Bench pressing advantage or not

ChaoticMoira

I actually find it a little odd that you pay close enough attention to other people at the gym to know how much time they are individually spending on any one particular exercise over others..

Chieflrg

evilokc wrote: »

if you play a sport or have a job that requires pushing than benching is functional. i do not flat bench. the majority of my chest work is inclined.

Nope. Gaining strength, increasing bone density, & experiencing a hypertrophic response through benching is just as functional as any other lift. If one is reaping benefits they are reaping benefits. Doesn't matter if you play sports or not.

One doesnt have to flat bench nor avoid it unless preexisting injury or something along those lines.

"Functional" is one of the worse buzzwords I've seen recently.

heybales

ChaoticMoira wrote: »

I actually find it a little odd that you pay close enough attention to other people at the gym to know how much time they are individually spending on any one particular exercise over others..

Frankly there isn't any "play close enough attention" required to notice this.

Other poster in this topic commented on what I've easily seen when I'm there working out - people waiting for the bench available.
I've always noticed that unless it's just odd almost empty time. What, while I'm doing a rest I'm not supposed to look around and notice things?
Sometimes I'm curious if by the time I get to a lift requiring equipment it'll be available, so ya.

Far more often than not, and more often than ones waiting for even the squat racks or anything else.

He didn't say, and I'd likely not notice either, specific individuals time after time unless they stood out for some reason.
But the ability to see constant increased usage isn't hard to observe.

ChaoticMoira

@heybales
He mentioned people spending a lot of energy on it. To me, the only way one can know how much energy another is spending on it, you'd have to know how long/often it is done by said person. That was my point. Rather than "there is always a lot of people doing it, I wonder why it is so popular," the focus was on "a person giving their individual energy to it," hence my reaction.

golfchess6

Thank you everybody for your insight.

Theoldguy1

goal06082021 wrote: »

heybales wrote: »

golfchess6 wrote: »

I went to the gym this weekend and noticed that a lot of people are busing bench pressing (either free weights or machines). Beyond the aesthetic look of bench pressing, is there another reason? Outside the gym, I enjoy playing golf and running. Is there a real benefit bench pressing beyond your weight?

They are probably all on the same bro-schedule of 1 body part a day they read somewhere and just blindly following it.

Hit the gym on a Mon and compare - that's an even bigger bro-scheduled day.

As to why useful - a means to increase shoulder stability, balance to the potentially more often used back pulling muscles, aesthetics, functional.

If you see the folks with slightly forwarded rounded shoulders - they likely need more attention the other direction probably.

Wednesday seems to be chest/push day around these parts, but you're probably right.

Your area is unusual, pictures on internet explaining Monday is bench press day

zzelink

These standards allow you to compare your one-rep max lift with other lifters at your body weight but do remember, the strength standard is not the strength norm, nor does it present the highest possible level of strength performance. Instead, it is merely a rough baseline of expectation for an average healthy adult.

Chart I. bench press standards for men


Chart II. bench press standards for women


https://www.ritfitsports.com/blogs/article/how-much-should-i-be-able-to-bench

HoneyBadger302

golfchess6 wrote: »

I am surprised at how many people spend so much energy on bench pressing and ignoring the muscles that they would use during sports.

Well, in my sport, that exact muscle group is actually one of the main ones that physically holds me back - so as a female, doing what I do, there is a big focus in my lifting routine on a variety of bench and core/twist exercises. Not that those are all I do by any means (I actually have a 5 day split if I'm doing it all, and several days include compound moves that work several groups), but that is more of a focus for me than other muscle groups.

Now, as to your observations, are you really seeing the same people repeating them over and over, or the once-a-week folks showing up and hopping on the bench because that's what they know? Most of the regular lifters at the gyms I've been at might bench one day a week, and if they were all there at the same time, would typically either have a spotting buddy who they'd rotate with, or they'd arrange their workouts to avoid all of them hitting the same things on the same day (which may give the perception that someone is "always" benching).

Some people do tend to avoid or miss leg day though - let's face it, the memes are there for a reason LOL.