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Thread: A Look At Bench Press In The Context of Shoulder Ache

  1. #1
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    Default A Look At Bench Press In The Context of Shoulder Ache

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    For the past week, bench press has been causing my left shoulder to ache. I've been on the Texas Method For Powerlifting program in PPST3rdEd recently, and had been using relatively not-very-heavy weights for the past month after deloading after a meet. Last Friday (the 31st), I warmed up without issue, and then on the first "heavy" single of 290 lbs, my shoulder ached quite strongly, kind of "inside" the deltoid. Since then, it has been a nagging pain in the ass, generally aching most at the acromion process. The pain has not been particularly sharp, but it has been tender enough that simply pressing on the acromion process with my other hand causes mild discomfort. It has also not ached enough YET to cause me to alter the program any, but it'd be dandy if I can figure out anything stupid I'm doing in particular to cause it before it reaches that level.

    I don't know if this sounds like biceps tendon impingement, and to my eye, it seems like my elbows stay "down" enough to avoid that. So I'm at a loss.



    This particular rep caused the most shoulder ache. Naturally, I did another rep because i am teh smrt (after my goddamn camera ran out of battery because Mr. Smrt forgot to charge it up adequately OR turn it off during the 5-10 minutes in between reps), and strangely, it didn't ache so much.

    Does there appear to be anything in particular that might cause some shoulder issue? If not, is there just anything in general I might be able to do to get swoller once the shoulder recovers through other means (up to and including the DirtyRed Ignore It Until It Heals Or Falls Off protocol)?

    I obviously can't pay you professional and highly accredited helpers for your help with MONEY, but surely we can consider the fact that I haven't been indiscriminately leveling grievous insults and challenges to the Field of Honor at you down in E&P for as long as it too me to write this post as payment.

    Surely.

  2. #2
    Join Date
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    Quote Originally Posted by DirtyRed View Post
    I obviously can't pay you professional and highly accredited helpers for your help with MONEY, but surely we can consider the fact that I haven't been indiscriminately leveling grievous insults and challenges to the Field of Honor at you down in E&P for as long as it too me to write this post as payment.
    Repeat after me: The New Horizons Pluto Mission was a wise use of my tax payer dollars and I would happily pay for another such endeavor.

    Good? Good.

    There's nothing obviously wrong here. It was a strong, controlled bench press. The bar does shift back a little first thing off the chest, which may be causing your elbows to flare slightly and bother your shoulders. It also looks like your grip may be wide. Those are two things to work with given that your shoulder is pissed. Narrow your grip and keep your elbows tucked a little longer during the first part of the push. Does the bar you are using have dual score marks? If so, move your grip in so that your pinky is grazing the inside score mark and see how that feels. You might need to take a few pounds off the bench to get comfortable with that at first.

    I remain, as always, your faithful servant,

    Tom C

  3. #3
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Campitelli View Post
    Repeat after me: The New Horizons Pluto Mission was a wise use of my tax payer dollars and I would happily pay for another such endeavor.

    Tom C
    Ouch. That's gonna leave a mark

  4. #4
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    Quote Originally Posted by Tom Campitelli View Post
    Repeat after me: The New Horizons Pluto Mission was a wise use of my tax payer dollars and I would happily pay for another such endeavor.
    You greatly overestimate how much money an Professional Internet Dick makes.

    And why was it called NEW Horizons? Like we had never seen Pluto before.

    There's nothing obviously wrong here. It was a strong, controlled bench press. The bar does shift back a little first thing off the chest, which may be causing your elbows to flare slightly and bother your shoulders. It also looks like your grip may be wide. Those are two things to work with given that your shoulder is pissed. Narrow your grip and keep your elbows tucked a little longer during the first part of the push. Does the bar you are using have dual score marks? If so, move your grip in so that your pinky is grazing the inside score mark and see how that feels. You might need to take a few pounds off the bench to get comfortable with that at first.
    I'll be careful to keep my elbows "down." It does have the dual score marks. I have been gripping the bar with my middle fingers on the inside one. I'll narrow it and see how that works.

    Thanfbs....

    THANPL

    I can't say that word. At least not in a manner that isn't sarcastic or ironic.
    Last edited by DirtyRed; 01-07-2017 at 10:39 PM.

  5. #5
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    This banter, it amuses me muchly.

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