board presses

[jbrin0tk]

So I tried some board presses for the first time at home today. They seemed pretty much like a regular bench press (unless I was doing them wrong, or something). I was wondering, what is the advantage of these? I've heard many people say they can go toward helping a stalled bench. I'm not doubting their effectiveness; I'm just wondering what they are supposed to do/help. Thanks for any help in advance, guys.

[Lones Green]

board presses help build a strong lockout.

[PriestCometh]

Most people bounce the bar off the boards. I like to pause the weight about 2 seconds to make sure that the weight stops moving and then press it up as fast as possible. I do the same with pinpresses.

[vdizenzo]

Most people bounce the bar off the boards. I like to pause the weight about 2 seconds to make sure that the weight stops moving and then press it up as fast as possible. I do the same with pinpresses.

Absolutely. I see too may guys performing this exercise incorrectly. Touch low on the boards, pause, and drive back to lockout just like you do in the shirt.

[Natural-Muscle]

Another way of doing these without the boards is to do bench presses on the floor perferably with dumbells... If you have a partner then go with barbells

Its basically the same idea it builds the triceps extremly well and it also eliminates cheating so it is a perfect test to see how strong you really are


Natural muscle

[Sidior]

Another way of doing these without the boards is to do bench presses on the floor perferably with dumbells... If you have a partner then go with barbells

Its basically the same idea it builds the triceps extremly well and it also eliminates cheating so it is a perfect test to see how strong you really are


Natural muscle

Floor presses are a great exercise but they are not a replacement for board work.

Eliminates what kind of cheating? Leg drive and arching are not cheating.

[redFury]

Floor presses are a great exercise but they are not a replacement for board work.

Eliminates what kind of cheating? Leg drive and arching are not cheating.

I agree... though floor presses have their place.

[majorBRAWNtres]

board presses help build a strong lockout.

Most people bounce the bar off the boards. I like to pause the weight about 2 seconds to make sure that the weight stops moving and then press it up as fast as possible. I do the same with pinpresses.

thats pretty much the best way to put it.

[Guido]

Definitely pause on boards.

To the OP: if you thought it was just like benching, then either you weren't using high enough boards, weren't pausing, or weren't using enough weight to challenge your lockout strength!

[jbrin0tk]

that's good to keep in mind, thanks for the advice everyone. I wasn't sure of how much weight to use, so I started out at 160. It felt like no problem. I thought I should get some more advice before I went any heavier.

[Guido]

that's good to keep in mind, thanks for the advice everyone. I wasn't sure of how much weight to use, so I started out at 160. It felt like no problem. I thought I should get some more advice before I went any heavier.

Just make sure you have a good spotter since you can use heavier weights on board presses generally as compared to regular bench to the chest.

[elitepler]

It's funny that when I started doing these I would pause for a second on the boards and then I went to an MM seminar with Sebastian Burns. He told me to bring the bar down very low on the boards, out of my comfort zone, slap the boards hard and drive the bar back over your face. His explanation was that it is much more difficult do reverse the speed and momentum of the weight than it is to stop it, then apply force and lift it. From a physics standpoint that is true. I thought people were doing them wrong by slapping the boards, but apparently there are many ways to use them.

Go to you tube and type in Metal militia bench work out or board presses and you will see that they slap the weight on the boards and drive it back up.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1uT2qMJYMvw

[Stumprrp]

I was taught by vinny how to board press

Bring it very low, let it sink and throw it back, however i had to change this because in the USPF i cant bring the bar to my stomach, sternum and up.

Any thoughts on this vinny?

[drew]

I was taught by vinny how to board press

Bring it very low, let it sink and throw it back, however i had to change this because in the USPF i cant bring the bar to my stomach, sternum and up.

Any thoughts on this vinny?

Don't bench in the USPF.

[UHCougar05]

Don't bench in the USPF.

LOL! Maybe bring it up higher, but keep the same mechanics. I dunno Stump.

[vdizenzo]

LOL! Maybe bring it up higher, but keep the same mechanics. I dunno Stump.

Sounds good to me.

[Guido]

I've always found pause benching much more difficult. I think that's because you eliminate the stretch reflex. That's exactly why pause squats are so difficult. I don't see why you wouldn't train how you have to do it in a meet.

[Stumprrp]

the group of lifters at my gym which ill be training with do the boards like metal militia, smacking them and driving back.

you should know him vinny, Chuck Scherza?

[deeder]

I've never seen an IPF lifter smack the boards like in that video that was posted.

We position the board so it is flat against the chest/stomach, slowly lower the bar, pause, then press back up.

[Sidior]

I've always found pause benching much more difficult. I think that's because you eliminate the stretch reflex. That's exactly why pause squats are so difficult. I don't see why you wouldn't train how you have to do it in a meet.

Boards don't return energy the same way your body does. If you bounce it off your body it makes it much easier than pausing. Boards on the other hand are harder if you bring it down with as much force as possible. This is what I have read anyways.

[deeder]

Boards don't return energy the same way your body does. If you bounce it off your body it makes it much easier than pausing. Boards on the other hand are harder if you bring it down with as much force as possible. This is what I have read anyways.

Next time you get a chance... Bounce a bouncy ball on a hard floor, then bounce it on a mattress with the same force. When does it bounce higher?

Also, in that video it looks like the guy holding the boards is helping to throw the bar back up!

[Sidior]

Best thread I could find off the top off my head discussing board work.

http://www.fortified-iron.com/forum/...42889&hl=board

[PriestCometh]

Another way of doing these without the boards is to do bench presses on the floor perferably with dumbells... If you have a partner then go with barbells

Its basically the same idea it builds the triceps extremly well and it also eliminates cheating so it is a perfect test to see how strong you really are


Natural muscle

The problem with floor presses with dumbells is that I only have 150's in our gym. With Pinpresses or Boardpresses you can put whatever weight you need on the bar(especially if it is a heavy day exercise).

Oh by the way, how do you cheat on a board press or pinpress?

[PriestCometh]

I dig the way I do boardpresses because it simulates if you stall on a lift(in a shirt or without), you can restart the weight without a problem.

I think we are talking about two different types of training.

#1 - If you pause on the boards you will be able to work on lockout strength.

#2 - If you reverse the weight like the MM guys do, that is more of trying to go from an eccentric to concentric contraction the fastest. (Sorry if i spelled it wrong). Its kinda like squatting, you want to go from descending to accending the fastest.

does this make sense?

[vdizenzo]

the group of lifters at my gym which ill be training with do the boards like metal militia, smacking them and driving back.

you should know him vinny, Chuck Scherza?

I love Chuck, he's a great guy. Tell him I said hello. How much does he bench? I think the MM has had many great training philosophies, however, bouncing the bar off of the boards is not one of them.