Tip The Most Common Bench Press Mistake Search Skip to content Menu Menu follow us Store Articles Community Loyal-T Club Loyal-T Points Rewards Subscribe to Save Search Search The World s Trusted Source & Community for Elite Fitness Training Tip The Most Common Bench Press Mistake If you' re not a powerlifter should you be testing your bench press 1RM often Here' s the answer by Paul Carter January 18, 2019August 18, 2019 Tags Bench Press, Powerlifting & Strength, Tips, Training Bench Press PRs for Non-Powerlifters If you don't compete in powerlifting, should you test your max bench press regularly? No. But I do think testing an "everyday max" (EDM) can be valuable. Your EDM is something you could do any day of the week, without having to get psyched up. Some lifters figure this to be in the range of 90% of their true max. I use an EDM for both competitors and non-competitors alike because it at least sets a baseline for strength from which to program. Some people prefer the RPE (rate of perceived exertion) scale, but I've seen so many people who clearly have zero introspection about what a 7 or 8 RPE is that I'm just not a fan of it. Technically speaking, I don't disagree with the coaches that say you don't need to ever perform less than a 3RM in training. The EDM will often correlate to a true 3RM, and if you're trying to build maximal strength and/or muscle then 5 reps should be the floor. Are You Playing for Team Ass Clown The bench press does have a high degree of injury potential, but that's often associated with full-fledged ass clowns who max out almost every workout. I literally have no idea what the point of that is. And yes, I've done it. And yes, it was stupid each and every time I did it. And yes, I was a card-carrying member of Team Ass Clown when I was training that way. And if you're doing that, so are you. It's dumb, it's 100% ego driven, and you'll feel even dumber when you blow out a shoulder or pec and need surgery. Training heavy comes with a myriad of dangers, even when you're taking precautions and using an intelligent program. There's no need to further exacerbate the danger by doing exceptionally stupid shit... like true 1-rep max bench presses all the time. Get The T Nation Newsletters Don' t Miss Out Expert Insights To Get Stronger, Gain Muscle Faster, And Take Your Lifting To The Next Level related posts Training The Five Tools of Mental Strength A K A Balls The strength of your muscles isn't nearly as important as the strength of your mind or the metaphorical size of your balls. Training Matt Kroc February 9 Workouts Outlaw Strength and Conditioning Improve strength, power, and cardiovascular conditioning with one program. Check it out. Metcon, Powerlifting & Strength, Training Chad Waterbury February 21 Training T Nation Twitter - Calves Edition Got barely enough time to check your email? The T NATION coaches serve up some savory knowledge about calf training, quick, fast, and in a hurry. Calves, Training T Nation December 4 Training 40 Movements for Rapid Strength - Part 7 When it comes to exercise performance, especially the more exotic movements I often prescribe, most people grasp the big picture but miss the finer points. To remedy this, I created this "toolbox" series to help experienced lifters fill in the blanks and newer lifters learn about some very effective exercises. Here's the newest installment! Training Dave Tate March 15