So who's completely ditched flat bench altogether?

**johnsbod** · 07-05-2005, 08:26 PM

Hey guys, just wondering who has completely ditched flat bench work altogether. I haven't done flat barbell for quite some time, but I am thinking of getting rid of flat dumbell as well. Currently for chest I do incline dumbell, flat dumbell, decline barbell, and ATrainer flyes (kills my chest like nothing else). Basically, I just want to drop the flat bench. I'm starting to feel that it's a bit redundant to even have it in there.

Aftershock · 07-05-2005, 08:30 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

Hey guys, just wondering who has completely ditched flat bench work altogether. I haven't done flat barbell for quite some time, but I am thinking of getting rid of flat dumbell as well. Currently for chest I do incline dumbell, flat dumbell, decline barbell, and ATrainer flyes (kills my chest like nothing else). Basically, I just want to drop the flat bench. I'm starting to feel that it's a bit redundant to even have it in there.

Sholiz doesn't bench. I'm pretty sure of that.

**Peaked_18** · 07-05-2005, 08:41 PM

I have always believed in Flat Bench Presses along with Incline Presses. It's an exercise I like to do and it works for me. I would never neglect Pressing from a Chest workout.

Master Of Puppets · 07-05-2005, 08:42 PM

I'm probably gonna ditch it soon. It's pointless. :bigthumbu

MOP :crazy1:

**johnsbod** · 07-05-2005, 08:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

I have always believed in Flat Bench Presses along with Incline Presses. It's an exercise I like to do and it works for me. I would never neglect Pressing from a Chest workout.

Well, I'm not neglecting presses. I'm just planning on eliminating flat bench. Flat barbell bench is quite possibly one of the worst exercises for chest which is why I've been using dumbells. Flat barbell is mostly an anterior delt and triceps exercise. Incline hits upper chest, and decline activates more muscle fibers than either incline or flat. ATrainer flyes hit the chest the hardest IMO because the ROM correlates to the "natural" function of the pecs. Just my $.02. I'm going to ditch flat and see how it goes.

**Peaked_18** · 07-05-2005, 08:49 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

Well, I'm not neglecting presses. I'm just planning on eliminating flat bench. Flat barbell bench is quite possibly one of the worst exercises for chest which is why I've been using dumbells. Flat barbell is mostly an anterior delt and triceps exercise. Incline hits upper chest, and decline activates more muscle fibers than either incline or flat. ATrainer flyes hit the chest the hardest IMO because the ROM correlates to the "natural" function of the pecs. Just my $.02. I'm going to ditch flat and see how it goes.

Well I guess that's some proof that itdoesn't work well. But I might ditch it in the near future and stick to Dumbbells. I jus like to stick to basics for my rotuines.

And what are Atrainer flies?

**Sholiz** · 07-05-2005, 09:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aftershock

Sholiz doesn't bench. I'm pretty sure of that.

Spoken on behalf of me

**EME** · 07-05-2005, 09:10 PM

I haven't done flat bench for many years.
For me, it's because I pulled my pec really badly at the armpit tie in while benching heavy.

Now, everytime I do any flat benching at all, I feel it pull through there as if I was getting stabbed with needles.

I am still able to do flat dumbbell press, but I don't go very heavy at all.

My primary chest exercises now are Incline Bench and low cable crossovers.

Luckily, my chest is my strong point, and I don't have to work it much for it to grow.

I haven't done flat bench on a regular basis for over 6 years, but I still think it's a staple exercise when beginning lifting. Most of the development I have now came from flat bench in the early days. You just have to make sure you are careful and not "Ego" benching, or you can definitely hurt yourself.

- EME

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

Hey guys, just wondering who has completely ditched flat bench work altogether. I haven't done flat barbell for quite some time, but I am thinking of getting rid of flat dumbell as well. Currently for chest I do incline dumbell, flat dumbell, decline barbell, and ATrainer flyes (kills my chest like nothing else). Basically, I just want to drop the flat bench. I'm starting to feel that it's a bit redundant to even have it in there.

**schroeder** · 07-05-2005, 09:22 PM

I've pretty much phased it out of my training regiment all togther. I feel it's a must for newbies, but dumbells are much more effective for advnaced lifters IMO. I normally just stick to incline/decline/flat dumbells. I also have some pretty unique variations of cable crosses which really help work the full ROM.

**Pioneer** · 07-05-2005, 09:59 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

And what are Atrainer flies?

bump

and i still do flat bench with both the bar and DB, i alternate each week, its one of the big 3, ive never read anything about it being useless and should be eliminated from workouts. anyone have an article or something?

**BobThePotato** · 07-05-2005, 10:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by schroeder

I've pretty much phased it out of my training regiment all togther. I feel it's a must for newbies, but dumbells are much more effective for advnaced lifters IMO. I normally just stick to incline/decline/flat dumbells. I also have some pretty unique variations of cable crosses which really help work the full ROM.

The gym i will be going 2 next year only has dumbells up to 100 :banghead: :banghead:

**johnsbod** · 07-05-2005, 10:50 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Peaked_18

And what are Atrainer flies?

Here's a link. They're actually called Montierth Flies, but the guy who posts as ATrainer on bb.com is the one who came up with them. They are basically cable flies, but you keep your palms facing your head while doing them. It takes other muscle groups out of the equation as much as possible. It's probably the best isolation exercise there is for chest IMO.

http://www.exercisegroup.com/seriouslegtraining.html

I guess I should have specified that I've been lifting now for 17-18 years. At this point I feel that flat bench wasn't doing anything for me at all, dumbells or not. I had my first workout today without flat dumbell press and my chest still got hammered hard, and I had more energy left for decline and flies.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pioneer

bump

and i still do flat bench with both the bar and DB, i alternate each week, its one of the big 3, ive never read anything about it being useless and should be eliminated from workouts. anyone have an article or something?

Actually, a lot of people have quit doing flat bench, especially barbell. Regualar barbell bench press, as I already posted earlier, is much more of an anterior delt/triceps exercise with chest being worked the least. It's OK for beginners IMO, but at this point I'm not really getting anything out of it for my chest compared to the other exercises, and if I want to train shoulders and triceps bench press is not what I would use.

**DarkFalcon** · 07-05-2005, 10:51 PM

Nope I won't ever eliminate it. I feel it's the best compound movement for upper body strength. It may not isolate the chest muscles as well as other exercises but I feel it developes overall strength and size like no other. I also like to use it as a guage to see how far my strength has progressed. To me dropping it would be like dropping squats. :weight_li

**johnsbod** · 07-05-2005, 10:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by DarkFalcon

Nope I won't ever eliminate it. I feel it's the best compound movement for upper body strength. It may not isolate the chest muscles as well as other exercises but I feel it developes overall strength and size like no other. I also like to use it as a guage to see how far my strength has progressed. To me dropping it would be like dropping squats. :weight_li

LOL, I disagree with you on bench, but I certainly won't eliminate squats from my workout.

Flat bench also gives me occasional pain in my right shoulder (old injury) which is why I ditched barbell flat a while back.

**DarkFalcon** · 07-05-2005, 10:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

Here's a link. They're actually called Montierth Flies, but the guy who posts as ATrainer on bb.com is the one who came up with them. They are basically cable flies, but you keep your palms facing your head while doing them. It takes other muscle groups out of the equation as much as possible. It's probably the best isolation exercise there is for chest IMO.

http://www.exercisegroup.com/seriouslegtraining.html

I did those today but with db's. :weight_li

**DarkFalcon** · 07-05-2005, 10:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by johnsbod

LOL, I disagree with you on bench, but I certainly won't eliminate squats from my workout.

Flat bench also gives me occasional pain in my right shoulder (old injury) which is why I ditched barbell flat a while back.

I'll agree with you on that, barbell bench is murder on the shoulders.

07-05-2005, 08:26 PM	#1
johnsbod Member Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: Vienna, Austria Posts: 2,965 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 62	So who's completely ditched flat bench altogether? Hey guys, just wondering who has completely ditched flat bench work altogether. I haven't done flat barbell for quite some time, but I am thinking of getting rid of flat dumbell as well. Currently for chest I do incline dumbell, flat dumbell, decline barbell, and ATrainer flyes (kills my chest like nothing else). Basically, I just want to drop the flat bench. I'm starting to feel that it's a bit redundant to even have it in there. __________________ Wenn Sie Deutsch sprechen können, posten Sie hier. Misc Perv #69

07-05-2005, 08:42 PM	#4
Master Of Puppets Registered User Join Date: Apr 2005 Posts: 2,000 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 46	I'm probably gonna ditch it soon. It's pointless. :bigthumbu MOP :crazy1: __________________

07-05-2005, 09:22 PM	#9
schroeder Der Leutnant Join Date: Apr 2005 Location: tacoma, wa Posts: 884 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 17	I've pretty much phased it out of my training regiment all togther. I feel it's a must for newbies, but dumbells are much more effective for advnaced lifters IMO. I normally just stick to incline/decline/flat dumbells. I also have some pretty unique variations of cable crosses which really help work the full ROM. __________________ Live from Baghdad! Ich bin gross und stark!

07-05-2005, 08:41 PM	#3
Peaked_18 a la commode Join Date: May 2005 Posts: 4,297 Recipes: 2 Rep Power: 96	I have always believed in Flat Bench Presses along with Incline Presses. It's an exercise I like to do and it works for me. I would never neglect Pressing from a Chest workout.

07-05-2005, 10:51 PM	#13
DarkFalcon I've got a RAGING clue! Join Date: May 2005 Location: dnyc99's cleaning staff Posts: 12,526 Recipes: 0 Rep Power: 309	Nope I won't ever eliminate it. I feel it's the best compound movement for upper body strength. It may not isolate the chest muscles as well as other exercises but I feel it developes overall strength and size like no other. I also like to use it as a guage to see how far my strength has progressed. To me dropping it would be like dropping squats. :weight_li

07-05-2005, 10:57 PM	#17