Flat bench press

This thread answered many questions I’ve had for a long time by the way, so thank you everyone who put in time to share their experiences.
 
My left shoulder has been fucked for as long as I can remember. Every time I flat bench I end up regretting it after a few sessions.

I use hammer strength plate loaded machines for inclines and declines. And a variation of flyes to really stretch the pecs.

I always found that the closer the grip the more triceps recruitment there is. Which is great of that's what your aim is. But my chest has always been one of those body parts that was the hardest to develop.

I find with machines I can good deeper and use a smaller range of motion to keep almost off the tension on my chest.

After reading this I'm not going to feel so bad about abandoning the flat bench. Besides it's my upvote chest I care to work on more these days.
 
I still do flat bench presses, but really focus on form. Also hand placement at biacromial width calculation has helped with shoulder pain
 
For me, it is continuous improvements in strength that make you grow.
First comes strength, then comes size. Every time.
You can utilize lighter weights and vary your rep tempo etc. At the end of the day my belief is:
If you took 2 identical twins, one using TUT and other techniques.
The other one using strength and increasing weight each cycle through each week, just a small amount of weight increased each week and use a dynamic rep scheme.
The one that added weight and increased strength will have better bone densities, better tendon strength, larger more dense muscles and when he gets an injury or takes a break for some reason. The second twin will retain more muscle mass, have better muscle memory and be able to get back in lifting shape a lot quicker.

In saying that, one does not need to use the bench press, as others have mentioned. Dumbells work very well, and I believe they may work better and help out the stabilizing muscles etc.
But using lighter weights and slowing the reps down will not be as effective as explosive positive and slow controlled negative with as much weight as you can handle and taxing the CNS central nervous system.
The CNS is the biggest limiting factor for growth. Not the only factor, but IMO the most influential.
Strengthen the CNS and become used to progressively adding more weight until you cannot add anymore which does happen of course.
Then change up your exercises and throw the ones you limited out on out the door for awhile.
Then over time continuously adding more weight, max out on your next new exercises.
Come back to the ones you threw out the door and every time you will surpass your old personal gains.
I think that is what people see more than anything.
The bench press has become stale and stagnated and growth slows or stops.
You put new exercises in and boom you are growing again.
If you bring bench press or the old exercise back again, you will also grow again if you are still getting stronger and able to add in a bit more weight or even one more rep.
 
I don’t do “flat” presses, but a very slight incline. I forget the actual degree of angle but my bench has multiple options (home gym).
Since then my shoulders been great.


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Still doing flat bench here with incline dumbells as my two chest staples, no shoulder issues but I don't really push more than 2 plates on bench. I prefer to go heavier with dumbbells.
 
I train each body part 2X a week on a push/pull/leg routine. I include flat BB bench on one of my two push days.
 
My gym doesn’t have bench press so hammer strength is what I use, have to say, I think the bench press does feel better though (chest is more pumped and sore)
 
a gym without flat bench? Am I reading that correctly? hah

It’s some safety rule cause it’s a 24/h gym, apparently it’s a safety/legal thing cause there’s no staff 24/7

The gym though is empty 90% of the time though so it’s like having a personal gym, so it’s worth it. Have yet to have to ask to work in, in 6 years
 
It’s some safety rule cause it’s a 24/h gym, apparently it’s a safety/legal thing cause there’s no staff 24/7

The gym though is empty 90% of the time though so it’s like having a personal gym, so it’s worth it. Have yet to have to ask to work in, in 6 years

that’s interesting. My gym is 24/7 and has no shortage lol whatever tho as long as you can make it work. What about flat benches where you could do DB presses?
 
that’s interesting. My gym is 24/7 and has no shortage lol whatever tho as long as you can make it work. What about flat benches where you could do DB presses?

Maybe it’s just an anytime fitness thing then

They actually have a squat rack (cage) where you can move a flat bench in, but I’m too lazy and it’s always a bit off centre and feels a bit weird
And a smith machine
 
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Maybe it’s just an anytime fitness thing then

They actually have a squat rack (cage) where you can move a flat bench in, but I’m too lazy and it’s always a bit off centre and feels a bit weird
And a smith machine

That's what I was going to suggest hah by the sounds of it tho you have enough options to make it work. I use to work in the oil field and the gym at some of the camps were pretty crappy. I got pretty creative.
 
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