Free recoil's the best way, that's what virtually all benchresters use. But we usually don't want our pet (expensive?) rifles sliding off bags or rests from recoil and ending up on the gravel under the bench. So we have to hold on to them. 'Tis easy on 22 and 24 caliber 13 pound benchrest rifles with stocks designed for free recoil and their 2 ounce triggers. Never happen with conventional sporting and hunting stocks and a 2 to 3 pound trigger on a 9 pound 30 caliber magnum.
Few people can hold a medium (much less heavy) recoiling rifle the same way for each shot when it's resting atop something on a bench top and the butt's pulled hard into their shoulder. Most folks will shoot smaller groups with their ammo if they learn how to sling up in prone with the stock's fore end and toe on bags. There's less body movement pulling the sights of the aiming point while the bullet goes down the barrel this way.
Some folks use machine rests (or accuracy cradles) to hold their rifles so they are fired in free recoil. These require repeatable grip and trigger pull to be repeatable, but they do work.
