Bench Press?

[Shangrilah]

I had a heated argument with my friend today on the effectiveness of bench pressing. Basically his arguments were that it only builds up "titty pecs" which serve no purpose in functional strength, and that these super strong pecs hunch the shoulders forward (because the back doesn't get worked as much) and that it only works the front of your shoulders, reducing their range of motion.

Is there any validity to his claims?

 

[Tosa]

The bench press recruits many muscles, includes the pectorals, anterior deltoids (front of the shoulders), and triceps. It also requires the use of the core muscles, and various back muscles to stabilize the motion. It develops the ability of all these muscles to produce force, which is "functional".

If someone's benching is out of proportion with their back work it could cause tight, rounding shoulders shoulders, as well as other issues. But that's why you include other exercises like pull-ups and rows to balance it out. But this is normal. Most, if not all exercises lead to imbalances or other issues if done exclusively without other exercises to balance them out. To examine the effects of a particular exercise in isolation from the effects of other exercises is retarded.

 

[will kwon]

bench is good for functional strength tell your friend hes a retard. However, I think the Standing overhead press is a better overall exercise then the bench.

 

[guilineseguy]

The bench press recruits many muscles, includes the pectorals, anterior deltoids (front of the shoulders), and triceps. It also requires the use of the core muscles, and various back muscles to stabilize the motion. It develops the ability of all these muscles to produce force, which is "functional".

If someone's benching is out of proportion with their back work it could cause tight, rounding shoulders shoulders, as well as other issues. But that's why you include other exercises like pull-ups and rows to balance it out. But this is normal. Most, if not all exercises lead to imbalances or other issues if done exclusively without other exercises to balance them out. To examine the effects of a particular exercise in isolation from the effects of other exercises is retarded.

serious question, squat and deadlift how do these cause imbalances?

 

[DannyT]

serious question, squat and deadlift how do these cause imbalances?

If you just squat and deadlift.. how do you think your chest, tris, shoulders would look in comparison to your quads and your back?

 

[Tosa]

serious question, squat and deadlift how do these cause imbalances?

Deadlifts could if you didn't balance it out with other pulling exercises and/or mobility work. There's also the issue that deadlifts, while awesome, limits the range of motion of the knees and hips, which could also cause imbalances. Squats are fairly balanced, although for many people (myself included) some degree of unilateral work is necessary, and without it squats get ugly and asymetrical, which greatly increases the chance of injury, as well a making left right imbalances even worse.

Additionaly, even if an exercise doesn't cause harmful imbalances, it doesn't mean that by itself it's especially useful or balanced by itself. Like chin-ups. To my knowledge the only potential issues with them are due to overtraining. But just doing chin-ups would be pretty ridiculous, because it neglects any number of muscles, and it would mean that the strength developed from chins couldn't be made full use of because of other muscles and connective tissue being underdeveloped. Or running, by itself, isn't necessarily bad, but it isn't balanced, and someone would certainly be better off, and have a lower risk of injury with a more well rounded routine.

 

[Endo]

tell your friend hes a retard.

+1... Bench press - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

 

[kicker]

bench is good for functional strength tell your friend hes a retard. However, I think the Standing overhead press is a better overall exercise then the bench.

I don't think so. I would rather put = between.

 

[nyNinja]

Does your friend happen to be bad at the bench press? Seems many people focus on the exercises they are good at and neglect the ones that need the most work... the opposite of what they should be doing.

 

[Klotz]

Bench press makes you stronger at pushy-type things.

 

[KILL KILL]

Bench press makes you stronger at pushy-type things.

and pressey type things

 

[FalconPunch]

I had a heated argument with my friend today on the effectiveness of bench pressing. Basically his arguments were that it only builds up "titty pecs" which serve no purpose in functional strength, and that these super strong pecs hunch the shoulders forward (because the back doesn't get worked as much) and that it only works the front of your shoulders, reducing their range of motion.

Is there any validity to his claims?

Your friend sounds incredibly ignorant. Use your non-functional "titty pecs" and limited range of motion to murder him and dispose of the body.

 

[BrassBalls]

I will take devil's advocate and assume that the ts might be a bench/curl monkey. In that case, the friend might just be trying to help him out.

 

[Shangrilah]

I will take devil's advocate and assume that the ts might be a bench/curl monkey. In that case, the friend might just be trying to help him out.

come at me bruh

 

[SWATCOP]

Yeah, that sounds like a guy with a weak bench.

 

[BIKES!]

Yeah, that sounds like a guy with a weak bench.

This.

Squats, Bench, and Deads are key

 

[MuayThai2112]

Bench press also works the Biceps and triceps to a degree and is similar to the motion of punching. You will only hunch forward if you completely ignore back and shoulder exercises.

 

[ghostwipe]

I had a heated argument with my friend today on the effectiveness of bench pressing. Basically his arguments were that it only builds up "titty pecs" which serve no purpose in functional strength, and that these super strong pecs hunch the shoulders forward (because the back doesn't get worked as much) and that it only works the front of your shoulders, reducing their range of motion.

Is there any validity to his claims?

Bro, your bro doesn't know what he's talking about, brah.

 

[facedancer]

If you just squat and deadlift.. how do you think your chest, tris, shoulders would look in comparison to your quads and your back?

If all you did was deadlifts, you would have massive traps.

 

[MAvulture]

Out of curiosity, what exercises does your friend do? I imagine either an "only bodyweight exercises are functional" type or someone trying to convince you that bench is best replaced with 3 new curl variations.