Personally, I believe this is the best plated loaded incline press in the gym. Both handle grips are very useful. The horizontal grips are for those who have healthy shoulders, while the vertical grips are for those of us with less than healthy shoulders. The pad on the back can be inclined up or down to adjust the starting point of the machine for different sized users. Like all Strive/Prime machines, the mutliple loading horns let you decide where you want the tension of the press to be. I like to follow the guide on the side of the machine and switch up the tension every set for a different feel, and complete exhaustion of the muscle by making it work differently every set. This machine is extremely smooth. It is a star amongst stars. But screw what I say. The beauty of having so many great machines at the gym is that you can find your own favorites. There is no wrong answer!