incline bench shoulder issues

Dustin07

Dustin07

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I have not yet been able to identify why incline is the one movement that irritates my shoulder but I would love to get more incline in.

I'm curious if anyone can give me some pointers or ideas to as how their form or grip may change on incline vs flat bench. Maybe I'm just doing it altogether wrong.

Typically, my grip width on flat bench is not as wide as most people. so when I move to CGBP it's narrower than most people.
Maybe my grip is too narrow on incline?

I can't figure it out.. will throw some light weight reps in today and see what if I can learn more from practice but I'm all ears if anyone else finds this issue relatable.


recap:
no shoulder pain with flat bench (bb or db)
severe left shoulder pain with incline bench or incline db bench.
 
xR1pp3Rx

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have you tried to build up them rotators ?

I like to lightly stretch first, then do a gentle warm up of rotator cuff exercises with the pink DBs 🤣 then do some chest and back stretches again before Starting my chest sessions with incline. ( I do sometimes use a regular machine chest press to do further warm ups if its a heavy day), but mostly I start with inlines to make sure I have all my focus, strength and thus best stability on them. after that I will move onto various other chest stuff.
 
Dustin07

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have you tried to build up them rotators ?

I like to lightly stretch first, then do a gentle warm up of rotator cuff exercises with the pink DBs 🤣 then do some chest and back stretches again before Starting my chest sessions with incline. ( I do sometimes use a regular machine chest press to do further warm ups if its a heavy day), but mostly I start with inlines to make sure I have all my focus, strength and thus best stability on them. after that I will move onto various other chest stuff.
I tore my rotator cuff twice in my youth. once baseball, once wrestling and found that a lot of the PT stuff prescribed is similar to oly lifting, snatch, etc (but with bands). so my normal warm up is muscle snatch with empty barball, or light db, lateral raises, forward raises, and then I also throw in OHP to warm shoulders and db or bb curls for biceps and elbows.

From there, I might bench 10 reps, or 3 x 10 at 95lbs moving grip around. starting slow, tut, and then speed when everything feels loose and ready. sounds like a lot of reps, but it's 95lbs... I mean it's nothing.

then I'll have my normal bench session, and it's after that when I should be most optimally warm, that I'll throw in inclines (or attempt to) as an accessory but that weird shoulder impingement seems to hold me back...
 
Smont

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I do a few rotator cuff exercises between my warm up sets on bench and my shoulders got trained several times a week. I think that's how I strengthen my shoulders from a weak to a strong body part.

For a while I couldn't press at all outside the Smith machine. Takes a lot of adjustment but once you fin the right set up your set. I worked that up fairly heavy and then added incline db back. Same process of figuring out the right setting. I guess I don't have any secrets, just finding variations that I could do until I could eventually get back to free weight incline and flat.

I'm kinda back in that process now again
 
botk1161

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How does it hurt?
When does it hurt (ie. bottom, mid, top, entire movement, when light, heavy?)
Where does it hurt (front, side,back??)
Does it hurt on both sides?
 
Dustin07

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How does it hurt?
When does it hurt (ie. bottom, mid, top, entire movement, when light, heavy?)
Where does it hurt (front, side,back??)
Does it hurt on both sides?
seems to move around. I just updated my log with todays workout but I started with OHP, then bench, finished with inclines. Today was the best incline day I've had pain wise.

at times I'd say pain is forward delt. I played with my grip today and I'd say my ideal incline grip was very close to my ideal bench grip, which is narrow compared to most. I found with a good arch and my feet planted wider apart than usual for bench, I was pounding some reps. I'm still working on understanding bar path on the incline though.

todays only painful issue was more like lower bicep towards inside of the elbow. kinda a tingly pain. generally by shifting something in my grip, maybe bringing my elbows in or really arching harder it seemed to go away...?

I'm only hitting up to 185 on inclines now so I've never trained it heavy but I'd like to because it feels like a great way to build some giant slabs of meat on my chest.
 
botk1161

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seems to move around. I just updated my log with todays workout but I started with OHP, then bench, finished with inclines. Today was the best incline day I've had pain wise.

at times I'd say pain is forward delt. I played with my grip today and I'd say my ideal incline grip was very close to my ideal bench grip, which is narrow compared to most. I found with a good arch and my feet planted wider apart than usual for bench, I was pounding some reps. I'm still working on understanding bar path on the incline though.

todays only painful issue was more like lower bicep towards inside of the elbow. kinda a tingly pain. generally by shifting something in my grip, maybe bringing my elbows in or really arching harder it seemed to go away...?

I'm only hitting up to 185 on inclines now so I've never trained it heavy but I'd like to because it feels like a great way to build some giant slabs of meat on my chest.
If it (the pain) moves around, it points to a bracing problem and that your inconsistent on how the lift is done. Sounds like the upper back and lats are not tight / your not utilizing them as much as they should. It’s hard to convey, but tighten up, grip very hard. Let the weight settle into your lower traps and press through your lats and triceps. The shoulders are just along for the ride and not whats moving the weight. Connect the whole body to the floor through the the feet and press. Pause reps at the bottom will make you dig deep for bracing. The heavier weights will come. Do you ever do back with chest? I find a few sets of rows really engages my back for any pressing movements.
 
Dustin07

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The shoulders are just along for the ride and not whats moving the weight. Connect the whole body to the floor through the the feet and press. Pause reps at the bottom will make you dig deep for bracing. The heavier weights will come. Do you ever do back with chest? I find a few sets of rows really engages my back for any pressing movements.
I'll give that some thought for sure. finished flat bench today with a pull in my right lat. I looked at my buddy and said well lats were engaged lol 😅
didn't really think about it on inclines though.

I start every session with some light rowing and when I have time i do heavier rowing post benching but more from a bodybuilding symmetry type thing (push pull) otherwise I do all my back work typically on deadlift day.
 

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Closer grip should take out the shoulders more than a wider grip so I think it’s a wise choice to keep it narrow. Tucking you elbows should help as well and strong rear delts will always help, I would (I do) add daily band pull a parts.
 
Dustin07

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Closer grip should take out the shoulders more than a wider grip so I think it’s a wise choice to keep it narrow. Tucking you elbows should help as well and strong rear delts will always help, I would (I do) add daily band pull a parts.
My bands arrive soon I think, I'm pumped about that. Ordered a bunch from elitefts
 
Dustin07

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Maybe it was just a mobility issue, IDK. I'm going to keep throwing inclines in, the tiny pain in my lower bicep yesterday wasn't nearly as bad or alarming as the past when it was in my shoulder so I'll maintain my pre-hab shoulder work and see what develops here...
 

SweetLou321

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To me, it sounds more bicep tendon related, could be wrong though. Incline inherently takes the lats and triceps out of the movement and increases biceps stimulation (ie stability) compared to flat benching based on research. It also has a longer ROM on the shoulders then flat bench and OHP (for most people anyways as most people do not do full ROM on OHP). This combination could be resulting a lot more stress on the bicep tendon in the front of the shoulder then other similar movements, which your body just may not be ready for.

In this case, I would focus on "earning" the right to do this move and go heavy on it. I would do other presses first to help warm up, increase should mobility and bicep tendon mobility (like should dislocations), start light and pretty far from failure and work up slowly over time. You likely wont build much muscle from this approach in the short term but you will give your body time to adapt to the movement/pattern and develop the mobility and strength needed to push it hard and near failure in time. Plus it will give you time to work out how you like to perform the movement technique wise.
 
Dustin07

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In this case, I would focus on "earning" the right to do this move and go heavy on it. I would do other presses first to help warm up, increase should mobility and bicep tendon mobility (like should dislocations), start light and pretty far from failure and work up slowly over time. You likely wont build much muscle from this approach in the short term but you will give your body time to adapt to the movement/pattern and develop the mobility and strength needed to push it hard and near failure in time. Plus it will give you time to work out how you like to perform the movement technique wise.
great feedback and that would definitely make sense based upon my session yesterday.
I started with OHP to heavy 3s, then slammed flat bench for a full session, finishing with Inclines as an accessory.
and it was probably one of the best incline days I have had, so perhaps all that extra work early on helped loosen everything up?
 

SweetLou321

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great feedback and that would definitely make sense based upon my session yesterday.
I started with OHP to heavy 3s, then slammed flat bench for a full session, finishing with Inclines as an accessory.
and it was probably one of the best incline days I have had, so perhaps all that extra work early on helped loosen everything up?
It has been experience that the other moves can help function as "dynamic stretching" in a sense. I also find this style helpful for dips for those that find them hard on the shoulders when doing them first in a session.
 
botk1161

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Maybe it was just a mobility issue, IDK. I'm going to keep throwing inclines in, the tiny pain in my lower bicep yesterday wasn't nearly as bad or alarming as the past when it was in my shoulder so I'll maintain my pre-hab shoulder work and see what develops here...
Is it both biceps? And when in the movement do you feel this tiny pain? Whatever the case, I will suggest focus on bracing that side more (grip harder (this goes for any exercise where a bicep feels disomfort), focus on sinking the weight (literally pulling it) into the mid / upper back, traps, lats on the way down. Load the back and triceps and not the pecs and shoulders. By the time you get to the bottom, the weight should press up (starting from the back in reverse) like "nothing". Practicing this with a pause at the bottom will make your body recruit more bracing - this especially works well off a small wooden block (like 1" or higher). I will bring a 1", 2" and 3" homeade block (2 or 3 x 1" taped together) and slip it under my shirt for a set. I will always warm up with the 3" block and then do different work with block heights, weight used, length of pause or no pause and reps - slowly making progress - in some way - each week.
 

SweetLou321

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Is it both biceps? And when in the movement do you feel this tiny pain? Whatever the case, I will suggest focus on bracing that side more (grip harder (this goes for any exercise where a bicep feels disomfort), focus on sinking the weight (literally pulling it) into the mid / upper back, traps, lats on the way down. Load the back and triceps and not the pecs and shoulders. By the time you get to the bottom, the weight should press up (starting from the back in reverse) like "nothing". Practicing this with a pause at the bottom will make your body recruit more bracing - this especially works well off a small wooden block (like 1" or higher). I will bring a 1", 2" and 3" homeade block (2 or 3 x 1" taped together) and slip it under my shirt for a set. I will always warm up with the 3" block and then do different work with block heights, weight used, length of pause or no pause and reps - slowly making progress - in some way - each week.
I commend your for trying to explain the idea of letting the bench take the load and letting the weight settle into it instead of holding the load in the air all on the delts. This concept is so important yet nearly impossible to get across online via writing, keep doing the lords work lol. I would add the concept of "tightness" to this as well lol.

The best I can do to help is share this video, I think JM does a good job explaining and showing the concept:

 
Dustin07

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Is it both biceps? And when in the movement do you feel this tiny pain?
no only my left side seems to ever give me issues. I mean chronically as long as I'm lifting something is flaring up lol.
I believe the twinge is usually in the first 1/3rd of the lift from chest -> upwards. because last week I used some incline db warming up for bench day and I recall sorta forcing myself through the 'painful' portion of the lift quickly to finish reps.
 
akboom87

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I bump my grip out a little bit on incline or my shoulders flare up a little. Sounds like you tried this though.
 
Dustin07

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I bump my grip out a little bit on incline or my shoulders flare up a little. Sounds like you tried this though.
Yeah I do the same thing with bench, thats why some days I'll warm up with 2 x 10 or 3 x 10 at 95lbs. I'll use a different grip on each set to find where I'm happiest. which is quite narrow compared to most guys. maybe pinky barely on the power band.

typically if I make a hitchhiker sign with my thumbs facing each other on the bar my thumb nail is barely on the edge of the knurling, then I wrap it, so it ends up being exactly the same spot every time in the end.
 
akboom87

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Yeah makes sense I do middle finger on ring bench and index finger in ring incline.
 

BBiceps

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Yeah I do the same thing with bench, thats why some days I'll warm up with 2 x 10 or 3 x 10 at 95lbs. I'll use a different grip on each set to find where I'm happiest. which is quite narrow compared to most guys. maybe pinky barely on the power band.

typically if I make a hitchhiker sign with my thumbs facing each other on the bar my thumb nail is barely on the edge of the knurling, then I wrap it, so it ends up being exactly the same spot every time in the end.
I would try to warm up with bands instead and do less (unnecessary) sets with light weight, especially if you want to go heavy/strength training.

As of now you 20-30 reps with a weight that fatigue you more that strengthen you, which in the end can cause pain. Save the high rep stuff towards the end instead.
 
Dustin07

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I would try to warm up with bands instead and do less (unnecessary) sets with light weight, especially if you want to go heavy/strength training.

As of now you 20-30 reps with a weight that fatigue you more that strengthen you, which in the end can cause pain. Save the high rep stuff towards the end instead.
actually I have a bunch of bands coming in from elite today so I'm pretty excited about that.
But a few sets of 10 at 95 just don't have any fatiguing effect on me to be honest, that's barely even warming me up. I understand what you're saying but it's less work than doing 30 pushups IMO (and makes everything feel much better and warmer. push-ups have been a bit rough on my shoulders lately since I've shifted my mobility focus largely to only the big three lifts.)
 

SweetLou321

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I would try to warm up with bands instead and do less (unnecessary) sets with light weight, especially if you want to go heavy/strength training.

As of now you 20-30 reps with a weight that fatigue you more that strengthen you, which in the end can cause pain. Save the high rep stuff towards the end instead.
I guess this depends on the load and perspective. I know Dave Tate of EFS always said anything below 50% doesnt matter nor count, so do as much as you gotta do that day to get warmed up enough for loads above 50%. I have seen a lot of 400-500lb benchers do 4-5 sets with the bar and another 4-5 sets with 135 before moving up to ensure everything is ready. I was agree with you if the loads and reps being done is actually fatiguing you for the top sets though.
 
Dustin07

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I have seen a lot of 400-500lb benchers do 4-5 sets with the bar and another 4-5 sets with 135 before moving up to ensure everything is ready.
I'm not there yet. I'm flirting with 300 and my all time PR for reps was 225 x 10 just yesterday, but otherwise I agree and have experienced this myself. I remember Dave talking about that in a podcast as well I think.

what I've learned over the years is I'd rather do more work at very light weight to be warm and ready to work with singles or doubles up to my heavy stuff vs: doing sets of 5 all the way up.
 
botk1161

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no only my left side seems to ever give me issues. I mean chronically as long as I'm lifting something is flaring up lol.
I believe the twinge is usually in the first 1/3rd of the lift from chest -> upwards. because last week I used some incline db warming up for bench day and I recall sorta forcing myself through the 'painful' portion of the lift quickly to finish reps.
Too much tension on the long head bicep tendon. Brace and more bracing with a tighter grip on that side. Don’t use your shoulders or pecs in the movement. Primarily use your back and triceps and let everything else come along for the ride. Upper back work like various face pulls and chest assisted rows go a long way to stabilize and increase bracing. Good luck!
 
botk1161

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no only my left side seems to ever give me issues. I mean chronically as long as I'm lifting something is flaring up lol.
I believe the twinge is usually in the first 1/3rd of the lift from chest -> upwards. because last week I used some incline db warming up for bench day and I recall sorta forcing myself through the 'painful' portion of the lift quickly to finish reps.
Too much tension on the long head bicep tendon. Brace and more bracing with a tighter grip on that side. Don’t use your shoulders or pecs in the movement. Primarily use your back and triceps and let everything else come along for the ride. Upper back work like various face pulls and chest assisted rows go a long way to stabilize and increase bracing. Good luck!
 

BBiceps

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actually I have a bunch of bands coming in from elite today so I'm pretty excited about that.
But a few sets of 10 at 95 just don't have any fatiguing effect on me to be honest, that's barely even warming me up. I understand what you're saying but it's less work than doing 30 pushups IMO (and makes everything feel much better and warmer. push-ups have been a bit rough on my shoulders lately since I've shifted my mobility focus largely to only the big three lifts.)
Good, bands are helpful and a very good tool to work your rear delt. Triple H (I think) said he did 100 band pull a parts a day and thanked that for healthy shoulders.

I guess this depends on the load and perspective. I know Dave Tate of EFS always said anything below 50% doesnt matter nor count, so do as much as you gotta do that day to get warmed up enough for loads above 50%. I have seen a lot of 400-500lb benchers do 4-5 sets with the bar and another 4-5 sets with 135 before moving up to ensure everything is ready. I was agree with you if the loads and reps being done is actually fatiguing you for the top sets though.
Idk, I know Tate said that but he also said to treat a light weight as you do as with a heavy weight (same intensity) so I don’t see a reason to do any high reps before your work sets, after my work sets I have no problem with high rep.
 
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rob112

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Meadows had a video showing some can not comfortably engage their chest to start the incline press if they go to their chest. Once I started realizing what he was talking about and stopping about an inch off the chest it got way better. Even noticed I was forcing flies too far that I was all should to start the movement and changed that.

Something to think about
 
elo76

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Just throwing this out there...didn't see it mentioned but what degree are you doing the incline presses at? If I do them at 30 deg, I get some irritation but at 45 deg I do not. I just totally eliminated the 30 deg ones from my workout.

Also...I've been doing dead hangs with a 75lb dumbell hanging from a dip belt. I use straps and either do multiple 1 min hangs or just do one till I can't hold any longer. Seems to have helped alot with my shoulders. I've fought this flare up on my left shoulder for my whole lifting career. I'm 46 now and it's better than when I was 18. The hangs also seemed to help with my elbows and wrists.
 
botk1161

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Just throwing this out there...didn't see it mentioned but what degree are you doing the incline presses at? If I do them at 30 deg, I get some irritation but at 45 deg I do not. I just totally eliminated the 30 deg ones from my workout.

Also...I've been doing dead hangs with a 75lb dumbell hanging from a dip belt. I use straps and either do multiple 1 min hangs or just do one till I can't hold any longer. Seems to have helped alot with my shoulders. I've fought this flare up on my left shoulder for my whole lifting career. I'm 46 now and it's better than when I was 18. The hangs also seemed to help with my elbows and wrists.
I am 56 and hanging on a daily basis (I have a rack in my basement) has made all the difference in my entire upper body - especially the shoulders, elbows and wrists. I don’t hang with weight;however, and focus hanging with the lats- while gently opening the shoulder. Scap retractions. Wide, narrow grip and reverse grip has solved most of my mobility problems on one side. Hanging is the fountain of youth.
 
rob112

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Meadows had a video showing some can not comfortably engage their chest to start the incline press if they go to their chest. Once I started realizing what he was talking about and stopping about an inch off the chest it got way better. Even noticed I was forcing flies too far that I was all should to start the movement and changed that.

Something to think about
 
50Magnum

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Regarding shoulder issues with bench, I saw a video saying the scapular retraction is not good for the bench press. Kind of like how someone will do a tricep pushdown while contracting their bicep, it kind of takes the movement in what it is supposed to do. I'll link the 2 vids down below, to see what people think of this

 

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