Hello Folks,
I am wondering if there is a good replacement exercise for Incline Bench in the Bill Starr 5x5 program? Due to a couple of shoulder injuries I have serious discomfort/pain when inclining or OHP of any sort/weight. Subsequently I find myself flat benching 3x per week (because I lack creativity) could I replace Wednesday inclines with declines instead of flat? Or dumbells? Or anything at all that doesn’t impact my shoulders? ANy advice would be appreciated
If you can get some bands or chains those work great for changing up flat bench. I also do something I call pin presses to mix it up. Bench out of the squat rack (at least it’s not curling) by setting the safety pins at a level anywhere from 2-4" from your chest. Start with the bar at that lower point resting on the safety pins. You will have to start your press from that bottom position at a dead stop. It takes away any bounce you might normally get off the chest. I usually take a deep breath, blow the bar off my chest, and ease it back down to a complete relaxed stop, then repeat. You might try it and see how it feels. If it is too much on your shoulder at 2-3" then take it more to 4-5". Hope that helps some.
What is wrong with your shoulder?
I would spend that time doing rehab/prehab and get everything in working order.
Unless you have a very long lifting history, an impact/sport/acute injury or medical condition…you have no reason to not do overhead work! Try and get it sorted
Pin presses hurt my shoulder!
[quote]db2000 wrote:
What is wrong with your shoulder?
I would spend that time doing rehab/prehab and get everything in working order.
Unless you have a very long lifting history, an impact/sport/acute injury or medical condition…you have no reason to not do overhead work! Try and get it sorted
Pin presses hurt my shoulder![/quote]
I tore both my rotator cuffs in the Army and have been a victim of discomfort and bitchitis ever since. I have been called a “chronic subluxator” (sp?) by my orthopedist and a puss by my wife. After my back surgery I took a year long break from lifting and developed impingement syndrome (more whining) and quite a bit of scar tissue from not working a decent range of motion in the shoulders (because they hurt, see bitchitis above). I do all my bench work with a pause because of my aches and pains and on the 5x5 I finished Monday with 395 (I like to round down) for 5, on wednesday I couldn’t do 135 on Incline w/out serious pain so I just flat benched again for 4 sets going up to 360, the only OP or incline work I can do to the best of my knowledge is the “Arnold Press” with db’s in a neutral grip, however I am open to suggestions.
And i do a bit of RC wok and stretching after my lifting, I just worry that I am going to overtrain or give myself an imbalance injury from my weak ass shoulders.
I remember seeing a video on Elitefts of Dave Tate doing shoulder presses, but he was pushing the bar against the front of power rack. He has really messed up shoulders so if he can do that, there’s a good chance you might be able to.
[quote]BrianHanson wrote:
[quote]db2000 wrote:
What is wrong with your shoulder?
I would spend that time doing rehab/prehab and get everything in working order.
Unless you have a very long lifting history, an impact/sport/acute injury or medical condition…you have no reason to not do overhead work! Try and get it sorted
Pin presses hurt my shoulder![/quote]
I tore both my rotator cuffs in the Army and have been a victim of discomfort and bitchitis ever since. I have been called a “chronic subluxator” (sp?) by my orthopedist and a puss by my wife. After my back surgery I took a year long break from lifting and developed impingement syndrome (more whining) and quite a bit of scar tissue from not working a decent range of motion in the shoulders (because they hurt, see bitchitis above). I do all my bench work with a pause because of my aches and pains and on the 5x5 I finished Monday with 395 (I like to round down) for 5, on wednesday I couldn’t do 135 on Incline w/out serious pain so I just flat benched again for 4 sets going up to 360, the only OP or incline work I can do to the best of my knowledge is the “Arnold Press” with db’s in a neutral grip, however I am open to suggestions.
And i do a bit of RC wok and stretching after my lifting, I just worry that I am going to overtrain or give myself an imbalance injury from my weak ass shoulders.[/quote]
Get ART to sort out the scar tissue.
As for the subluxation correcting muscular balance will help reduce the risk of subluxation.
A lot of scap retraction, pull aparts, YWTLs and face pulls should help. I would rather do that for a few months than pressing in your situation
Fletch and DB,
Ty for the advice, due to the wonders of the internet I am now turning your ideas into research and tomorrow into action.