Reply With QuoteDo you have a phone with a camera? Or a webcam on your laptop?
Generally the bar will end up below the nipples. Too high and you might get shoulder impingement due to excessive shoulder abduction.
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I have AC joint issues, should I bench higher or lower on the chest?
Basically the title. I've got some shoulder issues, and am retrying to build my bench to see if that will help it. I've really been working on getting my shoulder blades pinched back, and moving my grip in so that my forearms are straight up and down. What I'm not sure about is how low I should be going on my chest. Generally speaking, should I be trying to touch lower than my nipples or higher? (Like base of pecs or middle, if the nipple isn't a good reference point.) I tend to feel stronger touching just slightly above, and weaker when I go lower than my nipples, but maybe that's why I'm in this predicament in the first place... Who knows.
I don't have access to a camera, crazy I know in this day and age, but I've only really got a laptop and lift in my garage :/
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Do you have a phone with a camera? Or a webcam on your laptop?
Generally the bar will end up below the nipples. Too high and you might get shoulder impingement due to excessive shoulder abduction.
Member
No not really, I'm sorry. The only reason I ask is because I've combed over the book pretty closely and it mentions how in an ideal world the most efficient path would be directly over the shoulders but since that impinges you have to touch down on the chest. But if you do, then wouldn't that create a moment arm and put more strain on the shoulder too? So I figured I'd just ask how far down I should go if I have shoulder issues.
cwd
I'm not a coach or an AC joint expert, but a quick google search of "site:startingstrength.com ac joint bench press" brought up several threads.
Good luck, sounds like a shitty problem to have, particularly if you like to bench press.
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You should go down to the point that your forearms are vertical when the bar is against your torso. You need a camera and video or a coach to get you there.
You should read up as much as you can in bench press form, shoulder retraction and grip width.
If your AC joint hurts from a weight, do less weight. Work on form and volume if you can do so pain free. The key to pain free with a unhappy AC joint is not going heavy or grinding out many RPE 9+ reps.and using perfect technique. Source, I had one cut out already.
Member
+1Originally Posted by Bryanccfshr
I had a fucked up AC joint for the better part of last year. Tiny bone spur was the culprit probably, trying to deal with it for now without surgery. So far what has worked is:
1. Near-perfect form.
2. Slightly narrower grip.
3. Gaining upper body mass (i.e. "boulder shoulders")
4. Stopping every and any movement that aggravates the shoulder. For me this includes Pendlay rows and stupid things like burpees and pushups.
5. Avoiding grinding out bench reps as much as possible, as noted above.
6. SLING. SHOT.
Good luck.
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Well that's kind of where I'm at right now. I'm trying to take a more narrow grip, having somebody check to see that I am hitting the chest with vertical forearms from both the front and sides, but I'm really just concerned with where the touch point should be to save my shoulders. I'm looking at the book right now, and it mentions that it varies, so I figured I'd check here to see if a coach or god even Mark could comment on where it should touch. I feel like if I go lower than my pec, that I'm a lot weaker than if I touched slightly above my nipple line, but maybe that's why I've got shoulder issues to begin with.
I mean wouldn't touching lower cause more strain on the top of the shoulder because of the longer moment arm vs touching higher?
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Like I said, just trying to figure out how to not impinge and or aggravate my AC joint while still benching. Thanks for that search link btw!
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