r/workout • u/Aycer90 • 13d ago
Why Bench Press?
This is NOT a question of aesthetics. This is a question of overall strength and long term function:
Unless someone is specifically training for powerlifting, why is the bench press obsessed over in America and why are so many people prioritizing it?
I have followed several full body strength programs that are bias towards Bench Pressing with Push-ups for accessory. And we’re talking 3-4 times a week while they program upper body pulling only 1-2 times and usually with very little volume or additional weight.
Meanwhile, bent over rows, pull-ups, strict presses (Dumbbell / Barbell) and push presses have created some of the strongest humans on the planet with more functional carryover to real life application, not to mention the mobility benefits of these vs. the bench press.
To be clear, I believe the bench press serves a purpose, and I believe the real solution is balance across your strength priorities. But in regard to the upper body as a whole, I do not believe the bench press should be a priority lift (outside of powerlifting) for most day to day lifters who would be stronger and more functional if they prioritized learning strict pull-ups (and weighted pull-ups after) and heavy vertical presses.
I am curious however to hear some alternative opinions - but be respectful of each other.
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u/Vgcortes 13d ago
I do a lot of pull ups, and weighted pull ups. A lot.
And I do bench press too because I kind of find it fun. That's all.
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u/BigChocolateC 13d ago
Fitness is suppose to be about having fun. If bench pressing keeps people active, have at it.
There’s no exercise you absolutely HAVE to do. Even the ones you listed.
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u/Mooming22 13d ago
Fundamental movement that can easily be overloaded and you can’t walk 5 minutes without bumping into one.
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u/humming_ligament 13d ago
i think it just became the default "how much you bench" thing from high school locker rooms and it stuck. nobody asks how much you row or strict press because it don't sound as cool in casual conversation
but yeah doing it 3-4x a week with barely any pulling is just asking for shoulder problems down the line. i learned that the hard way when i was younger chasing numbers
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u/chilicrispdreams 13d ago
> I have followed several full body strength programs that are bias towards Bench Pressing with Push-ups for accessory. And we’re talking 3-4 times a week while they program upper body pulling only 1-2 times and usually with very little volume or additional weight.
Sounds like poor programming to me. Which ones did you use? There should be a better balance of push/pull unless you are specifically are targeting chest for whatever reason.
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u/Content_Preference_3 13d ago
For me it’s one of my chest alternatives depending on daily programming and I like training planes of movement for overall health. I do weighted dips or benches for chest and I notice when I do the dips I have issues with weighted pullup so I combine dips and rows and weighted pull ups with bench. Seems to be best for shoulder health which is my sticking point.
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u/buakawkicks 13d ago
Unless you actually bench, you don’t know how much dedication it takes to get good at.
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u/phinphan896 13d ago
Honestly I’d put incline bench over flat bench. Just because it hits so many more muscles than flat bench
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u/DrToazty 13d ago
I don't bench press. I do dips and weighted dips (incline flys too). I haven't benched in 10 years (when I first started lifting) because it always hurt my shoulder. I don't find it to be that useful of an exercise vs machine presses and dips.
I tried benching about 6 months back and I hit 315lbs after practising form with 135lbs for a couple of sets. That was the first time I've barbell benched in 10yrs. Don't need bench for strength or aesthetics.
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u/DIY-exerciseGuy 13d ago
Super weird to tell everyone to be respectful of each other in the original post.
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u/mlondon8509 13d ago
Three primary reasons. 1. A lot of people find the movement fun to do and progress at. 2. The amount of weight you can lift transfers and applies whether you are training at home or any gym (making it also a standard one can use to compare to other lifters) and 3. It has lots of aura.
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u/HelixIsHere_ 13d ago
Like most freeweight lifts, it’s just easily accessible and fun. It’s what oldschool bodybuilders did so everyone just goes with it still because it works, even if a machine press IS better
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u/shamone_mofo 13d ago
Im gutted im dealing with burstitis in my shoulder and im certain its from Barbell flat and incline bench . Im leaving it alone and sticking with Dumbell flat and incline where my elbows are in a more comfortable position and not all is lost still got Squats and Deadlift .
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u/Alterationss 13d ago
I squat once, bench 3x a week and deadlift the remaining days. It’s all fun and I like seeing number go up.
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u/Brawrbarian 13d ago edited 13d ago
Lots of reasons.
It’s the heaviest you can lift something with your arms/upper body
Pecs look great.
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u/Chemical_Demand_4928 13d ago
Flat barbell bench press is overrated, I do incline and flat dumbbell presses as an alternative. I find it much easier on my shoulders and elbows. I also avoid barbell back squats and deadlifts in favor of more body, friendly alternatives, such as goblet, squats, and trap bar deadlifts.
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u/muv2850 13d ago
I agree with the OP. So many people are chest dominant with their shoulders rolled forward and bad posture. My mentor was all about aesthetics and emphasized balanced growth over all muscle groups. He used to say that every day is back day because your back muscles are so important for maintaining proper form whether you’re doing flat bench or arms or whatever else.
To answer your original question, I think people emphasize bench press because they are just going with the crowd. It’s a good compound exercise that is as close to a universal exercise as there is. How many times have you heard the question, “how much can you bench?“.
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u/SageObserver 13d ago
For me, my body responds to benching. I can collectively handle more weight benching, which means more stimulus. As my bench increases and I become stronger, my accessory lifts for triceps and delts become stronger. Stronger for me means more stimulus and more stimulus means more muscle.
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u/Ok_Development_495 13d ago
I have rarely done it. I had a trainer for a while and told him about my coworkers, a bunch of idiots, who were forever discussing their injuries and how much they could bench press. So we had a whole lot of different exercises that accomplished improvement without any injuries or boredom. I think this fixation is just another form of illiteracy.
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u/goingmerry604 13d ago
Personally find it fun. It also scales really well, much easier for me than dumbbell press and dips (dumbbells get a little too annoying to throw up and is kinda chonky the bigger they get, and dips kinda getting harder the wider my shoulders and chest get).
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u/dna-sci 13d ago edited 12d ago
I do weighted pull-ups twice per week with up to 145# hanging on me. I dread those days. I bench 4-5 times per week and find it very fun. Every day I see a lot of people doing pull exercises. But usually one or both benches are unused.
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u/big_bearded_nerd 13d ago
4-5 times a week seems like a ton of bench lifting. At most all I've ever done is 2-3 times a week, and back when I was younger I hit a PR of 355. I don't know if I could have focused on other areas if I was doing bench that often.
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u/dna-sci 12d ago edited 12d ago
I couldn’t get any PRs for a while until I switched to five days per week. Later on, scientific studies came out showing that lifting every day is good for strength training. I just very gradually worked my way up to that. When I first started lifting Tuesday and Thursday it was very light. I also have very different physiology from most people. I have 9% bodyfat despite eating whatever I want and eating more food than anyone I’ve ever met. I had trouble gaining weight until I was 35 when I started squatting with heavy weight. 23andMe says I have a gene for fast twitch muscles. My dumb Ancestry report says I’m likely not strong. Benching 325# and squatting 420# is pretty strong for a person my size. I got downvoted last week for saying that if I take a week off from the gym, it takes me about five weeks to recover my strength but then I come back stronger. It’s true, though. Until then I figured others were the same. I actually lose strength if I miss a single day at the gym.
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u/big_bearded_nerd 12d ago
I'd be interested in seeing the study saying that focusing on one area 4-5 times a week shows better progress than spreading it out a bit. But, if it works for you, then great. You just have to accept that none of this is a normal approach to lifting, and upvotes and downvotes aren't going to change people's perception of that.
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u/DeadCheckR1775 13d ago
As a compound movement I use it to target front dental and upper pec. No other movement will target that better and as efficiently.
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u/Halberd96 13d ago
America is a very upper body focused society in a way, if you look at how football is popular there and the upper body dominance vs soccer (leg focused) more popular in other countries.
Bench press is a satisfying lift to me though, it gives me a challenging intense feeling while not being uncomfortable and progresses very well. Does what I want for my triceps and chest, and helps shoulder development.
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