[quote]FightingScott wrote:
threewhitelights wrote:
I don’t think he’s asking why boards are useful, but why they are better than just cheating.
That’s right.
It’s pretty obvious to me that Boards are good because you can Handle More weight, work sticking points, and you have an exact point of reference (but the distance your stroke is with a cheated rep can’t be accurately quantified the way using boards can).
But I was hoping to find a safety reason why board presses would be safer in my efforts to convince these guys hellbent of doing partials.
The Board Keeps you from dropping a weight you can’t get off your chest - Yeah But I have a spotter.
You can’t quantify your progress. You keep adding weight to the bar but your cutting your stroke. You’re not getting any stronger. - No I’m not. I’m going the same place every time.
This is the way I Bench and I’m stronger than you. This is the way Ronnie Coleman, Ed Coan, and Ryan Kenneldy Bench. They’re much, much, much stronger than you. - I don’t want to get that big. Blah Blah Blah.
I’ve tried to convince these people by showing them the Chapter in Starting Strength about the Bench Press but that wasn’t even enough. I’ve even made the above point (this is how I bench) before and the response I got back was “Yeah, well you’re using the technique for getting strong and powerful but we’re using the technique that’s safer for our shoulders.”
But I feel like since I’ll never convince these people to use a full ROM, but they still ask me to design a training program for them, I need to give them a safety reason why pressing off a phone book or doing a floor press is safer than doing the bench press.
Or I guess I could refuse to help or even spot them if they keep lifting the way the do. That’s what I’ll do. Usually when I tell them to go all the way down they grunt out “No way” strain through a few more cheated reps before they’re done. Next time if they don’t go all the way down I’ll just grab the bar and rack it. [/quote]
Boards are easier on your shoulders for the reasons guys have said before. I have a torn labrum and have no issues if I stay two boards and higher. I have increased both my raw and board strength by working 2-5 boards since the tear.