Is it wise to alternate between flat and incline bench press?

[Peradam]

I'll be wrapping up Starting Strength fairly soon and wanted to give HST a try but I'm not sure about some of the exercises, particularly bench press, nor the balance of the overall workout (whether some muscles are being neglected or overtrained). I'm doing flat bench with SS but have heard that incline is generally more beneficial. Would it be better to incorporate both on the same day, alternate on separate days (i.e. Week 1: A/B/A, Week 2: B/A/B, etc.), or just stick to one of them for the 6+ weeks? I've split a couple of other exercises up to be done on separate days and I'll be doing the recommended 2x15/2x15/2x10/1x10/2x5/1x5 with the following:

Deadlift / Squat (A/B)
Standing Shoulder Press
Incline / Flat Bench Press (A/B)
Dips
Pendlay Rows
Behind-the-back Shrugs / Lateral Raises (A/B)
Skullcrushers
Barbell Preacher Curls
Calf Raises
Weighted Ab Crunches

How does this look, and is there a recommended order to do some of these exercises? With SS, squats are done first and deadlifts are last - should I continue in this way with the HST workout so that on squat day/"Day B", I start with squats and complete the other exercises afterwards, whilst on deadlift days/"Day A", I'd do the other exercises first and finish off with deadlifts?

I'd appreciate any help!

 

[CDB]

Your shoulders will get slightly more emphasis with the incline. Slightly meaning, in my experience, no practical difference. The movements are so close it really depends on the degree of incline you're talking about. To pick a number out of the blue, if you go past 30 degrees incline, consider alternating them. At or below that, essentially the same exercise.

 

[Peradam]

I've seen the number 15 thrown about and thought there may have been a good reason why that particular degree of incline was used, but if the difference is negligible, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to just use that incline in place of the flat bench and see how I feel at the end of the first cycle. Thanks for the feedback!

 

[CDB]

I've seen the number 15 thrown about and thought there may have been a good reason why that particular degree of incline was used, but if the difference is negligible, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to just use that incline in place of the flat bench and see how I feel at the end of the first cycle. Thanks for the feedback!

I'm sure someone with more knowledge of kinesology could chime in as to the exact angle where the shoulders become engaged enough to consider it a different exercise, but as a general rule, that's the rule. More incline, more difference.