What is the "bench press" of the back in your opinion?

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41

Great way to explain it. I’m adding SGHP back into my routine.

42

From what I have seen in the gym and in powerlifting meets, deadlift strength per pound of body weight has the poorest correlation with massive appearance than any other compound exercise movement.

I will never get out of my mind seeing a 123lb powerlifter pull 450lbs (conventional) in a meet. He didn’t look like he ever touched a weight, much less have a massive appearing back. That was 3.65 times his body weight. He looked like a skinny man who would likely be wasting his time trying to put on muscle.

The deadlift strength in weight lifted is highly dependent on leverage.

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43

Neural pathway efficiency is very high

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44

Easy gainer CNS

Hard gainer body

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45

Here’s one for the bodybuilders:

What’s the bench press of the calf?

46

Parents with large calves is king

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47

Donkey Calf raise, since both are heavily partner dependent.

48

Can we qualify this first ? Is bench a GOAT exercise or overrated ??

49

Get up to 400 lbs for a few years. Formerly obese people have great calves.

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50

A good case for time under tension being a calf builder

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51

In the 1970’s the bench press was the only lift that mattered to people with a little knowledge of weight lifting. Most common question asked me was, “How much can you bench?”

In those days Monday was “Bench Press Party.”

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52

It still is. That’s why I do legs on Monday. Waiting for a bench is irritating

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53

It’s a good exercise, and overrated. So are the other big 2.

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54

The bench is one of the greatest exercises, but the importance people place on it is disproportionate. If any exercise can be called the “single best”, it has to be the back squat. But what exercise can truly be called that?

55

Atlas stones have entered the chat

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56

IMO, we need to understand the significance of the three powerlifts and what they represent.

  • The Bench Press is the upper body lift that can move the greatest amount of weight with a barbell.
  • The Squat is the lift that your thighs can move the greatest amount of weight with a barbell.
  • The Deadlift is the lift that the greatest amount of weight can be lifted off the ground with a barbell.

It is just as simple as moving the greatest amount of weight with a barbell. Also, the ease of judging the accomplishment of the lift is a factor. At one time the standing barbell curl was one of the powerlifts, but judging its accomplishment was difficult. It was soon dropped.

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57
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58

Your explanation makes it apparent to me that there should be a powerlift for the lats.

59

To be consistent, the lat (or upper back) movement would need to be done with a barbell*. Then determining the criteria to make judging easy to do would be difficult. Unlike the Big 3, there is no “lockout” with a pulling of the back muscles that can be accomplished with a barbell. With the Big 3 there is a very clear “completion” point of the lift.

BTW, the powerlifting meets are long enough with the current three attempts with each of the three lifts.

*I can make the argument that all three powerlifts should be done with the same bar.

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60

What if we began strapping powerlifters into a contraption that hangs them upside down so we can figure out who can row the most weight on a barbell to their chin?

It could be on a crane of some sort and the competitors could be lowered into position.

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