Great for building upper body strength.

If done standing you will work a great deal of muscles from your traps through your shoulders and down your back and also triceps and abdominals.

They will not necessarily help in building your bench press though I wouldn’t leave them out of my training altogether.

If pressing from the front keep your elbows slightly in.

If from the back have your elbows out to the side.

Also if pressing from behind there is no need to lower the bar passed your ear height.

Execution:

Stand up straight with your feet a little further than shoulder width apart.

Begin with the bar on your upper chest, hands a little further out than your shoulders.

Begin to press the bar straight up above your head.

Lower the bar to about chin level then repeat.