So I’ve been slamming the idea of bodybuilders laying on a bench and doing these heavy barbell presses while pushing the bar up in the air. I’ve never explained why in detail really, so here is my take on why I find barbell pressing pretty foolish.
No. 1 – I find it nothing more of a showoff of other bodybuilders, big time. It’s like, “GGggggrrrrrrrrrrr….I can lift 350 lbs barbell on a bench and you can’t, bwahahahaha…”. I look at it as bodybuilders trying to impress other people in the gym.
No 2. – I find it as a cover up that they are not real good at fitness like they think they are.
No. 3 – It is a brutal workout and it could kill your energy doing other workouts. Especially your cardio.
There you have it. Those are reasons why I disagree with it. I know plenty of great chest exercises that is way better than benching. It is possible to get huge chest pecs without benching. It’s not really important and not needed. I’ll probably do benching like once in a blue moon when really needed.
I don’t workout to impress people and not to show off how I tough and cool I look. I do it to become an athletic person. In high school, I never played sports so this is my chance to become athletic.
Kev
K'Brocking 
Right on!
Those meatheads just want to act cool.
Presses from the bench can be dangerous and can lead to muscle tears and long term shoulder problems… and long term is the only type of shoulder problem! It’s in the top 3 of complex joint structures and once it’s hosed, it aint ever coming back 100%.
Pressing while laying on the floor are way better for this reason.
ALSO- it’s better off the floor because you’re not ‘cheating’ and ‘tricking’ yourself/ your body.
Here’s what I mean:
Stretch a rubber band & it wants to bounce back (equal & opposite reaction).
‘Benching’ & having the bar fully lowered is like stretching the rubber band (do it & you can feel it in your outer pecs). The bar’s initial “liftoff” is assisted slightly by the natural tendency of your tendons+muscles to return from the stretched state.
Doing a press from the floor gives a smaller ROM (range of motion) BUT you wont mess up your rotator cuff
…..PLUS the press upard has to be truly pressed without the added ‘bounce’ help “out of the hole” so it is a true measure of your pressing ability.
There are other ways to make up for that ROM loss without ruining your shoulders. Dips, pec flys, pull overs etc
Hey, that’s just an opinion but search ‘floor press’ or stuff about benching causing shoulder issues & make your own decision.