Two board press vs bench press

[deadshot138]

I know board presses are usually known as being easier than a regular bench press, but this program I’m running calls for two board presses and I’m finding them much harder than a traditional or even paused bench press. I can pause 355x3 and barely get 365 paused on a two board. I feel like these, especially paused, are more akin to Spoto presses than say the 3 or 4 board press which uses much less ROM and therefore can be easier. Anyone else have this experience?

 

[Oblivian]

I definitely can't overload on board presses near as much as others do. I also have a really hard time training them after bench and can barely overload at that point.

 

[deadshot138]

I definitely can't overload on board presses near as much as others do. I also have a really hard time training them after bench and can barely overload at that point.

Today it was my ME upper lift. I’ve hit 385 on it before but it was like a 4 second grinder. Also my grip is much narrower than some of the videos I’ve watched of others doing it. Some of them have a 3 inch ROM, where as I grip a thumbs length off the smooth.

 

[Oblivian]

FWIW, I'm training paused bench, but I do not pause on the board presses. My reasoning for the board press is the overload work and getting used to the heavier weight in my hands. I don't see the point of pausing at that height.

 

[deadshot138]

FWIW, I'm training paused bench, but I do not pause on the board presses. My reasoning for the board press is the overload work and getting used to the heavier weight in my hands. I don't see the point of pausing at that height.

They’re such an unfamiliar movement for me that I feel like I do them differently every time they’re programmed.

 

[Prokofievian]

How do you guys program board presses? Say, for example, in a Pendlay style 5 x 5 program where your days organized like this

Day 1

5 x 5 Squat
Bench
Row

Day 2

Lighter squat/Front squat
Deadlift
Overhead/Incline
Pullup

Day 3

Pyramid up to new single sets of 5 in all of monday's exercises.

I feel like they might fit well on Friday, because that's sort of a ''max effort'' day, but I have no idea where to even start.

 

[Oblivian]

I probably only board press once every two weeks whereas I'm training pause bench three times in that span and also mixing in a higher rep touch and go day. Also, I may not even do board press at the beginning of a training cycle. I'm mainly doing it when I'm gearing up to start moving PR weights. I just want to get used to the heavier weight.

 

[deadshot138]

Today the two board press was the main lift on my max effort upper body day. Previously it was used as an accessory for 3x8 after the main max effort movement. I would say they’re useless and would program something that uses the full ROM