I know it sounds cliche, but to be a better presser you have to practice pressing.
If you are really focused on getting the max weight up youll want to use some tactics that power lifters do. Bands, partial reps, and using boards are some examples. Id get some advice from successful powerlifters on what to do. One thing I used to practice in the squat was doing the part of the squat where I was weakest at, at the bottom. So I would squat down to the lowest point and the come up only about 1/3 the way max and then go back down again. You could work the bottom of the press if youre weak there, or if you think your triceps are limiting you then do the top 1/3. etc You can also try pause reps, where on bench you could pause it at the bottom for a count of 5 seconds and then press it up. You could pause anywhere along the path the bar follows to work that part of the movement.I didn't modify anything to get out of a plateau. How I'm training came out of assessing progress and recovery over the last three years.
If you are really focused on getting the max weight up youll want to use some tactics that power lifters do. Bands, partial reps, and using boards are some examples. Id get some advice from successful powerlifters on what to do. One thing I used to practice in the squat was doing the part of the squat where I was weakest at, at the bottom. So I would squat down to the lowest point and the come up only about 1/3 the way max and then go back down again. You could work the bottom of the press if youre weak there, or if you think your triceps are limiting you then do the top 1/3. etc You can also try pause reps, where on bench you could pause it at the bottom for a count of 5 seconds and then press it up. You could pause anywhere along the path the bar follows to work that part of the movement.
Banded work can really help build explosiveness on the concentric portion as well as chainsAll of my chest presses are ugly in the concentric. Slow coming up, which I guess is where the issue is. I think I'll give partials a try in the form of dead stop inclines. I saw Roman Fritz doing them and they might be helpful as I need to get better at driving up without the stretch reflex.
For what it is worth if you want to build an upper chest the EMG studies show more upper pec fiber activity with a very slight probably 10-15 degree decline.
One thing I've noticed is WARM UPS cannot be underestimated in value.... Even going nearly to the point of employing the old fashion "pre-exhaust" technique.... Can really, really help... 4-5, even more, sets with 135lbs, just getting a good feel and perfecting form, before even thinking about going up in weight.... Makes a world of differnce