5 Exercises to End Bench Press Pain

Eliminate Shoulder Pain with Upper-Back Isometrics

The barbell bench press is the ultimate test of upper-body strength, but it’s also one of the most injury-prone exercises. Shoulder pain is a common issue for bench press enthusiasts, and it’s often caused by a lack of upper-back muscular endurance and stability.

Why Traditional Exercises Don’t Work

Typical exercise recommendations like rows, rear-delt flyes, and face pulls don’t address the two major strength factors needed for a powerful and pain-free bench press: positional endurance and stability for the trapezius, rear delts, and rotator cuff muscles.

The Solution: Isometrics

Isometric exercises can greatly improve your upper back positional endurance and stability, making bench-pressing injuries a thing of the past. Here are five exercises to get you started:

1. Retraction Hold: Enhance the isometric strength of the trapezius, rhomboids, and latissimus dorsi with this exercise. Pull your shoulder blades back as far as you can and hold for 5-10 seconds. Repeat for 2-5 reps per set.
2. Row Hold: Take the retraction hold one step further by pulling your chest to the bar and holding for 10 seconds. Do three reps per set.
3. Rear-Delt Row Hold: Target the same upper back muscles as the Smith machine row hold, but with a greater emphasis on the rear delts. Hold for 5-10 seconds and lower the dumbbells slowly.
4. Banded-A Iso Hold: Train the rear delts and upper, middle, and lower traps with this 45-degree isometric exercise. Hold for 5-10 seconds.
5. Reverse-Band Pause Bench Press: Get your intentions right when lowering the bar to your chest on a bench press. Hold the bottom position for 5-10 seconds and press the bar away without losing upper back tension.

By incorporating these isometric exercises into your routine, you’ll strengthen your upper back and eliminate shoulder pain when bench pressing. Remember to focus on positional endurance and stability for the best results.