Standard high quality article from Santana.
Standard high quality article from Santana.
Good article. But, let's embrace the misnomer. Own it. Lean into it.
As my press progresses, my layback gets more pronounced. As my press progresses, and as I layback, my abs get thicker and stronger. I now (at age fifty fucking three) have visible abs. Not because I am dieted down (my waist is 40"), but because my abs got big and thick and strong to support my lay back and the rest of my lifts and life. I don't "do" abs, I do presses. With a layback.
Also, pecs come into play with a proper "standing bench press." Every day after pressing my upper pecs are sore. They get used heartily during my presses. I do'nt "do incline bench." Only flat bench. And "standing bench press" presses. Yet my upper chest is quite well developed. And my bench press numbers keep slowly and steadily climbing.
There's nothing wrong with a little layback and there is nothing wrong with using the upper chest muscles to press the weight.
Let us not be ashamed of our standing press form. Lets stop apologizing for it. Embrace it. Isolation is an illusion and not desireable anyway (why the fuck wouldn't you want to use your upper pecs?) Lean back and get stronger.