Bench Press, Really Tires my shoulders...

[BEEF]

Good Evening all,
Just as the title suggests really. Today when I was doing my chest workout, my shoulders felt more tired than my chest, which is odd. When I first started doing weightlifting again, my chest was SO tight after a workout but now it doesn't seem quite that way anymore.

My chest workout is,

Incline
1 x 12
1 x 10
1 x 10
1 x 8

Flat Bench
1 x 12
1 x 10
1 x 10
1 x 8

Flies
3 x 12 (all at the same weight??)

DB Press
1 x 12
1 x 10
1 x 8

I remember reading that the very bottom of the barbell bench press rep takes tension off your chest and places it on your shoulders? And the top of the rep does this but uses triceps instead. So when benching I am finishing 1-2 inches off my chest and pushing up but not 100% straighening my arms, as to try and keep tension on the chest. I understand that the shoulders are a huge part of bench pressing, so could this simply be that my shoulders are underdeveloped.

[p.s.]

I could be very well that your anterior delt is a weak link in your pressing, or it could be that it's your benchpress form that's the culprit here. Do you "tuck" your shoulders and arch your back when pressing, or do you lay flat on the bench? If your back is flat then your shoulders are taking a large portion of the work load.

[Camilo]

I could be very well that your anterior delt is a weak link in your pressing, or it could be that it's your benchpress form that's the culprit here. Do you "tuck" your shoulders and arch your back when pressing, or do you lay flat on the bench? If your back is flat then your shoulders are taking a large portion of the work load.

But, isn't arching kind of risky for your back?

Cheers,

Camilo

[muscle_n_blood]

I've never founed that arching my back on the bench press to aggravate it in any way... and I've had lumbar spine problems (disc between L-4 and L-5) for 25+ years. The arch is to get everything in the most advantageous power position, which means simulating the decline bench while still flat. No flopping, bouncing, or floundering around, though. Nail everything into position and press. 

[BEEF]

So I need to be arching my back? Does this mean I will need to bring my feet further back (if that makes sense) as to let me be able to arch my back. I'm a little confused.

[p.s.]

So I need to be arching my back? Does this mean I will need to bring my feet further back (if that makes sense) as to let me be able to arch my back. I'm a little confused.

You've got the right idea. Keep the feet back, heals on the ground, and ass and shoulders/head on the bench. Bring the bar down to you lower pec/nipple line and then press back up towards your belt. Do not fall into the trap of pressing up towards your chin/head in an arcing motion as this is hard on the shoulders.

[BEEF]

Excellent, thank you very much I'll give this a go for the chest workout on wednesday.

[simple]

Did the arch work for your shoulder fatigue? I get the same problem on chest days and here lately when I do biceps

[RJSMuscle]

try keeping your elbows out and your chest out as much as possible

squeeze the weight up slowly using your chest muscles instead of trying to push the bar.

going slow really works the chest good

[BEEF]

Did the arch work for your shoulder fatigue? I get the same problem on chest days and here lately when I do biceps

Two things worked for me. First was adjusting my form slightly as was pointed out. Second was take some time and analyse my bench form from the top to the bottom of the movement. What I found was that I was not 'feeling' the movement in my chest. I wasn't giving maximum stimulation in my chest I was using other parts of my body to help me push through the lift. Since I have looked at what I was doing, and realised what was wrong I have found this much better.

Good luck sorting your problem out

[BEEF]

try keeping your elbows out and your chest out as much as possible

squeeze the weight up slowly using your chest muscles instead of trying to push the bar.

going slow really works the chest good

I did this mate, focusing on my chest felt gooood

[RJSMuscle]

I did this mate, focusing on my chest felt gooood

I find if I use too much weight, my form suffers

Sometimes it's better to use less weight and really concentrate on the muscle your working with slow movements