How necessary is bench press?

[No Skill Gap]

Lol, thanks for the information about the bench press man? His goal is to get generally stronger, but he has pain while bench pressing. He is not a powerlifter or training for the NFL combines, why would he continue to do that lift until he can perform it pain free?

Even for the combine the bench press is a joke drill. Tons of top prospects skip that shit all the time. But yeah it is still important for non-blue chip guys to a very slight edge or alleviate concerns like a CB's raw ability to play press-man, or an OL with strength concerns on tape I guess.

Only nitpick I have to say

 

[boingyman]

No particular lift is necessary unless you have to test/compete a specific movement.

 

[No Skill Gap]

Have you tried benching with a neutral grip, for example with a football bar or dumbbells? As others have already stated, only powerlifters and football players prepping for the combine absolutely need to bench. For everyone else, it's a very good exercise if you can do it without injuring yourself.

Another option is something like the EliteFTS shoulder saver pad. This fits over the barbell and limits the range of motion, effectively turning it into a version of the board press. If the bottom part of the bench press is causing you problems, this might be something you can try out.

Yeah funny you say this, because I've been floor pressing with a trap-bar (neutral grip obviously) and it's generally felt better than benching I'd say...but I still have a bit of a tinge/pain on my left shoulder.

But I also hurt both my shoulders and particularly that one pretty bad when I started doing BJJ again, so it's not because of the lift itself...I probably have a partially torn rotator cuff or an impingement or something stupid. Not a big deal though.

What I'd add to this topic for OP, to add one to some others, is yes Bench press is NOT necessary at all. If you're a powerlifter? Yes it's a competition lift. If you play HS/College/Pro football? Yes you're going to be doing it in the weight-room unless you're a stud who gets an exception maybe or claim bad shoulder issues, maybe.

@Jkillah Judging by your avatar I assume you do Judo or BJJ correct? So I will assume that is the goal here, to strength train for grappling specifically or to look good or for general strength. In which case - ditch the bench press for sure. Specificity is kind of a "dumb" thing in the lifting world, but I do actually believe in this case that floor pressing >>> bench pressing for the purposes of grappling/BJJ, probably for Judo as well.

Weighted chin-ups / pull-ups are basically king 1A/1B here too, imo. So if benching hurts you, I'd move to neutral grip floor press (trap/hex bar), or neutral grip DB pressing, or simply do overhead press with pronated/neutral grip + the pull ups (weighted if possible). Dips are great as well but with poor technique will probably shred your shoulders.

Someone made a comment about push-ups which was kind of dumb, but actually good at the same time. Because at least push ups will rehab/prehab your shoulders by working on stabilization and shit, whatever the exact scapular/rotator cuff details are.

Probably what you are missing is band work as well. Rotator cuff work - external shoulder work, posterior delt work with face pulls and shit...that is probably the root cause of your shoulder pain as it often is, the rotator cuff and weakness of it and the rear delts.

 

[ASUThermo]

Even for the combine the bench press is a joke drill. Tons of top prospects skip that shit all the time.

Yeah, it's just a way to say "hey look, I put in the work and can do more than the other guys that are about as good as me!". The best way to get better at bench is to bench, but unless you have to bench, you don't have to use the exercise to get generally stronger in pushing.

 

[thugpoet]

Two words... Weighted dips.

A few more words... Pain at the bottom? History of shoulder problems? Go to the doctor.

If you have problems in rom on the bench any substitute exercise will probably give you the same problem.

 

[DEVILsSON]

I have a little bit of a narrow grip because that's where I feel strongest. My elbows are tucked close, everything is tight. I have almost no arch. I always end up losing position if I arch. It hurts regadless of how wide my grip is, but it hurts less if I do a wider grip, but then I have dramatically reduced strength. The bar comes close to my chest. I might get one of those bench block things that attaches to the bar.

I haven't done decline in a long time because my current gym doesn't have a declining bench.

It is a little strange that you get more shoulder pain with narrower grip. Usually it is the other way around. Wide or very wide grip puts a lot more stress on the shoulder joint.

I personally can bench most with widest grip because that's the most efficient grip for full but reduced range of movement.

I would maybe explore flaring out your elbows/upper arms at 45 degrees instead of tucked against the sides of your body. You're essentially doing a close grip bench press.

It sounds like you lack sufficient chest mass/strength so you rely more on your triceps.

I would widen your grip even though you're weaker and bench this way.

You need to work on your arch. Make sure you set up well from the floor on up. Your feet need to be planted firmly against the floor. You need to roll up on your shoulders and get super tight. Whether you tuck your feet under you or at your sides is up to your comfort and flexibility level. During heavy sets I sometimes get cramps in my hips, legs, and core. You may need to rework your entire set up. With a good arch, you may need to set up more forward or back from where you unrack the weight.

I would do paused bench press from your chest.

Wide grip weighted or unweighted dips are also an efficient way to build your upper body and bring up your chest.

 

[DEVILsSON]

Push ups can be a great overall fitness exercise but unfortunately it's very tough to add weight to it the way you can with bench press, overhead press, or even weighted dips. You can do increasingly more sophisticated variations like one arm push ups with feet elevated but it is still limited.

As you do tougher variations, you're going away from pure strength training and focusing on other things like balance/coordination, strength endurance, etc. This could be perfectly fine for some athletes pr people trying stay overall fit but it won't build the raw strength/power of a Rampage Jackson.

I was able to do push ups with 45 plates stacked on my upper back but it's a pain in the .. and you need other training partners to help stack plates.

 

[DEVILsSON]

Julius Maddox is going for a 800lb bench press.

Sherdog goat confirmed.

He posted on Sherdog?

The man is insane. He did a paused raw bench press with 600x9! His 765 paused PR in the gym was a joke. The way he did 770 at the competition I think he can crack 800.

 

[JimRussel]

yo what kind of fuckin' questions are we asking here these days lol

how necessary is the goat lift?

 

[TeTe]

I like dumbbell presses and weight dips more than benching.

The issue is that going heavy on those two is difficult and cumbersome after a while. My gym goes up to 120lbs dumbbells and you can only chain so much weight between your legs before it turns into a chore to manage.

 

[thugpoet]

Push ups can be a great overall fitness exercise but unfortunately it's very tough to add weight to it the way you can with bench press, overhead press, or even weighted dips. You can do increasingly more sophisticated variations like one arm push ups with feet elevated but it is still limited.

As you do tougher variations, you're going away from pure strength training and focusing on other things like balance/coordination, strength endurance, etc. This could be perfectly fine for some athletes pr people trying stay overall fit but it won't build the raw strength/power of a Rampage Jackson.

I was able to do push ups with 45 plates stacked on my upper back but it's a pain in the .. and you need other training partners to help stack plates.

Ehhh i disagree.

If you can do a full planche push up you are probably stronger than 70% of humans relative to your bodyweight.

Working up to that skill does take balance but it definitely leans on the strength side of the curve.

 

[JimRussel]

dumbbells and you can only chain so much weight between your legs before it turns into a chore to manage.

How much weight are you using for dips?

I find most people using insane amounts of weight for dips aren't using much ROM.

If you can do a full planche push up you are probably stronger than 70% of humans relative to your bodyweight.

I liked demonstrating this by benching almost 450 instead of doing BW tricks mostly performed by guys weighing 150 lbs.

 

[Jack Handy jr]

 

[TeTe]

How much weight are you using for dips?

I find most people using insane amounts of weight for dips aren't using much ROM.



I liked demonstrating this by benching almost 450 instead of doing BW tricks mostly performed by guys weighing 150 lbs.

Usually just a 45. I like doing higher reps with dips. Chest to bars of course.

 

[JimRussel]

Usually just a 45. I like doing higher reps with dips. Chest to bars of course.

How is that a chore to manage then lol? Unless you meant in general and not you specifically.

I like to use dumbbells for dips. So much easier than plates. You just loop the chain around the end of the dumbbell.

 

[TeTe]

How is that a chore to manage then lol? Unless you meant in general and not you specifically.

I like to use dumbbells for dips. So much easier than plates. You just loop the chain around the end of the dumbbell.

I'm just saying if you really want to go heavy. In general, once you start bench pressing 300+ lbs, doing the equivalent on exercises like dumbell pressing or weighted dips can be challenging.

 

[JimRussel]

I'm just saying if you really want to go heavy. In general, once you start bench pressing 300+ lbs, doing the equivalent on exercises like dumbell pressing or weighted dips can be challenging.

I guess I’ll disagree. It’s all relative. Nothing magical happens when you can bench 300+.

Dumbell benching when I could bench 315 was the same as dumbell benching when I was benching almost 450. The dumbbells were just heavier.

I guess I don’t really get what you’re saying.

 

[TeTe]

I guess I’ll disagree. It’s all relative. Nothing magical happens when you can bench 300+.

Dumbell benching when I could bench 315 was the same as dumbell benching when I was benching almost 450. The dumbbells were just heavier.

I guess I don’t really get what you’re saying.

I'm saying that I've never been to a gym that had dumbbells over 120lbs. If I'm doing 5x5's and my one rep max on the bench is 350 lbs.. what good is 240lbs going to do for me?

If I want to do weight dips.... 5x5.. and my one rep max on the bench is 350 lbs... how likely is someone to straps three plus 45's to their waist every time? Sure you could do it but it becomes a chore at that point.

But at the end of the day..... if you're not lifting heavy none of this matters. I'm just saying if you get to the point where you're throwing around serious weight, bench press is most convenient for upper body.

 

[JimRussel]

I'm saying that I've never been to a gym that had dumbbells over 120lbs. If I'm doing 5x5's and my one rep max on the bench is 350 lbs.. what good is 240lbs going to do for me?

That’s not how that works at all lol.

If I want to do weight dips.... 5x5.. and my one rep max on the bench is 350 lbs... how likely is someone to straps three plus 45's to their waist every time? Sure you could do it but it becomes a chore at that point.

I mean, not really man. Jesus, how low effort are you looking for things to be?

Being strong is more effort than being weak.

Deadlifting 6-700+ every week is a lot of work loading plates. What do you do, never deadlift more than 135 or 225? I don’t think anyone who puts in the work to get strong views it as a chore.

 

[TeTe]

That’s not how that works at all lol.

Not how what works?