Pete
Like you I prefer to go from the rear "doggy" style. Thats why I made my bench the way I did with the one round pipe central rear leg. I'm not thin and lanky enough to shot from the side for extended periods without having rear bag problems.
I have always thought that you yanks manage to achieve a very fine finish to your concrete be it floors, pillars or bench tops. I'm not sure if thats down to the use of a finer aggregate or whether you spend more time trowelling up. What ever it is, it works.
