problem with benching..

[bobcat]

Hi guys,

It seems like everytime I bring the bar to my chest, my shoulder strains too much, so can I still get good results if I bring the bar close enough like 6 inches above my chest?

[Tstar34]

This is a very common problem. You can still get good chest development without the shoulder pain by stopping about two to three inches off your chest. Some ways to do this consistently every rep is to use a bench board which is simply a short 2x4 that you lay on your chest and bring the bar down to. The best thing that I've used is the benchblock which was designed to specifically eliminate this problem. Check out the website so you can see what I'm talking about. Good Luck and train hard.

[bobcat]

thanks bud. Yeah, I seem to get it even with 3 inches off, 6 inches is quite comfortable though and I usually get a pump on my chest with that

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

6'' is too high.

98% of the time the problem is people are using far too much weight. cut it back and go down and touch your chest. (the 2% it's some injury or whatnot that prevents it...but most of the time it's simply a case of too much weight )

[bobcat]

No.... I have tried cutting it back down...it just doesn't seem to help

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

you'd be suprised how much those last few inches take off your bench; i know when i went from stopped ~4'' above to touching, i had to lose ~40pds to do it the first few times.

but anyways, speaking from experience, 6'' is far too much, as is 4''. Touch chest unless you're doing board pressing

[unity]

heres a good test. just grab the bar with nothing on it and try to bring it to your chest. might be flexibility issues, but 6 inches is waaayyy too much gap. i have gotten in to the habit of stopping about 2 inches before my chest because one of my buddies, who usually knows what hes talking about, told me touching chest will injure your shoulder(he heard this information from one of the trainers at his gym, go figure). after reading on this board that this is not the case i tried to touch my chest they other day. i cant do it. not with the weight im using. i dropped 20lbs off the bar and still had to cut short a couple of reps. its a huge difference... and i only stop at 2 inches.

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

Originally posted by unity
heres a good test. just grab the bar with nothing on it and try to bring it to your chest..

^ good idea; if you can lower an empty bar,t hen you're obviously using too much weight

[LoserKid182]

i stop going down when my elbows are in a 90 degree angle..is that too far?

[Porky]

thats not even far enuff lol what do u mean too far.

bar should touch ur chest

[bobcat]

I agree with LoserKid...I tried doing it with unloaded bar but still there is a strain, although not as much of course since I am not using heavy weight like during a workout. I am going to try DBs soon...

[unity]

Originally posted by bobcat
I agree with LoserKid...I tried doing it with unloaded bar but still there is a strain, although not as much of course since I am not using heavy weight like during a workout. I am going to try DBs soon...

you know what? there should be some strain. you are working out. benchpress should hit your pecs, delts and tris. if it truly is painful, and stretching to be more flexible does not help, then i think you should see a doctor. sittin in my chair right this moment, i can bring my arms back far enough to where my fists are behind my pecs.

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

how low are you going with dbs?

[agony21]

Originally posted by bobcat
Hi guys,

It seems like everytime I bring the bar to my chest, my shoulder strains too much, so can I still get good results if I bring the bar close enough like 6 inches above my chest?

A couple of things to try in addition to all the other suggestions...

1) you can try to bring in your grip closer... wider grips put a greater stress on the shoulder joint.

2) keep your elbows as close to your sides as possible through out the movement, try not to let them flare out... When your elbows come away from your sides it takes you out of the groove or power alley.

You should be bringing the bar all the way down to the chest, and the inability to do so, could be from a number of things. I would start incorporating some chest stretches into my workout if I were you... Possibly letting yourself hang at the bottom of a dip.. That is a great stretch for the shoulder and chest.

Also, contrary to what some have said, you should not feel pain during your bench press... Discomfort, and strain from the work yes, but pain no. Pain is your body's way of telling you to back off... If you are feeling pain, I would see a chiropractor at very least to see whats going on...

Good Luck..

[bobcat]

There obviously seems to be some confusion here... I DO NOT have a problem with DBs. I DO have a problem with BB bench press. I am still getting good results with going down 6 inches above my chest.

My measurements after 6 weeks of training:

Waist: 30.5"
Height: 6'1"
Weight: 190
Arms: 17.25"
Chest: 50"
Quads: 25.25"
Calves: 16.5"

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

Originally posted by bobcat
There obviously seems to be some confusion here... I DO NOT have a problem with DBs.

and again, how low do you go when benching w/ dbs.

[bobcat]

I don't have pain when I use DBs. I got to the nipple area but don't feel any strain.

[LoserKid182]

also when your bench pressing, should you lock your elbows? ..how high do you bring the bar up

[BorderPatrol]

Arm length and chest size can make a big difference.

Long arms make it harder. Thick chest makes it easier.

Myself I have a 76 inch arm span. That makes touching my chest difficult as at that point my muscles are at an enormous disadvantage. I used to touch my chest with bench and all that did was tire out my front delts. Now I spot 2-3" off my chest and have gotten much better results.

Keep in mind your body size when determining how low to go.

[JB20]

yes you should lock out your elbows and your probably having problems with your shoulder because you are not using correct form benching is not a up and down movement and its up and out then bring down the bar line up the bar with your nipples
use your chest not your shoulder unless you want a torn rotator cuff

push out your chess when benching for a better range of motion

[bobcat]

THANKS BORDERPATROL!! You read my mind!! I have a 79 inch armspan!!! So, going about 4-5 inches above feels just right for me.

[unity]

Originally posted by bobcat
THANKS BORDERPATROL!! You read my mind!! I have a 79 inch armspan!!! So, going about 4-5 inches above feels just right for me.

congratulations, you kept asking until you finally found someone that said the answer you were looking for. i am only 5'4 and my armspan is 67 inches. i have a friend who is much taller than me with much longer arms. he has no problem touching his chest with a bar. i love it.

[hyp3r3xt3nsion]

Originally posted by unity
congratulations, you kept asking until you finally found someone that said the answer you were looking for..

haha, yet that's how life works

[ovidiu]

hey guys..
i have a problem with the chest too..
i feel a slight discomfort, but only on the left side (around the heart) but not when i bench; during the day, from time to time...
it doesn't really heart...

[Kane Fan]

thanks bud. Yeah, I seem to get it even with 3 inches off, 6 inches is quite comfortable though and I usually get a pump on my chest with that

try to work on shoulder flexability
also tell us what hand possitioning you use for bench please

[$AJ]

i should to have some shoulder problems/inflexibility, and also stopped higher up and rationalized 'well, i'm almost all the way down, good enough'. Fact is, it isn't. Later on when i drastically dropped the weight and fixed my problem and worked on my flexibility i was suprised that no, that last 6'' makes a HUGE difference.

[NoChemicals]

I don't have pain when I use DBs. I got to the nipple area but don't feel any strain.

I have the exact same problem like yours. I have no problem doing DBs but I have experienced tremendous pain in my right shoulder whenever I do BBs. Think someone mentioned you should go see a chiropractor or physiotherapist. Most likely, the pain on your shoulder is caused by the nerves problem on your neck. Let them do some "Ravishing Rick Rude" twisting on your neck and let it heal for 2-3 weeks

Btw, avoid dips and upright rows completely. I suspected the two exercises were the culprits causing more pain on my shoulder. Good luck dude.

[$AJ]

I have the exact same problem like yours. I have no problem doing DBs but I have experienced tremendous pain in my right shoulder whenever I do BBs. Think someone mentioned you should go see a chiropractor or physiotherapist. Most likely, the pain on your shoulder is caused by the nerves problem on your neck. Let them do some "Ravishing Rick Rude" twisting on your neck and let it heal for 2-3 weeks

Btw, avoid dips and upright rows completely. I suspected the two exercises were the culprits causing more pain on my shoulder. Good luck dude.

dips are fine if you're staying upper arms ~parallel to ground

[NoChemicals]

sorry I wouldn't say avoid dips completely but stay away from it till your shoulders have recovered.

[$AJ]

sorry I wouldn't say avoid dips completely but stay away from it till your shoulders have recovered.

true enough.