Right shoulder in bench?

[DeadBolt]

Hey whats up everyone....still having some issues with my bench. I have been really focusing on form and all for the past few months or so but I don't know whats wrong with me. Maybe I'm just not a becher??

I follow the exact form mudge had suggested me to do and everything works out great. I finally found that grip that works great for me. But my right side just can never handle the weight. I know its my shoulder but I can't seem to correct it.

I get under the bar, plant my feet, squeeze the shoulders, drive myself into the bench and my feet into the floor, arch in the back, the whole nine. But for some reason after a few reps my right side just wont go up and I think it has something to do with my shoulder b/c they start to bother me after a while.

Someone had mention to start some more rotator cuff work again....I had stopped for a while. A about a year ago I had a slight tear in my left cuff but my right side is what is bothering me....no power there.

Anyone ever heard of this?

 

[Mudge]

Maybe your right side got hurt compensating? I dunno, but it sounds like a problem.

I only do light rotator maintenance, I dont think they are a muscle that needs to be blitzed, because they already get worked hard as it is.

Do you feel you do sufficient warmups?

 

[DeadBolt]

Maybe your right side got hurt compensating? I dunno, but it sounds like a problem.

I only do light rotator maintenance, I dont think they are a muscle that needs to be blitzed, because they already get worked hard as it is.

Do you feel you do sufficient warmups?

I figured my right sider got so use to compensating for the left that it just cant handle the workload anymore.

I use to do the same...I plan on starting it up again.

I have been warming up pretty good lately...more so then ussual. Maybe I should throw in another set of warmups?

I feel like there is no power in my right shoulder after 1 or 2 working sets. Almost like my anterior delt is not strong enough to handle the load...but my shoulders should be eliminated from the equation b/c my form is fine. I recently started griping the bar wider...maybe I should go a tad narrower and slowely work my grip wider?

 

[Mudge]

There is a limit to how wide I can go, so that could be one possibility. After the last couple years I am still working on form, but for the most part where I touch on the chest is pretty much not going to change, and that is low, under the nipples.

With an open back shirt you can grip yourself against the bench but I still wear a regular T shirt. That helps pull your shoulders out of the movement.

Have you tried declines perhaps? Then by the time you get to flats you will be using less weight.

 

[BigDyl]

Try this: Hold your palm so it is against the back of the bar while your laying down, then slide them so they are directly under the bar. This locks your shoulders into place.

I finally found my grip, and it is closer in than i thought. my index fingers wrap exactly around the rings. I think this is the grip mudge uses. He and I have the same armspan, so we should probably be gripping pretty close to the same place. I used to grip an inch outside of the ring.

 

[Makavelli]

i suggest doing some yoga, you will be suprised at what this can achieve for your body.

 

[DeadBolt]

Have you tried declines perhaps? Then by the time you get to flats you will be using less weight.

I have never done declines. I just recently started regular inclines again instead of smiths b/c I found a way to adjust the bench a little bit. Nows its not as steep...still really steep but not as much. I was thinking about switching some things up but wasnt sure which direction to go in.

Currently I do alot of flat bench and incline work with varying my rep ranges whether its power/rep range/shock week. You think I should throw in some decline work for a while then go to flat and see if that works? I don't know how I could really mix up everything for my benching for the 3 weeks...maybe decline first then flat for rep range and power week then maybe stick to my normal supersets of inclines/cable Xover for shock week?

 

[Mudge]

I finally found my grip, and it is closer in than i thought. my index fingers wrap exactly around the rings. I think this is the grip mudge uses. He and I have the same armspan, so we should probably be gripping pretty close to the same place. I used to grip an inch outside of the ring.

That is my prefered grip for reps and most situations, if I am going for a big single I sometimes do go wider.

Deadbolt, what kind of volume do you do? I typically would see about 6 sets of pressing and thats it, I am upping the volume a little bit now but typically I am low volume these days.

The thought with decline work would be, if you do 4 sets of flat benching, you can do 2 on the decline and by the time you get to flat you will be doing only 2 sets, and less weight.

 

[DeadBolt]

I only do about 4-6 sets of pressing but ussually 6. Depends on the week I am in.

 

[Mudge]

Like me then. You aren't doing anything that might aggrivate your rotators like pec deck are you?

 

[DeadBolt]

Like me then. You aren't doing anything that might aggrivate your rotators like pec deck are you?

No I don't do pec deck...I do some flys, pullovers, or dips. But thats only 2 sets after my pressing at higher reps.

 

[Pumpster]

Those of us with potential or realized shoulder problems recognize this a mile away. I'd give up on any pressing motion that hurts the shoulders and instead find effective substitutes that cause no trauma. Also, keep the reps in the 8-15 range which builds great size without over-stressing the ligaments and tendons. Good warmups are also essential for those with possible shoulder problems.

 

[DeadBolt]

Those of us with potential or realized shoulder problems recognize this a mile away. I'd give up on any pressing motion that hurts the shoulders and instead find effective substitutes that cause no trauma. Also, keep the reps in the 8-15 range which builds great size without over-stressing the ligaments and tendons. Good warmups are also essential for those with possible shoulder problems.

Yea I know all about problematic shoulders...I've torn a cuff before and it aint fun. I don't get pain on flat bench its just weaker really or if I go way to heavy ut thats normal....this is why I need to figure out my problem.

As for ther 8-15 rep range...that works for my rep range week but that would kill my entire routine if I did that every week. Power and shock would just kinda be useless at those reps LOL.

 

[CowPimp]

Is there any pain in your right shoulder, or is it just a feeling of weakness or fatigue? If it's just weakness, the situation might improve if you keep at it for a few weeks. You may also want to consider adding in extra work for that side of your body.

 

[DeadBolt]

Is there any pain in your right shoulder, or is it just a feeling of weakness or fatigue? If it's just weakness, the situation might improve if you keep at it for a few weeks. You may also want to consider adding in extra work for that side of your body.

Just weakness...no real pain. I haven't really improved at all lately though. Its been an ongoing problem for some time now and its starting to piss me off honestly. I can't figure out what is wrong.

What extra work would you suggest for the one side?

 

[CowPimp]

Try unilateral dumbbell press and some rotator cuff work, or something along those lines. To be honest, I have no experience dealing with this exact situation, so these are all just possible suggestions.

 

[DeadBolt]

Try unilateral dumbbell press and some rotator cuff work, or something along those lines. To be honest, I have no experience dealing with this exact situation, so these are all just possible suggestions.

Thanks Pimp...I have power week tomorrow so I'll see how the shoulder feels tomorrow on the flat bench and I may replace incline with decline to test it out. May try those for a while and maybe switch my routine around a bit. Also gonna add my cuff work back into the picture.

Thanks everyone for all the help.