there is no such thing as a mandatory exercise, one that you must do in your programs. Rather there are mandatory movement patterns.
What’s the difference?
A movement pattern is a general action that is fundamental to the proper functioning of the body. To quote Dr.Rusin:
- Squatting pattern
- Hip hinge pattern
- Pressing pattern
- Pulling pattern
- Lunging/single leg pattern
- Carrying pattern
Note that pressing and pulling could themselves be divided into horizontal and vertical pressing/pulling.
Exercises are drills that can be done to overload those basic movement patterns to make them stronger.
So for horizontal pressing you have:
Pressing pattern (horizontal)
Bench press
DB bench press pronated
DB bench press neutral grip
Close-grip bench press
Reverse-grip bench press
Low incline (15-30 degrees) bench press
Low incline close-grip bench press
Low-incline DB press pronated
Low-incline DB press neutral
Floor press
Bench press from pins (various positions)
Close-grip bench press from pins (various positions)
Trap bar bench press
Trap bar floor press
Football/Swiss bar bench press
Football/Swiss bar floor press
Football/Swiss bar from pins (various positions)
Decline bench press
Decline close-grip bench press
Decline DB press pronated
Decline DB press neutral grip
Board press (1. 2. 3, 4 boards)
Close-grip board press (1,2,3,4 boards)
Etc.
Not everybody is capable to doing every exercise optimally, either due to physical limitations, bad levers, etc. What is important is to train these basic movement patterns and become stronger at them. To do so it is perfectly fine to pick the exercise that suits your body, level of development and skill level.