Pushups vs Chest press?

lindsy721
lindsy721 Posts: 350 Member
edited December 2024 in Fitness and Exercise
Do these two exercises work the same muscles? If so, is it beneficial to do both, or is one preferred over the other?

Replies

  • lindsy721
    lindsy721 Posts: 350 Member
    bump :)
  • NikoM5
    NikoM5 Posts: 488 Member
    They're similar yet each has it's advantages. Push ups work not only your chest and triceps but also your core due to the inherent plank position. Chest press will not work your core but it will allow you to move more weight than a push up will. I'd do pushups for higher reps and do chest presses with more weight for lower reps.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    They're similar yet each has it's advantages. Push ups work not only your chest and triceps but also your core due to the inherent plank position. Chest press will not work your core but it will allow you to move more weight than a push up will. I'd do pushups for higher reps and do chest presses with more weight for lower reps.

    I must be doing something wrong then.

    I can easily do 3 x 15 push-ups, even decline push-ups, very well, with excellent form. However, I just failed at 70# bench presses the other day, and had to deload to 65#. Why is that?

    (or is a chest press something different than a benchpress)?

    EDIT: interesting. I just googled it. Pushups are often considered about a half-bodyweight benchpress. Pretty well exact for me since I can do 65# benchpress, and I weigh 131#.

    MUST. WORK. HARDER.
  • marycmeadows
    marycmeadows Posts: 1,691 Member
    chest press is different than bench press.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/428694-chest-press-vs-bench-press/
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    chest press is different than bench press.

    http://www.livestrong.com/article/428694-chest-press-vs-bench-press/

    thanks, ok that makes sense. based on that description, I would not bother with chest presses.
  • hesn92
    hesn92 Posts: 5,966 Member
    what's a chest press? haha! Sorry I'm dumb. Are you talking about the machines? I wouldn't bother with those.
  • CWSpiegel
    CWSpiegel Posts: 114
    Do push-ups. You can do them anywhere, everyday. Works more muscles and as you get good at them, and do more reps, they become a nice little cardio exercise. Chest Press machines, imao, give you too much help and only work the BIG muscles, not the little ones that provide stability in pushups. If you are using freeweights for the presses, different story.
  • lindsy721
    lindsy721 Posts: 350 Member
    I'd be using freeweights for chest press.
  • sleepytexan
    sleepytexan Posts: 3,138 Member
    I'd be using freeweights for chest press.

    according to that livestrong description the chest press is sitting vertically and pushing forward? that's sort of weird, isn't it? how would you use free weights? do you mean dumbbells?

    why not benchpress?
  • kazzari
    kazzari Posts: 473 Member
    I'd be using freeweights for chest press.

    according to that livestrong description the chest press is sitting vertically and pushing forward? that's sort of weird, isn't it? how would you use free weights?

    why not benchpress?

    Okay, they are comparing bench press to a chest press machine. When I think of a chest press, I usually think of a dumbbell chest press, which is sometimes called a dumbbell bench press. A bench press is a chest press. Dumbbell chest presses are good, but harder to increase on weight because you don't have a rack to help get the DB's into position when the weights get heavier.

    And what CWSpiegel said.
  • Liquid741
    Liquid741 Posts: 292 Member
    i do both...ill do chest when at the gym during my rotation, and while at work i try to at least do 50 to 70 push-ups per day...
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    They're similar yet each has it's advantages. Push ups work not only your chest and triceps but also your core due to the inherent plank position. Chest press will not work your core but it will allow you to move more weight than a push up will. I'd do pushups for higher reps and do chest presses with more weight for lower reps.

    I must be doing something wrong then.

    I can easily do 3 x 15 push-ups, even decline push-ups, very well, with excellent form. However, I just failed at 70# bench presses the other day, and had to deload to 65#. Why is that?

    (or is a chest press something different than a benchpress)?

    EDIT: interesting. I just googled it. Pushups are often considered about a half-bodyweight benchpress. Pretty well exact for me since I can do 65# benchpress, and I weigh 131#.

    MUST. WORK. HARDER.

    Bench press is harder than chest press... I can do about 90 lbs bench (honestly have not pushed it yet) but do 195 on the chest press... As one of the early responses said, push ups do also include the core but are harder to add weight to... Both are useful...
  • kdeaux1959
    kdeaux1959 Posts: 2,675 Member
    I'd be using freeweights for chest press.

    according to that livestrong description the chest press is sitting vertically and pushing forward? that's sort of weird, isn't it? how would you use free weights? do you mean dumbbells?

    why not benchpress?

    There is a chest press machine that is a forward push ... If you are doing free-weights, you would have to modify...
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