Why don't you bench?

245

Replies

  • parys1
    parys1 Posts: 2,072 Member
    I bench. 80# without a spotter, 90# with. I love my shoulders/chest. I love muscles.
  • Going4Lean
    Going4Lean Posts: 1,078 Member
    I never see any ladies at my gym doing free weights period.
  • cmacphee3
    cmacphee3 Posts: 278 Member
    I was actually thinking more above the lines of "chest/shoulders and triceps muscle aren't a glamour muscle" ;). This is why women would rather work out their legs and *kitten*, which i see happening very often.

    I see what you did there.
  • R0asted
    R0asted Posts: 83 Member
    To be honest, if a woman exercises for looks only and chooses to neglect chest, I can't really blame her. Pecs are hard for women to develop and even if they develop them, they don't look that great IMHO on a girl. Better off concentrating on shoulders, arms and back IMHO. I think the only reason for women to bench is if they want overall strength and don't want to neglect any areas.
  • Chinadorian
    Chinadorian Posts: 200 Member
    Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

    I call bullsh*t on this.

    I lift properly without a trainer. Women are capable of lifting properly without trainers by themselves.

    I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

    You don't agree that more fitness marketing directed at women has more to do with cardio, yoga, and pilates rather than lifting?

    mainstream, sure (somewhat) . but i think that is changing. women can kick *kitten* in the gym and can train heavy. "lift often but light to not bulk" is slowly being refuted .
  • BusyRaeNOTBusty
    BusyRaeNOTBusty Posts: 7,166 Member
    I do bench. 3x6x100lbs this morning.

    This was 3x5x105 a few months ago:

    551094_10151120834221095_1164238293_n.jpg
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    I do standing chest presses with the cable machine or dumbbell bench press on an incline bench. Flat bench, barbell, I stay the hell away from. It's too complex a movement for me, the way you have to get your lower body into it, which is something people don't think about. They think it's just upper body. But planting your feet on the ground the way you do to maintain all contact points takes a lot of motor control, and that's an area I struggle too much with. Also, I do resisted pushups.
  • LoraF83
    LoraF83 Posts: 15,694 Member
    Because of fitness marketing, women are less likely to lift properly

    I call bullsh*t on this.

    I lift properly without a trainer. Women are capable of lifting properly without trainers by themselves.

    I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

    Uhh, slow down. I don't think he's saying women can't or shouldn't lift. He's saying that they don't.

    And he's right. Most women think they do have to use the pink dumbbells and a lot of trainers even promote that attitude.

    Luckily, us ladies are smart and we're starting to figure out that it's all BS. And we're lifting. Slowly but surely we will get there.
  • Sarauk2sf
    Sarauk2sf Posts: 28,072 Member
    To be honest, if a woman exercises for looks only and chooses to neglect chest, I can't really blame her. Pecs are hard for women to develop and even if they develop them, they don't look that great IMHO on a girl. Better off concentrating on shoulders, arms and back IMHO. I think the only reason for women to bench is if they want overall strength and don't want to neglect any areas.

    You do realize that benching uses more than just chest muscles don't you?
  • CallMeCupcakeDammit
    CallMeCupcakeDammit Posts: 9,377 Member
    I don't own a bench, and don't belong to a gym. That's why.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    I bench dumbbells because my right side is weaker than my left. I am trying to help with that. That being said I rarely see girls benching. Sad.
  • Tw1zzler
    Tw1zzler Posts: 583
    I bench (80#) and shockingly do push ups too!
  • thedreamhazer
    thedreamhazer Posts: 1,156 Member
    I don't bench right now because I have a sprained wrist from punching things.

    However, when I do bench it's on a 3x5 program at 100+ lbs working sets through the full range of motion with constant weight progression. And for the record, my pec muscles look fabulous.
  • BigDnSW
    BigDnSW Posts: 641 Member
    What did you just call my wife???? Ohhhhhhhhh...sorry... BENCH. We bench with light free weights in our home gym. Gotta stay toned at our age...whippersnappers...:laugh:
  • Lleldiranne
    Lleldiranne Posts: 5,516 Member
    Because I don't have access to a gym anymore. :sad: :sad:

    but I used to, all the time. I was up to 75% of my body weight (and was doing 12-15 reps, so it wasn't my max).

    Girls DO SO bench!!
  • vorgas
    vorgas Posts: 741 Member
    I suppose that they should use little pink weights and wear super cute outfits while they work out too?

    I could care less about the weight,s, but yes please on the super cute outfits. Thanks!
  • RatherBeFishing
    RatherBeFishing Posts: 61 Member
    I hardly ever see lady's lifting heavy or using free weights at the gym I go to either. Dumbbells are better for benching with then a straight bar IMHO.
  • lucasriggs
    lucasriggs Posts: 131
    They don't want to get all bulky.

    ^This...even though they wont.

    I've never seen a girl lift a barbell in a gym...I rarely see them pick up dumbbells.
  • R0asted
    R0asted Posts: 83 Member
    To be honest, if a woman exercises for looks only and chooses to neglect chest, I can't really blame her. Pecs are hard for women to develop and even if they develop them, they don't look that great IMHO on a girl. Better off concentrating on shoulders, arms and back IMHO. I think the only reason for women to bench is if they want overall strength and don't want to neglect any areas.

    You do realize that benching uses more than just chest muscles don't you?

    Of course, Bench also hits triceps and front delts as secondary muscles...........both of which could be developed more effectively with other exercises that directly target those muscle groups.
  • BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY
    BACONJOKESRSOFUNNY Posts: 666 Member
    Why don't I bleach? I tried it once because I know it looks better for the camera. I'll never do it again, though, because it left me really sore and tender. Made it pure hell for a week, every time I had to poop. :embarassed:
  • cad39too
    cad39too Posts: 874 Member
    I bench 2/3 times a week; although gains are hard to come by as I use the small gym at work and I am usually down there on my own so noone to spot me or my bench at home. Moving up in weight slowly but surely though.
  • contingencyplan
    contingencyplan Posts: 3,639 Member
    They don't want to get all bulky.

    ^This...even though they wont.

    I've never seen a girl lift a barbell in a gym...I rarely see them pick up dumbbells.

    There's a girl named Simone who works out regularly at my gym who looks like Zooey Deschanel but with a shapelier body. I think she's doing the 5x5 program because I've never seen her doing anything that doesn't involve tying up either a squat rack or a bench with a barbell loaded with a very substantial amount of weight. I know she squats 215 for reps, or did last time I saw her hit it on squat day. Probably more now.

    EDIT: Except for arc trainer. She does about 20 minutes on the arc trainer after her weights workouts.
  • ChristyRunStarr
    ChristyRunStarr Posts: 1,600 Member
    I bench every week. Generally with dumbells because I rarely ever have a spotter. I do it on the Smith occasionally. I am currently benching 45# dumbells.

    Same here, I use dumbells 3 times a week cause I go early in the morning when my boyfriend can't spot me. Every other Saturday or Sunday, my boyfriend goes with me and he'll spot me from afar (meaning he's resting when I'm lifting so if I need help, he can help)
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    pshaw.

    I been benching without a trainer for a year now.

    Finally decided to ask someone in the gym to spot me and blew my last PR outta the water!
  • CorvusCorax77
    CorvusCorax77 Posts: 2,536 Member
    I never see any ladies at my gym doing free weights period.

    your gym is no bueno then.

    My gym rules!
  • ncahill77
    ncahill77 Posts: 501 Member
    I bench 75# without a trainer and 95# with - goal is to get me to higher weight without him -- my upper body is my weakest area BUT I do BP...and about 90% of the females on my list also lift heavy like that

    I thought I read those were dumbbells, my mouth dropped open for a minute, still a fantastic bench!
  • Jkmumma
    Jkmumma Posts: 254
    I bench: 45 lbs bar, 25 lb weights on each side, so 95 lbs, counting the bar.

    I also love the leg press. It's not because of my lower body assets.. It's because the leg press makes me feel strong, as I can leg press 450 lbs, and some of the guys at the gym will stare in awe when I do it, not only because it's a girl lifting that much, but because most of them can't. It's a nice feel.
  • Yanicka1
    Yanicka1 Posts: 4,564 Member
    Why don't I bleach? I tried it once because I know it looks better for the camera. I'll never do it again, though, because it left me really sore and tender. Made it pure hell for a week, every time I had to poop. :embarassed:

    Yea...anal bleaching is not that great. I keep my pooper natural
  • sammys1girly
    sammys1girly Posts: 1,045 Member
    I bench without a trainer unless I am benching over 70lbs and need a spotter, just incase. I finished week 6
    of Stronglifts a couple of weeks ago and plan to get back to lifting heavy again after the holidays.
  • nexangelus
    nexangelus Posts: 2,080 Member
    I bench on my own, no spotter or trainer and I am up to 65 kg or 143 lbs (5 reps per set)

    So put that in your notebook!!!

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