[quote]GluteusGigantis wrote:
[quote]overstand wrote:
We’re trying to bodybuild, not powerlift.
It doesn’t matter if you bench 315 or 135, some people’s bad habits/physiology/psychology/whatever prevents them from stressing their chest with a flat bench press. Sure it gets worked, and sure you’ll put on muscle on your way to a 315 bench, but if heavy flyes or decline works the target muscle better, why beat a dead horse?
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Don’t quote random rhetoric thrown around on this site. Inferring my post was about powerlifting vs bodybuilding is idiotic.
When it comes to fly exercise, I am yet to meet, or see anyone on this site who has a great chest from doing flys. All well and good the guys with big chests who are using flys more for ongoing development, but as a primary exercise I’m still doubtful.
I have no issue with decline or incline pressing. Don’t be a fanboy with comprehension issues. I am completely against blanket statements that the flat bench is a shitty exercise when there really is little concrete proof that this is true.
I have been in so many gyms where every clown (on bench press Monday) wastes their time doing 5 different pressing variations, then get into the multistation to do their million crossovers.
And yes, it does matter if someone is benching 135 or 315. Someone benching 135 can’t comment on what is and isn’t a good exercise for their chest development; they don’t have one yet.
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Obviously not a member of this site. Cedric McMillan. 70% of his chest routine is fly movements.
You are against blanket statements that the flat bench press is bad but you are also making a blaket statement that the flat press ISNT bad. It doesnt work like that. Some things legitimately dont work for SOME people.
And again, your statement about flat pressing strenght is absurd. Someone who doesnt recruit their pecs from flat benching wont see much of a difference in their pecs regardless of how much theyre flat benching. THats how bodybuilding works. THe brain doesnt know that flat bench is a chest exercise. THe brain knows when certain muscles are being recruited. Your biceps grow from bicep curls because the muscle fibers in the biceps get recruited, not because theyre called ‘bicep’ curls.
Without the intention of putting him on the spot. HolyMac. Strong guy. Has a good bench press. Something in the 350+ range. Subpar pecs. His triceps are HUGE. Guess who’s not relying on flat bench press to build his pecs? So he met the strength requirement but didnt have the pec development requirement. ZOMG. Seriously, there are countless examples of this sort of thing, for various exercises. Saying that someone needs to reach a certain strength level before judging the effectiveness of a movement is dumb.