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Thread: Left shoulder pain during bench

  1. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by Bill Whitmer View Post
    Thanks cwd. Cool... didn't know a torn labrum will heal but gives me hope that perhaps my shoulder still may have better days ahead.
    To be clear -- the torn labrum (SLAP tear) is small, I haven't had it re-imaged to see if it healed. Probably it's still there, like the bulged disks that essentially everyone has. Lots of ugly shit on MRIs isn't a big deal in real life.

    I only mentioned it as the likely trigger for the frozen shoulder (adhesive capsulitis). Frozen shoulder is agonizing, but goes away by itself eventually.

  2. #12
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    I've had some shoulder issues over the past few years. I can still bench fairly heavily by doing the following:

    - Do a rowing movement warm up to get the blood flowing into the shoulders - I do 500 Meters on a C2 rower. Light BB rowing would work too.
    - Do shoulder disconnects with a band or stick - perhaps 10-20
    - Do face pulls and at the end of the pull attempt to put your shoulder blades into your back pocket (figuratively). This is probably the best thing you can do. You shoulder in your back pocket cue should also be your bench press position.
    - I sometimes also grab a heavy hammer handle to use for momentum and do large circles with it. Forwards and backwards on each arm. Watch you don't hit anyone
    - Don't do high reps. It seems like if I do much over 5-6 reps I get a pinch in my shoulder, so high reps and pushups are out.
    - OH press - Do equal amounts of this and bench pressing.
    - Do dumbbell rowing and stretch out each rep as far down as you can. This always feels good on my shoulders.

    Hope this helps...

  3. #13
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    High Bill. The BP injured me too, and the injury remains niggling me.
    I have given up BP, and do standing presses and jerk press behind neck.
    People mainly do BP for pecs, but standing press and chins hit the pecs pretty well. Mine haven't declined.

  4. #14
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    My left shoulder is crap, but I've found that if I bench the right way ( the right way for me ) I don't have problems.
    If I get it just a little bit wrong I get pain.
    I guess different clues works for different people,
    but for me some you tube videos by Jennifer Thompson where she explains how to bench press was very helpful.

  5. #15
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    Feb 2017
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    Thanks again for everyone's input. I got too busy to thank everyone individually.

    My docs assessment per my visit, mri, xrays is: "Possible impingement. Possible cyst in the rotator cuff."

    I'll let everyone know how it goes. Definitely going to reset my press down to comfortable (about 95 lbs) and going to stop attempting bench press and pushups for a few weeks at least. Going to try to add some general shoulder strengthening things with cables and dumbbells and stretches to try and strengthen it up. It sucks that I spent a good chunk of change and time with docs ... feel like I'm still in the dark even though I'm 10 months in "recovery" now. My 1000 lb club goal is slipping to 2018 at best (perhaps substituting press for bench).

    Might add some swimming too. I was surprised that even swimming was causing twinges of pain in my shoulder last weekend with kids. Something in there is obviously pretty jacked up.

  6. #16
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    I wouldn't swim for shoulder rehab.
    Quote Originally Posted by some swimming article I googled up
    Another study done in Australia on 80 of their elite swimmers aged 13-25 found that 91% of them were experiencing shoulder pain. When given an MRI, 69% of the swimmers showed inflammation of the tendon of the supraspinatus muscle.
    If I recall correctly, this is the same tendon that's most commonly injured by benching with flared elbows.

  7. #17
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    Quote Originally Posted by cwd View Post
    If I recall correctly, this is the same tendon that's most commonly injured by benching with flared elbows.
    Good point - I managed to give myself an acute shoulder injury benching and it took months to heal, but correcting my form (elbows in) was all it took. I've been mostly fine for several years now, benching over 300 with very slow progress. Has OP posted a video?

  8. #18
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    Quote Originally Posted by Marlin View Post
    Unless you are planning to compete, stop BB benching. I got tired of hurting and getting hurt with the BB and switched to single arm DB's.
    Do you mean single arm DB bench?

  9. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by johnnys View Post
    Good point - I managed to give myself an acute shoulder injury benching and it took months to heal, but correcting my form (elbows in) was all it took. I've been mostly fine for several years now, benching over 300 with very slow progress. Has OP posted a video?
    I've never posted a video, but to your point I probably should. Right now, I've discontinued BB benchpress until my shoulder feels better. I couldn't even press 95 for three sets of five without pain in the last couple reps. Worried me since I set a personal record of 135x5x3 in the press a month or so ago. When or if I get back to bench press, I'll be sure to scrutinize my form. Thanks a lot.

  10. #20
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    Feb 2017
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    Shoulder feeling better out of the gym after vacation but worse in the gym. Tried OH press warm-up with 75 lbs and shoulder felt crappy. FRUSTRATING. Shoulder slightly worse than earlier this year. I've decided to back off ALL exercises that could be aggravating shoulder including: OH press, weighted dips, weighted pull ups, lying triceps extensions (these require a "bench press" at start to get z bar in position). Instead, will just do some light and high rep dumbbells and cable type exercises for shoulders as rehab. Will focus on squat and deadlift of course. I'll see what happens and report back. Thanks for everyone's input.

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