With pec tears becoming more common in bodybuilding, questions about exercise selections have surfaced. In a recent video, shared on Nov. 12, 2025, industry expert Bob Cicherillo shared that the bench press is the worst exercise in the world because it puts the pec insertion in a vulnerable position.\u00a0<\/p>\n
Pec tears have definitely had an impact on the sport of bodybuilding. Just four weeks before aiming to reclaim the Mr. Olympia<\/a> title, Derek Lunsford revealed that he tore his chest on the bench press<\/a>. Despite the setback, he still managed to win back the Sandow trophy following an incredibly close battle with his rival, Hadi Choopan<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bodybuilder Charles Griffen suffered a similar injury<\/a>, which forced him to take a substantial break from competition. It\u2019s not just bodybuilders; even prolific strongman competitors have dealt with this issue, including World\u2019s Strongest Man champs Hafthor Bjornsson<\/a> and Brian Shaw<\/a>. Despite its popularity, Cicherillo believes it\u2019s best to just avoid the bench press altogether.\u00a0<\/p>\n Bob Cicherillo: \u201cDon\u2019t Ever Bench Press\u2026 It\u2019s the Worst Exercise in the World\u201d<\/p>\n In the interview, Cicherillo stressed that the bench press is the worst exercise in the world. He said \u201999, if not 100 percent\u2019 of the time, pec tears are caused by the bench press.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cDon\u2019t ever bench press. It\u2019s the worst exercise in the world. Let me ask you something, you know anybody that\u2019s ever torn their pec? What were they doing? 99, if not 100 percent out of 100, is the bench press.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n He said he\u2019s known hundreds of people who\u2019ve suffered torn pecs from the bench press because it puts the muscle insertion in a vulnerable position.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n Get Fitter, Faster<\/p>\n Level Up Your Fitness: Join our \ud83d\udcaa strong community in Fitness Volt Newsletter. Get daily inspiration, expert-backed workouts, nutrition tips, the latest in strength sports, and the support you need to reach your goals. Subscribe for free!<\/p>\n Please wait…<\/p>\n You’re In! Let’s Crush Your Fitness Goals Together<\/p>\n Expect expert-backed workouts, nutrition advice, the latest in strength sports, and a whole lot of motivation heading your way.<\/p>\n Subscribe Another Email<\/p>\n \u201cI know hundreds of people over the years who have torn pecs, hundreds. Everyone was on the bench press because it\u2019s a bad position to be in.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s the thing, just because that exercise has been around since day one doesn\u2019t mean it\u2019s the best. That\u2019s all they had back then.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n For most people, one arm is longer than the other, and when lifting heavy weight, Cicherillo explained that all of the pressure and tension is concentrated in one area.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cJust putting your arms in this position, coming down like this, it\u2019s a bad position for the insertion. Everyone usually has got one arm a little longer than the other. It doesn\u2019t really come into play until you got 500 pounds and you\u2019re coming down. Well, guess what? It\u2019s not even. One is a little bit lower than the other, and that\u2019s where all the tension and pressure go. Boom, it snaps off, and that\u2019s it,\u201d he shared<\/a>.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n He added that there are hundreds of better alternatives, from pec decks to dips.\u00a0<\/p>\n \u201cThere\u2019s 100 exercises that are better than the bench press. Inclines, flies, pec decks, dips, incline dumbbells, any variation thereof, any of the various machines, if you have access to those but the bench press\u2026 I\u2019ll tell you what, save yourself the effort. Don\u2019t ever bench press.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n Cicherillo hasn\u2019t been the only big name from bodybuilding to condemn the bench press. 2024 Arnold Classic champion Wesley Vissers recently opened up about its risks. \u201cThe Dutch Oak\u201d emphasized that during the bench press, at the top of each repetition, there\u2019s more stress on the elbow and triceps<\/a> instead of the chest muscles.\u00a0<\/p>\n Cicherillo believes the bench press is too risky, especially for competitive bodybuilders. He advocates for moves like flies, dips, or incline dumbbell pressing to build a well-developed chest.\u00a0<\/p>\n