The Bench Press Is Overrated? - Starting Strength Radio Clips

Rip clarifies his thoughts on the bench press and its relation to the press.

[vlad_IT_]

Lately I have been doing OHP as my main lift and weighed push-ups as secondary movement on push day. I don't see anything wrong with it.

[chrismckenzie]

Brilliant when people ask a question and answer it at the same time

[Mr.Ut]

Funny, because closer grip benching is definately debilitating to me whereas a normal-slightly wide grip usually feels fine

[JayKay]

Put your hand on your pec and push out. The pec contracts the hardest when pushing downward and across the chest. The decline bench is the natural angle the pecs are designed to be used for. So do OHP and Decline bench to get the best of both, and you can do them both in the same session without one movement weakening you for the other.

[boydmccollum]

Powerlifters do the bench press because it’s one of the 3 competition lifts. Strongmen focus on the overhead press (and I seriously doubt they are doing that 4x a week), and put in the bench as an accessory (I believe they tend to focus more on incline rather than the flat bench as well).

[TheFitnessChallenge]

I read all my comments, all 15 of them I might add 🤛🏼

[farhanhussain_]

I prefer weighted dips over bench press. It is my main heavy press movement. Standing press on next workout.

[kobemop]

i just see bench press as a tool to get stronger or if you have limited equipment. i dont care if its overrated, mainstream, or underrated.

[themysteriouscow]

What about doing weighted dips? Taking into account body weight, I find that I can press a lot more weight when dipping than any other pressing movement. I can use a much bigger rom too

[StrengthScholar]

This was a tremendously balanced take on this subject. I have very healthy shoulders and a chronically injured collarbone that prevents me from doing heavy presses so I'm happy to see the bench is effective at building upper body strength.

[jaysoniorg]

I'd much rather do weighted dips than the bench press.

[seansokhi]

He has such a great sense of humour! This man is Gold in the strength training world!

[jayee]

You dont get floppy pecs from not doing bench press. You get floppy pecs from being fat. Doing shoulder work instead of benching will make you look bigger assuming you stay low body fat and keep your waist small. It will also make you stronger. Benching just makes you better at benching and when you stop working out its the first thing to lose strength because the body isnt built to have all that pec development.

[trevorkejarukua]

True with the close grip my annoying shoulder pains are no more

[notanfningain]

I used to hate benching till I learned how to do it properly, then my poundages went up, and my size.

[Beautiful-Sickening-Rolex]

my pecs grow way too fast so I quit any chest excercises...good to see rip doesn't have a problem with this

[creatineenjoyer]

Starting Strength was a good program, i went to 5x5 after it. Loved it.

[arthurharris]

I’m not against bench pressing, but I’ve never had to push 200 pounds off me. I’ll be it. I have found myself having to lift 100 pounds over top of my head in construction matters. So practically speaking, the overhead press is way more beneficial for what I need.

[BryonLape]

No, but only if you do 5 by 5 with hip thrust.

[dimpsbiliou]

For those who have no bench. Does the barbell floor press cover them????