Deltoid pain while benching

[Wudog]

It seems like every time I bench, it feels like a tremendous amount of pressure is put on my deltoid and I end up getting a decent amount of pain in that area. Anyone have any idea what this could be from?

I'm not lifting too heavy, doing sets of 10 at the moment and it happens in flat and incline...then proceeds to hurt during other chest exercises. I was wondering if I needed to widen or narrow my grip to fix the problem.

Any suggestions would be appreciated.

Thanks!

 

[Wudog]

an added note:

The pain is associated in the deltoid lateral fiber area.

 

[Rodja]

I'll just list the usual suspects:
Lack of retraction and tightness in the scapula
Elbows flared
Bar path too high

 

[Wudog]

I'll have to pay attention to the scapula and elbows....
as far as bar path to high...I go all the way down then a little over half way up....I don't do a full extension or anything like that

 

[Rodja]

I'll have to pay attention to the scapula and elbows.... as far as bar path to high...I go all the way down then a little over half way up....I don't do a full extension or anything like that

That's ROM and not bar path. Bar path is where you touch the bar on your chest.

 

[Wudog]

sorry I use a smith machine due to my gym not having free weights.....I have the bar basically touch my nipples

 

[Rodja]

There's your problem. A fixed bar path is generally a bad idea and you're touching too high.

 

[bigbruiser739]

If your gym only has smith, I would use a lot more dumbbells.

 

[herderdude]

Great advice above and to piggyback on the last post, neutral grip DB pressing will give you better practice for how the BB bench should be performed as far as where the "bar" should go.

 

[Bnatural]

look at foam rolling and using a lacrosse ball as well.
Chances are you've built up tension around your scapula and in your traps.
Or get a good deep tissue massage.

 

[snyderd1972]

Great advice above and to piggyback on the last post, neutral grip DB pressing will give you better practice for how the BB bench should be performed as far as where the "bar" should go.

This^ and make sure your form is correct. Look on you tube for correct bench form odds are your flaring your arms to much or some other form flaw.

Another angle to look at could be a muscle imbalance(rear delts/back) causing an impingement. Catching this early will save you all kinds of problems in the future.

 

[Wudog]

Well I benched again the other day and changed where the bar hit, made it hit lower and did not have the problems I did before. I used a hammer strength machine. I noticed after reading about it how flared up my arms were when bringing the bar to that position I use to, and how much more natural it was to bring it down lower on the chest. My gym's dumbbells only go to 60lbs so using them for benching is useless.......

I appreciate all the help on this guys!