floor press vs. bench press

dds

dds

Active member
in my new 5x5 im doing it has me doing floor press as a supp. exersise in this program. my question is: do i really need to do a floor press? if so what does it do for me better then a reg. bench press.
 
dds said:
in my new 5x5 im doing it has me doing floor press as a supp. exersise in this program. my question is: do i really need to do a floor press? if so what does it do for me better then a reg. bench press.
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You can't go as deep so your lockout is strengthened? So when you go to normal bp you set new pr's ezpz
 
dds said:
in my new 5x5 im doing it has me doing floor press as a supp. exersise in this program. my question is: do i really need to do a floor press? if so what does it do for me better then a reg. bench press.
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Helps with the lockout and if you add chains/bands , to teach you to keep driving once the bar is off your chest. It is a supplementary lift, should not replace Bench Press IMO. Rodja and Zir might chime in more on this.
 
Partial lifts used properly in programmes can help strengthen the full ROM variations. Powerlifters will use things like board presses and rack lockouts to assist the bench press.

They need to be used selectively and not as a replacement.
 
It's a different ROM and grip compared to standard BP. Since you can't setup for FP like BP, the leg drive is taken out and it's solely an upper-body lift instead of a whole-body lift. The actual lift should have a slight pause at the bottom where the triceps are resting on the floor and then you explode up a la box squats. Some people notice a direct correlation between their FP and BP where their BP numbers increase as their FP numbers increase.
 
damn guys that was fast!!!!!! so is there a % of my 1RM that i should be using with the floor press?

its 3set of 8reps
 
dds said:
damn guys that was fast!!!!!! so is there a % of my 1RM that i should be using with the floor press?

its 3set of 8reps
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If you don't know you 1RM of it, then a particular percentage is applicable. If it's a novel move for you, you'll probably need a month or so just to get the technique down before moving onto specific percentages.
 
Dumb question, but would the floor presses still be effective for improving your regular flat bench even if you were to do the floor presses using dumbells??

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vidapreta said:
Dumb question, but would the floor presses still be effective for improving your regular flat bench even if you were to do the floor presses using dumbells??

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When properly done, it teaches you to explode off of the chest in the bench press since you have to overcome to static position where the triceps/elbows are stopped on the floor.
 
vidapreta said:
Dumb question, but would the floor presses still be effective for improving your regular flat bench even if you were to do the floor presses using dumbells??

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You would have to be careful with that, I feel like if you go down too fast the "jolt" could cause the dumbbells to sway in or out.
Also idk how you would get both dumbbells up.
It would take some experimenting
 
Ryan what do you think it's better, Chains or Bands for the Floor Press?
 
The accessibility of setting up chains is a lot easier than bands for most people.

With chains you can take a percentage of the weight and work from there. Attach more chains further down for exercises with a sharp strength curve.

With bands you will need a platform for attaching.
 
DB floor presses are also a good move to do, vida. I would try to sit the dumbbells on your quads as you're sitting up, and just like when you do DB shoulder presses, after you lie down you bring each dumbbell up with your leg.
 
I don't like the dumbbell floor press for this purpose.

Partial movements at terminal extension enable you to use supramaximal loads compared to full ROM variants. Have you ever tried to get dumbbells into place for a floor press that are heavier than you could press on a bench? lol
 
bdcc said:
I don't like the dumbbell floor press for this purpose.

Partial movements at terminal extension enable you to use supramaximal loads compared to full ROM variants. Have you ever tried to get dumbbells into place for a floor press that are heavier than you could press on a bench? lol
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Thats what training partners are for.

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vidapreta said:
Thats what training partners are for.Sent from my HTC Sensation 4G using Tapatalk 2
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Absolutely. That is just not was described in his post.

In terms of practical application. You can micro load a barbell floor press and aren't going to be able to do this as easily with dumbbells in most gyms. This is especially true if you are very strong.
 
bdcc said:
The accessibility of setting up chains is a lot easier than bands for most people.

With chains you can take a percentage of the weight and work from there. Attach more chains further down for exercises with a sharp strength curve.

With bands you will need a platform for attaching.
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That's not true. EFS has short bands that are only 12" long that you can use a DB to attach. You're right about using regular long bands, though.
 
Rodja said:
That's not true. EFS has short bands that are only 12" long that you can use a DB to attach. You're right about using regular long bands, though.
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This.

I even made the full size ones work with a couple heavy DBs as my anchor.

I find Chains better for pure strength.. being able to drive through the weight.

Bands give me hell on the stabilizer muscles.
 
DAdams91982 said:
This.

I even made the full size ones work with a couple heavy DBs as my anchor.

I find Chains better for pure strength.. being able to drive through the weight.

Bands give me hell on the stabilizer muscles.
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I like stepping out of a squat rack with bands and having a temporary feeling that the bands are going to pull me over backwards before I step into place lol.
 
bdcc said:
Absolutely. That is just not was described in his post.

In terms of practical application. You can micro load a barbell floor press and aren't going to be able to do this as easily with dumbbells in most gyms. This is especially true if you are very strong.
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I didn't mention it because it's the obvious first thing to do. I provided a solution in case he doesn't have a training partner.

Also, floor presses, db variant included, aren't done primarily because it's a partial. First, the movement becomes a completely upper body movement. Next, while it does load up one end of the motion more than the other, one of the primary benefits of the floor press is breaking the tension in your arm muscles so you have to press the weight from a static position. And interestingly, especially with the dumbbell variant, it hits your pecs pretty hard. Last but not least, due to the ROM this variant is very shoulder friendly.

I would do these for higher reps, 3 sets of 12-20, with palms facing in.
 
i have to say after doing FP's they bring the suck, i have to remember each time my tri's hit the floor to "deaload" my muscles so i have to start from the floor.........but i def. can see where this will help me in the long run, thanks for the help guys
 
never done floor press but wouldn't it be less awkward to set up with a barbell in a power rack with the safety bars on the lowest setting than mess with dumbbells
 
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