Shoulder pain when bench pressing

[attekukkula]

I have been having some pain on the top of my anterior deltoid when benching for a few weeks. I feel it right when I lock out each rep. I don't feel any pain when pressing overhead. I'm doing a four day texas method, so I'm benching twice a week, 2×3 on intensity day and 5×5 on volume day. I'm thinking about trying whether incline or close grip benching hurts and using one of those for volume day. Any comments about what to do?

[Will Morris]

I have been having some pain on the top of my anterior deltoid when benching for a few weeks. I feel it right when I lock out each rep. I don't feel any pain when pressing overhead. I'm doing a four day texas method, so I'm benching twice a week, 2×3 on intensity day and 5×5 on volume day. I'm thinking about trying whether incline or close grip benching hurts and using one of those for volume day. Any comments about what to do?

The first thing I would want to see is a video of your bench press technique, if I go ahead and make the assumption that you are indeed a candidate for training according to the Texas Method. Your technique would likely help determine what the pain generator is.

[attekukkula]

Bench press 80kg - YouTube thanks for the reply! Here's an old video of a set of five with 80 kg from when I was still doing my NLP. My last 5×5 weight was 85kg and 2×3 was 97,5 with a bodyweight of about 75kg. The video's a little crappy but you can see my arch and the position of my elbows.

[jbackos]

Without seeing you in person and because the angle is not that good, it’s not easy to completely diagnose technique but I do see a few issues.

1. You’re loose as a goose on the bench. You need someone to teach you how to get tight and brace. Before you bring the bar down, you need to retract and depress the shoulder blades ( the Coan cue is - put your shoulder blades in your back pockets), raise the sternum high, tighten the glutes, and push the feet into the toes of your shoes. Of course all the while you’re taking in a huge breath.

2. IMO your grip is wide. A general starting position is: with the bar on your chest your forearms should be vertical when viewed from the front. From the side the bar will line up with the crease of the elbow. For your grip, Rip has a YouTube video up and so does JM Blakley (they use the same technique). Follow it

3. Reset each rep at the top

4. Finally stop bouncing the bar. When you bounce the bar you get no work at the weakest position (the bottom). Start pausing until you’re proficient enough to use the touch and go.