Anterior Shoulder Pain from benching

[MattSLY]

I just started following the novice program a few months ago. I started feeling pain on the front of my right shoulder during my worksets a few weeks ago. I need to know how to fix it so I can bench with no pain.

My grip for most of the program was quite wide. A powerlifting coach had me with my hands just outside the wide rings on the bench bar. I read that a narrower grip can be nicer to your shoulders so I've tried that the last couple weeks, along with some external rotator cuff exercises but theres been little to no improvement.

Some notes about my body type... My shoulders kind of round forward when i'm standing. I have long arms.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Let's use this as an opportunity to learn a few things about posting, instead of me deleting it like I probably should.

I just started following the novice program a few months ago.

How many months ago? Age/height/weight/previous training history/work set weight/press work set weight/chins? The information that allows for the establishment of context?

I started feeling pain on the front of my right shoulder during my worksets a few weeks ago.

Where precisely on the "front" of your shoulder? Lots of things live on the front of your shoulder.

I need to know how to fix it so I can bench with no pain.

Is this the first time your shoulder has hurt? Does any other upper-body work hurt?

My grip for most of the program was quite wide. A powerlifting coach had me with my hands just outside the wide rings on the bench bar.

Did you read the book? The book specifies the grip, and it's not wide. How were you doing "the novice program" without the most basic information about the execution of the exercises? Maybe your "powerlifting coach" has some advice about the shoulder pain caused by his advice.

I read that a narrower grip can be nicer to your shoulders so I've tried that the last couple weeks,

Where did you read this? What else did it say about the bench press?

so I've tried that the last couple weeks, along with some external rotator cuff exercises but theres been little to no improvement.

Maybe it's not an external rotator. The "front of the shoulder" is a big place. Or maybe doing an isolation exercise with a structure that does not function in isolation is a stupid idea. Physical Therapists are just brimming with stupid ideas like this.

Some notes about my body type... My shoulders kind of round forward when i'm standing.

"Shoulders rounding forward" is not a note about your "body type." "Body type" information would be, "I'm a fat slob" or "I'm a skinny little fucker who refuses to do the simple and rather obviously necessary process of gaining weight. In fact, in the few months I've been 'doing the novice program' I've only gained 5 pounds."

I have long arms.

Really? This is very interesting, although it tells us absolutely nothing of value, just like the rest of your post. So instead of just throwing this waste of electricity down into Repetitive Inquiries with the normal links to the FAQ and the other things you should have read that advise you to read the forum and search the forum before you ASK the forum, I'm using it as an opportunity to help others in need. I have the time this morning, and my intent is always to be helpful, despite recent comments by other noob members that this forum is a "sacred" place. The goddamn thing is free for now, so you new guys need to do your homework before you post. That's your end of the deal.

[MattSLY]

Hi Mark. Sorry my last post was improperly done. I'm going to try to do it right here by answering the questions you took the time to write out.

I just started following the novice program a few months ago.
How many months ago? Age/height/weight/previous training history/work set weight/press work set weight/chins? The information that allows for the establishment of context?

I started following the novice program May 19th. I'm 31, 6'1", weigh 220lbs. Before starting the novice program I worked out for a few months from March 2015 - May 2015 on my own. Before that I hadn't worked out in 10 years. I lifted weights from age 19-21 doing sets of 8-10. I don't remember much about my programming and structure.

On the bench my most recent workset weight was 185 that was successfully completed for 3 sets of 5. This was 2 weeks ago. I started experiencing the pain at 175 2 bench workouts prior. I started pressing later after finding your program so its not progressed as far as the bench. My press workout 4 days ago I did 105x5 for 3 sets. For chins yesterday I did 4/3/3 for my sets. I just started chins about a week ago.

I started feeling pain on the front of my right shoulder during my worksets a few weeks ago.
Where precisely on the "front" of your shoulder? Lots of things live on the front of your shoulder.

The pain looks like it comes from where the anterior head meets the end of the collar bone up at the top of the shoulder. The pain is in the muscle right below the connection to the collar bone out on the front of the muscle. It doesn't feel like its on the inside of the shoulder.

I need to know how to fix it so I can bench with no pain.
Is this the first time your shoulder has hurt? Does any other upper-body work hurt?

Yes this is the first time my shoulder hurt. None of my other upper body work hurts my shoulder.

My grip for most of the program was quite wide. A powerlifting coach had me with my hands just outside the wide rings on the bench bar.
Did you read the book? The book specifies the grip, and it's not wide. How were you doing "the novice program" without the most basic information about the execution of the exercises? Maybe your "powerlifting coach" has some advice about the shoulder pain caused by his advice.

I got the novice program from your practical programming book. I received instructions on the lifts from the powerlifting coach around May 19th.

About two weeks ago I narrowed my grip on the bench to just outside the inside rings on the bench bar and reduced the weight but the pain is still there.

I read that a narrower grip can be nicer to your shoulders so I've tried that the last couple weeks,
Where did you read this? What else did it say about the bench press?

I read it on an article that discussed how to reduce shoulder pain when benching which I read after experiencing the pain I'm addressing in this post.

[Mark Rippetoe]

You still don't get it. You have not done your homework. I cannot diagnose over the internet, especially when provided with material like this:

The pain looks like it comes from where the anterior head meets the end of the collar bone up at the top of the shoulder. The pain is in the muscle right below the connection to the collar bone out on the front of the muscle. It doesn't feel like its on the inside of the shoulder.

The anterior head of what??? You're still benching wrong, by your grip description, and you still have not read the blue book. Let's just save some time now, and do what I should have done before.

[MattSLY]

It was the anterior head of the deltoid. I matched up where my pain was with the following diagram.

edit: Also the pain occurs at the bottom of the movement.

edit 2: I just used the search "shoulder pain bench" for a title specific Advanced search. 14 entries came up but none provided any close-to-solid answers. I'll get the blue book and read up on the bench.

[Tom K]

Read this book: Starting Strength: Basic Barbell Training | The Aasgaard Company

Specifically the bench chapter since that's what your question is about. But read the book in its entirety for sure.

Sounds like your grip is too wide, to begin with.

[Greg Esres]

One common problem with pain during some movements are trigger points that form in the muscles. Google them if you're not sure what they are. Trigger points are often located somewhere different from where you feel the pain. You can detect them by pressing on various muscles and any tender spot is likely a trigger point. You can make it go away by massaging it, either with your fingers or something small and hard like a lacrosse ball. It may take several treatments.

According to my "Trigger Point Therapy Workbook", you may actually find some trigger points in the deltoid itself, but other locations that can send pain there are the scalenes, pecs, and rotator cuff.

You may find success by rolling the entire shoulder area, upper arm, and pecs with a lacrosse ball. I have to do this regularly to stay pain-free.

[GirthiestPiece]

Id bet you have an AC sprain from a stupid ass grip. And your "powerlifting coach" sucks.
I bench with my index finger 2 inches into the knurling. Probably no more than 2 feet apart.
If you're still skeptical, Konstantinov also uses a narrow grip which you can find with a cursory youtube search.
Youre getting ripped because in the book it clearly says to use a grip no wider than what allows your forearms to be perpendicular to the floor with the bar on your chest. This would be well inside the rings.
Any deviation from this would require a good reason and a good reason would come from a database of training experience that well surpasses the novice level.
Dont be that guy who doesn't read the book and gets sucked in to paying attention to the bench shirt lifters who have no idea how to train a guy like you.

[Tennisgolfboll]

My grip is 24 inches (alittle less) apart index fingers.

I do recommend you to read ss 3rd edition.

Make sure you pull your shoulder blades together.

What works for me to make sure they are pulled together tight is to do what most do. Pull them together when lying under the bar by pulling yourself up with it. Then when im planted against the bench i do this:

Then i rock to the left with my left shoulder blade tightly packed into the bench and rock over to the right shoulder blade packing it tight. This last step made a big difference for me.

[jason1987]

My grip is 24 inches (alittle less) apart index fingers.

I do recommend you to read ss 3rd edition.

Make sure you pull your shoulder blades together.

What works for me to make sure they are pulled together tight is to do what most do. Pull them together when lying under the bar by pulling yourself up with it. Then when im planted against the bench i do this:

Then i rock to the left with my left shoulder blade tightly packed into the bench and rock over to the right shoulder blade packing it tight. This last step made a big difference for me.

This is exactly what I do as well. Works great.