Wyanokie
Level 5 Valued Member
Hi Everyone,
In short, I am on the starting strength program listed in the book "The Barbell Prescription". I've been on it since September and am making steady progress.
I've had some shoulder problems in the past (including torn rotator cuff, jacked AC joint and shoulder impingement) so removed the bench press from the program and added push ups (and a finishing set of chins to round things out). I am really embracing and enjoying the overhead barbell press.
I'm wondering if my rationale for removing the BP is incorrect here. It seems to me that just about everyone who I know who bench presses eventually develops shoulder issues. I know more than one 'big bencher' who can't raise their arm overhead, despite being very strong, and I've read a number of articles supporting my suspicion about the BP. A few of them state that the bench press does not equate to shoulder health because of the lack of scapular movement, among other things. I'd be happy to keep the movement in the program but am hesitant because of others' eventual negative outcomes with it.
Three questions:
Did I make a mistake by discarding the bench press (in other words, is this a completely safe movement if done correctly)? This would tell me that most of the folks I know who do it are doing it incorrectly.
If it is a safe movement if done correctly, can anyone point to reliable resources?
If it is better to omit the BP, is adding pushups a satisfactory replacement for a pushing exercise in that movement plane?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
-W
In short, I am on the starting strength program listed in the book "The Barbell Prescription". I've been on it since September and am making steady progress.
I've had some shoulder problems in the past (including torn rotator cuff, jacked AC joint and shoulder impingement) so removed the bench press from the program and added push ups (and a finishing set of chins to round things out). I am really embracing and enjoying the overhead barbell press.
I'm wondering if my rationale for removing the BP is incorrect here. It seems to me that just about everyone who I know who bench presses eventually develops shoulder issues. I know more than one 'big bencher' who can't raise their arm overhead, despite being very strong, and I've read a number of articles supporting my suspicion about the BP. A few of them state that the bench press does not equate to shoulder health because of the lack of scapular movement, among other things. I'd be happy to keep the movement in the program but am hesitant because of others' eventual negative outcomes with it.
Three questions:
Did I make a mistake by discarding the bench press (in other words, is this a completely safe movement if done correctly)? This would tell me that most of the folks I know who do it are doing it incorrectly.
If it is a safe movement if done correctly, can anyone point to reliable resources?
If it is better to omit the BP, is adding pushups a satisfactory replacement for a pushing exercise in that movement plane?
Thanks for any help you can offer!
-W