Can’t bench. Can press. How to program?

[Carl Sagan]

34 male, 177cm, 77kg (+13.6kg in 3 months of LP).

Bad genes = bad left shoulder and elbow = can’t bench press & can’t dip. Yes I’m sure. Overhead press is painless but messy as my left arm sits considerably lower than the right which means the right side of my upper body is much stronger than the left. My right arm always leads the overhead press and always locks out first. There’s a big size and strength disparity between my left and right upper body (my tris, delts and lats are visibly larger on my right side).

I tried pressing 3x a week but:

• I’m not recovering enough to make progress
• My upper body strength is lagging stupendously far behind

How can I program the press 3x a week (e.g. lower weight one day) and/or are there any exercises I should consider adding to help with upper body strength?

Current program/last lifts:

A:
Squat 115kg 3x5
Press 47.5kg 3x5
Row 85kg 3x5

B:
Squat (above)
Press (above)
Deadlift 135kg 1x5

Thanks in advance.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Medical history? What is the actual problem?

[Carl Sagan]

Hey Rip.

Medical history? What is the actual problem?

Born this way. I think the technical term is a "mangled, asymmetrical mess". It's not an injury and I have full mobility without pain... (until I load 60kg on a barbell and try to bench press which guarantees an instant, sharp shoulder pain at the bottom of the press, and about a month of limited mobility thereafter).

• My left clavicle is almost 2 inches longer than my right (this causes my left arm to "hang" further out from my body -- I suspect this may be what causes pain benching).
• My left shoulder is almost 2 inches lower than my right.
• My left shoulder "sits back" about 1.5 inches more than my right (however, no visible 'winging').
• The ulnar nerve on my left arm is too short and very tight and "pops" over my elbow every time my elbow moves through 45 degrees (probably not relevant)

FYI, my father was born with an extra bone in his leg. Thanks for the genes, Dad.

[Mark Rippetoe]

This is one of those cases I can't help you with on the board -- I'd have to be standing there to assess the situation. You will be using an asymmetric grip for most of your work, but that's all I can say for sure. Where are you?

[Carl Sagan]

Yep, fair enough. I'm Aussie but travelling long-term (currently Argentina).