In gyms all around the world, Monday is chest training day. For a lot of lifters, that means joining the queue for the bench press . After all, the barbell bench press is considered by many to be the number one pec-building exercise.

However, while the bench press can be an effective chest builder, it’s not without drawbacks.

For some, the bench press causes shoulder pain , while others find it awkward because of their long limbs, narrow shoulders, or shallow rib cage.

But, in my opinion, based on over 30 years of working as a personal trainer , the real problem with the bench press is how it fails to target the inner chest. It’s a great general chest exercise and a very effective strength builder. But when it comes to improving your aesthetics, the bench press often falls short.

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