Is bench a necessity?
- Thread starter Tonya
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Not really. There are plenty of ways to work out your upper body without doing bench press. But I think your reason for not wanting to do bench press doesn't make any sense. If you work out the same muscles at the same intensity then they will grow, regardless of what movement you did to stress them. Since I like the bench press as a good way to get a lot of muscles involved and give myself a good upper body workout, I suggest that you add in bench press as one of a number of exercises that you would do for chest/arms. No need to focus on it, and certianly no need to avoid it. Use it as one of many tools and vary your workouts more. That will give you the best results.
Just keep the weights relatively light and the reps high and you won't "bulk up".
Just keep the weights relatively light and the reps high and you won't "bulk up".
A combination of dips, chins and standing military presses will be more than enough.
Bench presses are not neccessary.
Bench presses are not neccessary.
The basic dip & chin up are great conditioning for the upper body. However, as women we have a difficult time performing these power moves. Although, they do have the assisted machines now, which are a great invention by the way. Not all gyms have this though. Without it, you will find very few women who can perform these two exercises with enough frequency to benefits us.
I sure can't argue with that. A lot of the women who I have worked with had to build up their strength to do dips and chins.
When they developed the strength to do both, they made excellent progress.
I would suggest machines that mimic the respective movements until she is strong enough to do bodyweight variation.
Despite that, I would still suggest a standing overhead movement for everyone. The standing barbell press alone almost renders the bench press obsolete.
When they developed the strength to do both, they made excellent progress.
I would suggest machines that mimic the respective movements until she is strong enough to do bodyweight variation.
Despite that, I would still suggest a standing overhead movement for everyone. The standing barbell press alone almost renders the bench press obsolete.
The overhead press is better for numerous reasons.
You mentioned one of them: working the core.
The overhead press hits both the deltoids and triceps more intensely than does the bench.
Don't get me wrong. The bench press is an outstanding exercise. I'd be lying if I said it was not effetive. It's just that I and many others feel that too much emphasis is placed on having a heavy bench press.
The overhead standing press forces you to work a lot of muscles in conjunction as opposed to the bench press which isolates the upper body from the lower half. The body functions as a unit. The overhead press involves muscles from the top to bottom of your body.
Of course the bench press involves more chest stimulation. It depends on a person's goals.
You literally did a twist while overhead pressing?!? I'd be kind of hesitant - and very vary - of doing that.
Going back to my previous comments...
I also want to add that women or even men who do not have the strength to do dips and chins consider doing negatives in both exercises until they have the strength to perform regular repetitions.
Sorry for being so long winded.
You mentioned one of them: working the core.
The overhead press hits both the deltoids and triceps more intensely than does the bench.
Don't get me wrong. The bench press is an outstanding exercise. I'd be lying if I said it was not effetive. It's just that I and many others feel that too much emphasis is placed on having a heavy bench press.
The overhead standing press forces you to work a lot of muscles in conjunction as opposed to the bench press which isolates the upper body from the lower half. The body functions as a unit. The overhead press involves muscles from the top to bottom of your body.
Of course the bench press involves more chest stimulation. It depends on a person's goals.
You literally did a twist while overhead pressing?!? I'd be kind of hesitant - and very vary - of doing that.
Going back to my previous comments...
I also want to add that women or even men who do not have the strength to do dips and chins consider doing negatives in both exercises until they have the strength to perform regular repetitions.
Sorry for being so long winded.
you dont need a bench if you get a barbell set and if you have a double bed you can simply lay down and use that for benchpresses that what i do. Just cause a product is buyible doesnt mean you need to buy it. Also you could probibly do it with a single bed.
good luck and have fun
good luck and have fun
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Argh! I didn't even read the rest of the thread when I posted. What is the deal with this advice your doling out? Where I agree that an overhead shoulder press is a great exercise, I completely disagree that it renders the bench press obsolete. You are comparing apples and oranges. As I stated in the above post, you aren't going to recruit pecs as a primary mover without doing some sort of chest press motion. It doesn't have to be bench press specifically, but it has to recruit the same target muscles.
Thankyou JP, finally someone that is speaking a little sense. Bench presses are the overall best exersize for recruiting muscle fibers in the chest. Compound exersizes allow a lifter to lift the most weight, which leads to a greater and quicker process of hypertrophy. Compounds are,
Bench press
Incline Bench press
Squats
Deadlifts
and so on,
Think about butterflies for a second. Say, for instance, that your 1RM for bench is 250. There is no possible way you will be able to do 125lbs on each arm for butterflies. Generally, most people tend to argue the point that more weight=mroe hypertrophy. Plus, bench press is also working other muscles such as the triceps, biceps, and shoulders.
scott
Bench press
Incline Bench press
Squats
Deadlifts
and so on,
Think about butterflies for a second. Say, for instance, that your 1RM for bench is 250. There is no possible way you will be able to do 125lbs on each arm for butterflies. Generally, most people tend to argue the point that more weight=mroe hypertrophy. Plus, bench press is also working other muscles such as the triceps, biceps, and shoulders.
scott
iv been using weights with my bed for 3 years and never had a injury once. If you want to save money from buying a expensive bench its a good idea. So long ass the weights you are diong reps with arent exstageratingly heavy youl be fine. Also if you lay verticle you can simple put the weights down just above your head wich is perfectly safe. If you want to save money then its a risk well worth taking. Think of it as cycling without a helmet 
Scottish walker... I am sorry, but using a bed as a bench has to rank up there with one of the all time WORST ideas I have ever heard. Really I wish you would just keep advice like that to yourself, as there may be others who know even less about weight training than you who take your advice and injure themselves. Just because something "works for you" doesn't make it okay for others. Judging by the information you have given us on the forums so far, assuming it is accurate that you have "too much muscle" and based on your current level of knowledge, I would say that you are clearly a case of good genetics IN SPITE of your lack of proper lifting technique. Unfortunately, many unfit people see someone who is fit and mistake them for authorities in fitness. Remember this little saying... follow a horse home and you will find horse parents.
Please be careful from now on with regards to advising others on this forum.
One more thing, and this is just a question off the subject... Is English your first language? Where are you from?
Please be careful from now on with regards to advising others on this forum.
One more thing, and this is just a question off the subject... Is English your first language? Where are you from?
jpfitness said:
um.....scotland
are you implying my mother and father are some kind of hideouse freaks of nature half horse half human?
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and sorry m8 it isnt genetics..i use to be thin and the bed techniqe worked fine for me and i have had no injurys and if you dont like my advice thats perfectly fine. and i conider my weight lifting not poor if it works it works just cause i have diff veiws doesnt mean they are invalid veiws i was willing to take the risk to save some cash as are some people about buying cycling helmets and if like me you arent loaded full of cash you gota surfice i say
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If you have used a bed as much as you say here, then you are one very lucky person to not have had any injuries.
Get a bench... even a cheap one. Around here you can get a full weight set with a passable bench for under $200 new (much less used). If you just need the bench, you can be looking at $50 to $75 for it alone. It won't be top of the line, but it will server you better than a bed. You can't get full range of motion with a bed either.
Get a bench... even a cheap one. Around here you can get a full weight set with a passable bench for under $200 new (much less used). If you just need the bench, you can be looking at $50 to $75 for it alone. It won't be top of the line, but it will server you better than a bed. You can't get full range of motion with a bed either.
even if i had the dosh still not enough room besides iv pretty much gave up weights
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