Is bench press mandatory?

[whosthere]

Is bench press mandatory for upperbody strength?
One of my lifting goals was hitting 140kg x 5 on bench. I'm finally there, but throughout the ordeal I realised I don't really like this exercise - I hate being spotted.

Now, I think I remember Rip saying in SS that dips are overall superior to bench. Since I love dips and I love OHP, can I ditch bench completely, and instead do more dips and OHP, maybe throw in some dumbbell bench presses or incline bench or something for upper body pushing strength?

I'm not a football player - my sport of choice is judo, if that matters.

[Dkrad1935]

Andy baker has a podcast about mistakes not to make during the new year. I think his advice would be not to ask people here for permission. It's your program, it's your strength. Take ownership of it. But I agree asking for a spot sucks. If I could bench over 300 pounds I'd be ok with scaling back to something lighter and just going for volume on bench and adding weight on dips and ohp. Will be curious what others say.

I started lifting with a buddy that I trusted and trained how to spot me. Not I lift with my sons who have the attention span of a gnat. I could drop the barbell on my neck while they were standing there and they wouldn't notice is my guess!!

[OZ-USF-UFGator]

In the book, Rip says that dips are excellent and can be substituted for bench in the event of injury, but he makes no claims that the dip is a better exercize, as it is not incrementally loadable. Push ups, he said are superior to bench, but they, too are not sufficient for linear progression. If I gave up bench, I don't think I'd miss too much by using weighted dips and push ups.

As far as bench without spotter, the rack at my Y works OK, but suing the safety rails robs me of about an inch of range of motion, which can be annoying.

[Cody]

Many Olympic lifters don't bench. Dips are fine for volume, but you shouldn't try to 1rm them. Include plenty of pressing work, and don't expect to get big ole pecs.

[whosthere]

If I could bench over 300 pounds I'd be ok with scaling back to something lighter and just going for volume on bench and adding weight on dips and ohp.

Except I don't really see the point of doing bench. I mean if I couldn't do bodyweight dips or didn't have access to a dip belt/station/small plates then yes. I'd do bench, because it's easier to load.

I could drop the barbell on my neck while they were standing there and they wouldn't notice is my guess!!

I actually prefer spotters that are like that. I try to be conservative with barbell weight so I don't get injured, and if the spotter is looking the other way while I'm struggling under the bar he isn't robbing me of a rep I could've completed. I had a guy actually act something like a Smith machine when I was benching once.

it is not incrementally loadable

Thing is, I can incrementally load dips better than bench. Lightest available plates at my gym are 2.5 pounds. If I want to increase weight on the bench, I have to add two plates for 5 pounds. If I want to increase weight on the dips, I have to only add one plate for 2.5 pounds. Of course, the bodyweight is fluctuating, but that can be taken into account too I guess. Somehow. What I'm wondering is, does bench press has any pluses over dips except for being easier to load incrementally in certain cases?

Many Olympic lifters don't bench. Dips are fine for volume, but you shouldn't try to 1rm them. Include plenty of pressing work, and don't expect to get big ole pecs.

I'm not even expecting to get big ole pecs from benching, to be honest. I can always add volume bench work like Dkrad1935 said. I just want to be strong and I'm wondering if bench press is THAT important for strength, or if stuff like dips is better or equal.

[hollismb]

I realised I don't really like this exercise - I hate being spotted.

Oh, good. I didn't realize we were allowed to start ditching lifts because we didn't like doing them. That's really going to help me with that new deadlift 5RM I wasn't looking forward to doing this afternoon.

Thing is, I can incrementally load dips better than bench. Lightest available plates at my gym are 2.5 pounds. If I want to increase weight on the bench, I have to add two plates for 5 pounds. If I want to increase weight on the dips, I have to only add one plate for 2.5 pounds. Of course, the bodyweight is fluctuating, but that can be taken into account too I guess. Somehow. What I'm wondering is, does bench press has any pluses over dips except for being easier to load incrementally in certain cases?

Just buy some 1.25 pound plates and take them with you to the gym. Dan Miller will sell you a whole set of micro plates here for like $35 bucks shipped down in E&P.

[Tennisgolfboll]

Get a powercage or safeties, keep benching.

[Brian Jones]

Get a powercage or safeties, keep benching.

This

[Miro]

Nothing is mandatory.

Which, in itself, is a rather useless observation.

[idlehands]

This

This..
Also, how do you get to a 140kg/308lbs bench for reps not liking bench? I can think of maybe 10 folks at my gym that could bench over 300 for reps. I'm guessing that's out of 300-400 members. I'm guessing at members cause the last storm they said they were surprised they had 115 members show up during the day.