Bench press and shoulders

[klir_2m]

I'm up to 170 lbs on the bench, and at this weight I'm starting to experience some problems in my left shoulder. After doing a set I feel what seems like a pinch in the inside front area of my left shoulder that results in numbness and weakness for the whole arm. After doing my bench sets, if my arm gets into certain positions I'll feel a tingling/numbness in my fingers and momentary weakness, and if I hold it in that position it will start to fatigue pretty quickly.

So, I'm curious if this is a sign of a serious problem in development, and if I should just stop doing bench press altogether. Or if there is some way to improve the condition of my shoulder to stop this from happening.

There's another problem I have on bench, don't know if it's related. I have very broad shoulders and it's nearly impossible to keep both my shoulder blades on a standard bench. Usually one will set on the bench and the other will end up sliding down the side. Any ideas here? I try to pull them in before moving the bar, but the best I can do is to get the point of each blade to rest at the very, very edge of the bench and usually one will slide down the side of it no matter what I do.

[Mark Rippetoe]

I think you may have a touch of thoracic outlet syndrome, which affects the brachial plexus. Look it up and see what you think.

[UVALifter]

Rip,

I've had a similar "pain" or "sensation" in my left shoulder for a while now. I looked it up and it sounds a lot like what I experience. Just wondering though: you recommend lifting continued lifting through aches, pains and certain injuries. In fact, it's been my experience that these things tend to go away after a while as the joint/muscle group become stronger. Would this condition respond similarly? Apparently it's affected several professional athletes and has even led to cardiac problems in some people. What course of action would you recommend if this pain becomes more acute?

[JM3]

also- if the problem is just beginning- you could simply have a tight pec minor- take thumb and index finger opposite the shoulder your working, stick it, thumb on top fingers on bottom as far as you can, squeeze tight and see if you have sensitivity, At the center of the muscle or close to coracoid process is where I find it on people- then roll back and forth applying the pressure you can- if it ISNT T.O.S , then that type of self massage with some chest opening stretches can probably help.
I have the same issue on the press only with tendonitis from fucking up on snatches- rest and ice did the trick with that one.

[Mark Rippetoe]

Rip,

I've had a similar "pain" or "sensation" in my left shoulder for a while now. I looked it up and it sounds a lot like what I experience. Just wondering though: you recommend lifting continued lifting through aches, pains and certain injuries. In fact, it's been my experience that these things tend to go away after a while as the joint/muscle group become stronger. Would this condition respond similarly? Apparently it's affected several professional athletes and has even led to cardiac problems in some people. What course of action would you recommend if this pain becomes more acute?

I'd see somebody who could order an MRI for a diagnosis. Always a good place to start, diagnosis.