November 21, 2005

7 responses to Press-centric Raw Bench Program

  1. Måns Says:
    February 4th, 2006 at 2:48 pm

    “Don’t laugh…”
    Oops, nearly snickered… Sorry. :D
    Looks good to me.

  2. Kris Says:
    February 4th, 2006 at 3:20 pm

    Close call there. Then again, you have been known to do flyes. Don’t think everyone will be able to hold it… ;-)

  3. Måns Says:
    February 4th, 2006 at 7:40 pm

    Umm, well yes, I fly. :D

  4. Scott Says:
    February 10th, 2006 at 2:03 pm

    Sorry, I snickered. But I can see your reasoning.
    Looks good overall.

  5. Kris Says:
    February 10th, 2006 at 8:08 pm

    The whole flye idea is Wendler’s or Mike Miller’s, forget whose. In Biasiotto’s book, six out of the nine routines by former bench pressing legends include either the dumbell flye or some other flye movement (such as cable crossovers). In this “modern” day of shirt benching, the dumbell fly has largely been wiped off the stage - after all, one of the major benefits of the shirt is precisely to protect the tie in. Not long ago, I would have laughed my pants off seeing a powerlifter doing flyes, but perhaps it is time for us raw benchers to give it another chance.

    On the EliteFTS QA (21 Aug 2001), Bob Youngs also mentions a band version of the flye:

    An exercise that has helped me a lot in the tie in is doing standing flyes with the mini band. Put the band around the upright of a power rack and grab an end in each hand. Do a traditional fly movement. I try to change the finishing point up on every rep. I vary it from very low, almost at the waist. Then work my way up to above my head.

  6. Måns Says:
    February 11th, 2006 at 6:47 pm

    …so basically, the bench shirt makes you weak in the tie-ins, is what’s the bottom line, correct? That does it. I solemnly swear never to use a bench shirt. :D

  7. Kris Says:
    February 11th, 2006 at 10:46 pm

    Not quite. The bench shirt is like a rubber band that stretches more and more over your chest as you lower the barbell. At the bottom position, the shirt gives a lot of support thus putting less strain on the shoulder and tie-in. I’m not swearing anything, just in case. ;-)

Comments are closed.