^i’d say a combo of both is probably more appropriate than one or the other. Nevertheless, and this has been said too many times, bench is fo sho and not really a good indicator - i say this partially bc its true and partially bc my long arms makes benching tough.
Bench press was how I discovered I had a full tear in my labrum. Suffice to say I will likely never do it again. Really not a great workout for your shoulders.
True.I totally beat my brother at power endurance type of things(Burpee,Sprint Intervals or similar stuff ).But I can’t jog for more than a mile but he totally beats me in pure stamina things.
The bench press is a big gym thing due to the whole Pectoral fetish very common in the bodybuilding community and its ability to promote growth in the chest muscles. As a somewhat competitive athlete, I discount the whole exercise because of the chance of injury associated with it and the fact that there are much more whole body movements than the bench press. DL is a true measure of strength.
Bench press is much easier for short-armed people. Not sure how it’s a true measurement of strength. I’m 6’4 and can’t get over 235 5x5 for the life of me.
if you’re going for general athleticism, then all aspects should be given attention - strength, power, stamina, endurance, work capacity, flexibility. the goal of a general athlete is developing work capacity across all modes. lots of people end up specializing to one degree or another because they tend to gravitate towards what they like or are good at.
i try to hit everything, but it’s difficult unless you have 2+ hours per day to dedicate.
Yo Sam – if you like power endurance/stamina try doing 1,000 burpees with a 1/2 mile run after each set of 100. If you complete that in under say 5 hours, you have my respect. my best was 800 before i crapped out. I tend to focus on this dimension of athleticism because it’s as much a mental test as anything else.
Agreed. The barbell bench press can be a great exercise, but for most people, there are other chest exercises that are just as good for developing size and strength with a lower risk/reward ratio. In general, I typically recommend avoiding the BB bench (especially for athletes, where injury prevention is goal #1), unless your anatomy is built for it or if you’re a powerlifter, in which case it’s a part of your sport.
I’m actually 5’9" but with little bodyfat. I’ve been told I look more like a bodybuilder than a powerlifter. As far as my lifts go, thank you, but they’re only “okay” on a competitive level. I’m nowhere near breaking any records. For example, the IPF Worlds (a drug-free competition) took place last month, and the winner of the 181 class (an American) squatted 655, benched 440, and pulled 693. Oh and he is like 23.