benching questions

[Malachor]

when i bench sometimes, i get an annoying feeling in what i think is where the trap connects into the deltoid area (sorry don't know all that fancy name stuff). it's not painful like, i should stop lifting, but it is bothersome. i was wondering what it could be.

also, when flat benching and incline benching. which do you usually do first? i always start with flat bench because i'm stronger and i think it works the muscle the best. i was wondering if doing inclines first would be more beneficial for building upperchest and hitting the triceps different since everything is fresh, especially delts.

 

[Malachor]

it also sometimes goes away after my warm-up set, but not always.

 

[Jodi]

Sounds like your rotator cuff. I use to get that when I benched and some shoulder exercises. Try strengthening your rotators. Prince has a sticky at the top of this forum on rotators.

 

[ZECH]

Could be an impingment. I had that. Doesn't feel too good!

 

[Malachor]

i think it is rotator cuff related now after reading that sticky. i will try some of those exercises and see how it goes. i was going to do incline bench, but it felt a little more painful after i posted. so i decided to skip them. i hope this doesn't become more severe..

 

[Jodi]

Read the last 2-3 pages of my journal. P-Funk and I had a conversation about my rotator and he gave me a couple of tips and some good advice! Its helped alot and external rotations evertime I do, arms, chest and shoulders have helped tremendously!

 

[Malachor]

will do! thanks for the help

 

[Malachor]

Taken from your (Jodi's) journal:

"I would have a great workout never had any pain and then the next day sitting on the couch with my arm on the rest I would get severe pains."

I get that sometimes too or I will be at the computer desk. I don't recall if I get the pain doing upright rows, but then again, I don't doing upright rows lately!

Is external rotations just like doing large circles in both directions?

 

[Arnold]

Originally posted by Malachor
when i bench sometimes, i get an annoying feeling in what i think is where the trap connects into the deltoid area (sorry don't know all that fancy name stuff). it's not painful like, i should stop lifting, but it is bothersome. i was wondering what it could be.

stop doing bench press for awhile, and work on your rotator cuffs.

 

[Malachor]

how long is awhile?

 

[Arnold]

Originally posted by Malachor
how long is awhile?

around 3-4 weeks.

If you injured your rotator cuff muscles (which is difficult to diagnose via the web), it could take 4-8 weeks to heal. If you rest them adequately and do the rotator cuff exercises to strengthen them they may be fine in 3-4 weeks. Any pressing exercises that cause this pain, do not do it, stop.

 

[Malachor]

i was reading around and i read that power snatches can help strengthen the external rotators. would this be a lift recommended?

 

[Arnold]

not if you're are injured.

personally, I do not think any olympic type lifting is conducive to bodybuilding, I guess it depends on your goals. Olympic lifting is great for speed strength, it used by many athletes, e.g. football players.