Using a rehab protocol to rebuild press

[BillBrownley]

I have had shoulder issues for some time. No limitation in movement, but unless I am careful I get pain in front of shoulder, and it just feels "sore". But it goes away. I narrowed my grip on benches which has helped, and on press. However my press always gets stalled at about 115. I am wondering if I have some old injury or imbalance in there that could be changed by doing a Bill Starr rehab protocol. Is it possible that might straighten out the issue and cease the stall.

Other lifts are 335 squat, 409 dead lift, 185 bench--all for 3 sets of 5 except deadlift which is 1 set of 5. Bench used to be 250--until this shoulder thing. I am building it back up from 135. Age 55--a little beat up but not too bad.

Thanks for any advice--and for all you do.

Bill

[Mark Rippetoe]

Old injuries are not responsive to the high-rep rehab protocol. It was questions like this that prompted me to take it down. You most likely have a cuff tear, and your press with probably go up if you stop aggravating it with the bench press for several months so that it can scar down.

[BillBrownley]

Thanks Coach--this is exactly what I wanted to know. I will cease benching (oh my god--stop benching?!), and focus on pressing. My first weight set my Dad got me from Sears when I was 13. We had no bench, I did not know much of anything. So--to squat, which I did I had to clean and press the weight. My Dad always told just clean, press and squat and that's all you need. I did not know what a bench press was.

Guess I am returning to simpler times.

Thanks, Bill