Press as warmup for bench

[KeithI]

One of the fairly recent podcasts mentioned using power cleans to warm up for deadlifts. Can the same thing be done with the press and the bench? If I’m going to bench three sets of five at 280, is there a reason not to warm up to a press triple at 200, then do an abbreviated bench warm up, say the bar for a set off 5, then 135 and 185 for doubles and a single at 225 before doing the work sets or is that asking to get hurt?

[Mark Rippetoe]

How much is your PR press?

[KeithI]

222

[Mark Rippetoe]

The only reason not to do this would be that it will interfere with your bench work sets. The only way to know is to try it.