Incline DB press Question

bkoman · Post by **bkoman** » Tue Jul 14, 2009 9:11 pm

So im recovering from a shoulder impingement from about 6-7 months ago. It's been a slow recovery but time and effort has been worth it, and I can now lift heavy for nearly every muscle except shoulders which are at about 80% working capacity. question is I heard that if incline press at a 45 degree angle is to much on the shoulders that moving it to a 30 degree angle is ok. Do any of you know if its just as effective or should I just hold off on it until it doesn't cause discomfort. For the time being to work chest i've chest been doing flat db press, db flys, decline db, and pushups but now upper chest seems to be noticebly smaller =\

Thanks for the help.

: )

clem · Post by **clem** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 12:50 pm

sounds like your doing plenty of chest.. how are the squats and deadlifts going?

lens_d · Post by **lens_d** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 1:51 pm

i would agree with clem on that one that should be lots of chest for now.

MrCheese · Post by **MrCheese** » Wed Jul 15, 2009 3:34 pm

Maybe safe to stay at the 30 degrees. I wouldn't rush too fast into incline if yer shoulders aren't 100%. If i've seen a shoulder injury, incline db press can aggravate it.

beachdog · Post by **beachdog** » Thu Jul 16, 2009 4:35 am

With torn tendons in the shoulder from younger days in tournament karate (not repairable), I can sympathise with rotator cuff impingement.
You should not do any overhead work e.g. incline press or standing shoulder press, until it has fully healed.

This will not disadvantage you, in that, your program is adequate already.
As mentioned by the guys above, low bench flat DB flyes & press, decline flyes and of course, the basic wide grip bench press with barbell will keep your pecs popping.

swanso5 · Post by **swanso5** » Wed Jul 22, 2009 5:34 pm

3 things you should probably not do again:

1 - any straight bar pressing (yes bb bench press and bb shoulder press - it's not the end of the world)

2 - back squats (shoulder abduction + shoulder external rotation = reinjury)

3 - the amount of chest work you currently do

3 things you should do from now until the end of time:

1 - rows, rows and more rows - you got a cuff injury from muscle imbalances btw chest and back (basically) so this needs to be evened up

2 - scapula stability work - various push up variations should be the basis for most of your chest work at this time...upper chest? who cares really...

3 - deadlifts, deadlifts, deadlifts - heavy deadlifts force the rotator cuffs to "pack in" (tightens the shopulder capsule if any of those make sense to you) thus strenghtening them

www.uponlinetraining.com

beachdog · Post by **beachdog** » Thu Jul 23, 2009 5:58 pm

Just to correct Swanso's remarks, you CAN do straight bar bench press, both wide grip for pecs and narrow grip for triceps without causing further aggravation of the tendons involved in the rotator cuff.
This is because in a lying position, much of the strain is removed. However, you will have to reduce your weight down from your previous PB. Test this weight by halving your previous and increasing upwards from there only to the point where you feel no shoulder pain.

It is STANDING presses that you should avoid. I base this on knowledge as a medical scientist, 39 years weightlifting and having three torn tendons myself from combat days. All good fun