re: Flat vs Incline Bench

Personally, I don’t think barbell pressing is ideal for developing the chest. Incline or flat bench, the triceps are the main movers. The chest does get some work, but it’s limited. It really all depends on the trainee’s goal. If he’s a powerlifter, he has to train the bench. If he wants to develop strength, the bench press is good, but I would also throw in dumbbell presses as an accessory to really help develop the chest. If all he cares about are aesthetics, I personally don’t think the bench press has enough carry over for purely aesthetics. Dumbbells really allow you to squeeze your pecs at the top of the lift. I train bench press because I just enjoy doing it. But, in all honesty, it doesn’t really have much carry over to anything except for my own ego, because I don’t ever compete in the bench press. I do pec decks and dumbbell press to really push blood into my pecs.