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Big Bench Press Can Mean Bad Shoulders

guss

guss

MuscleHead
Aug 11, 2010
380
189
Why all the fuss over a big bench-press? What does the sheer amount of weight that someone can push whilst lying flat on their back have to do with anything? If you’re sitting with a bunch of guys and someone strong walks in, it’s common to hear "I wonder what he can bench?" Or when discussing sport, the same question comes up, "How much can so-and-so bench?" When I go to a party and meet people, you can be as sure as the presence of beer that someone will ask, "What can you bench?" It is always great fun to see their reaction when I tell them "Not much, but I can run 30 meters flat out with Malu Mainu’u on my back!"

The bench press exercise was never intended to be a benchmark of man (or woman!) hood. It is an exercise for improving the size and/or strength of the chest, anterior deltoids and triceps, nothing else. In fact, the star player on any team is rarely the one with the biggest bench press! Unfortunately, over-emphasis on the bench press often coupled with poor technique has led to a high incidence of shoulder injuries in both athletes and non-athletes. Additionally many people are not anatomically designed to perform the exercise as it is generally taught in most strength training texts, Personal Trainer certification courses and by many strength coaches.

THE PROBLEM WITH TRADITIONAL BENCH PRESS TECHNIQUE

The bar is lowered until it touches the chest and then pressed back up to the start position. Everyone is expected to lower the bar to the chest; anything less is considered poor form, sub-standard, and even wimpy by fellow lifters. However, to perform the exercise under such guidelines requires a greater range of motion (ROM) than is found in the shoulder joint of most people - particularly male athletes. Why is it so important to work within the ROM of your shoulder joint? Some simple anatomy will help to explain this.

The movement-restricting factor during a bench press is not the muscles of the shoulder; it is the special connective tissue casing around the shoulder joint called the "joint capsule." This highly specialized structure is anatomically designed to not only allow just the right amount of motion to prevent joint damage, but also contains thousands of specialized nerve endings called "proprioceptors." Proprioceptors are special nerve endings that communicate with the brain to inform it of joint position and speed of movement, as well as pressure, tension and pain in and around the joint. Loading the shoulder and forcing it beyond the functional ROM limit will stretch the shoulder joint capsule. In most people this will occur by letting the bench-press bar travel until it touches the chest.

Additionally, because the bench press is performed on a flat weight lifting bench, normal movement of the shoulder blades (scapulae) is disrupted. This demands that more movement must occur in the shoulder joint itself. As the bar is loaded with heavier and heavier weights, the shoulder blades are pressed into the bench harder and harder, further disrupting the normal mechanics of the shoulder girdle joints and overloading the shoulder.

HOW FAR SHOULD YOU LET THE BAR TRAVEL WHEN PERFORMING A BENCH PRESS?

To protect the shoulder joint capsule from being stretched out or injured the exerciser must determine how far to safely lower the bar. It is essential that each person determine optimal bench press range of motion for his or her own shoulders, as each person is different.

The Bench Press Range of Motion Test

Step 1 - Passive Range of Motion:
Place your arm in the bench press position and allow your arm to lower to its passive end range of motion. This is the position where the arm naturally stops without being forced. At this point you have determined the exact point at which the shoulder joint capsule becomes the primary restraint to shoulder ROM.

Step 2 - Optimal Bottom Position:
Once you have identified the end position of passive shoulder range of motion with the Bench Press Range of Motion Test, lift the arm 2-3cm to find your optimal bottom position for the bench press exercise. This creates a small buffer zone (10º - 15º) which will protect the joint capsule from overload when the weights get heavy or when you get tired.

Although many will argue that you must train through the "full range of motion" to be strong for sport, this concept is unfounded. It is well known among Physiotherapists and exercise scientists that there is approximately a 15º +/- carry-over of strength developed at any specific joint angle with strength training. i.e. if you train the shoulder from 15º to 75º, the strength gained will carryover from 0º to 90º. This is how sports medicine doctors improve strength in an injured shoulder or knee without actually ever moving the joint through the painful ROM.

What’s so important about training within your given ROM?

What most trainers, athletes and coaches don’t seem to respect is the fact that training beyond the shoulder’s passive barrier with heavy loads will stretch the shoulder joint capsule. Once stretched, the joint capsule can no longer stabilize the shoulder joint with common arm movements such as swimming, hitting a volley ball or netball, holding power tools over head or even swinging a hammer. If these arm movements are repeated without the stability provided by a functional shoulder joint capsule, an impingement syndrome develops, resulting in inflammation and pain in the shoulder joint. Bursitis and rotator cuff tendonitis commonly develop secondarily. Because the shoulder joint capsule provides critical information about arm position, those with a loose joint capsule often lose their ability to accurately sense joint position. This will result in a loss of accuracy in sports requiring precision placement of the arm.

In any sport, your arm rarely ever reaches a loaded end point in the same position twice in the same game or event. Because the loads in sport are both brief in duration and seldom as high as those encountered during a bench press session, the shoulder joint capsule can recover from intermittent exposure to end range loading. For those with insufficient range of motion to perform the traditional Bench Press, going to the gym and lowering heavy loads to your chest with slow speeds of movement, 30-100 repetitions or more per week is like repeatedly crashing your car into a brick wall at slow speeds just to prepare for the one day you may actually have an accident!

WHAT DO I DO IF MY SHOULDERS ARE TRASHED AND I STILL WANT TO BENCH PRESS?

If you have painful shoulders when bench pressing you may not need to stop. To safely return to bench pressing, follow these guidelines:

Spend 4-8 weeks performing a rotator cuff conditioning program. For more information on rotator cuff training I recommend the book Seven Minute Rotator Cuff Solution by Horrigan and Robinson.

Begin your return to the bench press from the floor, not a bench. The floor creates a range of motion barrier, protecting your shoulder joint capsules and tendons from excessive stretch.

Always start with dumbbells. Dumbbells allow your body the needed freedom of motion to find a new bench press pathway that does not stress the injured tissues.

Once you have performed 3-4 weeks of floor bench press, progress from the floor to a slightly deflated 55-65cm Swiss Ball (Figure 5). The Swiss Ball will allow a slightly greater range of motion than the floor and will increase stabilizer activation. A C.H.E.K certified intern can teach you how to perform many Swiss Ball bench press variations.

After 3-4 weeks on a deflated Swiss Ball, progressively inflate your Swiss Ball. The firm ball will allow slightly more shoulder joint motion as well as increased shoulder blade motion.

Having performed the above steps, use the test described in Figure 2 to assure that you don’t exceed your shoulders safe bench press range of motion. Progress both volume and intensity slowly. If your shoulder(s) begin to show signs of discomfort with the traditional bench press, revert back to the previous steps in the progression and avoid the traditional bench press all together!

References

Chek, P. Strong 'N' Stable: Swiss Ball Weight Training, videocassette series. San Diego, CA: Lenny Magill Productions/Paul Chek Seminars, 1997.
Chek, P. Gym Instructor Series: Vol. 2 Pushing & Pressing Exercises, videocassette. San Diego, CA: Paul Chek Seminars, 1997.
Hartmann, J. & Tunnemann, H. Fitness & Strength Training for All Sports. Toronto, ON: Sports Books Publisher, 1995.
Horrigan, J. & Robinson, J. The 7-Minute Rotator Cuff Solution. Los Angeles, CA: Health for Life, 1991.
 

ajdos

Friends Remembered
Sep 8, 2010
2,282
399
This is why I dont flat bench anymore- you watch a lot of people do it and they are shoulder pressing on their backs and the pecs get minimal stimulation.
 
Rein

Rein

MuscleHead
Sep 10, 2010
1,241
128
I do it because it works great for me and it doesn't give me any shoulder pain (mostly because i thoroughly warm up all my upper body before doing anything) although i believe most of the emphasis on a chest workout should be given to the upper pecs.
 

ajdos

Friends Remembered
Sep 8, 2010
2,282
399
I do it because it works great for me and it doesn't give me any shoulder pain (mostly because i thoroughly warm up all my upper body before doing anything) although i believe most of the emphasis on a chest workout should be given to the upper pecs.

You are probably one of the minority whos shoulder girdle is biomechanically able to handle that movement- for people like you its like squatting for your pecs.
 
H

hugec2

Member
Sep 15, 2010
60
1
Ya not many people are built for it.. Even the ones who are when your reach a certain weight it starts to show.. Declines are very safe for your shoulders.. I dont know if any of you are fans of old school BB like i am but neck presses are AWESOME!! You dont need a ton of weight and they make your chest WIDE.. Love Em
 
hawkeye

hawkeye

VIP Member
Sep 19, 2011
3,045
874
I think a lot of it is not working the muscles that supplement the bench and doing rehab work. Rotator cuff rehab work is big when it comes to benching and lats play a critical role in benching. I get sore shoulders and feel beat up a lot but I either deload or I make sure to do my rehab work, but for some, it may be just having to transition to something different. As far as testing strength, there are so many arguments what exercise is the best for indicating strength. I think someone can be a huge deadlifter, but can't squat or bench much....just depends on body types and individual strengths.
 
Rottenrogue

Rottenrogue

Strongwoman
Jan 26, 2011
6,595
1,882
And Hawkeye that's me in a nutshell. Bigger dl shitty press and squat
 
C

C T J

Crossfit VIP
Jan 24, 2013
2,483
741
If you're having issues with your shoulder then you need rehab/mobility exercises daily. The bar should touch your chest. You should be flexible enough to do this.
 
BrotherIron

BrotherIron

VIP Member
Mar 6, 2011
10,717
2,808
I see some people having shoulder issues when they only focus on bench and that ends up drawing their shoulders in causing an impingement and other issues. Make sure you work those pulling movements and work on mobility to open up your chest.
 
hawkeye

hawkeye

VIP Member
Sep 19, 2011
3,045
874
I see some people having shoulder issues when they only focus on bench and that ends up drawing their shoulders in causing an impingement and other issues. Make sure you work those pulling movements and work on mobility to open up your chest.

Great point, BI, it's the old analogy of have huge quads but one keeps pulling their hamstrings due to muscular imbalance. Hence why lats and other exercises need to be implemented into ones routine because they are the platform for bench. Even biceps help stabilize your triceps.
 
T

Torres

MuscleHead
Sep 16, 2013
308
44
Warm Up, Warm Up, Warm Up !!! I always warm up shoulders, even if I'm doing arms alone !!! I believe in getting that blood into the shoulders and getting them hot b4 any exercise !!! I had shoulder probs years ago and have learned my lesson !!! I love the barbell bench press but actually like the dumbbell press just alittle more !!! I find usin the dumbells puts less stress on my shoulders.
 
tommyguns2

tommyguns2

Senior Moderators
Staff Member
Dec 25, 2010
6,311
4,997
This is me. I tore something in my shoulder about 10 weeks ago. I could feel it tearing, and I was all warmed up and doing my first working set of relatively light weight. I have no idea why it went when it did, but I've been babying it ever since. I should go to the doc and see exactly what tore, but I don't want to pay the money.
 
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