Ben H
Level 6 Valued Member
For a long time, the bent press has been a lift that I have been unable to master (to my disappointment). Back when I was last regularly practising it my PR was 32kg either side, but it always felt difficult and uncomfortable, especially on the left. Eventually an old niggle in my left shoulder really flared up again and I was almost overnight unable to BtPr even 16kg.
I set it aside for several months and reviewed first Secrets to Mastering the Bent Press by Walter J. Dorey, and then later the Dave Whitley video Taming the Bent Press. Despite working on the preparatory exercises from both approaches I was unable to BtPr even a very light weight on the left hand side without a pain in my anterior and lateral deltoid. This is a pain that only this particular lift causes, and unless I have really overdone it, it never hurts when I'm doing anything else. Rest doesn't seem to make any difference... a few weeks off and it feels fine so I figure it must have improved, and then as soon as I try it again the same old results.
When reviewing again Whitley's video, I noticed that he insists on an external rotation of the shoulder (palm towards audience) whereas Dorey more or less advises the opposite (palm facing heels, viewed from above in his charming illustrations!). Since I read Dorey's book first, this had been ingrained in my technique. Obviously this works very well for him and others, but to my surprise I found that taking a really strong external rotation virtually eliminates the shoulder pain when lifting an 8kg bell, the only bit of progress I've made in months.
After a few sessions I'm back to lifting the 16kg, with some difficulty but no particular shoulder pain. It still feels tougher on the left shoulder but nothing out of the ordinary. The only remaining niggle is that depending on how far I rotate around before beginning the dip I do often still have a pinching feeling mid-ribcage on the left side. In the early sets I also get some pretty juicy clicks. My thoracic mobility and spine rotation in general has always been troublesome to the left. I think this comes down to a noticeable thoracic asymmetry thanks to having lived with idiopathic scoliosis my whole life, something that gives me no other trouble. I forget the stats but it's not serious enough for any doctors ever to suggest I cut out any exercises or sports.
I've summoned up the courage to film my feeble attempts, once from the front and once from the side, for criticism and advice.
Some reflections on what I've found challenging on the technique front:
1. I persist with pointing my feet in the correct direction but this always feels unnatural
2. I don't know whether it's the build of my shoulders or what but it feels basically impossible to rest my tricep on my lat while I straighten the elbow, as many suggest. So it floats a bit, which is undoubtedly harder work on the rotator cuff.
3. I've always felt like my hips don't go far back and to the side, although looking at the video perhaps it's not as bad as I thought. I suppose they must go back as I bend forwards otherwise I would topple over.
4. Going 'up and over' into a rearward rack position with the weight resting on the rear deltoid (another thing from Whitley's video) feels like it's made a difference but I wonder whether I will feel stable doing it with a big weight. Perhaps I'm going too far, or not far enough.
I'm grateful for any advice or pointers.
Front:
Side:
I set it aside for several months and reviewed first Secrets to Mastering the Bent Press by Walter J. Dorey, and then later the Dave Whitley video Taming the Bent Press. Despite working on the preparatory exercises from both approaches I was unable to BtPr even a very light weight on the left hand side without a pain in my anterior and lateral deltoid. This is a pain that only this particular lift causes, and unless I have really overdone it, it never hurts when I'm doing anything else. Rest doesn't seem to make any difference... a few weeks off and it feels fine so I figure it must have improved, and then as soon as I try it again the same old results.
When reviewing again Whitley's video, I noticed that he insists on an external rotation of the shoulder (palm towards audience) whereas Dorey more or less advises the opposite (palm facing heels, viewed from above in his charming illustrations!). Since I read Dorey's book first, this had been ingrained in my technique. Obviously this works very well for him and others, but to my surprise I found that taking a really strong external rotation virtually eliminates the shoulder pain when lifting an 8kg bell, the only bit of progress I've made in months.
After a few sessions I'm back to lifting the 16kg, with some difficulty but no particular shoulder pain. It still feels tougher on the left shoulder but nothing out of the ordinary. The only remaining niggle is that depending on how far I rotate around before beginning the dip I do often still have a pinching feeling mid-ribcage on the left side. In the early sets I also get some pretty juicy clicks. My thoracic mobility and spine rotation in general has always been troublesome to the left. I think this comes down to a noticeable thoracic asymmetry thanks to having lived with idiopathic scoliosis my whole life, something that gives me no other trouble. I forget the stats but it's not serious enough for any doctors ever to suggest I cut out any exercises or sports.
I've summoned up the courage to film my feeble attempts, once from the front and once from the side, for criticism and advice.
Some reflections on what I've found challenging on the technique front:
1. I persist with pointing my feet in the correct direction but this always feels unnatural
2. I don't know whether it's the build of my shoulders or what but it feels basically impossible to rest my tricep on my lat while I straighten the elbow, as many suggest. So it floats a bit, which is undoubtedly harder work on the rotator cuff.
3. I've always felt like my hips don't go far back and to the side, although looking at the video perhaps it's not as bad as I thought. I suppose they must go back as I bend forwards otherwise I would topple over.
4. Going 'up and over' into a rearward rack position with the weight resting on the rear deltoid (another thing from Whitley's video) feels like it's made a difference but I wonder whether I will feel stable doing it with a big weight. Perhaps I'm going too far, or not far enough.
I'm grateful for any advice or pointers.
Front:
Side:
