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Not doing bench press

I spent a few years in a range of fighting sports and a little time fighting competitively, but I am no expert. I used to supplement the more sport specific training with weights to build general strength.
Bench pressing and squatting didn't offer much as far as speed and technique goes, but it makes you stronger- so the attributes it offers carry across. I know David Tua squats and benches, as do many fighters. But, weights are down the list of priorities- they offer a way of developing particular attributes. There are many ways to train, but compound movements are proven strength builders.
With regard to the original question- why one or the other? I would do OHP and bench and pushups- I'd avoid really heavy work- but I'd probably find place for all.
As for the name calling in this thread- whats up with that? Geez.
 
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I would definitely incorporate the bench press into the work out. If not barbell, at least dumbbells, or best of all, a push press explosively. Top level MMA/Boxing etc would definitely incorporate some chest work. No weak links.

While i'm a big fan of still hitting all muscle groups hard with resistance, if you want a strong punch - it's as simple as this. Hit a heavy bag. Then hit an even heavier bag.
 
Macmad, very true.

But have you still been doing karate?

Now when i use any weights with my guys it's for strength, not size and not to look good.

Allthough some of the guys do have fairley impressive lifts, most use a much lighter weight and a much faster movement than if you were training for 1rm's or bodybuilding.

I guess its i fine balance, what i can tell you is in 2001 i weighed in at alittle over 60kg, I then started lifting heavy weights 3x5 programme for the most and started eating a 80 kg man's calorie intake and plus some, while still boxing too.

In 3 years "ish" i got to 85kg and never went over 20% bodyfat.
My lifts in the dead , bench, squat and ohp doubled, and now as a boxer i am just as fast as i was , as a 60kg stringy thing and i have genuine knockout power. something i didnt have.

Years on im older, faster and a more powerfull puncher and all my lifts are still going up,(a pb 180 squat just last week).

If i didnt carry on boxing aswell as lifting maybe my lifts would have been even better, concerntrating on just 1rm's.

But i dont think my boxing would have improved as much if i didnt lift and got stronger.
 
@ 110kg your a monster mad.

You dont need to box, or do karate , looking at a 110kg dude is scarey enough, ha ha.

Its a hard balance.
 
Max is currently training a fighter. He trains in boxing, MMA and kick boxing. He hopes to make a career from it, he just got back from the States where he trained and watched the UFC.

Max trains him like I trained him. He trains all major lifts squat/bench/dead/clean/press and has him do a KB complex at the end of each session.

He has a fighters mentality and is getting quite strong, trains extremely hard.
 
Thank you for the great discussion and advice offered everyone! Really appreciate it. I have decided to focus on the OHP, but will shift to the push press and jerk in time. Will bench once a week or fortnightly at least.
 
macmad said:
actually I'd have to disagree with this as well. While I'm much stronger now than before I started powerlifting, if I went back to my previous sport Karate I'd get smashed as I'm now much slower. I can probably punch harder, but only if someone stayed still in front of me, and my kicking which was my strength in Karate has all but disappeared with the loss of speed.
Or I could be just too old for Karate now anyway.
Click to expand...

Iv still got my speed if I went back to tkd i would be more explosive, but
fitness is down. Maybe i should put up a video as a demonstration
 
Bench isn't needed in my opinion. But some form of heavy pressing is needed. Also I would not want to fight someone that can bench press 140kg for a set of 20. Just putting that out there
 
0ni said:
Bench isn't needed in my opinion. But some form of heavy pressing is needed. Also I would not want to fight someone that can bench press 140kg for a set of 20. Just putting that out there
Click to expand...

quality thread bump indeed.

As long as they don't have any bjj knowledge, I'd do it :p
 
0ni said:
Bench isn't needed in my opinion. But some form of heavy pressing is needed. Also I would not want to fight someone that can bench press 140kg for a set of 20. Just putting that out there
Click to expand...

I have done 15 on 140 and I wouldn't have been able to fight my way out of a wet paper bag when I was training like that. A fat old ex-golden gloves made my face a bit flatter when I thought my strength would make me a good match up as a sparring partner.
 
0ni said:
Bench isn't needed in my opinion. But some form of heavy pressing is needed. Also I would not want to fight someone that can bench press 140kg for a set of 20. Just putting that out there
Click to expand...

l.jpg
 
why does my GP reckon that pressing weight above my shoulders (ie OHP) is bad for my shoulders? Said benching was way better for "overall body strength". Not sure what and why, but I always prefer OHP cause it works the front and rear of my delts.
 
Jungman said:
why does my GP reckon that pressing weight above my shoulders (ie OHP) is bad for my shoulders? Said benching was way better for "overall body strength". Not sure what and why, but I always prefer OHP cause it works the front and rear of my delts.
Click to expand...

Seem to see this a bit.

Most say bench is more risky for the shoulders

Some say OHP is worse.

The best thing is go by feel. If it hurts stop. For me OHP has never given me shoulder issues but bench has.
 
Bazza20 said:
Seem to see this a bit.

Most say bench is more risky for the shoulders

Some say OHP is worse.

The best thing is go by feel. If it hurts stop. For me OHP has never given me shoulder issues but bench has.
Click to expand...

Yep....

I'm the opposite....

OHP with barbell always causes me grief...

Bench press never causes an issue...

Just got to work with what you've got to find the excercises that suit you...
 
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