Rotator Cuff

**Njectable** · 05-17-2006, 08:17 AM

Hey guys my bench is lagging big time, i weigh about 205-207 right now, and i'm only using 225 as my working weight, usually 5reps for 5sets. I feel for someone my size i should atleast be using 300lb as my working weight for bench or atleast close too. Everytime i do flat bench i feel my front deltoids seem to be getting burnt out and sore way before my chest is, and i feel something to do with my shoulders is limiting my lifts on bench. Last night when i went up to the gym their was a bigger guy up there, he's a powerlifter, and i pointed out to him where its getting sore on me when i bench, and it's basically right between my front deltoid muscle and my pectoral muscle where the soreness is originating from, and he said that is where your rotator cuff is and that alot of heavy lifters have problems with it as time goes on. I didn't really think your rotator cuff would come into effect much with bench press though does it?

**Kale** · 05-17-2006, 08:20 AM

Originally Posted by motoxer23

Hey guys my bench is lagging big time, i weigh about 205-207 right now, and i'm only using 225 as my working weight, usually 5reps for 5sets. I feel for someone my size i should atleast be using 300lb as my working weight for bench or atleast close too. Everytime i do flat bench i feel my front deltoids seem to be getting burnt out and sore way before my chest is, and i feel something to do with my shoulders is limiting my lifts on bench. Last night when i went up to the gym their was a bigger guy up there, he's a powerlifter, and i pointed out to him where its getting sore on me when i bench, and it's basically right between my front deltoid muscle and my pectoral muscle where the soreness is originating from, and he said that is where your rotator cuff is and that alot of heavy lifters have problems with it as time goes on. I didn't really think your rotator cuff would come into effect much with bench press though does it?

It sure as hell does. When you bench do you take the bar all the way to your chest. If so, try only going half way. Its still effective and wont involve the rotator as much

**resonator** · 05-17-2006, 08:31 AM

You flare your elbows out or keep them tucked? If they're flared, you're stressing your cuff moreso than with keeping them tucked.

**helium3** · 05-17-2006, 08:34 AM

i cant workout wether you are saying that you are injured,with the pain and all?if so rest for a while,and find some good exercises to warm up the rotator cuffs like holding a bar at arms length(in each hand)and rotating it upwards over your head and down to your buttocks keeping your arms straight as possible.

when benching i would consider lowering the bar towards your nipples as my spider sense tells me you maybe coming to high with the bar(towards your chin),if this isnt the case then you need to change some of your workout to break through this barrier.i suggested on another thread that one should do high reps for a couple of weeks to get tendons and muscles ready for the following two weeks where you would be working with heavy loads low reps with a partner preferably,this can help when it comes to pushing through plateus instead of just pushing the same weight day in day out.

good luck.

**Njectable** · 05-17-2006, 08:58 AM

ya actually kale i haven't been going down all the way, i've been stopping once i have a 90 degree bend at my elbows, but last night i tried using full ROM because another guy at the gym seen i wasn't going all the way down and was telling me i could get so much more out of bench and how i'm missing so much by not bringing the bar all the way down. But ya kale your right when i was only bring it down to a 90 degree bend my shoulders weren't feeling so burnt out so i think i'm gonna go back to doing that. and resonator i tried the whole elbows tucked in before and i feel i'm targetting more of my tri's when i lift like that plus i really have to unload the weight, i heard the elbows tucked in is more for powerlifters so they avoid injury when going extremely heavy, not sure how true that is.
Helium its not really a pain or a injury, its just weakness in that area, like you know once your done a workout, the muscle group you targetted is pretty burnt out, well thats what i'm feeling in my shoulders when benching after a couple sets, my shoulders are getting exhuasted way before my chest.

**resonator** · 05-17-2006, 09:59 AM

I'm just saying what works for me, I don't flare my elbows and have yet to have cuff problems and I haven't lost any momentum in gains because of it. You don't have to go closegrip with your elbows closer in, I use a shoulder width grip. You only get one set of cuffs, mess one up and that'll nag you the rest of your lifting career.

***Doc.Sust*** · 05-17-2006, 01:33 PM

i am a powerlifter and work my ortators once a wk, and i have a great press to thank for it(also have to thank my tri's) rotators do alot more in the movement than you think

**Njectable** · 05-17-2006, 03:26 PM

this is all good to know guys, didn't know rotator cuffs had so much involvement for bench

**lzicc** · 05-18-2006, 07:48 PM

Find some good rotator cuff excercises. They will help more than you know. I have the same problem as you do. I was working my rotator cuffs but got away from it. I am going to start working them again.

**x305x** · 05-21-2006, 09:18 PM

Make sure you target your rear delt. A lot of people ignore them and they are extremly important during the extension portion of your bench. They don't do much in the actual lifting but they do alot for stabilizing the joint. THe shoulder joint isn't like a hip joint which is interlocked within the bone. As you extend at the elbow the only thing holding your shoulder joint in place are muscle, ligaments, and tendons. Strengthen all the deltoids muscles, especially your rear delts to help stablize the weight and try doing some endurance exercises instead of doing strength/hypertrophy exercises.