but for those interested the general rule of thumb for presses goes something akin to this:
Seated OHP 50%
Incline Bench 75%
Bench 100%
Decline Bench 125%
And for my fellow number crunchers I saved this a long time ago and forgot where I found it. These are the numbers you “should” be putting up based on your bench 1RM. The numbers I have are for my personal 1RM (135) and what the other numbers should be but you can easily calc it out based on your own bench 1RM.
If you’ve never done a 1RM for some of these exercises you can use a calculator to get a general idea. I like this one: CalculatorsLive.com is for sale | HugeDomains
Bench Press Based 135
â?¢ Bench press â?? 100 % 135
â?¢ Front squat and close-grip bench press â?? 90 % 121.5
â?¢ Hang clean â?? 81 % 109.35
â?¢ Dumbbell bench press (two dumbbell total) and one-arm row (two dumbbell total) â?? 77.3 % 104
â?¢ Push press, jerk, and dumbbell incline bench press (two dumbbell total) â?? 72 % 97
â?¢ Dumbbell overhead press (two dumbbell total) â?? 58.4 % 77
â?¢ Hammer curl (two dumbbell total) â?? 56.6 % 75.6
â?¢ Dumbbell curl (two dumbbell total), barbell curl, and dumbbell overhead triceps extension (two dumbbell total) â?? 54 % 72.9
â?¢ Bulgarian squat (weighted) â?? 49.4 % 66
â?¢ Lunge (weighted), split squat (weighted), and press-down â?? 45 % 60.75
â?¢ E-Z bar skull crusher â?? 43 % 58
â?¢ Dumbbell skull crusher (two dumbbell total), preacher curl, and concentration curl (two dumbbell total) â?? 39.5 %
â?¢ Seated calf raise and pec fly (two dumbbell total) â?? 36 %
â?¢ Single-leg Romanian deadlift (one dumbbell) and standing calf raise (one dumbbell) â?? 23.3 %
â?¢ Back squat â?? 128 % 172.8
â?¢ Deadlift â?? 179 % 241.65
Numbers you “should” be getting sounds like it refers to structural balance, which is a concept discussed at length by strength coach Charles Poliquin.
Of course one is stronger at decline bench than flat bench. And hence why competitive powerlifters arch into position on the bench in an attempt to create a pseudo-decline position. The funny thing is that even with my hyper-flexibility, arching on the bench is one area I have never excelled at. Now PMPM has an amazing arch.
I realize this post is somewhat [wildly?] off topic.
You’re right. I think it’s Poliquin but it could be from exrx, I can’t remember.
lets talk pmpm into hosting a conference so we can all arch like her.
i need the help too.
sure, it’ll help with benching, too.
Deb, I’m glad I’m not the only one driven insane by the lower weights on incline presses. That was just unexpected.
Bobbi, super interesting. Of course, I had to sit here with a calculator and do the numbers off of my bench 1 rep max, which I tested out last month at 92 lbs.
Snapper, I never knew that: that the reason for the arch is to replicate the strength gains of a decline bench. I’ve never tried a decline bench, so that never would have occurred to me.
CBear, I want that kind of help from PMPM too. And there will be many who’d like to watch that conference.
Working frantically this AM to clear the decks before getting on the road in the afternoon. With any luck, I’ll do my Friday nite workout at a strange gym before heading out to Indian food. My hubby hates Indian, so since I’ll be with my sister who loves it as I do, its the appropriate choice.
tandoories
curries
pakoras
samosas
Oh My!
love indian food
Hmm, being part Indian, I’m so drooling right now 
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
Inclines are harder for me too, but I told someone that I found bench easier than inclines and he was like “You think so?”
[/quote]
I’ve never met anyone who can incline press more than flat bench press. Anyone?[/quote]
No. The only way I could see it is if there was an imbalance/injury or they only trained OHP and incline and never trained flat bench–even then I doubt it. Flat bench should be stronger than incline bench by a significant margin. [/quote]
Wow…mine are about the same, but I haven’t been progressing how I should have on flat bench, been staying between 70-75, just trying to get more reps. I did do 1 x 85 the other day though which is a 1RM for me.
[quote]Grneyes wrote:
[quote]jjackkrash wrote:
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
[quote]Nikki9591 wrote:
Inclines are harder for me too, but I told someone that I found bench easier than inclines and he was like “You think so?”
[/quote]
I’ve never met anyone who can incline press more than flat bench press. Anyone?[/quote]
No. The only way I could see it is if there was an imbalance/injury or they only trained OHP and incline and never trained flat bench–even then I doubt it. Flat bench should be stronger than incline bench by a significant margin. [/quote]
Wow…mine are about the same, but I haven’t been progressing how I should have on flat bench, been staying between 70-75, just trying to get more reps. I did do 1 x 85 the other day though which is a 1RM for me.[/quote]
How steep is your incline? The more pronounced the incline the more difference there should be. Also, I have very little experience training bench with females, maybe there is a gender difference, although I don’t know why there would be. Bobbi’s experience seems to be the same as mine. My overheard press is almost always 100 lbs. behind my bench, and my incline bench 50 lbs. behind my flat bench.
Naw, there’s no difference with females.
[quote]kpsnap wrote:
Naw, there’s no difference with females.
[/quote]
awwwwww - say it’s not so!
viva la difference!
oh - you were talking about bench training…
Friday nite training at a new gym! Nice place, with a power cage, a trap bar and a chest supported t-bar row machine which I used for the first time tonight.
Freestyle Deload Week, Day 1
Trap bar deadlifts
Bar 1 x 5
95# 1 x 5
115# 3 x 5
So I videoed these sets and it turns out that I have KNEE CAVE. Really!?! That is so crazy. I know I don’t have this problem with my sumo deads. But just like with my squats, my knees come together on these when I get too fatigued to stop it. What should this tell me, I wonder.
Box squats (to 5 risers plus step)
Bar 1 x 5
65# 3 x 10
Military Press deload
Bar 2 x 5
Dips
BW 3 x 10
10 sec hold at bottom 1 x 1 <–This was way harder than I thought it would be. If I worked on this, it would get better.
DB Snatch
30 lb. DB 1 x 5, each side
Chest supported t-bar row
Empty bar 1 x 10
25 lb. plate 2 x 10 <–surprisingly difficult
Then out for a delicious Indian dinner. Chicken tikka tandoori – so good. I’ll try to upload the sad trap bar knee cave video, so you all can point and laugh.
I’m weaker on incline than on bench, which I think is normal; if you’re the other way round, I wonder if there’s something funny about your bench form. I just discovered how much stronger I am when I take a wider grip on flat bench (middle fingers to the rings on the bar.)