Can't press for a bit, what do?

My shoulder has been bugging me off and on when I press near my limits. My other lifts are progressing, including bench. I want to take some time off of pressing and I'm hoping for suggestions for what to do. The simplest would be to just bench again where I normally press. Maybe supplement with light, high rep presses.

I am a novice in terms of what weight I can move. I lift twice a week and do these things:

Tuesday
Squat 3x5
Bench 3x5
Deadlift 1x5
some assistance
sometimes cardio

Friday
Squat 3x5
Press 3x5
Barbell Rows 3x5
some assistance
sometimes cardio

Thoughts?

 

Do light higher rep benching or maybe keep 3x5 but do it with 10-20% less weight.

 

Weighted pull ups or weighted dips. Or as DrBdan said, a lighter bench.

 

What are you doing for shoulder mobility and warmup?

And how wide of a grip do you use on bench press and overhead press?

 

Thanks for the suggestions. I think I will do the lighter bench. I do pullups at home on off days, but I can only do a couple, so weighted is out of the question. Never tried dips.

I don't do anything for shoulder mobility. I'm open to suggestions in that area.

Bench I put my pinkies on the outer rings. Press my hands are maybe a thumbs length from the middle smooth (about shoulder width or a little narrower for me).

 

Your grip is relatively narrow, that's good.

Try doing "shoulder dislocations" before your press workout. Also try external and internal rotation against band tension.

Do your shoulders slouch forward when you stand? When you let your arms hang to your sides, do your thumbs point straight forward, or do they tend to point inward toward your groin?

 

Thanks, I'll look those exercises up.

I believe my thumbs tend to point more inward.

 

Yeah you might be in a state of excessive internal rotation of the shoulder, which will make overhead lifts difficult and painful. It happens when you focus on bench press too much and neglect to train pulling motions.

Focus on strengthening your back with more pulling lifts, and relaxing/opening up your pecs with mobility exercises.

Another good one is to get a lacrosse ball, put it against a wall and roll it around on your chest and shoulder to massage all the pectoral and anterior deltoid muscles to get them to relax.

 

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