How to know which bench press is better for you

This question is no stranger to me; I have heard it over and over again. This question and much more like; which bench press is better for my chest; which is best among the different types of bench presses; for how long should I bench press; how can I effectively bench press? Have you also wondered why there is so much attention around bench press exercise? Why are people not talking so much of other exercises in powerlifting, weightlifting and CrossFit? I think we could take a tour together to see the reasons for ourselves.

For many years now, the bench press has been regarded as the most important exercise in the gym, and that's the reason why there is so much attraction around it. Many people have put it first, middle and centre of their daily workouts while every other exercise follows. So what's the deal about this exercise anyway? The bench press is actually an upper body strength training exercise that helps you build your upper body like the chest, arm, and shoulder muscles.

Importance of the bench press

There is a whole lot of benefits wrapped up in bench pressing. Some of which include:

Helps you target specific muscle groups: When you bench press, it helps you concentrate more on certain groups of muscles like the chest muscles while paying also attention to the less relevant ones like the shoulder.
Able to make you get stronger: By changing the angle of the bench (usually with incline or decline bench press) you can stimulate your muscle fibres and give yourself the ability to lift even more weight in the long run.
The bench press is widely considered as a chest exercise, but that is not everything. While it is helping you to build your chest, it also uses your triceps, lats, shoulders, and all muscles in your upper body.
Surely, when you do bench pressing with your upper body, the lower parts will not just be lying there doing nothing. When you bench press properly it helps you to use your lower back, hips and legs just like it happens with other main lifts you know, like the squat, deadlift, and overhead press. The bench press helps you work on your entire body
Building more muscles mass: for efficient and complete development of the chest area, you will need to work all part of the pectorals; that is the secret most bodybuilders know and that's one of the benefits of bench pressing

Types of Bench Presses

There are various types of bench press modifications; ranging from the incline press, decline press, flat bench press, close grip and wide grip bench press and to the elevated feet bench press. However, the three most common variations and perhaps the most widely used are the Incline bench press, Decline bench press, and the Flat bench press. So here comes the question again; “which of the bench press variations is better?”

Actually, I wouldn't want to give you a direct answer to this question so you wouldn’t just go ahead to abandon the other bench presses for just one option. We are not saying here that only one of them is good. We are simply saying all is good but one is better for optimum results. Therefore, let us look into the pros and cons of the 3 bench presses and to decide which is better for you

The flat bench press

The Flat bench press may look old-fashioned, but it’s actually a very active and popular press in the gym practised for building a strong upper body. it is done when the bench is flat/parallel to the floor and that’s where it got its name from.

It is considered the most popular chest building exercise because it focuses more on correct form and you need the power to do it correctly. The flat bench works the chest, forearms, delts and the triceps.If focuses most on chest development, and therefore, it's the first choice to be considered for building the chest area.

Cons:

Although the flat bench press is known by all for chest building, it might not be enough if you want more than just an average looking body. If you want a great looking physique with a toned chest, then you might have to do both the incline and decline bench press while you also do the flat bench press.

The flat bench press also puts the shoulder in a vulnerable position for injury. Before you can adequately make the most out of the flat bench press, you will have to learn the proper form of doing it to minimise the chances of getting hurt as a result of the exercise.

Incline bench press

This is a bench press that places the bench at an inclined angle of around 15-60 degree angle. The incline press is a bit more challenging and it is often regarded as a secondary exercise.

The position of the body during the incline bench press makes it a perfect bench press for people looking to pack on mass in the upper chest area.

Therefore, if you are trying to compare the flat bench press and the incline bench press when it comes to building a well-developed upper chest area quickly, I will give the price to the incline bench press.

Unlike the flat bench press, the incline press places your shoulders in a safer position, therefore reducing the chances of getting hurt.

Cons:

It is required for you to correctly perform the Incline bench press, or else you may not actually be working the muscles you think you are working.

The Decline Bench Press

The decline bench press is just the opposite of what the flat or incline presses do. Rather than activating the upper muscles, It focuses more on activating the lower sternal pectoral muscles.

On a general note, when comparing this bench press to the incline bench press, incline press activates more overall muscles fibres.

Now back to the initial question "which is best among the 3 bench presses". In a more real sense, there is no one-word answer to this question. When deciding which of this exercises you should do, you should closely consider which area of the body you actually need the most development for. If you are looking at developing the upper body part, you should know which of the presses you should focus more on; the flat bench press or the incline bench press, while the decline bench press should be your choice for more overall body development and more of the lower muscle activation.

How to do Incline Bench Press and Decline Bench Press effectively?

First things first, before you start bench pressing, you will need an appropriate bench to start. Mishaps during the process of bench pressing could be very dangerous, especially with the decline bench press. Therefore, you should ensure that the bench has sure footing before you start. Also, if you are just starting out as a beginner, it is advisable to have a spotter too; someone who will have to keep an eye on you while you do your presses. It can be dangerous going to the gym alone for bench presses for beginners.

You need to make sure that the bar is at your chest level before you lift it. Bring it down to your sternum or chest and then push explosively till you lock your arms out. Repeat for 8 – 10 reps.

Now, I am sure you know it’s not a matter of looking for which bench press is better but looking for which area of the body you want to develop. That’s what will determine which of them you really need.