Bench Press - To the Chest or not to the Chest?

[Regiment]

What's everyone's opinion on barbell brenchpress and how low you go, looking around at some of the online guys, like the guy that does strong lifts, they always recommend touching your chest as it works more of your chest...others recommend only going to parallel as anything past parallel can be risky for your rotator, but how far down does everyone go and what's your experiences and opinions on the matter?

I rarely touch my chest, it's not something i aim to do and infact will lower the bar down to an inch above my chest before pushing back up. My argument for doing this is that it forces me to control the weight through the entire movement, i get a great range of motion, especially with the length of my arms and there is no risk of me trying to bounce the weight off my chest and i've never felt it in my chest when i go the extra inch anyway, that extra inch to me just seems to tighten the front of my shoulders a little more and nothing else.

The people saying go to Parallel only have impressive chests, the people saying touch the chest have impressive chests, so it just seems like what works for some doesn't necessarily work for others.

[Regiment]

Warnie said:

I'm 6ft 4, so find I get pain in my shoulders if I touch my chest with the bar, so therefor go just below parallel. If I didn't get the pain then I would touch my chest no doubt but I can't believe there's enough to be gained to risk injury.

Exactly this, I don't get pain in my shoulders though, just a tightness.