midwestbarbell.com/resources for bench form
I am not a benchaholic but I love it. I can’t imagine not bench pressing at all. To each their own I guess.
I used to be one of those people who said that I didn’t like benching because it hurt my shoulders or what not. Basically I had two problems-
- my form sucked
- my ego wouldn’t allow me to bench because everyone watches when you bench and I was weak as shit.
I could dumbell bench press more than I could barbell press. Finally I took some advice from the immortal Arnold. His calves were so weak that he always wore sweatpants. One day he had enough and cut the lower half of his sweatpants off so everyone could see his calves thus forcing him to train them harder.
So I went into the gym and worked up to a heafty 185 at a bodyweight of 200. I read everything I could about how the pro benchers bench. Not suprisingly the shoulder pain went away and after only a couple of years my bench is now in the high 500’s at a bodyweight of 280.
meat
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
I used to be one of those people who said that I didn’t like benching because it hurt my shoulders or what not. Basically I had two problems-
- my form sucked
- my ego wouldn’t allow me to bench because everyone watches when you bench and I was weak as shit.
I could dumbell bench press more than I could barbell press. Finally I took some advice from the immortal Arnold. His calves were so weak that he always wore sweatpants. One day he had enough and cut the lower half of his sweatpants off so everyone could see his calves thus forcing him to train them harder.
So I went into the gym and worked up to a heafty 185 at a bodyweight of 200. I read everything I could about how the pro benchers bench. Not suprisingly the shoulder pain went away and after only a couple of years my bench is now in the high 500’s at a bodyweight of 280.
meat[/quote]
This would explain why it seems like the guys with the smallest arms are the most likely to wear sleeveless shirts. They are just trying to motivate themselves to train.
Switching from BB to DB bench press, alleviated my shoulder problems (not pain but weird clicking). Are there any advantages of BB bench press over DB bench press? Besides the obvious one that BB is included in a PL total.
[quote]BarneyFife wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
I used to be one of those people who said that I didn’t like benching because it hurt my shoulders or what not. Basically I had two problems-
- my form sucked
- my ego wouldn’t allow me to bench because everyone watches when you bench and I was weak as shit.
I could dumbell bench press more than I could barbell press. Finally I took some advice from the immortal Arnold. His calves were so weak that he always wore sweatpants. One day he had enough and cut the lower half of his sweatpants off so everyone could see his calves thus forcing him to train them harder.
So I went into the gym and worked up to a heafty 185 at a bodyweight of 200. I read everything I could about how the pro benchers bench. Not suprisingly the shoulder pain went away and after only a couple of years my bench is now in the high 500’s at a bodyweight of 280.
meat
This would explain why it seems like the guys with the smallest arms are the most likely to wear sleeveless shirts. They are just trying to motivate themselves to train.[/quote]
Are you the comedic relief for the thread?
[quote]Xen Nova wrote:
Konstantine wrote:
I’m slowly leaning towards putting more emphasis on the OHP and dips in place of bench
I prefer overhead pressing and dipping…I’m fortunate because doing those 2 (with some barbell benching every few weeks but dumbbell presses every week) increases my bench… but knocking the bench press because you don’t like it?
NY italian voice Git da fook outta 'errrrreeeeeeee…
I never said I don’t like the bench. read between the lines first. I’m just saying that one can also improve his bench and chest size by doing OHP and dips. For the person who wants to bench, more power to them then
[/quote]
[quote]maraudermeat wrote:
BarneyFife wrote:
maraudermeat wrote:
I used to be one of those people who said that I didn’t like benching because it hurt my shoulders or what not. Basically I had two problems-
- my form sucked
- my ego wouldn’t allow me to bench because everyone watches when you bench and I was weak as shit.
I could dumbell bench press more than I could barbell press. Finally I took some advice from the immortal Arnold. His calves were so weak that he always wore sweatpants. One day he had enough and cut the lower half of his sweatpants off so everyone could see his calves thus forcing him to train them harder.
So I went into the gym and worked up to a heafty 185 at a bodyweight of 200. I read everything I could about how the pro benchers bench. Not suprisingly the shoulder pain went away and after only a couple of years my bench is now in the high 500’s at a bodyweight of 280.
meat
This would explain why it seems like the guys with the smallest arms are the most likely to wear sleeveless shirts. They are just trying to motivate themselves to train.
Are you the comedic relief for the thread?[/quote]
No. I am the deputy sherriff of mayberry. Why do you ask?
I get more out of dips than benching. Saying that I am not intending to enter any powerlifting comps either.
Try dips or try benching with dumbells. After a while of doing those you may return to regular benching with a passion.
ALright lets get one thing stright, i didnt say i was gonna stop benching…even though i hate it, i am not planning on getting into any benching competition…i did find that my form sucked and i improved it.I started doing a 5x5 method program,and i think its gonna help, im starting with lower weight and doing everything in perfect form.
Day 1
Squat------------------5x5
Bench press------------5x5
Weighted pull-up-------5x5
Day 3
Deadlift--------------5x5
Weighted Dips---------5x5
Bent over row---------5x5
Day 5
Vertical jumps (weighted)–5x15
Shoulder press-------------5x5
Weighted chin up-----------5x5
i think even though i might not go heavy on bench, the dips, and shoulder press should help…atleast a little
[quote]Easy E wrote:
RickJames wrote:
That’s just your vagina flaring up. Clean the sand out of it and you’ll feel a lot better.
awwww whats the matter kiiieeeel, you feeling a little agitated? you got a little sand in your vagina?[/quote]
Now now guys, no need to bring vaginas into the conversation. As for working out, I much rather bench than do squats and lunges. Those damn things are the devil!!!
I just want to know where all the weakness that has been breeding on these boards lately is coming from.
I don’t like benching either.
I fucking hate it.
I’ve never been good at it and so I never worked at it.
When I realized I was push pressing as much I was benching I decided I’d better work in my weakness.
But you don’t have to bench.
Jesse Marunde says he hasn’t benched in years but I’m sure can’t compare to all the studs on the internet that are calling you a pussy for not enjoying the bench.
Hell if you’ve been benching for a while drop it do heavy overhead work with some dumbbell benching or swap to weighted dips.
There are a bunch of a-holes on this thread.
yea so i did some benching this week using bettter form. Let me just tell you it doesnt hurt to bench anymore and it feels more natural…i love benching now.
[quote]Mule359 wrote:
Jesse Marunde says he hasn’t benched in years but I’m sure can’t compare to all the studs on the internet that are calling you a pussy for not enjoying the bench.
[quote]
thats true, but if you look at some recent pics of him, you can tell his chest is underdeveloped compared to the rest of his body. (not to say its by any means small, the mans enormous). marundes goals are strongman, there really arent many events in strongman that reflect bench pressing or chest for that matter. not sure what the op’s goals are, but if hes concerned about having a well proportioned body, he should prob stick with the bench.
I started advancing in my OHP and dips, as well as rows, and it was a no-brainer that my bench went up.
Does anyone here know if there are such things as people benching with more dominance in a particular muscle? By dominance I mean a combination of triceps, delts, chest. For me it seems that I push way more with my chest and delts, even after 5 sets of heavy weight my triceps don’t even seem pumped or tired.
is there such thing a delt-tri bencher
chest-delt bencher, etc?
[quote]TKL.ca wrote:
I started advancing in my OHP and dips, as well as rows, and it was a no-brainer that my bench went up.
Does anyone here know if there are such things as people benching with more dominance in a particular muscle? By dominance I mean a combination of triceps, delts, chest. For me it seems that I push way more with my chest and delts, even after 5 sets of heavy weight my triceps don’t even seem pumped or tired.
is there such thing a delt-tri bencher
chest-delt bencher, etc?
[/quote]
I think your arm position can affect your benching. Narrow grip is more arms, wider is more chest. Elbows flared out is more chest, elbbows tucked in is more elbows and shoulders.
[quote]allNatural wrote:
Try proper form.[/quote]
Chest up and scapulae back. The bar flies up and the shoulders feel no pain.
I’ve come to like dumbell press better than the bench. Bench is great as a benchmark for strenght, but I feel the dumbells more and I think it’s fun to hold alot of weight in each hand.