How to substitute the board press

[F?rreo]

Hi Mark:

For the guys that haven't any board, do you know any object to replace it (plates or whatever)?. Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

The power rack? But boards might be cheaper.

[Gary Gibson]

Board benches have a very different feel from deadstop rack bench partials and a much better carryover to shirted benching which they're supposed to help. Same way box squatting has a different feel and better carryover to geared squatting than deadstop rack squats to similar depth.

Of course, your goal may not be to improve your geared bench. Just thought I'd bring it up.

I've heard tell of people using phone books as substitutes in a pinch.

[F?rreo]

The power rack? But boards might be cheaper.

Are you refering to put the safety pins where the board would be?.

P.S.: I already have the power rack, so for me it's cheaper than the boards.

[Andy Baker (KSC)]

Phone books tucked up underneath a tight shirt work well, especially if you are training alone.

If you don't currently have any boards though, a common solution is buying them. It gets the job done.

[scotts]

I have done board presses (of two and three boards thickness) and bench presses with the pins set at equivalent heights. I much prefer the board press. The weight is actually easier to handle from the boards because, even if let the weight come to rest on your chest, you still have to balance the bar, and so never entirely deload. With the pins, because the bar is supported in two places, you completely deload and the weight it is invariably jerked up unevenly when your press again with heavy weight. Boards are cheap and easy to make, so I'm not sure what the problem is using them.

[Notorious]

Big hardcover books.