Bench press - squeezing shoulder blades together

[ChgoSportsFan]

Hey Coach Rip,

I am struggling on the aspect of pinching my shoulder blades together when bench pressing. I know this is crucial to make sure my upper back is tight and that my shoulders do move up (forward if I was standing up) while bench pressing. I'd obviously like to avoid rotator cuff problems as well so I need to get this nailed down.

The basic problem I'm having sounds extremely fundamentally stupid - but here goes:

I really can't pinch my shoulder blades together because the bench is in the way.

I am trying, and they're somewhat squeezed, but without the bench there, I am able to do it more effectively. For example, I did a few push-ups just to see how it felt, and I am able to keep my shoulder blades totally squeezed together.

Maybe another cue would help me. How about "shrug your shoulders down into the bench?" Is that essentially what pinching the shoulder blades together is trying to accomplish or am I off base here?

Hoping you could help. Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

How about "shrug your shoulders down into the bench?" Is that essentially what pinching the shoulder blades together is trying to accomplish or am I off base here?

It's okay with me if you try that.

[Mark E. Hurling]

Something that I've done for years that seems to help with setting my back to include my shoulder blades is to get my grip on the bar and then pull myself up toward the bar. Then lower back down and I'm on track. It might work for you too.

[Mac Ward]

If the bench is too low in relationship to the bar, or if you do not have a proper spotter, you will likely pull yourself out of the correct position as well. As Rip has stated many times, the bench is far more complex than it is given credit for, and far more dangerous than would appear to the casual observer.

[ibbz786]

Does the problem mainly occur when you're unracking the bar? I find I can pinch my shoulders etc together tight but I feel a bit of looseness when I unrack the bar and I find it harder to squeeze them together when I am holding the bar. Training alone has it's drawbacks, a spotter would help avoid this as you can set your back and they can help you with unracking the bar.

[Eloan]

You squeeze your shoulderblades together. - THEN you lay on the bench.

Therefore the bench is no longer in the way because the shoulder blades are on top of it and are already squeezed together.^^
So complicated.

[ChgoSportsFan]

Thanks to both of you. I'm also a Mark so there's three of us in here.

So Coach Rip, it feels like tucking my shoulder blades under my back should pretty much result in the same thing as keeping my shoulders pushed back while arching my back. Is this correct or is there something different going on in tucking them underneath that I'm blatantly missing?

Sorry for the stupid questions. By the way, I recently added barbell rows to my program (just every fifth workout) and I really like the explosiveness of starting from the ground each rep. Never done those before but they're clearly superior. I'm doing a few sets of 8 and they feel great.

[Rob Waskis]

It's okay with me if you try that.

Did he really just ask for your permission to think about the bench setup differently? Does that happen to you a lot?

[morbidlyfat]

How wide is your bench?

[Mark Rippetoe]

So Coach Rip, it feels like tucking my shoulder blades under my back should pretty much result in the same thing as keeping my shoulders pushed back while arching my back. Is this correct or is there something different going on in tucking them underneath that I'm blatantly missing?

You haven't read the book.

Did he really just ask for your permission to think about the bench setup differently? Does that happen to you a lot?

You haven't read the forum.