The barbell bench press is a very popular exercise and for good reason. No other exercise allows you to load up your chest and shoulders, allowing you to build some serious mass and strength in the upper body. Unfortunately it can also cause pain for many shoulders depending on anatomy and technique issues. If you would like to be able to push to your limit without fear that you’re damaging your shoulders then read on.
The problem with the bench press is that it is a somewhat unnatural movement. Almost all movements that involve your arms are done in an upright position where your shoulder blades are able to move as your arms move. During a bench press your shoulder blades are fixed to the bench as your arms move the bar up and down. Depending on the bony anatomy of the inside of your shoulder this can cause narrowing of the proximal portion of your humerus (upper arm bone) and your acromion (the ceiling of your shoulder joint) as well as compression of some key pain-sensitive structures such as your rotator cuff and bursa. See picture below showing the suprspinatus muscle lying precariously between the proximal arm bone and ‘ceiling’ of the shoulder.
In order to keep heavy benching a regular part of your training program while reducing potential irritation here are some tips for increasing the space between your upper arm bone and the ceiling of your shoulder joint:
Step 1 – check your form
Before we get into modifications it’s important to first check that you have a good understanding of barbell bench press mechanics and cues to be mindful of.
Step 2 – Narrow your grip
As you narrow your grip you will hold your elbows slightly closer to your body which allows you to feel like you’re bending the bar. While this may reduce how much of your pec you’re using and increase the load on your tricep it may allow more clearance within the shoulder joint.
Step 3 – set your shoulder blades
This will widen the front of your shoulders giving the joint a little more space. This is also an important cue for anyone using the bench press as it creates a solid foundation in which your arms can drive the weight from, which will allow you to effectively move more weight.
Step 4 – reduce depth
By sitting a bar pad or rolled up towel on your chest you can reduce the depth of the movement. As compression of the abovementioned structures occurs most when you’re at full depth, this can be an easy way to alleviate the problem.
Step 5 – lighter and paused reps
The pause takes away the stretch reflex or rebound at the bottom of the rep allowing a lighter weight to apply more strain to your muscles while adding more control in the position where compression occurs most.
Step 6 – use dumbbells instead of a bar
If these previous cues aren’t helpful you should try using dumbbells where you have much more freedom to drop the elbows closer to the body, giving the shoulder joint much more room to move.
Dumbbell floor presses significantly reduce the depth of movement and potential irritation while still allowing you to maintain your strength of the movement.
If this exercise is still causing issues then it’s best to make an appointment with us here at Befit Training Physiotherapy so you can have your shoulders assessed and your issue diagnosed. Floor presses are generally non provocative for the shoulder, so if they are causing you pain then you likely have something a little more serious going on.
