Why a world record powerlifter told me NOT to bench press
The exercise he chose instead and why it works better for real life
You’ll learn:
An upper exercise that beats the bench press in safety and real-world carryover.
Why it improves upper body and core strength and make you better at rucking, lifting, and life.
Why strength isn’t vanity—it’s a health metric. One study found that people with a stronger upper body were 96 percent less likely to have a heart attack.
I’ve included a video of the exercise and tactics on how to incorporate it into your life and routine.
Housekeeping:
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The post
Fridays are reserved for our signature posts.
The first Friday of the month is our epic Burn the Ships workout.
The second Friday of the month is Gear Not Stuff.
Third Friday: The Expedition (my favorite to write because it nourishes my ADD brain).
Fourth Friday: Q&As.
But when a month sneaks in a fifth Friday, we run our All Killer, No Filler posts.
These posts feature ONE THING that’s improved my life lately. They’re quick, practical, and potent.
This fifth Friday, we’re featuring the best d*mn upper-body exercise on earth.
The problem with the bench press
When I got back from my 850-mile hike looking like I’d just left a famine relief camp, I called Josh Bryant to help me put on 15 pounds of muscle and get stronger than ever. I wrote about my experience working with him here.
Josh set a world record in barbell bench press, so I assumed he’d have me bench press. It’s arguably the most popular strength exercise, and it absolutely improves upper-body strength.
But he didn’t have me bench.
“Why would I have you bench press when I could have you do something better for your goals and training style?” Josh said. “I want to choose exercises that balance enthusiasm, discipline, awareness, self-restraint, and get you results.”
The bench press can have some downsides:
It has a relatively high injury risk: The bench press is good when done correctly—but few do it correctly. The exercise is the most common cause of weightlifting shoulder injuries, with one review1 finding “56.3% of current shoulder injuries started during bench-press training.” The U.S. Army2 even went as far as issuing a report about bench press injuries after seeing so many soldiers hurt by it.
It has less carryover to real life: We rarely press weight while lying flat on our back with our hands locked on a perfectly balanced weight. That position also takes away work that other muscles, like our core, could be doing.
It’s a hassle: You need a barbell, ample weight plates, a bench, and a rack to hold the barbell to do it. Most people need to visit a gym for all of that. You’ll also need a spotter or pins if you try to max out.
Josh gave me something better. It was safer, simpler, and more efficient transferable to life, rucking, and my outdoor pursuits.
Most importantly, it allowed me to surpass the strength I’d ever gotten from bench pressing while keeping my shoulders healthy.