I’m not here to tell dramatic stories or pretend I’m a legendary bencher. I’ve always considered myself an average bencher, with a personal best around 315 pounds at a lean frame. I know how to coach the bench and have helped many lifters improve, often by helping them work around shoulder pain that blocks them from attacking the lift.
Many people complain that the bench press hurts their shoulder. The immediate impulse is to drop the bench and dive into corrective exercises, mobility drills, or scapular stability work to address a possible root cause. I think we should pause and think it through. It’s true that improving upper back mobility can help, and some people have tissue quality or movement patterns that contribute to shoulder pain. A thorough assessment with a manual therapist can help. But sometimes the reason for shoulder pain is simply poor technique.
Maybe the answer is better coaching. As I always say: Correct movement can be corrective. When a shoulder hurts during the bench press, my first focus is technique. The fitness world has grown too corrective at the expense of coaching. Taking five to ten minutes to address someone’s setup can make a big difference in how the movement feels.
Are they driving their upper traps into the bench? Are they retracting and depressing their scapulae? Do they press the bar up and out of the safeties, or do they guide it out? Do they let the bar settle before lowering it? Do they meet the bar with their chest, or do their shoulders roll forward? These are easy fixes that can remove shoulder discomfort during the bench press.
BENCH PRESS SET-UP
If you’ve addressed technique, it’s sound, and the bench press still hurts, you can try other pressing variations that can work in the meantime while you address the root causes.
DECLINE BENCH PRESS
Think about what isn’t happening in a decline bench press compared with a flat or incline variation. In a decline, there’s less shoulder flexion, which helps keep many people out of the “danger zone” of shoulder pain. So if the flat bench hurts, you may be able to get by with a decline.
SPOTO PRESS (INVISIBLE BOARD PRESS)
A common flaw is meeting the bar with the chest, which can cause the shoulders to roll forward as you lower the bar. Popularized by Eric Spoto (722 lbs, unequipped), the Spoto Press stops the bar a few inches above the chest, pauses, then presses back up.
WHEN IN DOUBT, USE DUMBBELLS
Barbell pressing with an overhand grip can lock the humerus in an internally rotated position, narrowing the shoulder space. Dumbbells allow a bit more external rotation with a neutral grip, which is why I often prefer dumbbell presses for overhead athletes over straight-bar pressing.
CORRECTIVE PRESSING VARIATIONS THAT DON’T FEEL CORRECTIVE
A common thread in shoulder pain is limited scapular movement. To lift big weights, you need tension and stability, but the shoulder blades can get stuck in downward rotation and lose full range of motion. It’s important to keep scapular movement accessible for shoulder health. When this happens, I often choose pressing variations that give the shoulder blades some breathing room. Push-ups are my first choice here, even though many people avoid reading about them.
OFF-BENCH DB PRESS
Moving a bit to the side of the bench can increase scapular movement. This exercise doubles as a core challenge (you have to brace hard to avoid falling) and helps engage the glutes. The lower body position also matters, so you aren’t resting on the bench.
BOTTOMS-UP PRESS – OFF FOAM ROLLER
This idea comes from Dr. Joel Seedman. Using a kettlebell and holding it bottoms-up on a foam roller ramps up rotator cuff activation. You must stabilize to keep the joint centered. Lying on the foam roller also allows the shoulder blades to move more freely, and like the off-bench variation, it recruits the glutes and even foot and ankle engagement.
AND THAT’S THAT
Don’t rush to rely on band external rotations or thoracic spine drills alone. Addressing bench technique can be just as corrective for shoulder pain. And don’t dismiss all pressing variations; the right variation for each person can make a big difference.
Press on.
