Sore shoulder from benching?

missbrendalynn
missbrendalynn Posts: 74 Member
in Fitness and Exercise
Hi guys,

I do Bodypump about 3 times a week and lately, I noticed that my right rotator cuff gets really sore about halfway into the chest track. It's not a sharp pain that comes suddenly, more like a gradual dull ache that progresses. I *don't* think it's a technique/form issue (wide grip, flat back on the step, flat feet on the ground, bar comes down to just above ribs,elbows barely grazing the step) but I could be wrong.

This only affects my right rotator cuff and it only hurts when I bench. Help please? :flowerforyou:

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Replies

  • kjanoudi
    kjanoudi Posts: 18
    Quite a few people have issues with rotator cuff pain when barbell benching, myself included. I found that doing some rotator cuff workouts after warming up but before benching has helped me. Also, warming up your rotator's on their own seems to help. Overall once you strengthen, the pain subsides.

    An alternative would be to use dumbbell benching instead, which doesn't put strain on your rotator cuff.
  • iron_jj
    iron_jj Posts: 446 Member
    If your form is on spot. Do you always properly warm up?
  • ironanimal
    ironanimal Posts: 5,922 Member
    Sounds like an exisiting injury.
  • wildbill64
    wildbill64 Posts: 28 Member
    Hey...I experience a similar issue on occasion in my left rear deltoid and only when I do bench press (somewhat also during shoulder presses). I had it checked out and fortunately it turned out only to be tendenitis and not a torn rotator cuff as I had feared. Sounds similar so you may just need to back off the presses for a week or two.

    Certainly would not hurt to have a doctor look at it though, just to be sure.
  • ElliottTN
    ElliottTN Posts: 1,614 Member
    Make sure you are packing your shoulders in when you do it. If you don't then you could be putting too much stress on your ligaments and tendons. Shoulder injury is actually very common problem with benching bc people ignore this. I have a friend who is going through surgery right now bc of years of doing this in the weight room.

    Here is a good article about shoulder packing:
    http://scoobysworkshop.com/shoulder-packing/
  • missbrendalynn
    missbrendalynn Posts: 74 Member
    Hi guys,

    Thanks for all the feedback! Made me really think about what I've been doing all these while.

    As far as warming up goes, there's a warm up track at the beginning of Bodypump - dead rows, dead lifts, squats, lunges, curls, OHPs etc. I might do a couple warm up sets/rotator cuff strengthening stuff on my own before rocking up to class next time.

    I don't think it's an existing injury because the pain only comes when I start to bench. It subsides about 2 minutes after the set and I forget all about it until the next time...which is why I keep forgetting to chuck this question on the forum earlier haha.

    Thanks for the shoulder packing article Elliot! That has got to be one of the most well articulated article ever. Definitely bookmarking it.

    Muchos gracias amigos! :drinker:

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