shoulder problems from bench

[motoxer125]

The past few weeks I've been noticing some pain and discomfort in my left shoulder. Now I have also noticed the same pain in my right shoulder. I am trying to pin point as to where this pain is coming from.

The big benchers can correct me if this might not sound like the reason but I think it is from my bench. I have changed my grip to be a little closer together on the bar, which has cause me to lower the bar lower on my chest. Sometimes I catch myself lowering the bar below my pecs and closer towards my gut. I think I am doing this by trying to keep my elbows from going out too much.

Am I lowering the bar to low and that is causing the shoulder trouble? If so, should I go back to a wider grip? Where is the optimal place for the bar to be lowered to?

Thanks for the help!

[Lumberjack5.0]

If I had to guess, I would think that going a bit narrower and lower would help pain rather than cause it; it's always been that way for me.

Keep those elbows tucked in, and keep your upper back REALLY tight to give your shoulders as much stability as you can while benching. You may need to start light when you change form in order to give yourself some time to learn the right way to fire your muscles in a way that avoids pain/injury.

[Sue Me]

Did you locate the pain yet - is it a band right where your front delt / pec come together?

If so, I had this, and so did Afroman I believe. I don't know how he is doing currently, but I dealt with it off and on for awhile, sometimes having to take time off of lifting chest all together (3mo was my longest rest). Just recently was experiencing it and cut out everything except flat 3x10 with low weights for a few weeks....seemed to work.

Either way, best of luck ~ my only real advice is listen to your body, better two weeks off or reduced weight for a few weeks then 3mo off or worse...

Take care

[Beverly McD.]

I agree with Lumberjack. The closer in you have your grip the more you involve your triceps, which takes some of the load off of your shoulders. Shoulders are a small, complex muscle group, and are easily inflamed. Try to massage the area often, along with some Advil, and ice it every day for a few days. Then ice it every time you use that muscle group.

Probably don't help but you have LOTS of company! Nearly everyone has shoulder issues at one time or another.

[BRINO]

I have that problem, use Dumbells for awhile while it heals.

[get456]

I hurt my shoulder from poor form... pushing up the weight rounding my shoulders... baaaad idea... Been about 6 weeks now and it seems close to normal, just went to the hammer strength flat bench machine, that worked well, and slowly built my weights back... YEARS of Heavy Incline db (heavy for me anyway, 120lb db's for 5-6 reps) presses never hurt, a few months on the flat bench, and i injure my shoulder... bad technique can hurt

[motoxer125]

Originally Posted by Lumberjack5.0

If I had to guess, I would think that going a bit narrower and lower would help pain rather than cause it; it's always been that way for me.

Keep those elbows tucked in, and keep your upper back REALLY tight to give your shoulders as much stability as you can while benching. You may need to start light when you change form in order to give yourself some time to learn the right way to fire your muscles in a way that avoids pain/injury.

Yea, I was thinking that the narrower shouldn't put as much stress on my shoulders as well. There is less stress on my outer pec , but not on my shoulder for some reason. I am definitely going to take it easy for now and make sure my form is down before moving on with more weight.

Originally Posted by Sue Me

Did you locate the pain yet - is it a band right where your front delt / pec come together?

If so, I had this, and so did Afroman I believe. I don't know how he is doing currently, but I dealt with it off and on for awhile, sometimes having to take time off of lifting chest all together (3mo was my longest rest). Just recently was experiencing it and cut out everything except flat 3x10 with low weights for a few weeks....seemed to work.

Either way, best of luck ~ my only real advice is listen to your body, better two weeks off or reduced weight for a few weeks then 3mo off or worse...

Take care

No, the pain is more between my front delt and middle delt, but more toward the front delt. I don't want this to become a bigger problem so I am going to take it easy and work on some rotator cuff strengthening exercises. I'll see how it comes along from there.

Originally Posted by Beverly McD.

I agree with Lumberjack. The closer in you have your grip the more you involve your triceps, which takes some of the load off of your shoulders. Shoulders are a small, complex muscle group, and are easily inflamed. Try to massage the area often, along with some Advil, and ice it every day for a few days. Then ice it every time you use that muscle group.

Probably don't help but you have LOTS of company! Nearly everyone has shoulder issues at one time or another.

I did ice it and it is feeling better. I will continue to do so, as well as giving some much needed rest.
Thanks Bev, it's real comforting knowing I am in good company with my shoulder issue. Now only if I can convince my shoulder to feel better.


Just since this weekend when is was really giving me pain, it has felt better. That makes me feel better knowing that it is more muscular of a problem then something major. The only thing that worries me is that sometimes when I close grip bench, my left should clicks/pops a little when I lower the bar. I feel this right where the pain is and I am not sure of the cause of it. Any more thoughts?
I guess I am not cut out to grip the bar close. Maybe I'll stick to the wider grip.

[Beverly McD.]

Really sounds like inflammation. Things get a little swollen in an already tight area, and then THAT leads to even MORE inflammation. As long as you hear that grating or clicking sound, and still have pain, back off on shoulders. I have a long-term shoulder problem, and I could kick my own a** for not doing what I KNEW was the smart thing to do.

The shoulder joint is by far the most complex and vulnerable joint in the body. Once you get it healed, you might want to strengthen your rear delts, and do light rotator cuff work, to add support and strength to the entire area.

[amped26]

is there any difference between using the bar or dumbells for bench press?
each time I use the bar something clicks in my right shoulder, once on the
way down and again on the way up, and it feels like something is grinding slightly.

Ive tried different grips and positions but it stays the same, its like the
bar restricts me from moving 'naturally' if that makes any sense, or maybe i´m just crooked

Using dumbells feels fine, but reading this post got me wondering if there will be
much difference in results in the long run if I stick to those, or if i´d be better of
digging deeper and try to get back to the bar?

recently started moving weights again after a really long brake so my head is full of questions hope all the info is not lost from the crash, found answers to most of my q's with out asking back there

[Beverly McD.]

If you compete in powerlifting the bar is a must. Otherwise, dumbells are generally a little easier on the shoulders because you're able to adjust your position a little better to avoid hitting the area that gives you pain.

[amped26]

cool, I´ll stick to the dumbells then. will never compete so if there is no major difference in
results either way, I´ll try to minimize the risk of injury.
Thanks.

[richd328]

Beverly Mcd is on the money, you should use the rotator recovery exercises 2 or 3 times a week. They work in repairing and also work for preventing injury. Try this link,


Rotator Cuff Exercises -- familydoctor.org