3 mins onwards
Interesting video. Brignole's assertions are however, too black and white.
Bench press Analysis:
Note:
Sternal head = main pec
Clavicular head = upper pec
https://exrx.net/Kinesiology/BenchPress"
Incline / Decline (press)Trebbs (2010) found that the Bench Press on a flat bench activates the sternal head of the the Pectoralis Major more than Incline Bench Press. The sternal head tends to decrease in activity as the incline increases (Trebbs 2010). Glass (1997) reported that Barbell Decline Bench Press recruits a greater portion of the Pectoralis Major than does the Barbell Incline Bench Press. Barnett (1995) reported that flat Smith Bench Press activated the the sternal head of the Pectoralis Major more than the Smith Decline Bench Press.
Trebbs (2010) found that the clavicular head of the Pectoralis Major (upper chest) was most active at a 44º incline, over the 0º (flat bench), and incline bench presses of 28º, and 56º. In contrast, Barnett (1995) reported that the clavicular head of the Pectoralis Major was no more active during the Smith Incline Bench Press than the flat Smith Bench Press, however it was less active in the Smith Decline Bench Press. Glass (1997) reported no significant differences in clavicular head of the Pectoralis Major between Barbell Incline and Decline Bench Press. Interesting, Lauver also found no significant difference in the activation of clavicular head when comparing decline, flat and incline presses. However, when they divided the concentric phase into 4 parts, they observed particularly more clavicular activation during the 26-50% contraction duration in both 30º and 45º Incline Bench Press.
The Anterior Deltoid tended to increase in activity as the bench inclination increased (Glass 1997, Trebbs 2010). The long head of the Triceps Brachii was more active on the Smith Decline bench press than the flat Smith Bench Press or Smith Incline Bench Press, particularly with narrow hand spacing (Glass 1997).
Barnett (1995) reported very low levels of Latissimus Dorsi during various angles of the bench press (decline, flat, and incline) with a short burst of activity immediately prior to the initiation of the lift. Despite its relatively low activity, the Latissimus Dorsi exhibited significantly greater activation in the decline position compared to the flat position with both wide and narrow grips. (Barnett 1995)
As resistance training programs progress, additional supplemental exercises should be performed to fully train the target muscles. Performing the Incline Bench Press is important to provide a more complete nueromuscular activation and fully train the involved musculature. (Fleck & Kraemer 2014)"
