Benching with your feet up is ideal?

2020Wellness

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I've seen some widely known names advocating this, and I just can't see the point. I have to disagree with them, and explained my thinking below.

What's everyone else's take on this?

youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Kr03bvbxM
 
weavedogg

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I've seen some widely known names advocating this, and I just can't see the point. I have to disagree with them, and explained my thinking below.

What's everyone else's take on this?

youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Kr03bvbxM
I fractured my spine in high school and I found that it helped a lot when my lower back was super tight. I threw up 360 with my feet up and crossed like I was doing a crunch. It does compromise your base so make sure not to fall off if you lose your ****.
 
ZiR RED

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I think its pretty stupid. You are taking a stable exercises and making it unstable. Further, because of the reduction in stability your are decreasing the amount of load you can move.

If you want to turn it into a stabilization exercise, then I suggest doing it on a swiss ball and maintaining a neutral spine via a supine bridge (i.e.: glute activation).

Br
 
EasyEJL

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its about the dumbest thing you can do. you very much change the mechanics of a bench press by having your feet up, and reduce the amount of arch you can get in your back.

In the sake of doing it because of an injury, i'm not so sure. I'd think i'd rather use the seated hammer machine than put my legs on the bench though.
 
Bolanrox

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and i always thought the power of the bench came from your legs. maybe thats why my #'s are so low? :)
 
Frank Reynolds

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I've seen some widely known names advocating this, and I just can't see the point. I have to disagree with them, and explained my thinking below.

What's everyone else's take on this?

youtube.com/watch?v=Z5Kr03bvbxM
I think its pretty stupid. You are taking a stable exercises and making it unstable. Further, because of the reduction in stability your are decreasing the amount of load you can move.

If you want to turn it into a stabilization exercise, then I suggest doing it on a swiss ball and maintaining a neutral spine via a supine bridge (i.e.: glute activation).

Br
its about the dumbest thing you can do. you very much change the mechanics of a bench press by having your feet up, and reduce the amount of arch you can get in your back.

In the sake of doing it because of an injury, i'm not so sure. I'd think i'd rather use the seated hammer machine than put my legs on the bench though.
You guys are missing the point.. Which is THAT IS THE POINT! To take leg drive out of it. It isn't a replacement for the bench press but something to work on from time to time as an alternate.

We do them with feet on the bench typically, not in the air.
 
ZiR RED

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You guys are missing the point.. Which is THAT IS THE POINT! To take leg drive out of it. It isn't a replacement for the bench press but something to work on from time to time as an alternate.

We do them with feet on the bench typically, not in the air.
Ok, but by taking the feet off the floor the load is inherently reduced. If the argument is a greater recruitment of the pecs, my contention is that with a lesser load the force development/pec recruitment is less, and the exercise is not as beneficial as one may propose.

Br
 
Frank Reynolds

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Ok, but by taking the feet off the floor the load is inherently reduced. If the argument is a greater recruitment of the pecs, my contention is that with a lesser load the force development/pec recruitment is less, and the exercise is not as beneficial as one may propose.

Br
I am not saying this is ideal for a BB'er benching with elbows flared trying to emphasize the "pecs"(I wouldn't do this anyway..lol). And again, this is not something you are going to do in a total replacement for bench. This is with PL in mind.

Again, we can get sciencey with it, or we can take a look at many world class benchers who employ this in their training.

Use it, don't use it, that is up to ones own goals and if they feel it has merit. But with all due respect, saying "it is stupid" or "it is about the dumbest thing you can do" when I will wager neither of your benches are anything to write home about, is a bit ridiculous..lol
 
rockhard2012

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I agree....the bench press is not a core exercise. It's a chest exercise. If you want to work your core...just stick to Swiss ball exercises and keep your feet on the ground when benching. Lol
 
morry

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I agree....the bench press is not a core exercise. It's a chest exercise. If you want to work your core...just stick to Swiss ball exercises and keep your feet on the ground when benching. Lol
I don't think he meant "core" in that respect. Bench is a staple and has been for years. They don't call it one of the big 3 for nothing. Should it be? Geez, who really knows and who cares. It is a great exercise IMO.

It isn't about just training your pecs and it def is not just a "chest exercise". Training your golgi tendon and strengthening other tendons is a major part of training your CNS and body to be steady and manage itself under large loads. I won't guess at anybody's bench number but thinking bench press is a chest exercise is just plain false. You obviously work your chest, but there isn't a really good way to engage many of the other large muscle group with loads that will strain and strengthen your CNS long term.

I've read post from both of those guys and I agree with both sides of this.

If you are training to lift heavy, get strong, and grow then pulling your feet in the air or not incorporating driving your feet into the floor isn't the most efficient way to do this.

If you are honing your skills and working on a smaller portion of the exercise (whether that be for injury sake or just taking a lighter day), I'm not sure anybody could really make a case that lifting less weight leads to more growth and anybody that tries could be considered "stupid".

Lastly, if you are in there to knock out 21 sets a day and you don't care what the exercise is as long as you get your set done, maybe this practice is perfect for you. Albeit, IMO it will encourage you to remain lazy and fat, but that's just my opinion and I'm partially kidding.

With the advancement in machines and the wide variety of equipment available at most gyms, I'm almost certain there is an alternative to pulling your feet up. Then again, if there isn't, there isn't, who really cares. Lift heavy, use perfect form, eat clean, train like a warrior. These things will make notions like this seem irrelevant unless you are a power lifter of some sort or just one of those weird guys in the gym that does awful looking exercises to train a muscle via isolation when a heavy load for a compound movement would be more than sufficient. Might as well argue grip too (if an MMA guy pops in here, go ahead, eat this one up).


Morry
 
matt8483

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I do both. I like both. IMO. Both work for me. I hate when people who probably don't have much to brag about physically, try to tell u that certain exercises are pointless. Keep that **** to yourselves...
 
Mrpersinality

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I agree....the bench press is not a core exercise. It's a chest exercise. If you want to work your core...just stick to Swiss ball exercises and keep your feet on the ground when benching. Lol
Bench is a big compound movement it's not just chest, also the ball exercise has been proven to not work for core strength. The university of California did a study on that and came to the conclusion it didn't work the core enough to give any results.
 
ZiR RED

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Bench is a big compound movement it's not just chest, also the ball exercise has been proven to not work for core strength. The university of California did a study on that and came to the conclusion it didn't work the core enough to give any results.
I think I've seen that study, at least, I've seen similar...However, its pretty hard to measure local core (deep muscle) activation with surface EMG's. Further, I think the hip bridge is a great way to enhance glute activation on upper body days.

Br
 
Frank Reynolds

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I prefer feet down. If I wanna take my leg drive out ill do floor presses.
That is a valid movement as well. And well stated. "I prefer". There is a lot of methods you can employ for building a bench. My point from the beginning is
its about the dumbest thing you can do..
I think its pretty stupid.
Calling something "dumb", or "stupid" when you may not agree with the technique is a bit much. Do either of you have an elite bench? What makes you an authority? Zir you generally give good advice, so maybe you just went a bit overboard in your "opinion", I don't know.

It gets to the point of the 130lb people on Youtube telling Branch Warren, or some pro BB/PL "you are doing it wrong" because he learned it in class at his community college, or because he is a trainer at Bally's.

There is a big difference between stating your opinion, and being a jackass.

Look at this idiot.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7BaheqRhj_g



For the record I have never done a feet up bench, but I have seen some INSANELY knowledgeable people using this technique. I would wager none of them would take kindly to people insinuating they are retards.lol

I do both. I like both. IMO. Both work for me. I hate when people who probably don't have much to brag about physically, try to tell u that certain exercises are pointless. Keep that **** to yourselves...
Exactly.hah
 
ZiR RED

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Zir you generally give good advice, so maybe you just went a bit overboard in your "opinion", I don't know.
I digress, and you bring up some good points. My initial response was under the impression that "feet up" meant "feet up in the air", not on the bench. Feet on the bench maintains some level of stability. Benching with your feet up in the air or doing leg raises with each rep is (IMO) quite silly, and the risks outweigh whatever little benefit you get from benching like an ass.

Br
 
Frank Reynolds

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I digress, and you bring up some good points. My initial response was under the impression that "feet up" meant "feet up in the air", not on the bench. Feet on the bench maintains some level of stability. Benching with your feet up in the air or doing leg raises with each rep is (IMO) quite silly, and the risks outweigh whatever little benefit you get from benching like an ass.

Br
I hear ya. Like I said you give sound advice and even in this case was sound just phased a bit off IMO.

Funny part is.....Today was bench day. On the last set my training partner puts his feet up on the bench(he uses these sometimes when he is working on certain things) this thread popped in my head and I started laughing under my breath . I was tempted to **** with him and call him an idiot. He has hit a 500 raw bench in comp and Sohp's more then I(and I'd wager most people in this thread) bench..lol
 
rockhard2012

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Reason being...I've personally seen people fall off trying to overload themselves with their feet up. Why put yourself in that situation? Thats how I feel. Their are 1599 other exercises to do. Safety means less injury.
 
matt8483

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Reason being...I've personally seen people fall off trying to overload themselves with their feet up. Why put yourself in that situation? Thats how I feel. Their are 1599 other exercises to do. Safety means less injury.
I know what ur saying. But if your falling off the bench, u obviously can't handle The weight in the first place and I don't recommend it anyway, if u don't know how to bench. U should be stable through out ur whole lift, regardless whether ur feet are on the bench or not.
 
rockhard2012

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I agree with u bro...stability and safety go hand in hand. Along with good form... makes the bench press a great exercise.
 

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