Male, 25, 6 foot, 84kg. For considerable time now (last approx 6-10 months) I have experienced shoulder pain on the bench press at different intervals, usually when volume\weight increases. i don’t believe it is a mechanical issue as I can successfully perform the movement however the discomfort is considerable enough to cause detriment to form and\or strength, as a result I have not managed to increase my bench in around a year. This pain also occurs during the squat at higher volumes and my suspicion was that my squat grip could have been the root cause. I also work a physical labour job and experience shoulder pain occasionally at work now over the last 6 months or so. Specifically during the bench the pain feels as though it is mainly during the eccentric portion of the movement and in the medial and posterior let regions rather then the more expected anterior delt. I experience no pain in my chest and it almost feels as if my chest could handle more weight then my shoulders seem to be able to handle. My Press has also stagnated and not moved in a year although I don’t experience pain during the press. Any help with this issue would be appreciated. PS. Have been following BBM templates for training for the past year or so, currently running the GPP Hyper v2.
Alex, sorry to hear about the continued shoulder pain.
Can you describe your symptoms?
What job duties do you notice symptoms?
What have you been doing to deal with this issue?
I have experimented with different grip widths on the bench, as well as widening my hands on the squat in an attempt to decrease any tension on the shoulders from this and then progressively narrowing the grip again with some success. However the discomfort tends to return once volumes rises to a higher level (i.e. 3-4 sets @8). As for symptoms it is a fairly non specific pain while benching which feels deep within the shoulder but mainly from the posterior muscles in a kind of blanket pain which is hard to describe but can be as high as a 7\10. The pain always quickly dissipates after performing the exercise, within the hour at most. Work wise I notice some of the similar pains if I’m carrying or moving heavy loads for moderate lengths of time or if i am holding something overhead. I hope that hopes a little. I have been putting it down to just fatigue as training strictly and maintaining good nutrition and recovery is something I can struggle with due to my work\disorganised nature haha. (apologies for the long paragraphs by the way, I am missing a few keys on my keyboard)
Hey Alex,
Thanks for the additional information. Given the chronicity of the issue and its effect on your training - you may benefit from a consult with us: Contact Us | Barbell Medicine.
Pain is complex but this certainly could be related to a load management issue.