Floor Chest Press or Bench?

[vickinoland]

If we are not to go lower with our chest presses than bench height, then what is the difference between doing them on the floor than the bench? Isnt it the same range of motion since not supposed to go lower than bench.

 

[Debinmi]

ETA ... Whoops ... forgot to say " not Cathe, but" I think doing them on the floor, at least for me, is that I tend to touch the floor which gives a momentary rest ... this means less "time under tension" .

 

[Hazlady]

I think doing them on the floor, at least for me, is that I tend to touch the floor which gives a momentary rest ... this means less "time under tension" .

I agree. When doing them on the floor you are supposed to just lightly tap the floor, but this often turns into a momentary rest as you get fatigued. Also, when doing them on the bench you need more body awareness to make sure you don't go lower than bench height. You need to be aware of where your arms are at the bottom of the movement.

 

[vickinoland]

I think doing them on the floor, at least for me, is that I tend to touch the floor which gives a momentary rest ... this means less "time under tension" .

 

[vickinoland]

Great point! Thank you for answering me.

 

[vickinoland]

I agree. When doing them on the floor you are supposed to just lightly tap the floor, but this often turns into a momentary rest as you get fatigued. Also, when doing them on the bench you need more body awareness to make sure you don't go lower than bench height. You need to be aware of where your arms are at the bottom of the movement.

This sounds very valid to me, although I never rest at the bottom when on floor but just use as a guide. I appreciate the feedback. I also read today that the floor chest presses will engage your triceps more, I am not opposed to that but I think I will alternate from now on from floor to bench.

 

[Debinmi]

My sister pointed-out to me that if you do them on the floor, you should be mindful of where your arms are too, to limit the touch.

 

[aqua girl]

I like them both ways. In Push Pull, Cathe does the bench press on the floor and also in alot of Live workouts too.

 

[Debinmi]

I mostly do chest presses & flys on the bench .... except in LIVES where Cathe does them on the floor & in STS2.0 Body Parts Chest Bonuses where she has you lift your hips/legs.

 

[aqua girl]

except in LIVES where Cathe does them on the floor & in STS2.0 Body Parts Chest Bonuses where she has you lift your hips/legs.

Yep, I'm one of those people who has to do it the way Cathe does, or at least as close as I can get to it! If she's on the floor, so am I! If she's on the bench, that's where you'll find me!

 

[Hazlady]

I mostly do chest presses & flys on the bench .... except in LIVES where Cathe does them on the floor & in STS2.0 Body Parts Chest Bonuses where she has you lift your hips/legs.

Yep, I'm one of those people who has to do it the way Cathe does, or at least as close as I can get to it! If she's on the floor, so am I! If she's on the bench, that's where you'll find me!

I'm the same, I mostly use a bench but if Cathe is doing them on the floor then so do I.

My sister pointed-out to me that if you do them on the floor, you should be mindful of where your arms are too, to limit the touch.

Good point.

 

[Kellyro77]

I do all presses/flys on the floor unless Cathe's having you do them on an incline or on the stability ball. I don't have the standard step Cathe uses, (it's some old thing without the risers from the thrift store).

That said, I don't really ever have a problem where I'm just chilling out and resting my arms on the floor when I'm down on the floor. I might briefly feel my triceps brush the surface with a feather's touch. The pace in all the workouts keeps me moving. If that light feather's touch is considered "resting" then the negatives are probably so extremely negligible that it's really not worth my getting anxious about it. I have wicked DOMS every time after a chest workout, so I'm pretty sure I'm getting full effect.

 

[snowlover]

I'm thinking that some of the difference is simply about getting into position. Some people don't want to wrangle heavy weights into position on the floor. It may be easier the way Cathe often deomonstrates by resting the dumbbells on the thighs, then sitting down on a bench and hoisting them back . . .

 

[Kellyro77]

I'm thinking that some of the difference is simply about getting into position. Some people don't want to wrangle heavy weights into position on the floor. It may be easier the way Cathe often deomonstrates by resting the dumbbells on the thighs, then sitting down on a bench and hoisting them back . . .

It does take some extra "oomph" getting my 30's into position while I'm on the floor, yes. Kinda have to curl my body up and put my core into it - some extra bicep/tricep strength needed there, too.

 

[nickisteen]

I prefer on the bench so I am aware of where I need to stop. When I do them on the floor, I usually touch - someone else brought this up.