No more benching for my shoulders

[Halfway]

I've had it, I'm hanging up my benching towel and switching to dips. It's got to the point where I cant bench without pain & my shoulder makes gruesome clicking, gristle-y sounds like someone ripping off a turkey leg when I do a benching motion.

I'm a fairly strong dipper (bw + 225 1rm) so I'm looking forward to capitalizing on this lift but I do worry about losing pec size. IA or any of you other dip hoes, have you noticed anything like that when you drop the bench? The dip just doesnt 'seem' to work the chest as much or am I wrong

[DieTrying]

I may be joining you. I'm finding dips to be just as good, or better, for my body. My favorite 2 chest exercises are dips and incline DB press. I could just do those 2 exercises and my chest, tris, and shoulders would be happy.

[iron addict]

Dips will probably give you BIGGER pecs than benching. Flat BB benches for MANY, MANY, trainees are shoulder wreakers. Dumbells are MUCH easier on your shoulders, as are REASONABLE range dips. I rarely barbell bench anymore because full range barbell bench presses leave my shoulders feeling like someone stuck a screwdriver in my delts and pokaed around for fun.

Iron Addict

[Halfway]

By reasonable ROM are you saying don't go below parallel? I've always gone a couple inches below with my dips, not rock bottom or bouncing or anything, it just feels a more natural place to reverse the motion

I'm going to do dips as the primary exercise with either the hammer strength wide or the incline db press as #2 pressing motion.

I can't do overhead pressing at present due to shoulder pain brought on by the bench (that 385 bench was certainly worth it, lol) - you think the dips & db presses the shoulders sufficiently?

thanks for your help, it's appreciated :)

[iron addict]

By reasonable I mean what is reasonable for YOUR body, not mine, your buddies, or what some "expert" says is the correct ROM. If there is any undue joint or muscular stress, you are going too deep.

Iron Addict

[Halfway]

point taken, I'll keep them tight

how do you feel about the decline bench press? I can do that without any pain, although it feels like it's working my lats as much as my chest

[iron addict]

Dips are better IMO.

Iron Addict

[maced]

I've been having a problem with dips lately, from the point I started doing them almost a year ago I could feel a good load on my inner pecs where they meet at the sternum. Lately though I've been having pain there right in the middle of my upper chest. It feels like the two sides of my rib cage are pressing against eachother with a lot of pressure when I do them (slight pain there for days after) and I feel I need to get a "crack" there (like you'd crack your knuckle) and when I do it feels good but it feels like there is some kind of movement there, I mean there shouldn't be any right because the bones are fused there aren't they? Anyone with any advice would be helpful, my left shoulder has been getting very "cracky" lately also for mil press and bench unless I keep my shoulders way back.

[iron addict]

If they are bothering you STOP DOING THEM! THE SINGLE MOST IMPORTANT THING YOU CAN DO TRAINING WISE IS AVOID INJURY! You would be simply amazed at how many of the people that come to me as clients have LONG-TERM pre-existing injuries. I have injuries that WILL NEVER go away, and could have been easily avoided had I not let my "progress greed" and ego get in the way. Don't be a "could have been" because you got injured!

Iron Addict

[maced]

Yeah I will take a break from the dips, I'm on a week break right now and dropping the barbell for mil press for dumbells when I come back. I will be doing flat db bench but what other exercise should I do? I'd prefer not to do any barbell lifts. Maybe decline db?

[iron addict]

Call me to discuss.

IA

[Overload]

I haven't done any kind of benching in many, many months and I can't say I miss it. I love dips, my favorite exercise, and they seem to be doing ok for my chest. Plus the dips hit my shoulders, triceps, and even lats better than any bench press IMO.

Dips all the way for me :)

[01svtL]

Well, I'll say Im new to the forums. This is my first post. I really got into weight lifting this past school year, my freshman year in college. I was doing dips along with my tricep workout, and noticed my chest was in pain up around 10 at first, then around 15 after a week or two. I thought I was doing it wrong or something. I had no idea dips are good for your chest too. That explains the burn I was feeling.

[exmgq]

i posted a good bench routine in the PLing section for guys with bad shoulders. works great and no shoulder pain.

[exmgq]

i posted a good bench routine in the PLing section for guys with bad shoulders. works great and no shoulder pain.

here it is

well i'll tell ya. i have bad shoulders too. the board work and lockouts do not bother my shoulders at all. heavy day i wear a shirt so the shoulders are not envolved at all. however one day i did workout by myself with no spot on assistance day and i discovered a very nice chest routine that did not hurt my shoulders at all. I set up in the power rack and set the pins at about 6 inches off my chest and started there. 2x3 adding 20lbs every set. then i set the pins up two inches. 2x3 again adding 20lbs each set. i used a wide grip on these (index fingers on the ring). then i set the pins up two more inches which left me witha 4 inch lockout. using a medium grip (pinkies on the rings) i did as many sets of 5 as i could adding 30lbs each time until i could not complete a set. my chest and tris were fried and no pain in the shoulders. for me the pain comes at the bottom of the movememnt so this takes that away. give it a try and drop saturdays routine so you will have a three day split. monday squats , tuesday bench work, thursday deads, back and bis. here's a sample routine that could work for you.