why we don’t bench press
CrossFit is a form of Multi-Modal General Physical Preparedness(MMGPP) training that uses functional movements. Sounds like a lot.
What that means is we try to prepare you for any physical activity you may see throughout the day.
You rarely see bench press come up in CrossFit. It was tested once at a regional event. Never in the open or at the games.
What you do see tested year includes deadlifts, some form of squats, gymnastics, running, etc.
Lifting something off the ground, placing something on a shelf overhead, chasing your kids around the yard. These are all examples of everyday physical activity.
First reason we rarely see the bench press in our programming, its not practical to everyday physical activity.
The odds of you every needing to press something heavy directly off your chest outside of a gym setting is extremely unlikely.
Second reason we rarely see this movement, we only have so much time for other movements that are more practical.
I see our athletes 3-5 hours a week. They don’t need something like the bench press taking up any of that time.
Our athletes need to be able to squat and deadlift for everyday life. We also do push ups and burpees. These are more practical for everyday life.