How to substitute the benchpress (for now)

[BalthasarBasilikum]

Goof afternoon from Germany,

since january I got issues with my left shoulder.
Had some extreme pain especially after benching which lasted several days before slowly fading away when I didnt train and flaring back up with the next bench session.
I medicated myself with 2400mg/day Ibuprofen, 6.25mg MK677 and didnt lift for a few weeks. Didnt help.
So I visited the doc and it turned out I´ve got an inflammation and calcification in the AC-Joint.
I ran the doc´s findings through google translate, hoping it makes some sense:

Distinct crepitus sounds. Pressure pain in the area of ​​the AC joint. Lime in the capsule. Shoulder head elevation, small step in the AC joint of 3mm.
no degenerative changes in the rotator cuff, with microcalcification deposits, with minor bursitis, bone contour: regular.

I took piroxicam 20mg/day for 4 weeks and am painfree now and off medication since monday.
I benched on Monday, roughyl 50% of my former 5RM. Felt some discomfort but OK during training.
Though a few hours after training and during night I felt some pain again.
So yesterday I pressed and did some bodyweight dips 3x5 with no pain whatsoever.


I dont want surgery yet, as I´m "only" 34, painfree and not restricted in my day to day activities.
Also now between May and late September I usually only lift twice a week as I´m spending more time on the mountainbike or hiking anyways.

I´m not sure where to go from here. I´m not married to benching and given that I have not really benched the whole year, I´m fine with waiting a few more weeks/months before trying again.
What should I substitue the bench with? More OHP? Dips? Weighted Dips? Nothing?
Should I experiment with different benching variations or maybe bench from pins to decrease rom and see if I can find a painfree bench variation?

Hoping my english is somewhat readable.
Thanks for your reply in advance and thank you guys for all the free stuff you´re providing on the internet.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I thought we had established the fact that layoffs do not heal chronic injuries.

[BalthasarBasilikum]

Dont know if its chronic. Maybe its just some leftover inflammation I´m feeling.
I´ll know in a few weeks or months.
But lets say its chronic, so should I find another lift that works for me?

[Maybach]

It seems like you are able to bench with at least a reduced amount of pain. You don't seem to have enough information to know, let alone suspect, that eliminating the bench might be the correct course to take.

[SouthernLifter]

Goof afternoon from Germany,

since january I got issues with my left shoulder.
Had some extreme pain especially after benching which lasted several days before slowly fading away when I didnt train and flaring back up with the next bench session.
I medicated myself with 2400mg/day Ibuprofen, 6.25mg MK677 and didnt lift for a few weeks. Didnt help.
So I visited the doc and it turned out I´ve got an inflammation and calcification in the AC-Joint.
I ran the doc´s findings through google translate, hoping it makes some sense:

Distinct crepitus sounds. Pressure pain in the area of ​​the AC joint. Lime in the capsule. Shoulder head elevation, small step in the AC joint of 3mm.
no degenerative changes in the rotator cuff, with microcalcification deposits, with minor bursitis, bone contour: regular.

I took piroxicam 20mg/day for 4 weeks and am painfree now and off medication since monday.
I benched on Monday, roughyl 50% of my former 5RM. Felt some discomfort but OK during training.
Though a few hours after training and during night I felt some pain again.
So yesterday I pressed and did some bodyweight dips 3x5 with no pain whatsoever.


I dont want surgery yet, as I´m "only" 34, painfree and not restricted in my day to day activities.
Also now between May and late September I usually only lift twice a week as I´m spending more time on the mountainbike or hiking anyways.

I´m not sure where to go from here. I´m not married to benching and given that I have not really benched the whole year, I´m fine with waiting a few more weeks/months before trying again.
What should I substitue the bench with? More OHP? Dips? Weighted Dips? Nothing?
Should I experiment with different benching variations or maybe bench from pins to decrease rom and see if I can find a painfree bench variation?

Hoping my english is somewhat readable.
Thanks for your reply in advance and thank you guys for all the free stuff you´re providing on the internet.

From the looks of it, you have a structural change in your shoulder joint.

What surprises me is that the dips didn't give you pain.

Have you tried closing the bench press grip?

By the way, you have not included your numbers, which are essential to better understand the problems. Height, weight, PRs, etc.

[Griffin727]

Goof afternoon from Germany,
since january I got issues with my left shoulder.
Had some extreme pain especially after benching which lasted several days before slowly fading away when I didnt train and flaring back up with the next bench session.
I medicated myself with 2400mg/day Ibuprofen, 6.25mg MK677 and didnt lift for a few weeks. Didnt help.
So I visited the doc and it turned out I´ve got an inflammation and calcification in the AC-Joint.
I ran the doc´s findings through google translate, hoping it makes some sense:

Distinct crepitus sounds. Pressure pain in the area of ​​the AC joint. Lime in the capsule. Shoulder head elevation, small step in the AC joint of 3mm.
no degenerative changes in the rotator cuff, with microcalcification deposits, with minor bursitis, bone contour: regular.

I took piroxicam 20mg/day for 4 weeks and am painfree now and off medication since monday.
I benched on Monday, roughyl 50% of my former 5RM. Felt some discomfort but OK during training.
Though a few hours after training and during night I felt some pain again.
So yesterday I pressed and did some bodyweight dips 3x5 with no pain whatsoever.


I dont want surgery yet, as I´m "only" 34, painfree and not restricted in my day to day activities.
Also now between May and late September I usually only lift twice a week as I´m spending more time on the mountainbike or hiking anyways.

I´m not sure where to go from here. I´m not married to benching and given that I have not really benched the whole year, I´m fine with waiting a few more weeks/months before trying again.
What should I substitue the bench with? More OHP? Dips? Weighted Dips? Nothing?
Should I experiment with different benching variations or maybe bench from pins to decrease rom and see if I can find a painfree bench variation?

Hoping my english is somewhat readable.
Thanks for your reply in advance and thank you guys for all the free stuff you´re providing on the internet.

Surgery is not the end of the world, of course it needs to be your last option. I would find a weight you can OHP and run a 3 day a week press program for your upperbody. I had both of my shoulders surgically operated on and I am back to benching back to full tempo for a year now. Find a weight you can do with little to no pain. This may mean the weight will feel easy. Make sure you have a good orthopedic surgon before you dive into the shoulder. Also shoulder surgery is kinda painful. About a 6 to 7 on the pain scale. Don't let that scare you, just be ready if that time comes. Sleep in a recliner make a shirt with the sleeve cut out pre make a weeks worth of food.