Been turned down by a lot of fellas have ya'?
Travis
Ha! I bet his opening line is similar to the scene in Boogie Nights when Dirk asks the other actor, "How much do you bench?"!
Just goes to show you ain't got a clue 'cause bench pressing is what silly boys do when they think they are working out.
You must be kidding. Bench, squat, dead lift, pull-ups, shoulder press are the five best bang for your buck exercises for strength and mass.
No, I'm not kidding, and neither is Mark Rippetoe, who probably knows more about the training of, and the anatomy involved, of the major lifts than anyone alive. He states that a general athlete should do at least three sets of strict shoulder presses for every set of bench presses. Obviously, if you intend to compete as a powerlifter, you have to bench.
The bench press gets emphasized because of football, as a lineman can actually apply the strength gains from it, few other athletes can. The "posterior chain" is what matters most, and the other lifts you mentioned work that, but not the bench.
I've lost count of the ODA "farm animals" who've come to me complaining of shoulder pain. Guys in their thirties who've already got a "gorilla hunch" posture, with the attending thoracic kyphosis (and back pain) and of course, shoulder pain, as their posterior pecs are so tight (they insert on the coracoid process of the scapula) pulling the scapula forward/anteriorly. Also the anterior pecs are typically so short this pulls on the humerus and shifts the humeral head anteriorly. This can result in rotator cuff issues and labral tears.
You do all the major lifts, in the proper amounts, like Rippetoe advises, and most of this is quite unlikely. Problem is, few do, 'cause the bench is "easy".
