Kenny Croxdale
Level 7 Valued Member
The Deadlift
There are other lifts that also fall into the "Most Functional Strength Exercise" category.
Undisputed?
I would not place the Bench Press in "The Champion of building upper body strength faster than any other exercise".
1) While it is effective at increasing Anterior Chain Strength and Size, it does virtually nothing for the Posterior Chain.
2) The largest and strongest muscles are the Posterior Chain.
The Lats dwarf the Pecs in Size and Strength.
While the Upper Body Posterior Chain is invoved to some degree in the Deadlift, it not enough to fully enage and develop them.
Two Most Effective Upper Body Movements
These two Upper Body Movements are noted as "Upper Body Squat"; the most effective at increasing strength and size.
1) Dips
Pat Casey was the first Powerlifter to Bench Press over 600 lbs in a T-Shirt.
Casey's credits Dips as the most effecitive exercise that produced his 600 lb plus Bench Press.
Marty Gallager
Dips, “Squats for the upper body” | RAW with Marty Gallagher
Comparing dips to squats is the ultimate compliment for dips. Physiologically, squats and dips have a lot of commonalities: both dips and squats require the upper arm or upper leg be eccentrically low
www.ironcompany.com
That leads us to...
The Bridge Floor Press—a favorite of old-time strongmen and wrestlers, it is a bench press with no bench
This is essentially a Dip from a modified angle.
Old Time Strongmen performed it along with...
The Belly Toss Bench Press
Barbell - The floor press with a "twist"
Tip: The Athlete's Floor Press | T Nation Yay or nay?
www.strongfirst.com
Post 5, from 2019 examines it in more detail.
The Belly Toss Bench Press falls into being a Power Movement, a form of Over Speed Training, dependent on the load. The training effect is smilar to Over Speed Sprint Training by running down hills.
Secondly, the Bench Press has an Ascending Strength Curve; the resistance is harder in the bottom, easiser at the top.
Research has demonstrated that means that only the first one third of the Bench Press, the first few inches off the chest Overloads the muscle in the movement.
In the remaining two third of the Bench Press, the muscle are Underloaded.
With heavier loads in the Belly Toss Bench Press Overloads the muscle at the top end of the movement
Now let's look at the...
Advantages of Dips
a) You can perform Dips to the limit with Repetitions. Unlike the Bench Press, you don't need to worry about getting the weight stuck on you chest or need a spotter.
b) Accentuated Eccentric Dip can easily be performed.
With a Bench Press, you need a spotter to assist. That is not the case with Dips.
Ironically, most spotter who assist with Eccentric Bench Presses, end up performing a Partial Deadlift in having to pull the weight up or a Heavy Assisted Partial Upright Row. Been there.
2) Pull Ups/Chins
This is the "Upper Body Squat" for the Posterior Chain.
As with Dips, Pull Up/Chins Accentuated Eccentric can be performed.
The Strongest Shall Survive
Bill Starr
This book, published in 1976, continues to be foundation of a Strength Program for athletes: Squat, Bench Press and Power Cleans.
Approximately, 96% of the muscles of the body are worked with these three exercises.
The Squat can be alternated with the Deadlift in this program.
Dips can be alternated with the Bench Press.
Kettlebells Swing and Power Cleans can be alternated, since both are Power Movcement that elicit essentially the same effet in the Posterior Chain.
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