Tip: Benching vs.

Push-Ups – The Shocking

Science
This new study will definitely surprise you. Check it out.
by Calvin Huynh | Today

NEW
Tags: 
 Training
 Bigger Stronger Leaner

Compared to the bench press, the push-up is often seen as a less effective
alternative. After all, bench pressing is hardcore and push-ups are only for
prisoners or people without gym access right?

Wrong.
People have this strange misconception that the heaviest exercises get you
the most jacked but, physiologically, load is fairly irrelevant when it comes to
building muscle.

External load isn't what drives muscle growth, but rather internal force
production, otherwise known as mechanical tension. Load or any form of
resistance – whether it's band, cables, or your own bodyweight – are merely
tools to apply mechanical tension.

Don't believe me? Check out this new study.

The Study

Kotarsky et al took 23 intermediate male lifters and divided them up into a

bench press group and a push-up group. (1) Both groups did three workouts a
week for a month. Each workout had three working sets of about 6-8 reps, so
9 weekly sets total of horizontal pushing for both groups.

Both groups also had an objective progression model. That just means that
once a performance was reached, progression was auto-regulated based on
the study design.

For the bench press group, they simply added load like you would at the gym.
Prove you got stronger by hitting the maximum rep range and slap on some
more plates.

For the push-up group, they progressed in push-up variation. The study
design had nine variations starting with the wall push-ups your sister did in
elementary school all the way to one-arm push-ups.

These progression models are crucial because without them subjects are just
training willy nilly instead of actually building strength and creating
adaptations. Ironically, plenty of researchers don't implement them and pretty
much end up wasting everyone's time.