That's great advice...

I started lifting weights because of problems a doctor diagnosed with my left shoulder 4 years ago. It was sugested that I start lifting light weights to increase the strength in my left shoulder & bicep but never to lift the weights higher than equal to my shoulder. I followed that for a while but felt the need to move forward.

I have no problems now with a flat bench press but an incline press (or lifting any weights above my head or shoulders) makes both of what might be going on in my shoulders grind and pop...usually feeling like they are missing a few gears. The back left shoulder blade also seems to pop in and out of place.

With no answers coming from the doctors, I've continued on with what I am not supposed to do with considerable increases in strengh and size but have been just waiting for the house of cards to fall.

In the meantime, my shoulder discomfort has been much less painful since lifting weights and I even find that the pain increases if I am away from the gym for any extended period.

I've got an appointment with my doctor for a check-up in January. I'll be sure to ask for a sports specific specialist.

Thanks

Good luck to both of you. Pauly, besides form it may be useful to post what kind of training you've done over the last few years. Basically a sort of overview of you typcial routine. I mean, there could be some obvious problems. For instance a whole lot of benching a little else :D

ZXNV it sounds like you need a shoulder overhaul (I mean a "repair" program not the assinine big shoulder Thib routine by the same name). Especially given what you said about the scapula. I would suggest that you limit overhead pressing and just drop the inclines altogether. If you do OHP then use dumbells and do it in the "scapular plane". Basically that is what people mean when they say "to the front" So if pressing with your elbows extended out to the sides is zero degress, basically you press with the dumbells about 30 degrees in from there, toward the midline of your body. Trying light weights you may find doing it that way gives you less popping and grinding.

Thanks 3237,

I noticed today that you even took the care to go back and fine tune your reply.

Much appreciated.

You know what?
 

Eric,I read in a previous post that you are opposed to Wide Grip. Interestingly, enough that's what I've been doing. Wide Grip for about 2 years.

So as you say, I don't believe my form has been all that perfect.

You made an interesting point. Powerlifter doing wide grip for 1 rep vs Non-Powerlifter for more reps. Come to think of it a power lifter is who recommended I do the Wide Grip. I figured if it works for him....

Thanks, for the info I'm going to a more neutral grip at once.

I kind of thought there may be obvious things that could change. It's kind of unusual to get such bad problems in such a relatively short time of training, other than traumatic injury like I said before. Best of luck on that. If you need further tips on form go ahead and post away or even start another thread since that could be useful for many.

You know powerlifters do what they have to do to get the job done so creating a shorter distance for the bar to travel, etc.

But you really have to consider the "box" that someone is coming from. You can't take all advice blindly and there are things that you may not know about the advice giver, such as their chronic shoulder problems :) You have to consider what works for you and the risk versus reward involved. Plus you have to consider the difference between what goes on in comps and what is a sustainable way of training.

When I see someone say "you should only use a partial range of motions on bench press" or, in other words, only bring the elbows down to torso level, the first thing I consider is they probably have their elbows flared out and are using a somewhat wide grip. So to them, anything other than partial range is uncomfortable or painful. Yet the advice seems to come from some right way wrong way thinking rather than what it really is: an intrinsic limitation of the way they bench press.

Likewise, you'll get someone saying never use a partial range of motion. This person may do everything "right". Neutral grip, shoulders tucked at not more than 30 degrees or so. Shoulders down and scapula retracted. But even given all that, thoughout years of bench pressing and working to get your numbers up, your shoulders take a beating. A partial range of motion may be just the thing to take a little bit of stress off the shoulders sometimes. Not to mention the obvious use of board presses, etc. to work the sticking point.

Anyway, it's great if you switch to a neutral grip. Try not to let you elbows flare out too much from you sides (find the position that feels best to you), keep your shoudlers down and scapula retracted, chest up, all that stuff. But nothing is fool-proof so I guess what I am saying is you can never just just "leave well enough alone". You always have to be thinking, adjusting, and learning. There can be a little value in all sorts of places and the trick is to know how to figure it out.