The benchpress is an excellent upper body exercise and one that targets chest foremost, then triceps, deltoids and to a lesser extent, the traps. However, there are people out there moving enormous weight with their benchpress yet only have decent to average looking chests. They have strong-looking upper bodies sure, but because they're not bodybuilders, they won't have the atypical bodybuilder's chest. Why is this? Because, ah, they're not bodybuilders. That's why bodybuilders can look better than, say, powerlifters yet are not as strong as these individuals are (but are much stronger than your average shmuck).
Why do I mention this? Because moving enormous weight isn't necessary for building a big chest, though that's not to say you shouldn't. We're all welcome to benchpress whatever we want but the point needs to be made: big numbers on benchpress don't equate to a big chest. You can build an exceptional chest simply doing a variety of push-ups styles. I wouldn't be in the least surprised if there are some people who can build a great chest just doing standard push-ups alone. So there's something else to throw in here, and that is that we can each respond to benchpress differently.
Know that the chest is made up of two main muscles and whilst you can't isolate either from the other, our bodybuilding kin have long-since developed the theory that you can at least target one over the other for better results, breaking the chest into upper vs lower. I cover the how-to below but let me throw "inner chest" into this early mix as well: the theory here is that close-grip benchpressing (or simply diamond push-ups) target the inner chest more. Which also seems to hold some truth. Personally, I don't over-think any of this and just enjoy benchpressing.
TYPES OF BENCHPRESS
• Flat bench: you lie on a flat bench to benchpress from. In other words it's neither raised nor lowered -- this ain't a science quiz. The general thinking here is that such a position hits the chest all over. Which it may well do for some, whilst others will find they need more variety to get the same results. What can I say, we're individuals and as such, we respond differently to the same exercise. For the record though, I found flat bench hurt my shoulders (especially my left rotator-cuff from a prior injury) so now benchpress with a slightly raised bench, say 10%.
This made a world of difference for me and the only reason I can really think of is the difference in angle; for some reason, benchpressing from a horizontal plane didn't go down well with me but being elevated relieves the pressure. Go figure. Yeah, I've got long arms which may play a part in this, I'm not sure, but note what I'm not saying: I'm not saying don't do flat bench. I've read enough articles by netspurts directing people away from flat bench such that I think it irresponsible. Let people find out for themselves and take it from there.
• Incline bench: the bench is raised anywhere from 10% to 45% with the aim being to better target your upper chest. Is this true? Actually, it does seem to be true to some degree; however, you will still activate the entire chest though it's believed incline bench places more emphasis on the upper chest. Some people develop great pecs this way -- I'm one of them -- whilst others don't. I find it hits my entire chest and is the only benchpressing movement I do (remember, I'm more strength-orientated than aesthetics).
If I was to add an isolation movement here I'd go solely with flys. The reason for this is that whilst benchpress builds thickness upwards and outwards, dumbbell flys stretch the muscles of the chest according to their natural horizontal attachment shoulder-to-sternum. If the likes of Arnie credit flys with creating broadness of chest as well as the outside "loop" shape, then there's something to be said for flys. However, keep in mind that plenty of people build fantastic chests strictly through doing benchpress alone. This could be you and flys could be unnecessary.
• Decline bench: here the bench is lowered so you're pressing upwards at more of a pronounced angle i.e. your head is lower than your pelvis. This exercise is similar to incline benchpress in that it emphasises a specific aspect of your pectoralis in this case, that's obviously your lower chest. Personally I hate the exercise and consider it a total waste of time. I never do it and will never do it but again, that's just me throwing my toys. Plenty of people get superb results incorporating decline bench into their chest program.
But. Because I'm more strength-health-longevity focused, the idea of "hitting the chest from different angles" is a big turn-off for me. That's bodybuilder speak. I want to get stronger (and bigger, sure) and whilst I'm prepared to put in quality time and effort, I'm not at all prepared to live in the gym and make it my life. I already have a life and it's going remarkably well, thank you. Benchpress is not so much a chest exercise for me inasmuch as a total upper-body exercise. Truth be told, benchpress is really a strengthening exercise at heart, rather than a chest-building one.
WAYS TO BENCHPRESS
• Barbell: this is the most popular go-to whereby you sling plates on your barbell and you're away. It stinks of man and is probably the best way to move the most weight if that's your thing. It's my thing simply because I find it easier than dumbbells which can be more of a balancing act. Plus I don't have enough plates for dumbbells and I'm not going to go out and get any either. So there's that. You will definitely lift more weight using a barbell than anything else and I think the movement from set-up to finish is superb for upper-body development.
• Dumbbells: second runner-up is dumbbells. I've read articles from experienced bodybuilders who use nothing but dumbbells because it allows them to move the elbows back further and get a deeper stretch -- stretching the muscle is right up there with time-under-detention for our bodybuilding kin as this forces great growth -- and is also believed (by some not all) to help create the pronounced "loop" shape on the outside of the pecs. You can definitely get your hands into a nice, neutral position with dumbbells as well as flare your elbows safely when incline-pressing.
• Machines: machines have traditionally got a fair amount of stick in the past, probably because the machines that exist in today's gyms weren't around back in the day, therefore people gravitate towards "older is better". Y'know what? Ploughing your field with oxen and plough is old school but you don't see anyone doing that anymore, do you? I trust I'm making my point because as others have so rightly pointed out, your body doesn't give a fuck what you use: all it recognises is weight, and I'm saying this as someone whose never used a machine in his life. Go the machine!
• Body weight: body weight is probably one of the friendliest ways to work out. There will hardly be any form breakdown and you won't be under any crushing loads -- unless you're doing handstands and pressing yourself upward from there. When I was a teenager I used to do push-ups religiously and developed a pretty decent chest even back then. There's practically nothing you can't build naturally though I guess the real concern is when you have to do really high repetitions to fatigue muscles you could work-out a lot quicker (and more effectively at this stage) using weights.
CONCERNS ABOUT BENCHPRESS
A lot has been made of how the benchpress targets the front delt of your shoulders and, if you're not careful, these can become over-developed whilst your side and rear delts remain under-developed. Apparently. For the record, I have never seen anyone in real-life with over-developed front delts. Also for your information, our shoulders or "deltoids" are made up of three muscles: the front delt, side delt and rear delt. Yes, they have scientific names. No, I'm not providing those. Why? Because I don't think knowing their latin names does anything.
The only reason I mention this is simply because, in my humble opinion, any such "over load" is negligible; besides, if you're doing rows or heavy deadlifts, you're hitting rear delts anyway. Throw in overhead pressing and it all evens out. Sure, if you're a bodybuilder you may take umbrage, but just like people get hung up on a zillion isolation movements, so they get hung up on "working every muscle" individually. Don't get caught up in this. If you're squatting, rowing, benching, performing shoulder-press and deadlifts, you'll be fine. That's all the coverage most if not all of us, will ever require to get big and strong.
What I would throw in -- and have touched on earlier -- is keep front and back equally strong. If you're pressing shitloads in front, make sure you're pulling shitloads behind i.e. match every set and rep of benchpress with rows so your back is equally strong and developed. I pull more in a row than I benchpress so have been actively working towards reducing this differential for no other reason than I feel like it. So far I still row more than I benchpress but hey, you can't win them all! Truth be told, it's not about equalizing the weight either side inasmuch as it actually working both sides.
Lastly, everyone has their own benchpressing style and focus. Some people prefer thumbless grip, some people prefer wrapping their thumbs under the bar. Bodybuilders use moderate weight at higher reps specifically for chest development, switching the angles. Powerlifters use heavier weights for triples, doubles and singles specifically for strength development and work on grooving the same movement over and over and over. I guess what I'm trying to say is know what your goal is and lift appropriately. Do good research if needed or get ahold of me via the contact link on the homepage for further advice.
:: CONCLUSION
I want to finish off by stating that for the first 3yrs of my own iron journey I did no benchpressing at all. I wasn't interested in benchpressing or building a chest. I had made the assumption that benchpressing was solely a chest developer when in fact it's not: it's a total upper-body strength developer. For lifters in my age bracket of 50-plus, we should be looking at this exercise for what it is and what it does -- not solely from a chest-building perspective. Your chest, triceps, shoulders, arms, lower torso and yes, even traps and upper back to a degree are all part of this fantastic movement.
I strongly suspect the underlying reason bodybuilders "hit the chest from all angles" is simply because you have to if you want to build the chest visually. After all, having a big chest is a staple in their trade and unlike power lifting's focus on strength, aesthetic appeal is their bread and butter (or at least it was until bodybuilding was usurped by the mass-monsters of today). Again, you may be one of those people who develop great pecs through the exercise but we all benefit from the myraids of upper-body strengthening benchpressing induces. Don't stop the press. Kia ora whanau.