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Barbell Jay Cutler -- Took Flat Bench Out

Alan Mackey said:
I guess it depends on the lift.

For vertical pressing and any type of row, I find kettlebells way better than dumbbells. The latter, however, are much better for horizontal, incline pressing and curls.
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I've tried benching with KBs, feels weird.

And still unwieldy to get into position.
 
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LukeV said:
Shoulder impingement is inevitable for me, every time I program heavy on flat bench. It can happen on the first rep (yes, that has happened!) or in the fourth week, but it always happens. Dumbbell presses are no problem
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Have you tried floor pressing or board pressing. Most impingement is in the last 3-4 inches of ROM. Eliminate this and you can bench much better. I will also say, when my shoulder gets cranky I will switch to incline press with a fatter than usual bar and close in the grip by a few inches and within a month I am back to baseline for another 6 months.
 
DocMike said:
Have you tried floor pressing or board pressing. Most impingement is in the last 3-4 inches of ROM. Eliminate this and you can bench much better. I will also say, when my shoulder gets cranky I will switch to incline press with a fatter than usual bar and close in the grip by a few inches and within a month I am back to baseline for another 6 months.
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Yes, floor press was my ‘go to’ for quite a while and the change in ROM helped my shoulders a lot. However, dumbbells were for me a better option as the ROM is more complete, the neutral grip much more comfortable, friendlier on the shoulders and elbows, when going heavy. I found the same benefits with the Swiss Bar but a lot of gyms don’t have one so dumbbells win all around
 
watchnerd said:
I love dumbbells.

But...

I start to find them unwieldy >30 kg per side for pressing as you have to do some special maneuvers to get them into position.

DB rowing not an issue.
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Getting into position with dumbbells when going heavy on pressing is an exercise in itself. And for OHP, I find the starting clean does take a bit out of me, interfering a little with performance particularly on subsequent sets. Another thing worth considering when going heavy is that, if you get in trouble, dumping a dumbbell is not as easy as it looks. With a barbell, you just tip and the length of the bar both protects you and takes care of the rest. With a dumbbell, the weight is just going straight down and even if you’ve got some sideways motion so your body and feet are okay, your hand and arm are still under the weight. I’ve had a couple of near death experiences with barbells but I was never scared until I lost control of a dumbbell
 
silveraw said:
Y’all have a change of ROM when floor pressing?

I’m starting to think I might have some odd anatomical features…
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With the bar on your chest in a bench press, how far back are your elbows? With your elbows against the floor in a floor press, how far above your chest does the bar sit? That's the difference in ROM. I just measured it for me at 14cm (5.5 inches)
 
LukeV said:
With the bar on your chest in a bench press, how far back are your elbows? With your elbows against the floor in a floor press, how far above your chest does the bar sit? That's the difference in ROM. I just measured it for me at 14cm (5.5 inches)
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I just hit the same spot on my chest for both.
 
silveraw said:
Y’all have a change of ROM when floor pressing?

I’m starting to think I might have some odd anatomical features…
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I'm alike. I hit the chest in a floor press, the same spot as on the bench. I do retract my scapulae etc but by no means would I say that I have a crazy arch, I'm pretty close to the new IPF rules when it comes to the bench.
 
I know 3 people with pec tears from bench, all very natty, one only 17. If it's good for you, do it. If it's not, don't. But don't try to force a bad match.

Btw, for thin guys like me, bench is an extra 6 inches of bar travel compared to floor. That's probably an extra 30-45 degrees of shoulder extension. Very different lift for us.
 
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Having worked with athletes and non-athletes alike, I have to say the majority of injuries I’ve seen with people occur from improper knowledge of the technique.

One of the most dangerous groups of people I work with are over 40, male and former football players. They all love the bench and they all do it wrong. It’s important to teach the proper set-up, bracing , grip and breathing. Most bodybuilders will train with an elbow out technique, that will in almost cases, will fail you at some point.

The SFL does an amazing job of teaching proper technical set up for the bench and along with keeping the weights manageable (as in NEVER missing a rep) the bench press is as safe as any other movement.

Mind your technique and take care of your body. Cheers
 
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