How Functional is the Bench Press

by | Feb 5, 2014 | The Functional Times

Written by: Steve Mologousis NASM CPT, PES, CES, IHP FTS, IHP MMA SCC

Anyone who has been around a gym for any period of time, has most likely heard this a million times. How much do you Bench? Or What is your Max on Bench? All legitamate questions. But do those age old questions really matter when it comes to being a successful athlete. Other than a Powerlifter who’s main goal in their sport to be successful is to lift the heaviest load they can. So, why does everyone ask these questions, 1- Yes it is great for the ego, 2- not so bad for developing your pecs,3- and last but not least the chicks dig it.

The question we should be asking is “Will the bench press make you a better athlete?
In order to answer the above question we must first examine just how functional is the bench press?

First, I’d like to start by saying that I personally feel the bench press is a great exercise to have in your toolbox of training. I believe it is a great movement for developing maximal strength in certain functional positions. The problem is, a majority of coaches put too much emphasis on how much their athletes can bench.… Read more...