Bench-Press vs Push-Ups
Introduction
Bench Press vs Push Ups ? Which is best for developing upper body strength and muscle mass? Many lifters would probably agree that the bench press is King for these goals, however, some research suggests that both movements can be used effectively to improve strength and muscle mass when relative loading is equal.
Muscle Activation
Push Ups and Bench Press mainly do the same thing – they target chest, front shoulders, triceps and lats in a pushing motion. However, when doing Bench Press the weight moves and the upper body is stabilised on a bench, which makes it easier to focus on your chest and push more weight. In Push Ups the body is moving instead, so the exercise involves more joint motion and importantly - more core activation for stabilisation.
Strength Gains
The load is the key for gains, and the truth is that it's much easier to add load in Bench by simply adding more weight plates. Adding load in Push Ups, on the other hand, requires advanced variations and new skills that don't repeat the same movement pattern.
Can you replace Bench Press with Push Ups?
Getting stronger in Push Ups does not mean your Bench numbers will grow the same way, or vice versa. Bench Press is about absolute strength – pushing the most weight possible, whereas Push Up is about relative strength – how efficiently you can use your own body-weight. It all depends on your goals, both exercises can make you build muscle, get fitter and look better.
Push Ups offer you an accessible way to get results anywhere. It's not easy to progress, but the challenge in learning new variations makes it fun. For example, One Arm Push Up is a great exercise that requires lots of strength but also involves core, hips and lower body which means you can transfer the strength gains to other real life movements such as throwing, punching, running...Here's more benefits and tips for Push Ups.
Bench Press requires weights, and even someone to assist you if you're lifting heavy. But it also makes it easier to see faster maximum strength gains, if that's your main goal. But remember, the maximum strength you gain on your Bench Press can not directly transfer to real life functional movement.
Push Ups benefits:
accessibility - no equipment, you can do it anywhere and still have gains
focus on relative/functional body-weight strength - gains transfer to other movements
advanced variations and new skills needed to progress load
works on your core activation and stabilisation
Bench Press benefits:
focus on maximal/absolute pushing strength
faster load progressing simply by adding weights, without changing the movement
easier way to make your chest muscles burn with less reps
works more on your shoulder stabilisation
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