Training Myth # 2

Myth #2: 

Athletes shouldn’t bench press because it’s not "sport specific." - Joe Defranco

I always find it funny that the bench press is singled out as the one exercise that isn’t sport specific. I have a secret for you: No exercise is sport specific! Playing your sport makes the strength that you gain in the weight room sport specific!

Don’t get me wrong, certain exercises are more productive than others. But, remember that it’s impossible to duplicate the speed, intensity and technique of the athletic field in the weightroom. Therefore, no exercise you perform in the weightroom can be classified as a sport specific exercise.

The bottom line is that the bench press is a great, multi-joint, free-weight exercise for developing strength in the chest, triceps and shoulders. What’s wrong with that? I’m not saying that the bench press is the most important exercise in the world, but it can be effectively incorporated into the training routine of most athletes.