What Style Bench Do You Use?

I started using the pPL style after reading the Shoulder Savers I article and noticed better results and virtually no pain in my shoulders. Are there any major advantages of the BB style over the PL style that would warrant using it occasionally?

i use PL style now, but before T-Nation and Berardi, i used BB style. I actually find with BB style i can lift more weight, but that may be because i’ve trained soooo long with that style.

Sometimes when i’m training heavy and my bench strength seems to give out in the middle of the rep, i notice that the only way i can get the weight up to save my life is to flare my elbows out a little more, almost BB style/PL style hybrid.

I hate doing it, but it’s either that or dropping the bar on myself. I try to avoid working to failure without a spot completely, but it still happens when i push myself.

Traditionally, the BB style has always been said to have greater benefits for pectoral development. But if it hurts your shoulders and you know a better way… i know which way i’d be going.

I don’t bench at all these days though. I prefer DBs.

BB style will probably work your chest more.

I have recently been doing a lot of the wide-grip, down to your neck instead of chest bench presses. It was mentioned on here a month or two ago in one of the articles hailing some old trainer as his preferred form of bench pressing due to its concentration on your chest only… which is true it really works the shit out of your chest and I probably won’t do the regular flat bench much anymore.

I have also been doing more alternating arm dumbell presses lately than usual.