I've got a few articles floating around if anyone cares to look them up...
heres the bottom line boys:
bench press sucks because it's a very bad position for the shoulders, not unlike the throwing position in baseball, etc...
we aren't naturally built for the bench as most people have one arm slightly longer than the other, which automatically places the stress on the longer arm/ shoulder, especially at the bottom of the movement
The straight bar automatically put your shoulder/ pec into a bad position as its an unnatural one....unless you walk with you knuckles dragging on the ground...out hands are naturally angled.
most people have one arm weaker than the other, which only emphasis the above, especially if the weaker arm is the longer one
Unless you're built for the bench....short, stocky, short arms, barrel chest....AND have the proper technique....the bench should ONLY be used as just another exercise for chest, no different and no more importance than a pec deck, fly or decline....
I haven`t benched in years, except for jumping in on that rep contest in Rochester a few years back at Jims show Bob.
One thing I try to tell younger guys is that it`s great to have a goal of benching 405 or 500 pounds,but after many years of training,most will never even approach anywhere those numbers even on gear.
I`ve done a legit double bodyweight bench and that`s the best I could do....not bad,but nowhere near what I once envishioned myself doing as in my mind as a goal.
The longer you are a bodybuilder,the more you realize that it takes more than just moving a huge weight from "Point-A" to "Point-B".
Bad shoulders and torn pecs are waiting for todays teens and guys that still max out on benches every Monday in gyms around the world,and most will have mediocre pec development as a result of all those low rep and max benches.
Some guys do indeed have a natural propensity to be great benchers and will move a ton of weight and build armor plated pecs,but those guys are the exceptions and are a huge rarity.