At a glance...
- The incline bench press is one of the most widely performed exercises in all of weight lifting and is considered a standard for building the upper chest and anterior delts.
- This exercise is a known culprit in those experiencing shoulder pain due to lifting.
- Proper scapular motion is a must for activities involving the shoulder, especially overhead activities.
- The landmine press can be used to activate the same muscles (and more), yet allowing normal scapular motion to occur decreasing injury risk to the shoulder.
Nagging shoulder pain is a common problem in the majority
of the population and especially common in bodybuilding.
Though the
shoulder pain is often multifactorial, choosing the right lift and performing
it correctly can greatly reduce its incidence.
One large component of certain lifts that can lead to
shoulder pain not allowing proper scapular motion to occur.
In order to bring the arm overhead, not only does the
shoulder need to flex, but the scapula must also upwardly rotate to allow full
motion. If this upward rotation doesn't
occur, impingement of important shoulder structures can occur leading to pain.
Pinning the
shoulder to a bench and performing an overhead lift, as in the incline bench
press can do just that. It may not lead
to pain during the lift, however, over time as impingement can lead to increase
friction, inflammation, and degenerative changes within important tendons.
A simple way to remedy this is to free up the shoulder
blades to allow for proper scapular motion.
One of my favorite lifts to do this is the landmine
press.
The landmine press elicits similar activation of muscles
as well as other benefits such as increased recruitment of the core and
scapular stabilizers.
How to perform:
1. Place barbell in landmine press platform (or in
corner of wall if you don't have a landmine platform)
2. Set up in the 1/2 kneeling position with the
trunk upright and hips perpendicular to bar
3. Squeeze on the glut on the down leg to get the
pelvis in position
4. Keep the ribs down and contract the core for a
stable base
5. Grip barbell in same arm as leg you have down
6. Keep chin tucked with cervical spine in neutral
throughout movement
7. Pretension scapular stabilizers and press
straight ahead with bar
If these tips are helpful, feel free to share via your favorite social media platform. If you are looking for help to move better, eat better, or perform better, contact me at info@jeffwilliamspt.com to discuss how I can help you return to the things you enjoy!
Request a FREE strategy session!
