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why dont i feel any shoulder activation while bench press

brownstown89

Well-known member
ok i started a thread about shoulder pain a couple weeks ago which has since gone. all my shoulder lifts are back to normal howeever. During flat bench which i have been doing without cycling off since feb or march, i dont feel anything in my shoulders its like it comes crashing down to my chest and i push using JUST my arms and chest. I did dumbells it felt the same way like it was an arm lift and chest lift no shoulders? i dont feel like i got a rythym going either unless im using about 170 on flat bench barbell.

is this over training or does anyone even know.
 
It is a chest exercise, so is this feeling different than you had before? Do you feel your chest working harder than you did before? it shouldn't come crashing down anyways. You should use your chest muscles to control the weight down, you should feel a stretch in your chest as the weight lowers.
 
i feel it way more in my chest almost too much.. it sucks it feels like i cant pull apart the bar and get strong rep. feels like any amount of weight comes crashing down.
 
I wish I could feel it in my chest. For shoulders there are completely diff workouts (like military press).
 
I haven't seen your form so I can only offer general suggestions. Try flaring your lats out, keeping them tight on the way down. This will help you lower the weight in a more controlled manner and help get a better push from your front delts on the way up.
 
brownstown89 said:
i feel it way more in my chest almost too much.. it sucks it feels like i cant pull apart the bar and get strong rep. feels like any amount of weight comes crashing down.
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get someone to take a video of you doing it and post it up. You can't "feel it in your chest too much", that's kind of the point. I guess that doesn't make sense to me. Just tighten up and control the weight down.
 
Too much shoulder activation and you are BEGGING for an injury. If you are seeing progress in your chest then it's working; flat bench isn't meant to place alot of stress on the shoulders.

Video would be good for critique
 
my grip is closer then most however that helps me keep my elbows tucked in.. however it feels like lately the middle part of my bench isnt as explosive as it needs to be? i have no rythym while benching.when i bend my elbows to bring the bar down it comes way to fast. i have had probles like this b4 i think its either cuz i just got of a natty tbooster or im going to long to heavy on bench.
 
brownstown89 said:
my grip is closer then most however that helps me keep my elbows tucked in.. however it feels like lately the middle part of my bench isnt as explosive as it needs to be? i have no rythym while benching.when i bend my elbows to bring the bar down it comes way to fast. i have had probles like this b4 i think its either cuz i just got of a natty tbooster or im going to long to heavy on bench.
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Brownstone, do some high rep work for a few weeks. Also try and get your grip out a little, you are not short. See if this helps a little. One thing i notice when i am overtrained is muscles don't feel like they are firing, it feels like i am lifting with my bones, if that makes any sense. Maybe you have been lifting too heavy too long.
 
i think its the same way thats exactly it i dont feel the muscles controling it on the way down i dont feel my back squeezed i dont feel my triceps locking out etc..

im doing 15-30 reps circuit training for two weeks.
 
brownstown89 said:
i think its the same way thats exactly it i dont feel the muscles controling it on the way down i dont feel my back squeezed i dont feel my triceps locking out etc..

im doing 15-30 reps circuit training for two weeks.
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How are you doing those 15-30 reps? quick and explosive? Or like normal reps, just doing more per set. if you are just doing them quick and pumping, then you might be to focused on getting the set done quickly and not focusing on form.

You should get someone to help you with a proper bench form/setup. Shoulder blades back, feet tucked back slightly, slight arch in lower back, not huge arch. I don't think you should lock out your triceps at the top, it shifts weight and force down through your joints as opposed to your muscled holding the weight. If you are feeling it in your chest, that's good. That's what you want. Slow your reps down if you have to, it sounds like you are dropping the weight b/c you feel like you need to blast through the set as fast as possible. You can do high reps, with some speed, BUT you still have to keep your form and technique correct. Not just get it done no matter what.

Also, if you can, get a buddy to video you with his cell, of you doing a set just like you did before this post. Do the same thing, weight, reps, speed. Post it up so we can see, and so you can see it from an outsider's perspective. It's hard for you to see what's going on really since all you look at is the ceiling.
 
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