The Clavicular Head of the chest, shoulder issues and the Bench press
I read this article today and enjoyed it quite a bit.
You're Training Your Pecs Wrong
We are lucky in this day and age to be able to access nearly information we wish at our fingertips. This article sparked much relevance to me in regards to my previous shoulder issues, typically bench press related. When analyzing my technique in this lift, my strongest position is wide grip, with elbows pretty flared. This has always been my strongest, even after my pec tear. Now I realize most of us here at SF aren't bodybuilders. Heck, I've yet to meet one here. However, I think in certain circumstances, we can all agree that having a weak muscle group can certainly hold back a lift and it's important to address this and work to improve that muscle's contribution.
The way to address this, however, will differ for a strength athlete than a bodybuilder. Pavel touches on this topic in PTTP Pro. While a bodybuilder can isolate said muscle group, in order for a strength athlete, or in our case, lifter, to address this issue is through specialized variety. The Digby Sale law states hypertrophy and strength of a muscle group is specific to the action that created the hypertrophy in the first place. I.e. leg extension increase in size and strength will help leg extension strength, not necessarily squat strength. However, one can circumvent the DS law by training the isolation exercise and compound lift in circuit fashion, leading to neuroplasticity, or a rewiring of neurons to integrate separate actions in to a single function. Paul Anderson was known to do such training when he alternated good mornings and squats.
In my case of the bench press, a lift I've struggled with for years, I noticed most of my issues derive from an early elbow flare. In review of the article earlier posted, I've deduced that the possibility of having an overly activated sternocoastal pec has decreased the contributions of my clavicular head. This seems to be a common finding among those who have suffered shoulder injuries. Cause or effect? I can't say.
What I can say is the role of shoulder flexion, which is the burden of the clavicular head and deltoid, is weak in my bench press. This is why my elbow flares. To throw the load from shoulder flexion to abduction, a role of the sternocoastal head. Weak triceps and lats are also other possibilities, but if that were the case, I think my pullup strength would suffer, along with my overhead strength. However, I have noticed since my injury, my presses have started from a "hovering" position above the clavicle. This high start position bypasses the area of the lift where the upper head of the pecs would be most active. For this reason, the close grip, elbows tucked bench press is a great accessory lift for me, as well as the incline press. These lifts will help develop a weaker position and muscle group that could be a key to improving my bench press.