Conventional Flat Bench as a ME Exercise?

I’m trying to write up a routine for a westide raw bench routine I was wondering if i can throw the actual flat, full range bench in there as one of the ME exercises along with floor press and 2-board press. Also is the incline bench of any use? So far my ME exercises are floor press, 2 board press and flat bench and/or incline bench if these are good to do on ME day. Whats a good alternative if not? No pin presses please, no powerca ge is available. Also I’m benching raw so I wanna find the best combination of exercises, with less of those geared toward raw bench (ie 3 or more board press)

Thanks in advance

We have a Westside thread now. Read through that, then do some more reading (Dave Tate’s 8 Keys article, anything by Louie Simmons, etc), then come back.

Also, it never hurts to just try it out. If it somehow works for you, go for it. Most people can’t handle benching twice a week, but if you can do it without tearing a pec or raping your shoulder, knock yourself out.

[quote]Ziggajay wrote:
I’m trying to write up a routine for a westide raw bench routine I was wondering if i can throw the actual flat, full range bench in there as one of the ME exercises along with floor press and 2-board press. Also is the incline bench of any use? So far my ME exercises are floor press, 2 board press and flat bench and/or incline bench if these are good to do on ME day. Whats a good alternative if not? No pin presses please, no powerca ge is available. Also I’m benching raw so I wanna find the best combination of exercises, with less of those geared toward raw bench (ie 3 or more board press)

Thanks in advance[/quote]

I personally wouldn’t use a pure flat bench, as I bench with an arch and still have issues keeping that perfect. Other than practicing technique, I don’t see why it would be a good exercise for ME.

Those all look like good exercises to hit on ME. Here’s a little read from WS. http://www.westside-barbell.com/articles/bench-workouts/

Do check out the WS article going now, StormTheBeach is schooling us noobs on everything, great shit.

black where can I find the thread and VT where can I find StormTheBeach’s article?

I’d think you’d have to be stupid not to include competition-form flat bench into the program for some cycles, especially for a raw bencher.

When I was running Westside, my ME benches were: flat, incline, 1-board press, pin press, floor press, 2-board press (and with all those variations with bands). Not necessarily cycled in that order. I made some of my greatest gains on that.

[quote]Ziggajay wrote:
black where can I find the thread and VT where can I find StormTheBeach’s article?[/quote]

Both Black and VT are talking about this thread. Wouldn’t have been too hard to find if you’d look.