Bench or push?

[michaelface]

I appologize, my answer was ignorant.
The way I was forced by my football coach in the past caused me to gain ALOT of bulk; in doing this it has caused me to become biased about the argument.

I would say if you are going to use the weights, be VERY explosive up -- it will teach your muscles to react quicker; same with push ups.

And from what I have always heard, lighter weight - more reps.

[PunchDrunk]

I appologize, my answer was ignorant.
The way I was forced by my football coach in the past caused me to gain ALOT of bulk; in doing this it has caused me to become biased about the argument.

I would say if you are going to use the weights, be VERY explosive up -- it will teach your muscles to react quicker; same with push ups.

And from what I have always heard, lighter weight - more reps.

**** what you heard, they were wrong.

Lighter weight, more reps is for endurance only, why do bench at all when pushups can do that for you?

Here's how the two should complement each other:

Pushups for more reps, for endurance.

Bench press, heavy weight, low reps, low volume of work (eliminates the "bulk" problem, and means less time spent in the gym, and less time spent on recovery). This will target STRENGTH. With the added strength, you have a better foundation for developing power.

[NJFighter91]

bodyweight exercises can work well for max strength as well

[Cutthroat]

Push ups work out more than just those muscles right (some muscles in the back?)? Because right now I'm sore, the sides of my pecs are only sore though. I haven't been sore like that in months. So does that mean if I can do 2 more push ups than last time that my bench has increased?

[potatoes]

People who advocate weightlifting claim it is more efficient at increasing strength the old fashioned boxing training. Whether this is true or not is a non-issue as far as boxing training is concerned. Boxers don't need to be strong, they need the ability to apply whatever strength they possess. Experience over the past 30 years has proven conclusively that if indeed boxers have increased their strength by weightlifting it has not improved their performance in any measurable way. Old fashioned boxing training will adequately condition the body for boxing, Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis proved that. Any additional strength training is largely a waste of time. We know that because modern boxers who train with weights don't perform any better than Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis.

[Nelson da Cruz]

People who advocate weightlifting claim it is more efficient at increasing strength the old fashioned boxing training. Whether this is true or not is a non-issue as far as boxing training is concerned. Boxers don't need to be strong, they need the ability to apply whatever strength they possess. Experience over the past 30 years has proven conclusively that if indeed boxers have increased their strength by weightlifting it has not improved their performance in any measurable way. Old fashioned boxing training will adequately condition the body for boxing, Jack Dempsey and Joe Louis proved that. Any additional strength training is largely a waste of time. We know that because modern boxers who train with weights don't perform any better than Jack Dempsey or Joe Louis.

Potatoes

Do you know the difference between 'weightlifting' and 'weight training'? Weighlifting is an Olympic sport consisting of two disciplines: the snatch and the clean and jerk. People who train for these exercises are lifting ****ing heavy weights because the sport requires just one rep to be successful. Have you seen how big their legs are and how strong they are pound for pound?
No boxer should be doing weightlifting to that extent.

Weight training is exactly that - training to make the body stronger through weights - how heavy the weights you train with is up to you. Sensible weight training will strengthen the ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones and if extensive stretching is done then the person won't lose any flexibility.

Weights can also provide muscle ENDURANCE which is important in a long fight. Look at ahtletes, gymnasts, martial artists....all do weights but they don't lose performance do they? So why are they using weights?

I think that weight TRAINING is beneficial and someone who does weight training will have an advantage over someone who doesn't.

[PunchDrunk]

bodyweight exercises can work well for max strength as well

True, but regular pushups don't work for max strength at all, so your point is meaningless to the bench vs. pushups discussion.

[PunchDrunk]

Boxers don't need to be strong, they need the ability to apply whatever strength they possess.

I think this little quote is enough to prove your ignorance. If a boxer isn't strong, he has no strength to apply. With no strength to apply, the other guy will walk right through you.
Conversely, if he IS strong, he has more strength to apply. If you can't see the logic in that, clearly it's because you DON'T WANT TO.

And yes, of course you still need to be able to apply the strength for it to work, but having strength (and working on it) doesn't magically evaporate the ability to box, like you seem to think. The two aren't mutually exclusive.

What you're doing is overemphasizing ONE of the attributes a boxer needs, and then claiming another attribute isn't needed. It's BS though.

Clearly any halfway intelligent person will realize that a boxer needs a blend of the followibng attributes:

Endurance
Strength
Speed
Ability

If you take one of those away completely, you will NOT be able to box, period.

The more you have of each, the more complete you will be.

[NJFighter91]

True, but regular pushups don't work for max strength at all, so your point is meaningless to the bench vs. pushups discussion.

regular pushups, of course not...but a variance of them....one armed pushups with feet and legs elevated...im pretty sure not a lot of people can do 10+ reps with those

[potatoes]

Potatoes

Do you know the difference between 'weightlifting' and 'weight training'? Weighlifting is an Olympic sport consisting of two disciplines: the snatch and the clean and jerk. People who train for these exercises are lifting ****ing heavy weights because the sport requires just one rep to be successful. Have you seen how big their legs are and how strong they are pound for pound?
No boxer should be doing weightlifting to that extent.

Weight training is exactly that - training to make the body stronger through weights - how heavy the weights you train with is up to you. Sensible weight training will strengthen the ligaments, tendons, muscles and bones and if extensive stretching is done then the person won't lose any flexibility.

Weights can also provide muscle ENDURANCE which is important in a long fight. Look at ahtletes, gymnasts, martial artists....all do weights but they don't lose performance do they? So why are they using weights?

I think that weight TRAINING is beneficial and someone who does weight training will have an advantage over someone who doesn't.

Yes, I have noticed you people like to play games with samantics. Weightlifting.....weight training......who gives a ****? Boxers started weight training in the 1970's and there is no proof it did them any good! After 30 years of doing whatever with weights something beneficial should have happened, if it was going to. Show us the proof of more knockouts, faster hands, higher punch rate over more rounds? Wake up sonny there is no proof! If you had the proof you would show it to us.

Ok, lets play the game a little further. You are now going to ask me to prove it has not been of any benefit. Of course that is logical impossibility, but then who give a **** about logic?