Short arms and Press specialization

[Adriano Alves]

Hi Rip

In your coach experience a person who have short arms and have more advantage in bench, however choose Press in upper body specialization.
This person can still make some progress in bench even with low frequency?

I know the fact that we can't have both but still this comes to my mind.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Never noticed this. I don't pay that much attention to anthropometry.

[Nick Delgadillo]

Hi Rip

In your coach experience a person who have short arms and have more advantage in bench, however choose Press in upper body specialization.
This person can still make some progress in bench even with low frequency?

I know the fact that we can't have both but still this comes to my mind.

How do you know you can't have both? Have you tried? Lots of people still hit PRs and get a big bench press while pressing multiple times a week. You will need to press more often than you bench, unless you're seriously powerlifting, but that doesn't mean the pursuit of a bigger bench stops.

[Martin Shenfield]

Wouldn't having short arms have the same benefits for both lifts?

[Adriano Alves]

How do you know you can't have both? Have you tried? Lots of people still hit PRs and get a big bench press while pressing multiple times a week. You will need to press more often than you bench, unless you're seriously powerlifting, but that doesn't mean the pursuit of a bigger bench stops.

To be honest Nick, i really don't know. When i said "we can't have both", i was just basing it on some paragraphs from this article:
Upper Body Specialization: Who, What, When | Chase Lindley

Number 3: Determine what path you want to take with your training, it's either the bench or the press; you can’t have both. No matter which exercise you pick the other will make little progress, and you sure as hell can’t press to make your bench go up and vice versa. That’s the sad reality of training the upper body; the training has to be specific to the lift you want to get better at. Competing in a meet is a great way to make up your mind; whether it be a strengthlifting meet or a powerlifting meet, the experience will help you decide.

Number 4: This is more of a thought to keep in mind, not so much a factor you can control – some people are born to bench and others to press. Meaning, lifters who have a naturally large chest and short arms are more suitably built to bench heavier weights than someone who is not. Good pressers are people who are very flexible and have longer arms compared to their bench-press counterparts. These factors are heavily influenced by genetic traits. After a period of time with your program you’ll see which lift you’re naturally better at. Stick with what God gave you. Now, this isn’t to say you can't be strong in the non-genetically-suited lift, rather that it will be difficult making progress.

Look i'm really not trying to discredit you guys, i'm problably have misinterprete the article.
But i glad that have a possibility, because the idea of "stick with what god gave to me" its not a option for me, i'm too greedy for this

[Adriano Alves]

I was think the same thing, but probably the press is a more leverage dependent movement.

[Nick Delgadillo]

To be honest Nick, i really don't know. When i said "we can't have both", i was just basing it on some paragraphs from this article:
Upper Body Specialization: Who, What, When | Chase Lindley

Number 3: Determine what path you want to take with your training, it's either the bench or the press; you can’t have both. No matter which exercise you pick the other will make little progress, and you sure as hell can’t press to make your bench go up and vice versa. That’s the sad reality of training the upper body; the training has to be specific to the lift you want to get better at. Competing in a meet is a great way to make up your mind; whether it be a strengthlifting meet or a powerlifting meet, the experience will help you decide.

Number 4: This is more of a thought to keep in mind, not so much a factor you can control – some people are born to bench and others to press. Meaning, lifters who have a naturally large chest and short arms are more suitably built to bench heavier weights than someone who is not. Good pressers are people who are very flexible and have longer arms compared to their bench-press counterparts. These factors are heavily influenced by genetic traits. After a period of time with your program you’ll see which lift you’re naturally better at. Stick with what God gave you. Now, this isn’t to say you can't be strong in the non-genetically-suited lift, rather that it will be difficult making progress.

Look i'm really not trying to discredit you guys, i'm problably have misinterprete the article.
But i glad that have a possibility, because the idea of "stick with what god gave to me" its not a option for me, i'm too greedy for this

Chase's article is about specialization. It's something that occurs because it has to, and is individualized based on the circumstances, your genetic endowment, and preferences. You specialize recluctantly. Trying to plan for it is usually a mistake because almost everybody's frame of reference is off or non-existent.

[Adriano Alves]

Chase's article is about specialization. It's something that occurs because it has to, and is individualized based on the circumstances, your genetic endowment, and preferences. You specialize recluctantly. Trying to plan for it is usually a mistake because almost everybody's frame of reference is off or non-existent.

Now i'm fully understand. I have another perspective now, thank you for clarify.