Bench Press question

Shryke

Living in a bog I can't get around to the gym so I have a set of weights for myself but no bench. I'm looking for exercises for the chest and triceps. Seperate exersices or otherwise. I have dumbbells and a barbell.
Mainly I was doing cardio in the past, and I've dropped a few stone and I'm in much better shape now, although I'm still carrying a bit (hoping to drop that along the way). I feel much better but weaker as well. I was never too strong but I'm easily at the bottom of the barrel now. I've educated myself as to diet etc. and the stickies have helped with that, so to the point:
Without a bench I remember reading somewhere you could just do presses lying on the ground... what does that take away from the exercise? I might be able to knock something together if I have to. I'm not talking crazy weight, just training myself up. So the ground? Eh? Well, also, would it be alright if using a dumbbell I did one arm at a time? That probably wouldn't make it a bench press right? Would it take away any effect a normal press with a barbell would have?
Any exercises people would recommend for chest and triceps?
Idiot questions, but this is the internet. Where I know no shame
Thanks for any replies.

davyjose

Pushups are an excellent way to build up a very good foundation for chest strength. In fact even if you had a bench, it's probably better to begin with pushups anyway, given you are "bottom of the barrel".

ali.c

eh the bench press without a bench, is AFAIK called a floor press. My understanding is that it works a different ROM than the standard bench press, and it focuses on the second half of the movement. yes you can do dumbell bench presses though i dont know why you would do one are at a time.

To build up your triceps, you could do tricep extensions and bw dips?

FunkZ

ali.c wrote:

tricep extensions

I started doing these a day or two ago and they kill your arms, deadly! It feels better than doing fifty push ups!

BossArky

Assume the press up position.

However, instead of having hands flat with palm open onto floor, have a dumbell gripped in each hand. Imagine them connected together like a bench bar.

Do 1 push up like this.

When finished lift the right dumbell as if doing a one handed dumbell row. THe left hand will have to stabilise you. Repeat on the other side.

Then do another push up... and continue right, left, pushup.... right, left, pushup... etc.... see how many you can do.

I was huffing and puffing till I blew my house down after about 3 sets of 10 with 10kg dumbells in each arm. Great for your core muscles too.

ali.c

Dont want to hi-jack the thread, but BossArky how do the dumbells not roll?

BossArky

Good question and one which I will think about the next time I do them. I guess the stomach and arms working together to balance and stop the arms rolling back or forwards. It really is a killer exercise and tough on the core (as well as working chest, triceps and upper back when "rowing") so I recommend trying it out.

ali.c

BossArky wrote:

Good question and one which I will think about the next time I do them. I guess the stomach and arms working together to balance and stop the arms rolling back or forwards. It really is a killer exercise and tough on the core (as well as working chest, triceps and upper back when "rowing") so I recommend trying it out.

That does make sense alright, i tried it a while ago and it felt very strange and not safe. though i was under the impression that the idea was to get a larger ROM on your press-up. it makes a lot more sense if the way you put it though!!

FunkZ

I just tried them and almost cracked my two front teeth. I think it might be like one armed push ups? I can't do those though...

davyjose

LazyFingers wrote:

It feels better than doing fifty push ups!

Yes, but it's not, because you're only using 1 muscle group as opposed to 3 or 4.

BossArky

LazyFingers wrote:

I just tried them and almost cracked my two front teeth. I think it might be like one armed push ups? I can't do those though...

It is like a one armed push up in the sense that at the top of a normal press up you then take either your right or left hand off the floor and row backwards. You don't actually need to press up with the one arm.. just hold it still and extended. This is where your stomach muscles feel like they want to rip in half.

justsomebloke

what you can do is try and make your pressups harder. For example try decline pressups i.e. elevate you feet using something like a chair, this will increase the amount of body weight that you are having to lift.
Or you could try weighted push-ups using things like chains or a weighted back pack

HammerHeadGym

Try Boss Arky's workout. This will really give you a good foundation for a strong chest, shoulder and triceps (a press basically). You may also try some standard press ups. Try them in various styles such as elbows in, elbows out, hand's in front of chest making a diamond etc. Once you can do 3 sets of 40 with not too much pain, try working in a set of plyometric (also known as the clapping) push ups. First set you clap in front of your chest, second set, behind the back and the third set in front and behind. That's a chest workout.
With your dumbells you can try tricep extensions, single or double handed or with your bar, the old skool 'military press' which is exactly the same as a standing shoulder press with a barbell but it mentions the army so it's about 14% tougher and hence cooler.

Shryke

Wow, great responses. Ok, copied and pasted I'll try out Arkys later. Thanks everyone!

BossArky

Ok so I tried these out after a 5km run as mentioned in my fitness log. Was actually tough trying to grip the dumbells with sweaty hands and stop them rolling. Never noticed it before... but probably just down to it being fresh in my mind.. plus the sweaty paws. COuld only manage two sets of 10 with 10kg as was knackered from run.

FunkZ

davyjose wrote:

Yes, but it's not, because you're only using 1 muscle group as opposed to 3 or 4.

Sorry I solely thinking of triceps when I said that. What other muscles does apart from triceps and the pectorials does it use?

BossArky wrote:

It is like a one armed push up in the sense that at the top of a normal press up you then take either your right or left hand off the floor and row backwards. You don't actually need to press up with the one arm.. just hold it still and extended. This is where your stomach muscles feel like they want to rip in half.

Thanks for the explanation. I tried it again and I can do them but one side of my body slightly raises to a 30 degree angle, is this wrong? I can't really help it.

Gillie

jsb wrote:

what you can do is try and make your pressups harder. For example try decline pressups i.e. elevate you feet using something like a chair, this will increase the amount of body weight that you are having to lift.
Or you could try weighted push-ups using things like chains or a weighted back pack

This is probably not going to make any sense but I find it a helluva lot easier to do decline pressups rather than normal ones.
Should it not be the other way around?

ali.c

Gillie wrote:

This is probably not going to make any sense but I find it a helluva lot easier to do decline pressups rather than normal ones.
Should it not be the other way around?

Me too! I think its because my shoulders are more involved in the pressing, though my bf thinks they are harder. I think slightly different muscle combinations are involved so maybe thats the difference!

spooiirt!!

Id say its better to buy a bench than doing all this push up malarkey.

davyjose

LazyFingers wrote:

Sorry I solely thinking of triceps when I said that. What other muscles does apart from triceps and the pectorials does it use?

Shoulders and to a certain extent lats.

spooiirt!! wrote:

Id say its better to buy a bench than doing all this push up malarkey.

Depends on your goals, but there is nothing wrong with doing push-ups as well. Also, they're free, and a lot more portable than a bench.

Aedh Baclamh

Hands under the chest when near the floor and doing them really slow kills me. Love doing press ups.

Aedh Baclamh

This may sound a bit stupid...

Your lower back will not be touching the bench when you're pressing, is this correct? Like it'll be a curve because of your upper back and your rear end.

billius

BossArky wrote:

Assume the press up position.

However, instead of having hands flat with palm open onto floor, have a dumbell gripped in each hand. Imagine them connected together like a bench bar.

Do 1 push up like this.

When finished lift the right dumbell as if doing a one handed dumbell row. THe left hand will have to stabilise you. Repeat on the other side.

Then do another push up... and continue right, left, pushup.... right, left, pushup... etc.... see how many you can do.

I was huffing and puffing till I blew my house down after about 3 sets of 10 with 10kg dumbells in each arm. Great for your core muscles too.

Tried 6 sets of these over the weekend...excellent workout...still sore now (in a good way - makes you know your getting results)!! Here's a tip to prevent the dumbells from rolling all over the place while you're balancing on them; put two cushions on the floor and place the dumbells on these. Should stop them from rolling - just don't do this on a wooden floor as it could have the opposite effect!!