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Barbell Bench press shoulder saftey

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To add to @Philippe Geoffrion's excellent post above, I've noticed that bench pressers who have not been properly coached tend to flare the elbows during the press and generally have the elbows too far away from the ribcage, often perfectly perpendicular to the ribcage. I think this is problematic for the shoulders in terms of impingement (although shoulder anatomy varies from person to person) but also it doesn't promote good stability and the many muscle groups working together.

In terms of bench press strength maintenance, I have found that mine goes away if I don't practice it. My press is strong and I can press > 100 lbs overhead, but would probably struggle to bench press it right now. My highest 1RM was 155 lbs about 2 yrs ago.
 
Nate said:
I bet there are many average guys like me (170# - best bench only 275) that could still find feet-elevated ring pushups with a vest are in a rep range that constitutes heavy. And scaps and shoulders move free...
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Ring push ups with feet elevated are no joke. The ROM is insane, and the stabilization needed is full body. I can only do a few.

And you could add a weight vest, but there are other rings options: ring dips, ring planche.



This guy is 52:

 
Nate said:
NOT appropriate for competitors, high level or those benching comfortably. But soooo many are not in that category that are hanging on to the lift anyways, even though its pain & surgery (also can apply to other lifts too).
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That's where it gets dopey:

If you're only benching for aesthetics, and it's not a competition lift, there are many other options to get a nice looking chest.

Even if benching doesn't cause problems, it's probably good for your overall health, and will improve aesthetic development, if you explore those.

If you're not a competing power lifter, nobody really cares how much you bench, so there isn't a reason to specialize.
 
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watchnerd said:
The scapular mobility limitations isn't just an issue of bad form.

The nature of the exercise and use of the bench itself limits scapular mobility relative to other options.

Better vs bad form can make it better or worse, but the fundamental physics remain.

How much of a problem this presents varies by physiognomy.
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Still, what I referred to was about a different issue.

We can have a near identical thread about the deadlift breaking the back, or the squat wrecking the knees, or the dip hurting the shoulders, or tge pull-up irritating the elbows, and so on, ad infinitum.

Yes, for some people the bench is not as good as another options. In general, the bench is a terrific exercise. Good form and smart training is paramount, and I would say, prevent the vast majority of any issues.
 
Antti said:
Still, what I referred to was about a different issue.

We can have a near identical thread about the deadlift breaking the back, or the squat wrecking the knees, or the dip hurting the shoulders, or tge pull-up irritating the elbows, and so on, ad infinitum.

Yes, for some people the bench is not as good as another options. In general, the bench is a terrific exercise. Good form and smart training is paramount, and I would say, prevent the vast majority of any issues.
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There is no amount of good form or smart training that changes the fundamental scapular mechanics.

A good bench has the scapula retracted and depressed, eliminating protraction and serratus anterior activation.

This is bio-mechanically unusual for a press, and makes the bench unique and distinct.
 
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watchnerd said:
There is no amount of good form or smart training that changes the fundamental scapular mechanics.

A good bench has the scapula retracted and depressed, eliminating protraction and serratus anterior activation.

This is bio-mechanically unusual for a press, and makes the bench unique and distinct.
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Does that change anything that I've said?
 
Antti said:
Does that change anything that I've said?
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In my mind, yes.

Saying people need to have good form and train smart misses the biomechanical point entirely.

The proper form on the bench is an anti-pattern when it comes to other presses.

And the more you practice proper bench form, especially if it's your only pressing activity, the more this atypical pattern gets neurologically engrained.

This is an issue that just focusing on smart bench programming and good bench technique does not overcome.
 
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watchnerd said:
In my mind, yes.

Saying people need to have good form and train smart misses the biomechanical point entirely.

The proper form on the bench is an anti-pattern when it comes to other presses.

And the more you practice proper bench form, especially if it's your only pressing activity, the more this atypical pattern gets neurologically engrained.

This is an issue that smart bench programming and focus on good bench technique does not overcome.
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Smart bench programming has plenty of pressing variations built in.

But as a whole I think either or both of us just don't get what the other one is saying.
 
Antti said:
Smart bench programming has plenty of pressing variations built in.

But as a whole I think either or both of us just don't get what the other one is saying.
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Well, if your point is that "smart bench programming" means also doing lots of other kinds of presses, then I agree.

But I wouldn't call that "bench programming" as you're programming lots of things that aren't the bench at all.

Perhaps "smart pressing programming" would be a better term.
 
Like any mechanical part, our bodies are made up of wearable parts. "To press a lot you must press a lot". Over years and decades, this comes at a cost. Progress can be made on the bench press with very little volume. Once per week training, for example.

In general, this is (in my opinion) one overlooked advantage of western weekly american lifting periodization vs high frequency/volume training. Years and decades of training might have an orthopedic downside.

Eric

Regards,

Eric
 
william bad butt said:
In general, this is (in my opinion) one overlooked advantage of western weekly american lifting periodization vs high frequency/volume training.
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Hmmm...by "western weekly american lifting periodization" do you mean a classic bodybuilding bro split, with chest day, legs day, etc?

Because American weightlifters certainly don't normally train lifts only once a week. And I don't think American powerlifters do, either, from the ones I've trained with.
 
watchnerd said:
Hmmm...by "western weekly american lifting periodization" do you mean a classic bro split, with chest day, legs day, etc?

Because American weightlifters certainly don't normally train lifts only once a week. And I don't think powerlifters do, either.
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I think he’s referring to the classical Coan style cycle which was more along the lines of a lift a day like Monday squats, Tuesday Bench Thursday Deadlift Saturday overhead press or light bench. Not really by muscle group.
 
watchnerd said:
Hmmm...by "western weekly american lifting periodization" do you mean a classic bodybuilding bro split, with chest day, legs day, etc?

Because American weightlifters certainly don't normally train lifts only once a week. And I don't think American powerlifters do, either, from the ones I've trained with.
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I believe what William's mean is 3 days per week, each for one powerlifting move, and one day for acessory.
 
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