WHY Lu Xiaojun "DOES NOT RECOMMEND" Bench Press for Olympic Weightlifting 

Didn't notice much difference but liked both the old and the new one! Actually in China the coaches emphasize shoulder internal rotation in the jerk a little bit more than the peers from most western countries. The Chinese national team don't train bench press much, but they do train their upper body a lot, especially the back. Regarding pushing strength different coaches have different training philosophy. For instance coach Yu Jie's athletes Lu Xiaojun, Tian Tao, Yang Zhe do a lot of weighted dips and deficit handstand push ups with an emphasis of shoulder internal rotation at the end of the movement, and Coach Shao Guoqiang's group including Shi Zhiyong and Li Dayin do relatively little pushing exercise and limited the ranges of exercise selection to something like BTN push press to avoid significant pec delevopment, that's why Shi and Li Dayin have unimpressive pecs compared to the rest of their body parts and their teammates. With that said, when training young athletes Chinese coaches do prescribe bench presses when they think the pushing strength is seriously lacking behind. It's just not that common in the national team.

Great content man!

Lu's squat jerk demands more shoulder mobility than klokov's split jerk. This is why he doesn't focus on building anterior upper body strength as tight pecs and anterior delts will restrict mobility even though they help in stability

Once i cut bench press out of my training routine my shoulders have started feeling so much better, and I'm able to over head squat properly and I don't regret cutting bench

Fantastic analysis! Subbed!💪

Great video!

Don't need flat bench unless you're a powerlifter competing at it. Even for aethetics incline/low incline are better imo. You can build a pretty good chest without heavy flat benching

I quitted dips and bench press because it always hurts my shoulder. I replaced them with dumbbell presses mainly incline and flat. Works fine no shoulder pain anymore

well made video thanks!

When I was a teen barely getting into fitness, & just exercising period to get stronger -- not really for vanity or competitive bodybuilding reasons -- I didn't have no bench. All I did were pushups, & it wasn't until 2 years later my Dad gave me his old standard bench. Was using it for awhile, but always preferred getting an Olympic weight set bench to really start going up. Then I came up with an idea of doing dumbbell floor presses one summer (since I didn't have a bench to lay on), & it really helped put mass in my chest quicker. So I just abandoned the whole idea of saving money for an Olympic bench set. Even got compliments, & questions back then from people in school on how I got so massive. Some HS football players back then too always wondered how much I benched, funny enough, I would just tell them I don't bench but do other variations of chest. Now I got myself a flat bench to lay on, & doing 100s when I was only doing 35s-50s the first time I started. I don't plan on going any higher to be honest.

Thanks for the video Brandon! Question for you - is there a reason you perform the press with your wrists facing inwards and your shoulder not fully abducted horizontally? (like in the standard military press?) thanks again!

Very good 🔥👏🏻

Of course there is a correlation between pressing overhead and jerk . If you can lift more over your head you can lift more over your head, it is a truism. The point this misses though is that there are multiple ways to get the weight overhead. We know for a fact that one (the highly technical jerk used by lifters like lu and lasha) which focuses on driving from the legs, throwing the bar up, and catching at the the right spot), is superior to the more brute force jerk (dimitry’s) which over emphasizes pushing the bar with the shoulders and triceps. That is the point of what lu says, jerks with an emphasis on driving, throwing, and catching are better than driving, pushing, and dipping.

Yeah I noticed that. Ive always done classic weights.... And while I tryed crossfit.... I could perform O. H. Squats at all....

Great content! More of analysing elite athlelts pls

Well Lu Xiaojun is a double Olympic gold medalist and 5 times Weightlifting world champion so I'd take his advice seriously Edit: Triple Olympic Gold medalist now

Best physiques ever where built before benches were invented, way before man boobs were a thing to achieve.

Bench press breaks the scapuloheumeral rhythm as part of its technique and scapulae can't move in intended natural way. it is the root cause of all the evils resulting from benching. Even the elite powerlifters (not all but many) have issues relating to shoulders and rotator cuff due to this. Standing pressing and dips are way superior to bench as the scapulae can move in unrestricted and natural way.

It seems to me that weighted dips and those plate flies provide more specific stimulus to squat jerks. With Klokov’s split jerk, it’s much more the case that the bar moves up, so perhaps the horizontal pressing stimulus would result in better carry over. Just a guess as a novice at weightlifting (but not in general).

Thank you

For olympic weight lifters is a waste of time and energy, for the rest of mortals works because you just need to build strength and muscles in the chest

Don't bench if you want to compete in these types lifts. Do bench if you want to loo aesthetic. Just stretch daily, pre and post work out to keep your mobility.

nice video

In fact in that video Klokov does not recommend bench as well. Old school weight lifters were doing 45 inclined bench, which is different thing, or shoulder width grip normal bench.

I’ve been experiencing pain while throwing (an American football). I’m going to try the waiters carry to help that out

Bp makes it so I automatically don't lock out elbows in the jerk. My joints are more than flexible enough. But there's a habit in my mind not to hyper lock the elbows. It's hindering my oly progress...

Just a “hobby” lifter, I lift in my garage, I’d appreciate suggestions on an ohp specific pressing routine.

Best training for upper body is L-sit to Handstand for the push, and Front Lever/skin the cat for the pull

I must listen to him

Why comparison Lu with Klokov in the thumbnail? Klokov dream is to be equal to Lu when he grows up.

Heavy flat benching destroyed my shoulders I can never train normally again due to tearing my rotator cuff twice and injuring my ac joint ..I wish I took mobility work more serious when I started

How does Klokov press so much more despite being heavier by only about 20 kg? Does Lu just not train that movement much (not sure if he was only referring to bench pressing)?

I'm personally gonna stop bench press because I don't have enough mobility for the bar to reach my chest, it's not even a mobility thing but the way my skeleton is, I am Chinese and got the weightlifter body type so my arms are shorter than average, I noticed shoulder pain every time I bench and even had to stop lifting for a month before because of that, i found the reason it's because of bench press, I can technically let the bar touch my chest if I just let it but that puts stress on my shoulders. I am just going to do dumbbell bench press from now on

Love from Nepal,sir plz make a video about"== in many undeveloped country and asian country there people think if in young age we start streanth work just like powerlifting, weightlifting than than there height is not increase but fitness RU-vid influencer claim no effect in height and in European countries or western ,there atleatth or player start weightlifting training in young age ,make a video in this issues what is reality😢😊

Klokov has shoulders issue. In interviews he say - "i train bench press for support my shoulder by strong muscles"

okk, so we have medium not little guys right now just outlifting bigger guys'. ok so the standard vector moment arm linear -ism Model was wrong. Who's responsible for lazy sheet like that. Tell us...

I mean, training rear delts could also even out posture and flexibility decreased by overdeveloped front delts

0:39 subtitle is not what he said, He doesn't mean NOT to do, just do it less.

I just stopped doing bench and started doing dumbbell press….much better on my joints

He is right!!!!

Olympic lifting can help bench not vice versa I'd say aside from close grip

What about dumbel chest press

Ehen you do these, your head goes forward. Is it ok?

100% true

But mark rippetoe knows absolutely everything and would disagree

he said professionals... how many people from the local gym are "professionals" there???

I just want to squat jerk 1 plate but my ankle and shoulder mobility isn’t there

Good things come to those who sweat.

Man but I love benching :(

4:09 the way he is holding it scares me

15kg Lu raises! I do 25 x 5kg for 4 sets as a shoulder finisher but my grip struggles to hold 10kg plates, he makes 15kg raises and grip look so easy!

He looks like a Monster from Wind Breaker

This reinforces what J. Cavaliere said once. The most Athletic exercises are the one when you feet touch the ground. Even better, when you're standing

I want to do dips. But I can't. Even home dips aren't working because my chairs aren't strong and sturdy enough. I need to start investing on one.

So...what should women do to increase upper body strength?

I’m bout a stop doing bench. My shoulder mobility is so bad

Is a power cage better than a squat rack?

That dude has the squarist jaw

Are high-rep bodyweight pushups OK?

Once he saved it restricts movement I knew he knows what he be saying, cause who want a permanent 45 angle stance on your arms just to lose all the muscles and still have the same problems are you did with those “cobras”

He would also tell you that drinking ice-cold water in the morning is bad and that eating watermelon during the winter would make you unwell. Also, I don’t think they diet at all because their cooks don’t understand how macronutrients work. Do whatever that floats your boat. 😂😂😂

Dear Lu! I'm just indicating...the primarily responsible for shoulder immobility is the Latissimus Dorsi...

One is a double Olympic champion.

It should be, don't bench press if you're strong enough to be a top 20 oly lifter in your class nation wise. That is where it makes sense, if you are not at least that level you should definitely do bench press.

What about dumbell flat press?

Bench press is the least practical lift in regards to functionality. Squating, deadlifting, and push pressing is much more effective for practical use in daily life. So unless your a sumo wrestler, or an nfl offensive lineman, or a competive power lifter, your not going to need it in your life. It's almost a useless lift with a high risk of injury. Dumbell bench presses are better than barbell, but still not as effective in actual practical functional lifts. A person who never bench presses and does all the other lifts at high weights is going to be stronger than someone who benches only. Regardless of how high your 1rm is.

As an orthopod, I see no reason why bench pressing should affect shoulder "mobility" one way or another.

Klokov did it purely for aesthetic. Weightlifters do not bench in Russia. At least the most of them.

Someone needs to post the how to pronounce his name video. It's Loo Shyow ( like "ow" not "show") Jwing ( Like swing but with a j at the front).

Yea, but we don't know how much Lu can bench press. Going past 2 plates is stupid if you're not competing.

2:50

Omg that waiters lift ot whatever really loosens up my right shoulder!

What an odd name Have never heard a waiter serve my food from one arm overhead before, but maybe that's just me

Benching will improve overall testosterone which improves both health & strength overall.

If you’re an athlete that throws or does something similar to OH movements, avoid bench. It’s really that simple.

The Chinese seem to be doing alright ...................................................

People like Lu, very good at lifts where they can use a lot of momentum and body English. Makes sense, that’s why they’re in weightlifting. To bench with a relatively flat back, three points of contact and a pause on the chest with any type of appreciable weight, is something he probably just can’t do. Many impressive weightlifters have weak weak benches. Big reason is because when it comes to training the bench press it doesn’t always come easy. So they latch onto the idea that the bench press isn’t necessary, and they start doing overhead presses, where there’s a smaller talent pool, and less opportunity to embarrass yourself by looking weak in front of others. But weak benches don’t even like to bench in front of strong lifters. The bench press is highly nuanced and technical, and that will come as a surprise to some people. It takes work, but it certainly does not in anyway make you a worse weightlifter. Weightlifting cannot make you a better bench presser. , but bench Pressin can make you a better weightlifter. How many guys do you see with impressive lower body lifts, but can’t bench at all.? Lu He’s good at what he does, apparently even his supplement game, but he’s not a good Poweer Lifter. It’s whatever you like. But very few people are good at both

I never liked bench press it limits ROM too much and it's easy to mess up and cause tightness/imbalances, chest dips or dumbbell bench press is superior and I feel similar about barbell squats; I think Bulgarian split squats are better as well as trap bar deadlifts/ sumo deadlifts being better than conventional deadlifts

Yea lets stop benching. Great idea.

he light 😂

Champ

Restricts the shoulders, stick to pushups

is that steriod in his glass?

Max was here

Bench press is overrated. If you think you really need it then dumbell press is better.

I don't do Olympic Weightlifting, why would I care?. It's about as relevant as someone saying "Don't play golf if you want to get better at tennis".

The difference is Lu isn’t Klokov and he rules don’t apply to Klokov that man is quite literally a robot pretending to be a human

Lu competes professionally in split jerks, so for him that advice probably makes sense. Personally, I never do that exercise, because to me "jerking" heavy weights like that doesn't make sense (it's not a motion that you'd normally use irl) and can cause serious injury easily. On top of that, it's bad for floors and training equipment. IMHO, deadlift + overhead press train similar muscles to split jerks, but are much safer and better controlled exercises.

Hes an athlete he hasn't studied anything he just practiced what his coach said

Worst 1 arm rows ever

and i'm still nonthewiser.. if you honestly wanted to explain what he meant then you should've demonstrated it instead of all the pointless editing and blabbering

Bench press is useless

A 1/1000000 genetic specimen telling you how to train. YOU ARE NOT LU lol

Yet everyone who has ever lifted weights for any goal has used the bench press and no problems have ever come up from it so I'm gonna have to disagree. Lol

I tend to agree with Lu, but I just him do 1 arm dumbbell rows with the most incorrect form possible

When the majority of pro bodybuilders don't bench....You should get the hint...unless you are a complete dummy... Which many are unfortunately.

Even for people Who train martial arts it’s very bad for your shoulder flexibility

the last exercises are not hypertrophy exercises 🤣