Weighted Push-ups

[PressesPeople]

Well this got lost in the Q&A for some reason, so I'll just ask it here.

I'm wondering what you guys would think of weighted push ups as a replacement for the bench. Same amount of reps and everything. I'm aware that finding viable solutions for incremental loading of pushups is difficult, but in this situation we're assuming I've found a way to do that (I sort of have; need to work out the kinks though).

Also, do you think there's a specific part of the body that the weight should hang from ideally (e.g., upper chest as opposed to solar plexus), or do you think this just should depend on how wide of a grip one takes, much like in the bench press? I'm thinking that the lower the weight on the chest would be, the more isometric action the spine would have to engage in order to keep the body straight.

So, excluding the logistical problems of weighted push ups, what are the pros/cons?

Any comments will be much appreciated. Thanks

[brianb]

I thought this was already discussed at length in the other thread -> You CAN eaily do pushups with weights

[PressesPeople]

The only thing that was discussed there was how to bitch at each other...

I was looking to a have cleaner discussion about the topic. Not 21 pages of "you're a fucking douche," etc....

[wes]

One con would be the decreased range of motion. If you are hanging something from your chest its going to limit how deep you can go. I cant imagine how you could add a lot of weight to your chest area without it taking up a lot of space.

Also, wouldn't a pushup of x require less arm/chest strength than a bench of x due to the amount of weight supported by the feet during a pushup? Wouldn't the pushup also take more back/ab strength than the bench?

[MikeC1]

One con would be the decreased range of motion. If you are hanging something from your chest its going to limit how deep you can go. I cant imagine how you could add a lot of weight to your chest area without it taking up a lot of space.

You must not be very imaginative. With the right contraption, your range of motion could be larger than with the bench press.

Also, wouldn't a pushup of x require less arm/chest strength than a bench of x due to the amount of weight supported by the feet during a pushup?

Just load up x + 40.

Wouldn't the pushup also take more back/ab strength than the bench?

That's what we like, exercises that use more of the body.

[simonsky]

One con would be the decreased range of motion. If you are hanging something from your chest its going to limit how deep you can go. I cant imagine how you could add a lot of weight to your chest area without it taking up a lot of space.

well, imagine more.

[PressesPeople]

Exactly, Mike. By raising my hands and feet up off the ground (by using cinderblocks, for example), I can both hang weight and still get a perfectly adequate ROM.

I hate the feeling of bench presses because the movement feels so isolated. It's not like squats, presses, or deadlifts where I feel like I'm being overwhelmed by the whole body stimulus of the weight on top of me. It always feels lighter than it is, and it's difficult to get the full body tension that I require for maximal power output.

What do you guys think about WHERE the center of weight should hang from? (upper chest, lower chest?)

[wes]

Well yeah, if you want to get up on blocks or something you could negate the space taken up by the weight and if you want to add more weight you could negate the weight on the feet but... aren't you, well, just complicating the issue?

We are already squatting, deadlifting, and pressing. We don't need more stress for our back/abs. Thats the whole point of the bench press, remove a link to train pressing power maximally.

But hey, do whatever you want. Its not as if you asked for my opinion or anything.

[Les Hahn]

Exactly, Mike. By raising my hands and feet up off the ground (by using cinderblocks, for example), I can both hang weight and still get a perfectly adequate ROM.

I hate the feeling of bench presses because the movement feels so isolated. It's not like squats, presses, or deadlifts where I feel like I'm being overwhelmed by the whole body stimulus of the weight on top of me. It always feels lighter than it is, and it's difficult to get the full body tension that I require for maximal power output.

What do you guys think about WHERE the center of weight should hang from? (upper chest, lower chest?)

If your body is loose during the bench, you really aren't doing it right. Sometimes my legs get so tight that they can cramp. Once the weight gets up there (400+), you will get a lot of stimulus out of it. It takes a lot out of you too.

As for the bag, I would try to put the weight really high on my back. If it is lower, you should be able to do more weight. Since you are filling a bag, I would try to keep it as hard as possible. If the bag moves, or the plates shift in the bag, you will be changing the amount of weight you are lifting. So be careful of that too.

Why not just bench? I am asking seriously, not trying to make fun of anyone or anything like that.

[PressesPeople]

Callador, I would not be using a bag on my back. Rather, I would have a harness system that allow me to hang the weight below my chest. That way, the weight automatically shifts to the proper center of gravity, and I don't have to worry about plates moving around on my back.

Also, I am aware that tightness during the bench is essential. However, no matter how tight one gets during the bench, I imagine the whole body tension that one could acquire doing a weighted push up would always be greater, as long as sufficient weight was used.

I don't mind benching. In fact I think it's fun and fairly easy (not easy in the sense that it's light, though). It's actually what I look forward to most during my week. I just had heard that Mark said weighted pushups would be superior to the bench press, IF there was a practical way of doing them. I just figured I'd get some peoples' opinions and possibly their experiences/results with the exercise. I'm thinking at this point that I might have to be the guinea pig for this, though.