Shoulder Pain, Bench Press

[strengthstarter]

I'm doing bench press and my shoulder has started to hurt when I am in the down position pushing up. It is in the back of the shoulder right where the deltoid comes into it, and it feels like it might be a tendon. Even without weight, I can feel something strange in there when I get into the bench press position.

The pain is strong enough that it distracts me from the lift. Should I work through this? Take some ibuprofen? Back off on the weights? I've heard from some people that it can be productive to do high-rep/low-weight activities for a while to let the tendons "catch-up," but have never heard Rip say this. Any thoughts?

My bench press is currently still pretty low. I benched 195 today, but am 6'4"/265#. I want to keep pushing it but not at the expense of my shoulder.

[Baker]

get it looked at if you can. an art guy may help.

once checked out, it could be anything from form, volume, & other movements that could help/hurt you.

[ColoWayno]

Don't over do it, have someone check your form, make sure your not aggravating something...
I started to have some problems with the same thing. My biggest problem was that Bench Press was the one lift out of SS that I thought I knew how to do (doesn't every guy know how to do these?). I paid more attention to form on the others but not so much on Bench. Then when the pain started, I started remembering passages from the chapter on Bench Press. Keep the whole upper body tight, chest up, shoulder blades together like your were trying to squeeze something between them.
My bench is going up, and the pain is gradually getting better.

Good lifting to you.

[Alex Bond]

I would bet bad form. Read the Dave Tate bench article and the video and do that. I had bench shoulder pain, I worked on incorporating those tips and it went away.

[MazdaMatt]

I worked on those tips since the beginning, then I saw the SS DVD and realized that it isn't how rip prescribed. So i dropped 20lbs off the bar, used rip's style and hurt the front of my shoulder. I recommend to everyone to keep your elbows out to 80*, not tucked in like Tate.

That's a great way to move max weight, not a great way to develop the muscles on the front of your shoulder and upper pectorals. If ever I'm going for a max bench for the sake of it, I'll use Tate's style.

[simonsky]

I worked on those tips since the beginning, then I saw the SS DVD and realized that it isn't how rip prescribed. So i dropped 20lbs off the bar, used rip's style and hurt the front of my shoulder. I recommend to everyone to keep your elbows out to 80*, not tucked in like Tate.

That's a great way to move max weight, not a great way to develop the muscles on the front of your shoulder and upper pectorals. If ever I'm going for a max bench for the sake of it, I'll use Tate's style.

but which is safer? tate's seem more like it right?

well it's not really tate's or rip's for that matter. they just happen to be the one's who taught us.

[Mr.City]

Noticing the Elite Fitness guys versus Rip's method, it seems the elite fit guys have more emphasis on developing cues for tightness. Like pressing the back of my head into the bar to keep a tight upper back on the squat. There's plenty to learn from both.

[simonsky]

rips cues are more beginner friendly though you will certainly keep even at the elite level.

[Alex Bond]

I worked on those tips since the beginning, then I saw the SS DVD and realized that it isn't how rip prescribed. So i dropped 20lbs off the bar, used rip's style and hurt the front of my shoulder. I recommend to everyone to keep your elbows out to 80*, not tucked in like Tate.

That's a great way to move max weight, not a great way to develop the muscles on the front of your shoulder and upper pectorals. If ever I'm going for a max bench for the sake of it, I'll use Tate's style.

So you switched to Rip's style, then got hurt, but you think Rip's is safer than Tate's? Correlation ain't causation, but you're a fool to ignore it. I don't use every one of Tate's tips, but in my personal experience, the more I benched in Tate's style, the less my shoulder hurt.