The effect of the bench press on the shoulders

[exter]

Hello coach ,
I have used the search function but all I found were threads regarding specific injuries.
I have read in one of your posts that the shoulders "get trapped" against the bench.
Does this mean that the bench press is bound to destroy our shoulders if we keep benching heavy and on a regular basis , even if we keep our elbows tucked in and performing the exercise properly ?

[Mark Rippetoe]

Probably, if you don't press too.

[DCP]

Rip, would pressing heavy once a week be enough to counteract any negative consequences for the shoulders that benching heavy twice a week could cause? I looked through the archives and I know you mentioned in a post that you would prefer the bench press and press be trained equal amounts, unless you were at the intermediate level and specializing for something specific.

I ask this because I have switched from the Texas Method after 3 months to the Madcow Intermediate program that he supposedly based of Starr's 5x5. It calls for the bench on the 'medium' and 'heavy' days while pressing on the 'light' day. Here is the thread I posted in the Programming section but didn't get many replies for (http://startingstrength.com/resource...ad.php?t=23250).

Thanks.

[Mark Rippetoe]

It might be.

[macetini]

Rip, what if you did just overhead pressing, and no (or little) benching. I'm not advocating that you should do, but could you make similar progress strength vise? I know that you had your ac joint(s) worked on and did not do bench for some time.

[exter]

Why did you undergo shoulder surgery ?